Tupper's Plains, O., Sept. 20th, 1872

Dear Sister:

I got off from Portsmouth in good time, but would have had a rather dreary ride to Athens, had not Bro. Postle got on the train at Webster and afforded me the pleasure of his company as far as Jackson. I waited at Hamden an hour or so before getting on the Eastern train, but got to New England about 2 1/2 P.M. There I found the Coolville hack ready to start in a few minutes, so about half past seven I was once more in that cool vill-age. (I found my overcoat very comfortable). I went to the parsonage and found Mrs. Griffith alone, but Josie & Aggie soon came in, and they were all very much surprised, of course. Bro. Griffith was attending a special meeting of the Masonic Fraternity, and would not get in till late; so at Mrs. Griffith's suggestion I was not to leave my room in the morning until called down to breakfast, and they were not to tell Bro. Griffith that I had come, so as to occasion a sort of surprise. The maneuver was completely successful; about 7 o'clock next morning Josie summoned me down stairs, and as I entered the room where the rest of the family were all sitting, Bro. Griffith fairly bounced off his seat in astonishment. We had a hearty laugh over his discomfiture, of course. When he found I was going on a circuit, he said he was going to get Elder See on my track and try to get me sent to Coolville. But Bro. Miller has the first claim on me, and I have no idea he will let me go. Nor do I intend to ask him to do so.

I found Bro. Griffith had made arrangements to start away with Aggie on Thursday morning to where his colleague, Bro. Smith, lives, to spend Sabbath with him; and as that is within 10 or 15 miles of Zanesville, he will go straight to Conference from there. So my arrangements for staying with him here, and going with him to Conference, were all knocked out of fix; and as I hadn't as many friends in Coolville as at some other places, I had to come out to the Plains to stay over Sabbath. I walked out yesterday, and was at Father Brown's last night. The old gentleman was extremely pleased to see me, and hopped around on his lame leg with all the spryness of a younger man. He would be very well satisfied if I were to stay there all the time, but that would be doing injustice to my other friends here.

I expect to return to Coolville on Monday, and on Tuesday morning to start for Zanesville. Shall probably be there Tuesday evening. As Conference will last five or six days, I suppose I shall be at home by Thursday of the following week.