prosperous. We have no snow on the ground It looks some like a storm but I am sitting without a fire. I shall go home in one week more for a vacation of a week My school has been in session 10 weeks and Julia only lacks two pages of being through her Arithmet The little ones at home have to help themselves as well they can but I shall give them a chance after awhile Grace will commence the second reader tomorrow. Larned Jan 1st 1882 The old year has gone with all its lights and shadows never more to return Oh how the years roll on I am alone Julia and Grace have gone home Julia to return soon I hope and precious baby Grace I fear I shall not see again until school closes and the time seems long The time in school has passed off [PAGE BREAK] pleasantly until vacation. I closed for a week vacation I looked for dear father after us Friday He is so prompt not withstanding the roads were bad after our recent snow storm I waited Saturday and Sunday and until Monday eve when I thought the roads were so bad he would not come and told Mr WI would commence school tuesday would send the scholars word and did so had every family except one told and went to school fifteen schollars came among them Charley Waterman a young man nearly 20 years of age. When he got there instead of coming in school influenced 3 others to go away and not come for a week he being the oldest influenced the others I was very sorry to see them influenced and thought him very unmanly and unkind I came home at night but said nothing to his folks as I supposed they understood it all Josie their daughter came home and tried to make her mother think Julia had said her brother lied which she did not - well instead of the mother coming to me with an apology for her sons behavior gave me the cold shoulder as people say as if I was the