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I do not dare to allow myself to think about it, for I do not know what I shall think best to do. Mrs. Hopkins starts for Mass. with her daughter in about a month; I am teaching without her now and shall be alone after two weeks. She expects to return to commence the fall term middle of Sept. I am obliged to stay at any rate until the end of the term (last of Aug.) probably I can stay during the winter & another year if I wish, but I have some annoyances in the family - (not from Mr. or Mrs. H.) I feel very much isolated,- none to share with me my thoughts, feelings or sympathies:- Providence will direct + open my way and make it plain when the time comes. The idea of taking the responsibility of a new school in a new set of circumstances is not pleasant to me in truth I am weary of teaching: I had been engaged you know, and that laboriously, three years steady, before coming here,- now two years more with but ten weeks interruption; longer than ever before without a rest of some months: Some weeks since I went to Chicago, 60 miles south by take, Mr. H. went to attend convention so I went too, partly for the pleasure of the excursion, partly to ascertain about schools there. A young lady who came out with me is teaching a private school there: Makes more than I do, does not teach French or Drawing.- She thinks I could do well to open a school there ,the place is fast increasing- is the centre of a great deal of business having communication by railroad and steam boats with Buffalo and Eastern cities and by canal? Illinois,

Template:Side of letter Give much love to Eliab tell him I mean to write to him before long.