A Letter Written on Mar 7, 1856

New Milford March 7th/56.

Dear Dora,

You cannot imagine how delighted I was to receive a letter from you, I had wished and wished you would write me, but thought you would not like such a miserable letter writer for a correspondent as I am, therefore you had not written before.

I am enjoying myself very well, we have a very pleasant school of forty three scholars, thirty of the party number board here in the Institute, there are ten boys here; I do not think it is as pleasant as it would be without them; but next summer there will be none, and it will be very pleasant then, I think.

You wanted me to join you "at school", I hardly think I shall be able to do so, as I should not pass examination if I did, and you know I should not like to be sent home.

I wish you were here with me, for there is no one here, that I love as I do you, although there are some very pretty girls here, my room mate is a very pretty girl, her name is Mary Sherwood from Wappingers Falls near Poughkeepsie, I like her as well as any here, excepting two young ladies by the name of Shorehouse [?], they are sisters and live two or three miles from here, they have invited me to go home with them next week, and I think I shall accept their invitation if Mrs Stone will let me, and I know she will, as she is very kind and does all in her power to please her scholars. Mrs Stone is a dear good woman and I love her dearly.

We have very pleasant teachers, one gentleman and two ladies, I do not like the gentleman as well as when I first came, he is a little cross, but I suppose he is tired, and needs rest and after vacation he will be as good as new.

Our school closes in three weeks, we are to have a public exhibition and examination at the close of the term, the examination will be in three weeks from yesterday the exhibition three weeks from this evening. When is your vacation? I hope it will be when mine is for I want to see you very much, I was very sorry I could not see you when you were home.

Don't you think it is too bad we are to have only one week vacation, but in the summer we have a long one of two months, and I hope you will be home then. for I want to see you very much.

Have you heard from Sarah lately? I wish you would ask her to write me. Do not be worried about my getting married, for I do not think I could find any-one that would have me.

But I must write no more, for it is time this was in the office. Please excuse all imperfections, and write soon to your loving

Carrie.

Please direct,
Housatonic Institute
New Milford.