At Fathers Thursday Even  
March 19th 1863
  Dear Husband
  Again I begin the work that gives me great pleasure, if I could afford the time I would write you a sheet every day; it is thundering & lightening very hard, & has been raining almost constantly since dark last evening, but the most of the time raining very slowly; I suppose that we are having our equinoctial storm.  I came out here yesterday evening, I had expected them to come after on Tuesday; Yesterday morning I concluded as I could not get a horse any where to take it afoot to Smiths, to see about that school, I had heard that John Smith was Director, so I started early in the morning & got there about 9 O'clock, you may be sure that I was very tired when I got there, but not as I used to feel.  The Old gentleman seemed very glad to see me, he did not know me when I first went in, he said I had grown so much fleshier & looked so much healthier than I did last summer, I had a very pleasant time chatting with Mrs. & Mr. Smith & talking on my fingers to a Mr. Vanwincle that is a mute.  I think that I heard you speak of him once, he was very much delighted to find some one that could converese with him in his way; he is a great union man, & Smith says, that his father is a strong abolitionist.  There had been several application for the position of teacher in that district, but I could not know anything difinite about the matter 'til their school board met, as the director had no authority to hire one 'til after that
