Sarah Walker, June 13, 1847 pg. 1

[Letter begins with apology for not writing]
I wished I learned to be a glib writer when I was young but now I am getting so old that I begin to think I shall never amend in this respect. They say that habits are formed for life at eighteen but I know that I can write a letter sooner now than I could then but whether the subject matter or manner is improved is rather doubtful. I ought to be saying something instead of merely talking here, now I will try So you are teaching school really! My little sister that was - preceptress of an Academy and in LITCHFIELD how come you to think you could undertake it. I dont mean to laugh at you by no means but I thought you used to be so opposed to the
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Sarah Walker, June 13, 1847 pg. 2

idea of teaching school and I was taken so by surprise to find that you should think that you could come out with such an advertisement and as a beginning.

I really hope you will like the employment and succeed well. I'll not undertake to give you any advice though I am such an experienced teacher for I think you will do better without it.

June 14th I am heartily tired of teaching school at least in this place. I have scholars that have always been driven to learn all that they did learn & I think I have tried as hard as I can to instill a different principle into them but I am entirely discouraged if I tell them it is their duty to learn -- I won't do it if I can help - it is the language of their actions show them that it is their privilege - it is not a privilege that they desire - no coaxing will do but it is ding ding - you must learn your lessons suffer the consequences --you seem to have taken a notion that I am going to leave this state and enter another That one sentence in my letter was very foolishly put in instead it had no business there It ought to have caused me to copy it which I was quite inclined to do after it was ready for the P.O. but I did not like to undertake it & so let it pass it did not mean that there was any such prospect nor is there now so you may rest satisfied on that subject. But don't think I am discouraged not at all there's time enough yet and will be this years for me to get a husband If I live now don't imagine that I am joking I can find something to do besides teaching school or getting yoked. Why I have been offered
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Sarah Walker, June 13, 1847 pg. 3

a dollar a week to do house work I should accept however, I'd rather live on the interest of my money. I think that when I have settled up here, I shall have enough to get home with! Am I not rich! I hope that when H. was in Litchfield you was favored with the recital of at least some of the particulars contained in my last letter home for that reason I will not say much about the folks here.

Cousin Reed is in Winchester now preparing to take his little one & Sarah to LeRoy. He wishes me and Sarah to go with him at least as far as Milwaukee where Cousin Maria lives & I have concluded to do so but I am not ready to come home yet I have not yet seen our little niece nor visited at Uncle Edwards & I think I shall visit our friends in Michigan before I go home at any rate aunt Clarissa & if I can bring it [unclear word] aunt Elizabeth. You say the Doctor has settled in Ohio if I had made these visits and was ready to go home I would go to LeRoy with Reed, visit my friend Elvira and then come home don't imagine that because I say I am not ready to come home I do not want to see home. I believe I was really getting homesick & if Horace's welcome letter did not come when it did, I cannot say what I might have decided upon.
[More about family]
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Sarah Walker, June 13, 1847 pg. 4

As to our house being repaired I would have been glad to have seen it just as when I left once more now do you think that strange If I had been home I should have been as anxious as any of you for the change to take place and now I am glad it is accomplished but somehow since I have been in Illinois some how or other I have taken a great fancy to those old uncovered boards.
[Closing comments]
[Signed] Sister Sarah

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