Kennicott Documents

4

By-the way, Lizzie has been here and has gone home again. I go to Kansas, (with Horace White), to see what prospect there is of making a fortune - (don't laugh! If I think I can succeed there I shall return in about two weeks and fix up things here and go back again. If not I shall come back and graduate in 1858 or leave the country. Now you mark my words I'll do one or the other so sure as my health is spared me, Deo volente. I send you the two or three back no's of the P.F. with one or two of my articles marked. Enclosed ^{in them} please find something which I know will like.

Miss Boyden is in town. I shall go to Rockford with her on Friday. I do like Delia. It is such women as her ^she who make men let out of such purposeless fellows as me I am. Do you know, Bob, Miss Fitch loses in comparison with such a woman as Delia?

Now you know, they're both older than I am - so I may speak of them with some in terest and not be accused of playing Spooney

I wish I was near you so I could speak with you of a thousand things which I can't write. I must tell you tho', of Andrew's pane gyric on you at table the other day. It was yesterday, come to think of it, when I made some remark about your curious letters, writ ten on some half dozen different pieces of paper.

Somebody, nameless of course, said there was a good deal of affectation about you and I very cowardly held my tongue but Doc soon made my ears tin gle and I fancy the speaker's too.

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By-the-way, one source of my "blues" is the eter nal comparison I make between myself and Andrews and the knowledge that he must think so meanly of me - but let that slide - I will be somebody "one of these days" - maybe - I can't tell you all Andrews said - nor would I if I could because you'd be so confounded ly stuck-up - you wouldn't know ordinary people - Suffice it to say he made the author of that speech take it all back and made me feel mean for not having spoken just as he did, instead of waiting for him to defend and absent friend. -

Praise from Andrews is more than most men deserve whether it was well or ill-bestowed in this case I really won't undertake to say - but will break right off here by [illegible] myself

Ever Yours Frank -

P.S. 1 Write me if you choose - care Horace White, Qui Lawrence K.S. I shall see Arny while I am gone - Can you come over to Alton on Sunday the 24^th-? I wish you could

Frank

P.S. 2. You say you are out of Stationery so I send you a sheet or two of paper and a few Envelopes in the P.F.'s.

1857 [circled] 27 Anna May 20

Dear folk at Home

Got back to a more civilized region – Find a good pile of letters for me – one from alice & father enclosing the one from Anthony (shell man) cam last night

I got Evergreens at Bailys Harbor. - I really am utterly incompetent to advise you as to where major had best go – Mr L.P. Hilliard Lumber Merchant House on Wabash Avenue near Catholic Church – told me of a man (Ive forgotten his name) who would be well posted as to the best place to go – the thing is that the well known places have been culled, it is all chance. But a little of the majors energy with skill in taking up and packing will make the “spec” pay I reckon – I really cannot give any advice as to the point best to go to – As Major can only stay a week or so let him remember that the additional pay of say 25[cents] per day to good men for help would be well laid out. As twill be the fishing season he will have to pay well probably - $1.25 to $1.75 or even $2 per day for help – but boys can help carry out the trees – He will have to watch the men in taking up – The soil at Bailys Harbor was sandy and wouldn’t make good puddle – but sometimes ^blk mould

can be found in swamps ^{or low dark woods} where he can get moss – I missed it in not packing entirely with moss. [circled] 28

Better get mostly small trees – about a foot – and work patiently to get them out of the loose stones if they grow among the rocks

Major might come across queer things in the way of mammals reptiles or insects – if so let him not hesitate to spend a few dimes or even dollars to get them but dont waste precious time.

Col Ashley’s things are all looking and growing finely – He is pleased.

Should be delighted to see father if he comes – But he must not let my pleasure count too much – I may go over into Missouri next week – But He said he woud come this week if at all.

Baird says my pat office article will be all ‘sterographed' in a few days with the cuts when he will send me a proof – I have asked him to send father a proof too – “When Mr Mason (Com. Pats. gets “back the money will be sent” – Father will please just hand the place the money with the family purse – twill go toward paying my expenses of last winter – If tis $200. I would like to pay Baird $32. minus $8.50 – that is $23.50 out of it. othe ifonly $150. not.

