I have just received your charming letter to day, and I do not remember any little circumstance that ever afforded me more gratifycation than its reception, for I had a sort of a presentiment that some one was sick or that the wheat was spoiled or some other disaster had befallen you all, and if your letter had been the simple announcement that all was going on well it would have been very acceptable. I would have written sooner but when we arrived I found all the College rooms occupied and also the room that I expected toget was also filled too, so that it took all my time hunting a room, and was obliged to take a very bad one at last. The increase of students is so much more than any one expected that all cannot get rooms and every place that is fit to stay in is full, and I believe that some have even gone home again on that account. But I understand the Faculty intend makeing immediat provision for more rooms for the students. Thare are so many new faces that one feels almost as much a stranger as if I was never here before. Tip does not like College as well as he expected, but I reckon he will like it better when he gets better acquainted, we are rooming together about a quarter of a mile from College in the villag, and it is quite boring going to prayers these mornings as we have to run all the way to get thare in time. I amboarding at Mrs Hargraves a private house in the village with four other boys viz. Mr Lawrence,2 Bob Johnston3 and two other boys it is a very nice house. Tip is still at Miss Nancys says he had rather be with the largest crowd. Mr Henry W Miller4 of Raleigh delivered a K. N speech here yesterday before all the students and a large company besides, he is a fine speaker and seems to be worthy of a better cause. You was speaking in your letter of what a sensation the Johnstons created. I think that the next time they or Sallie Gwyn come to Wilkes a legal proceeding aught to be brought against them as disturbers of the publick peace. Tell Brother James that the report of his death seemed to have affected all his acquaintances wonderfully, and I did not know he was so popular before. One of my acquaintances came up to me when I arrivedand with a long face said, Tom how was that dreadful affair in which your brother was killed, and when I broke out in burst of laughter, he thought I was certainly crazy until I explained it to him. Give my love to all and tell them to write to me.

P.S. I will not need my portfolio and and I left my badge on purpose as I will not need it this session.

1. Hugh Thomas Brown had three half-sisters, Martha Lenoir Gordon (1821-1898), Sarah Ann Gordon (1826-1907), and Caroline Louisa Gordon (1828-1891), who were born to Brown’s mother Sarah Gwyn and her first husband Nathaniel Gordon.

2. Possibly Thomas R. Lawrence .

3. Probably Robert Daniel Johnston .

4. Probably Henry Watkins Miller .