On this pleasant evening I could not choose a more pleasant task than to write to my little sister. I se[added: received] your kind and affectionate on [added: letter] yesterday. It gratified me very much indeed to see that you could write such an inteligent [intelligent] letter. I have recovered [added: entirely] from my sickness; and commenced school week before last. I am very much pleased with the Insitute indeed. I have received no cencures [censures] yet, but it is very difficult to keep them off of my list. I am in the Second Senior Department we all have to study very hard indeed. We sit up every night untill 9, o'clock, and get up at daybreak every morning. I am taking Music lessons under a very fine teacher indeed, Mrs , [added: Boardman] she pays a great deal of attention to my fingering. I practice from 8 until 9 O'Clock every night. I sleep in the third Story, [added: no capital] in the long Dormitory. Dear sister you say that I do not [added: write] to you often enough; hereafter I shall try to write to [added: you] every week as I have composition to write then and I shall write a letter in its place. Sister you forgot to write me what cousin Martha Ann has named her fine son. O' I should like to see him so much. I expect Aunt P. & uncle Will are very much delighted that it is a son. Tell Aunt Narcissa that I shall write to her next week; but one letter must do for you all for we are not allowed to write but one letter a

week. I want to see you all so very much that I can scarcely study for thinking of home. O' why do not some of my relation write to me I think that some of them might write to me . tell them that they must not wait to receive a letter from me. You do not know how very bad I feel when all of the letters come and there is none for me. tell Aunt Narcissa I thought that her ; Aunt F. and cousin Jane were going to write to me directly I arrived here; and I have not received one line from them yet. I received a letter from cousin Rachel last Saturday; she says that they are all very well and that Florida is very gay. Oh! she you said that I had forgot to tell the name of the little girl that sent her love to you; it was Ann Maria Walker . I expect that Brother Sam looks very sweet with his new tooth. O' I do want to see him so much. Why dont cousin Dick write to me it is getting very late now and I go to book as cousin Will says.

I remain your affectionate Sister

M. J. [Mary Jane] Chester

Miss Martha Butler Chester

[added:

P. S. [Post Script] Give my love to Father & Mother and all my brothers; Aunt N; Aunt P; Aunt F; Cousin Jane; Aunt Lydia Cousin Rachel; Cousin Martha Ann; cousin Will Uncle Sam and Uncle Will and

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except the love of your affectionate sister.

]

M. J. [Mary Jane] Chester