ALEXANDRIA, March
30, 1860.
. . . I wrote you
from Louisville and Memphis. The boat was elegant and landed me at ten o'clock
Wednesday night on the wharf boat at Red River and at two o'clock same night
the boat “Morning Light” came along, and Clay1 and I embarked,
reaching Alexandria yesterday at sundown. I rode him out last evening. He is,
you will be pleased to hear, in fine condition well pleased with the trip and
has no dread of steamboats. He had a fine opportunity to study steam engine,
and is now familiar with all the parts. The cadets seemed glad to see me, and
in their new uniforms they looked finely. Everything has worked well in my
absence, and now I can begin to provide for the future. I shall be pretty busy
next week in making up the accounts and sending the results to parents. The
Board of Supervisors have only awaited my return, and will soon meet and
consider and order the improvements, enlargements, etc., embracing the new
professors' houses. Of course, the style and general plans of these will rest
with me, and I will try and get as good houses as possible for the money. With
tri-weekly mails and no telegraphs we are as much out of the world here as
a hermit could desire.
I find the trees in
full leaf, the dogwood in blossom, and the season about a month in advance of
Ohio. The sun is agreeably warm, but the evenings are cool enough for a small
fire.
The wedding of
Captain Lindsey and daughter of Judge Boyce came off some time since and Miss
Ann Patterson is now at the plantation, twenty-four miles off. She has visited
the Seminary and two of the professors were so pleased with her, that they are
going to ride up tomorrow. I shall avail myself of some opportunity to call
when she comes to Alexandria. Mrs. Isaacs is to start for Washington tomorrow
and I will ride in to see her for a few minutes and as it will afford me an
opportunity to register this letter, I enclose a hundred dollar bank bill. I can't
get any drafts on the North here now. This is a risky mode of remitting money,
but I must make it. Give my love to all the children and folks at Lancaster. .
.
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1 A horse brought from Ohio. - ED.
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