[Cordeville?] Oct. 20, 1875 My Dear Cousin, Your letter was joyfully received notwithstanding you people out there where the [?] thinks we Easterners have not-very thought about Oregon. I have always been delighted to hear from Oregon myself, and know that the others have also. Tell Cousin Willie that his letters will not remain unanswered any more than a week or two longer. These Saturdays don’t amount to much anyway. [?] writing compositions to correct; mending [?] take so much time that there is no time to hear myself think just a minute quiet all day long. It is an improvement for the other days however. Don’t feel too sorry that Providence prevents your teaching. It is a tormenting life to lead the best you can make of it. I do enjoy it sometimes that is a fact when I have a nice [?] and all goes on well. It is all right. But this year I have an awfully hard school and since capital punishment is not allowed in the schoolroom I have to endure it. I have a number of very nice girls too. But they are mild and there are a great many of them and I am very tired & it is hard work. However the year is more than half gone and I guess I can contrive to exist quite comfortably with what help I can receive from all the nice books I can read. I talk as if the world was all a hollow [?]. I am just a little tired and reckless that is all. I have managed to do one good thing and that is to win an unabridged Webster by [spelling?] down seventy five of those Buckeyes. My good fortune did not forsake me there at least. Isn’t it a pity that my penmanship does not correspond to my orthography? Wednesday Mon 3rd not quite finished yet [?][?]. I don’t know what I shall do. I have neglected to answer the letters of my correspondents this winter worse than ever before & now I have a host of letters to write. Write I must for I cant exist without letters. They do me so much good. You ought to see the way I eye Mr Camp when he comes home from the office. Every day I resolve not to ask him because I think that he will give my mail to me. But every day regularly I decide it is the safest way to be sure [to?] say anything from the office. Fortunately I usually am remembered. [Oh?] we had another spelling school here last week Friday evening. There were two [?][offered?] one an elegant copy of Milton to the best lady speller & a copy of Shakespeare to the best gentleman speller. My good fortune was again to win the Milton though not to spell down the “crowd” as two gentlemen remained standing when I spelled [?][?], & I [?] therefor. Give my love & kind remembrance to every member of your family. Your Eunice

[Cordeville?] Oct. 20, 1875

My Dear Cousin,

Your letter was joyfully received notwithstanding you people out there where the [?] thinks we Easterners have not-very thought about Oregon. I have always been delighted to hear from Oregon myself, and know that the others have also. Tell Cousin Willie that his letters will not remain unanswered any more than a week or two longer.

These Saturdays don’t amount to much anyway. [?] writing compositions to correct; mending [?] take so much time that there is no time to hear myself think just a minute quiet all day long. It is an improvement for the other days however. Don’t feel too sorry that Providence prevents your teaching. It is a tormenting life to lead the best you can make of it. I do enjoy it sometimes that is a fact when I have a nice [?] and all goes on well. It is all right. But this year I have an awfully hard school and since capital punishment is not allowed in the schoolroom I have to endure it. I have a number of very nice girls too. But they are mild and there are a great many of them and I am very tired & it is hard work. However the year is more than half gone and I guess I can contrive to exist quite comfortably with what help I can receive from all the nice books I can read. I talk as if the world was all a hollow [?]. I am just a little tired and reckless that is all.

I have managed to do one good thing and that is to win an unabridged Webster by [spelling?] down seventy five of those Buckeyes. My good fortune did not forsake me there at least.

Isn’t it a pity that my penmanship does not correspond to my orthography?
Wednesday Mon 3rd not quite finished yet [?][?]. I don’t know what I shall do. I have neglected to answer the letters of my correspondents this winter worse than ever before & now I have a host of letters to write.

Write I must for I cant exist without letters. They do me so much good. You ought to see the way I eye Mr Camp when he comes home from the office. Every day I resolve not to ask him because I think that he will give my mail to me. But every day regularly I decide it is the safest way to be sure [to?] say anything from the office. Fortunately I usually am remembered. [Oh?] we had another spelling school here last week Friday evening. There were two [?][offered?] one an elegant copy of Milton to the best lady speller & a copy of Shakespeare to the best gentleman speller. My good fortune was again to win the Milton though not to spell down the “crowd” as two gentlemen remained standing when I spelled [?][?], & I [?] therefor.

Give my love & kind remembrance to every member of your family.

Your Eunice

Part of Letter from Eunice Lyman on her routine, teaching, writing letters, and spelling