William Smith 1878-1881

Andover Mass. Dec. 8th 1878

My dear mother

Yesterday the guncover and thy nice letter arrived. The cover fits very nicely and is nice generally and I am very much obliged to thee and father for it. We have not received our Roman History papers yet but I hope we will get them tomorrow. I got 80 in my examination in Greek and was in consequence excused from the second which was the one

I dreaded the most. There are three middlers in the Greek class all of whom got above that but I am third I think in the Junior class proper. Mr. Comstock had me up last Seventh Day but did not flunk me as he did the time before that. Only one more First Day and one week from next Fourth Day I will be home I think although it may be Fifth as Mr. Bancroft has not yet announced the day school will close.

Last Sixth Day night it was pretty cold and yesterday afternoon I went skating for the first time and had the pleasant and by no means new experience of falling in. The water was about up to my waist but I did not catch cold as I came home pretty quickly and build a nice fire which dried me in time to go again in the evening and that time with better luck.

It is still quite cold and I hope we are going to have some good skating. This afternoon I walked over to Pomp's pond which is the place we walked to but the ice there was too tickelish to try. I hope you are very well and feel so myself.

Thy loving son

Wm Wharton Smith.

Mrs. B. R. Smith No. 4717 Main St. Germantown Phila.