Letter written by Henry N. Shepard from Brookfield to his friend Marsh on February 4, 1861
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Brookfield (Brookfield) Feb 4th 1861
Friend Marsh (Marsh)
As I am determined
not to be behind you in
punctuality I thought I could
not better employ the time which
I have
before school than in writing
to you. It is now 8 AM and
I am seated
along before a fire
which has just got to burning
vainly endeavoring
to collect my
thoughts which have gone woolgathering.
I am pleased to
hear
that your honor is still prospering
I received a letter from
H.
Wheaton (Wheaton,
H.) last week in which there
were unmistakeable
marks of senatorial
eloquence, and the dignity
of a Senior which you
know is not
of a kind to be sneezed at.
I still jog along in the even
tenor of my [day?] undistrubed by
bears, catamounts, seceding states or
rivals for the object of my affections.
which is of course very fine especially
the last. I now have
58 scholars on my list, a number
which you may readily suppose
keeps me pretty busy.
My time would have expired
this week, but the directors in
their infinite wisdom, have
seen fit to engage me for another
month, so that I yet have five
weeks to instruct the large boys
and small girls under my
charge. Spelling schools in this
country are quite a popular
institution. I am to have one
to night, which I expect will
be attended by the crack spellers
from adjoining schools, As yet
we have been victorious in every
encounter. not only at home
but abroad, and therefore we
have got our names up some.
This week finishes my experience
in boarding around. The next
month I propose to board near
by where are two handsome
young ladies who understand
playing chess, It may be that
I wont have some tall times.
(mem) said place is at present
a very convenient calling place.
Since your anxiety is so
great to learn the decision of the
society respecting the right of a state to
secede, here it is, start not. This
august body decided through their
worthy president that no state
has a right to secede fromthe
Union. A special messenger has
been dispatched to South Carolina (South Carolina)
with this important decision. When
it is known there it is expected
that her hasty action will be heartily
repented of. Another momentous
question was decided last
week. It was this. Resolved that
man's love for woman is stronger
than his love for money. This was
decided in the affirmative. So of
course it is no longer an open
question. It is said that the Supreme
Judge propose to resign if this
body continues to issue its weighty
decisions. I trust the rumor is without
foundation. The next question is, Resolved
that more is due to the Statesman
that to the warior. Your humble servant
discusses the [??] Please write soon Yours Henry H Shepard (Shepard, Henry H.) Maquoketa Jackson Co Iowa (Maquoketa, Iowa) (Jackson County, Iowa)
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