(Collection of John Barber, Florida)
Big Mills March 5th[18]56
Dear Frank
You are doubtless surprised at the dating of this letter from Big Mills, and in fact I am so myself. For I left Princeton near three months ago, but the rivers and bay have been frozen so as to prevent all intercourse with the Eastern shore except by way of Elkton.
How do you like study? Or do you study? I saw Bacon as I was coming home from Princeton in December. He said that you were getting on very well, I am glad to hear it, and hope you will graduate high. I mean to try to get to New Haven to see you if possible either before or at the end of the term. '58 still flourishes I hear it must be vexatious to one of your spirit to be in a class
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so totally nerveless as '59 is said to be. She Repudiates foot ball is said to look with horror upon burial of Euclid. –by the bye- were you at '58’s burial, and how did it pass off. Bacon said it was quite a prodigy, but he was perhaps prejudiced Your Class should certainly have one of those if possible. Do you belong to a boat club and what one? have you seen the Rowena? I belonged to her, and I think she is the prettiest boat in the harbor.
What is Jep doing, any thing or nothing. I wish you woul[d] ask Jones of the Billiard saloon if Jep has paid him the money I owed him when I left. I would not have the bill sent home for the world. I left the money with Jep that would much more than pay it and I hope he has done so. I left some French books and some papers at Mrs. Johnsons with my furniture. Would you be so kind as to keep them in your room until I call for them. Anything of mine now in New Haven that you wish you are welcome to. Please take care of my violin too.
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I left it at Mrs. Collins’. Mrs. Thompson. You of course know of Emma Edmonson's marriage they were in Balt at the time I passed through on my way home I called to see them but they were not at home, however they came down to the Eastern [shore?] in the Kent on the same day with myself. Miss Mary E. was along and in consequence thereof that day is one by me “never to be forgotten”, they went down to Somerset next day and therefore I have not seen them since. There was a report that Miss [T?]illy intended suing the Doctor for breach of promise, but I believe that there is no truth in it.
There is a great change now in the Choptank neighborhood created by the deaths of Mr Thompson and Cousin John Stewart. Bob is the executor of his fathers estate the vendue takes place next Tuesday. Sue is home now, and – well never mind her-, they [say] that there is a great deal of truth in the report Miss Sallie’s engagement to that [or Chas] Mcginnis, a
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Baltimore Clerk. Brother Eugene graduates on the seventh of this month, do you recollect that pointer of his named Frank? He is a splendid fellow, well I had to shoot him to day, for he has killed about 20 of Bob's lambs I put a ball through his head and one through his heart, with the revolver, and poor fellow he never kicked, I hated to do it awfully though. There has been a great deal of skating this winter there[?] more in fact than I ever saw any where. Peyton met with a rather serious accident sometime a go, he was riding a young horse and the bridle breaking she ran into woods and striking a tree at a full run knocked off both Peyton and the saddle, bruising his legs awfully he walks about quite lame yet. I have no time to write more, give my love to all my old classmates, Remember me specially to yr Chums to Jep Haskell, and Channing Richards tell him (Channing) I mean to inflict pennance on myself for a week for not answering his letter he shall hear from me soon however.
I am yrs truly,
Thomas Hodson