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Dear Jenny,

 I am stopping a few minutes after school at noon to write so that this may go as soon as possible. Before this you have doubtless heard from your brother. We called sometime ago and a day was set to have our daguerreotype taken. When the day came Abbie did not feel able to go and the next day we were both thrown from a sleigh and my face was so much disfigured that I did not care to send such a picture. So passed sevel? days & in the meantime we learned that your brother was quite sick and had gone home. The last time we saw him he looked very tired and I thought low spirited. We cannot hear how he is and I hope he is already well. . . . . . My classes get along nicely. I have one that is real good. Miller Cobb + those boys who study latin unclear in Miss Becker's class in Geography so I have them about 17 of these in my class. I hear them alone. We use now Carlee's Geography. I like it a great deal better than I did our old one. How I would like if it were best to pry into the future just a little way. We will try to write more next time at least I will. Lately there is little material for a diary and I am sorry to say I have neglected it. Did you hear the alarm of fire which early one evening not long since was given? Somebody had placed a small quantity of pitch &c on two of the desks in our school room and lighted them. Some men passing discovered the fire before it had done more than to scorch 2 desks & burn a few books. By tracks in the snow it was plain they had got in at the window. 
  A barn on Cornhill was set one of the coldest nights we have had wind burned? down together with 2 dwellings a store and another barn. These & other fires have been the work of an incendiary.