Athens, O., Oct. 9th, 1869.

Dear Sister;

After waiting impatiently a whole week, I got Wm.'s letter this (Saturday) afternoon; and as I have no time only on Saturdays to write letters, I pen these lines this evening, I have been very busy all day. I got up at five, studied till breakfast time, and after breakfast time until chapel (7.45), preparing my lessons for Monday. After chapel the Elocutionary classes were heard from 8 o'clock to 9, and at nine I went up into the Society Library (I am Assistant Librarian) and spent an hour and a half in taking in and giving out books, arranging about a hundred volumes or more on the shelves, etc. From 10 1/2 A.M. until 12M. I renewed my studies, dined at 12, then spent nearly two hours in cleaning off the walls of my room, washing down the bureau, tables, chairs, etc., and making things look more decent. Then I took a walk out to the cemetery, filled my pockets with apples, came back, put them away, went to the P. O., got Wm.'s letter, returned home, kindled a fire, put on a pot of beans for supper, and in the meanwhile finished the last 18 or 20 pp. of Sir Walter Scott's very interesting poem, Marmion. And now I have my little lamp on the bureau, at which I am standing writing these lines. I do all my studying after night standing, with my books on the bureau, and as there is no one with me to bother me, I spend the long evenings in the most agreeable manner.

With regard to my fare at present, I sometimes think a prince might envy me. Let me tell you what I had for dinner the other day. (1) Bread, (2) meat, (3-4) fried potatoes and onions, just off the hot stove, (5) beans, (6) rice, (7) molasses, (8) applebutter, (9) as many green apples as I wanted, (10) a bucket of water for beverage if I wanted it. As I beheld the sumptuous repast with a grin of satisfaction, I could not tell what to commence on first. My appetite is splendid, and yet I get along with little expense. I have been here now 3 weeks, and in that time have only spent $2.75 for provisions, and have now on hand bread for several days, meat for 2 weeks, molasses and applebutter for a month, besides a peck or more of the potatoes and some of the beans which I brought from home, 2 lbs. of rice, which may last me three weeks. The applebutter I got from E. H. Jackson (about a quart for 10cts.).

And then I am doing finely in all my studies. I wrote home that I began Greek. The hardest thing for me to do was to learn the letters; after that I got along very easily. Perhaps you will think Greek a difficult study if you listen a minute. Take the following sent. --

Notice the little English word the occurs in every one of the sentences, and of course, in the same form. If I were to write those simple sentences in Greek, I would have to use a different word every time I translated the. And then there would be still five other forms that I had not used. Yet the study of Greek is pleasant to me and easy. But that is because I have studied Latin before. There are only about two in the Greek

class besides myself who are doing any serious good. Prof. Scott drives us through seven pages a day, regularly.

Well, I should like to know who your new preacher is, if you have a new one. Ours is Rev. J. H. Creighten. He has not come on yet, but I shall be glad to see and hear him when he does come. Rev. Mr. Taft preached for us last Sunday on his way home from Conference. It was really a delightful discourse, and delivered in a delightful manner. I can think of nothing more to write now, and therefore stop. Please write soon, and don't stick the letter in a lank, lean envelope, such as William sent.

Yours, etc.

1. Stritmatter

As you seem to be about out of pen-points, I send you one of the kind I use here, and think you will find it a good one. Use it when you write not a lead pencil. Tell me what you are doing with the Sewing-machine, and the news in general.