Coventry Vt.June 17-'88Dear Katie,-

Page 1

I will now try and answer your stunning good letter that I received only last Monday evening although it was dated May 18.

I am enjoying life to the best of my ability but that is slim in such a dead place

as Coventry

There isn't one single thing that a fellow can do for excitement except to make love to the fair girls and they are few and far between. However----.

I am afraid you will be stealing the heart of that young gent scholar of yours not withstanding his tender years. How is it Katie?

I don't know whether Miss S. is going back to J-. in the fall or not and don't care.

I would give a

small farm if I could find myself up under the pines at High Falls with the fair Elsie Adam[ ]s some fine evening as of yore.- That is, last year at this time.

We used to have big times going up there last year

Leave it to Miss A. if we didn't.

The Dr. that I am studying with came when I got so far and I had to stop and help entertain him and his wife

I think Mr C-.

ought to have a guardian appointed over him before he does something rash. Don't you?

You spoke of the great scheme (Mt. Mansfield) I think it a nice and would like to go first rate-if-well we will talk about it later if you like. Miss Flagg must be a jolly companion for you and you couldn't live hardly if your chum wasn't jolly. I used to wonder

though how you managed to stand Freddy O. but thought possibly you might cheer him up so he could be just a little jolly in his way. I ought not to write such stuff for Fred is a good fellow and we all liked him notwithstanding you were a little inclined to "flirt" with him (In the Hall of course). Do you suppose Mes A. will let the Graduates occupy the sitting room or parlor

Page 6

next week?

O Katie I have got lots of news to tell you and an emmense stock of questions to ask you too when we meet.

Hope Jennie Perry will be there to carry on with the rest of [the] crowd of last terms graduates. Do you suppose there will be as much tear shedding done as [there] was last term?

I think your mother had better come up to Johnson with you to look after you next

week.

Miss Gay has been quite quiet this term but I heard at Newport the other day that she had been having a just awful pretty dress made for graduation so suppose that has occupied most of her time and thoughts

I would like to see Miss Oakes most of any of the teachers. She is the best one in the whole lots I think. She was always just "boss" to me, and you know

I didn't deserve it either.

Now that Julia G. gets through this term and won't be back in Johnson some more I'll tell you, perhaps, how so many of her affairs happened to be so well known. It was quite unique I tell you.

I had not heard of the address to be given to the old graduates. some goody, good advice such as we

have listened to so many times in No. 3.

Wish I could see you to-night Katie. would not we have a rousing good time? Say. can't we manage to go to ride (I expect to drive over) or else go to walk up to the "falls" while we are in Johnson, I want to see you and have a nice old talk with you when there is n't a whole crowd around or listening to every thing we have

to say to each other? I had a letter from Ober a short time ago and he causually mentioned that he heard from you sometimes.

I haven't heard from Jennie for an age guess she has forgotten me.

Am going to the [I.O.G.T.] to-morrow night. We have great times at that I tell you (Take this blot all in?)

Well one week will soon pass and then I hope we will mostall meet again in the old Normal. Rather

sad to think that the old times are gone by. Isn't it?

I don't think I did a weeks solid studying all the time I was in the old town.

Shall be glad to see you and Jennie most of any of the class.

Guess you won't want to read any more by the time you get here

YoursTom.