29 [circled] 30

Fred. Staring goes to Chicago tonight – He will for some two or three weeks be at M. Brayman’s office No. 77 Lake St up stairs. – He can tell the boys of me – if any of t Charlie or Major are in town they might see him. May be he will go to The Grove – Fred is a good fellow. not at all like the chaps that we were vexed at last winter with whom he came that night

I came from the bottoms yesterday – Hard place & was glad to leave it

I am working very hard & steady now. But I am learning nothing much – But I’ll make up for hard work by a week ^{or two at least} of perfect happiness next July when I get home – Ill be here till June 15 any way – that is in this region. ^{Send letters to me here till them} Ho I got Hindes letter – of course cant do anything at it now – wrote him so –

Tell Alice I say “good for the weasel” Tis valuable – wish I had Carletons dog -

Hope father will send along that editorial to the Prairie Farmer twill help along – Dont waste any of my circulars I shall be short

I am well bodily – but am suffering much from low spirits &

Fred Staring will mail this in Chicago

[circled] 29 30

regular sort of Mental Hypochondria I feel miserably degected and sorrowful without cause – I fight it all I can but cant help a rascally big lump from sticking in my throat all the time – I am puzzled by it myself – Ive heard of splenetic individuals – may be I am one – I would not feel as I have for the last month for a year for a thousand dollars – Even at the very time I ought to enjoy myself best I am as melancholy as the D-l – I work like – anything you like strong – But that helps but little – I think that like you father I am over nervous and fret of over little things too much – Now this is not all nonsense I am actually suffering [illegible] from some cause or other – how can I best do to get rid of a part of it? I have thought I would determinedly sit down and read some thing light for an hour each day – I suppose it comes from ones anxiety about this collection united with a natural feeling of this kind which I always have had for ^{a fe} late several years – something like this I had when out two years ago – Now dont you misapprehend me father – I just want your opinion as to what course of mental discipline

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I can follow – My mind is strong and healthy enough – or rather tis healthy enough – The lack of strength of mind is my trouble – If I had it I could conquer all this – I need more mental discipline I must have a regular course of hard study to get my balense wheel running true – I cant govern my feelings in the least is the truth of the matter –

I very much fear you will be borrowing trouble – thinking I am overtaxing my mind 'tis no such thing! When I can sit down and write or think hard a day or two I feel rid of this cursed meloncholy – I want more mental work and less constant discontent and work at one subject – Probably in an hour from this time I’ll be feeling well enough – and another hour after that as blue as the D-l –

I have am not doing badly at collecting – and certainly am have no cause to fear the result of the summers work – yet it does worry me – But never mind Ill stick to the work now and

[circled] 32

endure the discomfort – maybe twill leave me when I get used to this knocking around among strangers and strange places – I hardly know but that I may lay part of this to dyspepsia – but I’ve not had dyspepsia lately. – I have not smoked much – no more than when at home – hardly once a day on an average – I have a mind to try taking blue pill and see if Dr Hoy is right in saying the liver not spleen is the seat of meloncholy –

Now dont you “go for to” supposing that my mind is out of order – I have thought and considered all this and will run no risk of what I fear you would suspect – So dont go to running down here on a false alarm - but not spend a half hour in giving me a prescription – I shall have a month or so yet down here and if I can try any new plan to get rid of my low spirits I want to do it. Fear it really is very unpleasant and interferes with my work even –

Ill probably go to St. Vincents college Cape Girardeau Mo ^{on Miss River} next week - I cant certainly tell my movements for some time ahead –

In a Hurry Son Bob.

[page turned written on left side] I should not have bothered you with this at all father but I believe you yourself have been in just about my state of mind – only being away from home and friends my grief becomes more “acute” as the doctors say 'tis a chronic disease with me any way -

[printed letterhead] [upper left] L. W. ASHLEY, } BEN. L. WILEY, } D. L. PHILLIPS, }

[upper right] LAND OFFICE OF ASHLEY, WILEY & CO., POST OFFICE AT JONESBORO STATION, UNION CO., ILL. [handwritten] Anna Ill May 21 [printed] 1857.

[handwritten] B G Roots Esqr

My Dear Sir, your kind letter came while I was away in the Bottoms - I was very glad you feel

Anna May 21

Dear Father

I am half sorry I wrote you as I did yesterday – but you may give me some advice that will be of use – This is no nonsense of mine – I have really felt this causeless lo melancholy for a long time – and I called it homesickness – now for real suffering I would rather have the ague – You know your own feelings when in low spirits – I think you understand my case somewhat – you laugh at me when I have spoken of feeling “blue” – tis the same thing now only worse from