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LOWER SANDUSKY, October 23, 1847.
MY DEAR FANNY:--. . . It is Saturday afternoon--the
close of court week. Buckland started for Buffalo this morning,
leaving me alone. The office is swept clean of the leavings of
loafers and business. I too am "fixed" for Sunday--shaved,
boots blacked (two pair), best duds on. Affairs have gone nicely
in court, and I find myself as tranquil and satisfied as a clam at
high tide.
The only news I can tell is the arrival and installation as a sub
in Pease's tin-shop of our cousin, Edward Bancroft. He seems
to be a very sensible boy and will, I think, enjoy his new home
and employment.
I spent a Sunday a fortnight ago at Stemtown with the girls
and Miss Gardiner of Columbus. This is the only act squinting
towards gallantry that I have been guilty of since my return home.
In fact, I have been too busy to think of such things. . . .
I remember my thoughts matrimonial-wise of a year since but have
no very fixed notions on the subject now. Mother in her letter
to Uncle says she thinks the choice she made at Delaware is not
just the one. Well, I am content to go on or stop as she prefers.
If Lucy is too young she must find me an older one. Youth,
however, is a defect that she is fast getting away from and may
perhaps be entirely rid of before I shall want her (?).
Besides attending to business I am doing very little at present.
While travelling, I often thought of the pleasure I should derive
from a superficial knowledge at least of geology. Anything be-
yond this my habits and pursuits place out of the question. I
have chosen a few books and have gone into it vigorously since
my return home. I find the study very interesting and the
little I shall acquire will be of some benefit by way of putting
something where nothing now is. I have never had an inclination
to study anything of the sort before, and I mean now [to] push
my way into the natural sciences far enough to be able at least
to comprehend others when conversing on such subjects. I am
also brushing up my smattering of French and German so as to
be ready to read with ease divers works which Will Lane brought
home from Europe and which I have promised to read this
winter.
Uncle still talks of my going to Texas this winter, but as I
have got into the way of using his famous Watson horse horse-
back riding, I am in hopes to keep out of the reach of medicine
and medical advisers. Mother occasionally lets fly a paragraph
which looks as if she was still harping on that subject; but if
she will only not talk about it to every one I am likely to meet
when I visit you, she may write to me as much as she wishes
and I will read, mark, and inwardly digest it all. But if she does
not wish to banish me from Columbus, she must not talk in such
strains that the first question I shall hear will be, "Why, how
well you look; when did you recover?" etc. It is pesky vexing
to be forced to tell people that you are well and have been well,
and then be told that so-and-so had said that so-and-so heard
your mother say that you were in feeble health--far gone with
consumption. I would much rather have some terrible disease
than to be suspected of it when I am well. . . .
Tell Lolly I know she must have been disappointed not to have
her letter sent, but we know all about it now and we are just as
much obliged to her as if we had received it.
Uncle and Pease both well.--Love to all.
Your affectionate brother,
R. B. HAYES.
MRS. W. A. PLATT.