[Page 16]

MIDDLETOWN, CON., Jan. 6, [1838].
DEAR MANLY:--I received your letter about a month ago,
and was very glad to receive it. The time flies the fastest here
of any place I ever was in, and you know that it would be very
different if I was not happy. I think you must have had lots of
fun election times. It seems rather hard that I can never be at
home election day I have not been there for four years election
day and then I did not know enough about matters and things to
see anything strange in it. We have had lots of fun here too.
The celebration of the New York victory in this city was splen-
did. There was nearly a constant roar of cannon throughout
the day and in the evening three hundred dollars' worth of fire-
works [was] sent off, and from the great number of fireballs
flying in the air we could read anywhere within two miles.
Thanksgiving was the 3oth of November. I suppose you
have heard of the richness of the dinner in this Yankee country
on that day; but it beat everything all hollow that I ever saw.
Our dessert alone, I should think, would cost fifty dollars. This
place is remarkable for its confectionery and we had things
[I] never dreamed of there being such.
The Nanjacks must have thought they were doing it election
night to be parading the streets. I should think Allen must have
felt rather cheap when he found he wasn't elected. The Whigs
acted rather foolish to make so much fuss about the victory they
knew they would gain. H. Williams must have been half
drunk to have tried to get the balls from a parcel of boys.
Mr. Webb for our amusement read an account (just now) of
a lawsuit in Massachusetts between a couple of sailors where
it was decided (after two years' lawing) that each party should
pay his own costs, about twelve hundred and fifty dollars apiece.
It [the lawsuit] was about eighty-two cents' worth of slabs!
I should like to have seen that fight of your letter. Shinn ought
to stop fighting. Who do you mean by Rosem? Old Goodrich?
There has been no slaying [sleighing] of any account here, but
there's been skating pretty much ever since the 16th of Novem-
ber. For about a week there has been very warm pleasant
weather, so warm the ice has got out of the river and we saw
a steamboat go down the river yesterday, the 5th of January.
The river here is half a mile wide. Just before it shut up it
was covered with vessels of every kind all the time.
Tell me how A. Picket flourishes with the gals. Tell him
I flourish like a green bay-tree. Tell that very dear friend of
mine (whoever he is) that's so particular about how I give him
my love, to write to me how he wants me to give it to him and
I'll try and accommodate him, and if he won't do that, tell him
to go to Canada with his sheepskin fiddle and fight the British
for a living!!!
Manly, if you study hard as long as you tell me about, you
beat me all hollow for I study only nine hours and I learn the
fastest I ever did in my life. Give my love to Mr. Wasson's
family. Tell D. Selvaene you want [to] know how his name
is spelt for I shall want to write it some of these oddsome-
shorts [sic!].
Now I am a-going to run on a certain passage in your letter.
You said that you was very respectfully mine. Well now, I have
strong reasons to doubt your being mine; for if you was, I'd
set you to work to earn money for me to spend. My opinion
is that you belong to Mr. C. Covell of Delaware, Delaware
County, Ohio.
This is a pleasant town. There are about eight thousand in-
habitants. It is a real Van Buren hole; nearly every man is
one. Mr. Webb is a real Whig. You may tell our folks that I
shall write to them soon. Don't show them any more of my
letters.
I remain your dear, loving, kind, everlasting, hurrah-boys
friend, R. B. HAYES.

P. S.-- This letter has nothing in it for the best of reasons.
I've nothing to write. (Write soon.)
To M. D. COVELL,
From R. B. HAYES.