Norman Cary 1865

but said he was nearly frozen in the attempt. Perhaps you may be able to comprehend our situaiton if I tell you that the wind was blowing a strong North breeze, also that all our windows are worthless as regards keeping the cold out for they all have cracks that admit the air. Now with this discription of the weather you are prepared to hear something that with make you pity as well as wonder. About 8 a.m. on Sunday morning the "Old South" began to ring an alarm of fire. The boys turned out with the Academy hand-engine. As I was in bed I did not attend.

At this fire several of the boys had their ears frozen, one had his hand frozen, Davidson took cold in every part of his body so that it was quite painful for him to move about for some days. A few days after I went ot see the place of the fire & found the woodhouse totally destroyed as well as the roof of the backbuilding adjoining.

The house stands on main street just above Love Lane on the right side of the way going down town. It was very difficult to work the engine for the water froze & clogged the engine if they stopped even for a little while. That

day the thermometer stood at 6 1/2 AM at 7 below, at 12PM at 5 1/2 below ~ 5 P.M. ~ 5 1/2 ~ & at 9 P.M. ~ 12 degrees below. I forgot to mention that everything in the shape of water in my room froze over, & I was obliged to thaw it out before I could perform my ablutions. The next day (Monday) the thermometer at the same hours above was 18 degrees below, 4 below, 4 above, 0 degrees. When I went to breakfast I thought my nose would freeze before I reached the house, for all the way was against the wind, a strong, cutting Northern blast. Returning was not so severe because the wind was behind me all the way. At Melrose about 10 miles to the southwest it was as low as 20 degrees below. So much for the weather. To-day (Sat) I am writing in a room without a fire & 42 degrees above zero for an outside termperature. I have got so much to say that I don't know whether I will be able to tell it all in this letter. I rec'd your last letter just before I went to speaking Exercise. After I had recited my piece (The Battle of Ivry) I read your letter. How busy I have been the last week you cannot possibly conceive. As it was my first week here I have

had so much arranging to do tat I have not had a moment I could call my own until today. Besides this Uncle has been pushign us quite rapidly in our classics. I have studied several nights the past week until 10 P.M. but my eyes have become sore so that I have now relinquished it. You do not state whether the boy called for the telegraph battery, magnet, key, & paid $2.80 or whether he paid $1.00 more & took the platinas. Please tell me where you are in your Virgil now? Can you translate it yet? If I had time I would like to write you a translation for it but it is better for you that I should not. Give my respects to Misses Qick, Page, bakewell & tell them that I miss the morning concerts which I used to enjoy so much before Christmas. Please direct your letters without the prefix of Master, also there is no need now of putting L.C. 4. 3 on the letters you will please therefore omit both on your letters or other maillable matter. I must now close although I have much to say, or I will miss the mail. I will answer questions etc. in yours of the 8th in my next Your loving Brother N

Andover Mass Mon. 2 21 1866

Dear Sister,

Your letter just received & I hasten to answer it before I go to the exhibition of the Society of Inquiry. About my eyes you can judge for yourself when I return home. I am sorry Miss Hooper left no will for it will cause a great deal of trouble I am afraid, if she left any property. I thank you very much for the account of her funeral. Let me know when I come home if Sarah McFarland attended it. I say when I come home for when this letter reaches you I shall probably be packing to leave this place. If I remember I will mail you a letter at New Haven to let you know that I have arrived safely. I hope that those three deaths of which you spoke may be the means under God of quickening the revival interest in their respective schools. Give a cordial greeting for me, to the new Society

for sewing etc. Long may it live & do much good. Uncle Sam has through Prof. Graves appointed our examination in Mathematics for the fore-noon of Tuesday but does not promise that it will be through by noon. We have asked him to reconsider it as the western boys can take only the 2.30 train from Boston or wait a whole day more. I think he will probably arrange it as that we can leave here by noon. So much for Andover news & now good-by. THY BROTHER. Norman.

Dear Mother. You have spoken twice about a letter from Mr. Calkins. I received one last term & answered it. This term I have not received a single one from him & there fore I have not answered it. My correspondence is larger now than I have time for. Pray! don't increase it. I don't like the idea of giving deplomas before graduation but can tell you more about it when I come home. THY SON. Norman.