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Danville Jan
19th 60 [January 19, 1860]
Dear Mother
Not that I think I can fill these few pages with anything interesting to yourself do I write, but only that I want an answer from you giving me the various movements going on at home and other little comforts of which your letters are always productive. Pa always answers my letters promptly. If anyone at home is sick he says so. If they you are all well he tells me. But that is about as far in home matters as he generally gets. So you perceive you must answer soon and
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at length, giving all the particulars. I have been studying pretty hard for the last ten days and suppose I have made about my 7 and 8 hours per diem. You have learned from Pa's letters that we are very comfortably situated and have every facility for studying, and we find it a most too great glorious an opportunity to be lost. I suppose you are now quite well, or at least so far convalescent that as to be able to perform the threats which you made against the children during the Christmas hollidays [holidays] viz "that you would whip them all well severely when you got well." You have my hearty
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cooperation. The students met yesterday after College in the Chapel and drew up certain resolutions to the effect that being aware of the evils caused by the sale of liquor, it is resolved that if any of the stores in this town are hereafter known to the students to sell whisky, a intoxicating drink, that we one and all withdraw our patronage from said stores. The action of the meeting will be published in the next Magazine where you will see a full account of it. Several students have been expelled within the last three months for getting drunk. Which I suppose is the origin of the resolutions.
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Received a letter from Pa last night, in which he says something which amounts to about this that "little Emily is getting along finely and has made great proficiency in the art of crying." Not that I consider a great reflexion [reflection] upon your negligence in her "broughtnen up" (as the nigger said) for which you of course will call him in account of.
But I believe I have done for the present. Shall expect a letter very soon. Yours affectly.
Love to all - [Chapin scratched out]
Tell Pa to direct Box 109!