January 1, 1866
I am very well and had a most comfortable New Year. O, I
may say I never had such a comfortable New Year in my life, because
I had enough of all things that I wanted without any trouble and
labor. O dear Sir, I feel your kindness and goodness from the top
of my head to the extreme of my feet, and I wish you to know that
since I came here how happy I am, and how successful as follows:In the school I had recitations in arithmetic from decimal frac- tions until duodecimal, and I heard many scholars read or spell in English. O dear Sir, it seems to me I have found a kind and godly neighbor called Mr. Flint, who lives in Mr. Hidden's house. He teaches me every evening the arithmetic, and I have recited to him through reduction, signs, definitions, vulgar fractions, decimal fractions, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, interest, and compound interest, until commission. A few days ago he gave me a small geography, and hears me recite about it; and lets me write some compositions, and corrects them for me; and Mrs. Flint explains to me the New Testament every evening, too. I have memorized Beatitudes, Lord's Prayer, golden rule, 22nd Chap. Matthew 37th verse, 3d chap. St. John 16th verse, 1st and 23d Psalms, and Ten Commandments, and I have read in the New Testament until the 17th Chap. Luke; and I have read out from the Old Testament the escape of Israelites from Egypt; their stay in a wilderness, eating and dressing by God's miracle; Moses' death; Daniel in the lion's den; three wise men in the strongest fire; the strongest man Samson; the miracle for a widow and Naaman in the time of Elijah; and I have stopped in his room every evening to recite out these things.
Mr. Hidden and his sister take care about me very kindly, and I feel very comfortable, as if I had been in my father's home. I think all these things belong to the providence or mercy of God, and I must glorify, love, and obey Him. I hope and believe too He will bless you and your whole family. I would like to see you sometime.