William Plunkett 1850

hard on account of my imperfect knowledge of the Grammar. We left the Latin Reader and commenced Nepos last Monday and I think Nepos is harder than Virgil and those that have been through both seem to think the same. We are going through the Grammar very thoroughly. We have to get two or three pages in it every other day by heart so that we can repeat the whole lesson without any questions being asked.

I have obtaiend an entance into the Gymnasium and I exercise there every day about three quarters of an hour besides walking which I think gives me sufficient exercise.

I joined the Philo Mathean Society as I suppose you know. The Society meets every Wednesday evening which affords me very agreeable amusement. The Society has a small library which has some very good books in it. I have been reading Stephens Travels in Guatimala and the history of Andover. Mr Humphry told me the other day that he would get me any books that I wanted from a library connected with a literary society at the Theological Seminary but I think

our library will furnish me with reading for this term at least, as I do not have a great deal of time to read. I like my boarding place very well and I think I like it better than I should the Mansion house. My room is rather a cold one but I have got the cracks in the windows stopped up and it is quite comfortable now. Some time that you are in Boston I should like very much to have you come up here and spend the evening and you could return so as to be at Boston at nine o'clock the next morning. My school will have a vacation next April. As mother said she was going to send me a box of things from home. I should like to have a map sent as I am in need of one very much. It makes no difference what kind of a map it is. I shall need more money than you left me. I thought when you was here that it would be a great plenty but there was various things that i did not think of at that time that I could not do without. Give my love to Mother Aunt Eliza Sarah Charley & Tommy.

From your dutiful son, W.R. Plunkett

Johnson Johnson

WR Plunkett

Andover Friday 18th

My Dear Mother

As your "long letter" did not arrive last week I suppose it may not be expected this week. Charlie must excuse my last letter because I did have time to look it over. I had it written when father came and did not have time to add anymore as I intended.

I was very glad to see father and hear about "matters and things" at home. Mrs Peirce is much pleased to think that she beat father ^{playing chess} but if father had beat her she should have been cross for two or three days.

Valentines I have been quite favoured with having had six but I think no one can boast of having many from Andover. One of them was signed D. perhaps you can tell me where this came from and perhaps Sarah can tell me where that

one came from that is signed Tabitha [Gentals?] These I did not answer because I thought that a simple acknowledgement be sufficient and I would say that all the love contaiend in them is returned. You will please tell father that I have sent the draft to Boston and the money is returned. The reason I did this so soon is that Mrs Peirce wanted thirty dollars which I have given her. The bank would not rush the draft or send for the money so I sent by express.

The Pittsfield Sun has not illuminated Andover for some time but I suppose it is all the fault of the mail. The Mass Eagle would be very acceptable sometimes.

This term is fast disappearing there being only five weeks left. I look forward to the end of this term with a great deal of pleasure

We had quite an interesting debate ^{night before} last night upon the Tariff question but I took no part in it. The debate of which I am one of the disputants comes two week from last Wednesday. The debate