<hi rend="bold"> Letter from Thomas Ruffin, Jr. to his father, Thomas Ruffin, May 11, 1841 :</hi> Electronic Edition. Ruffin, Thomas, Jr. Funding from the University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supported the electronic publication of this title. Text transcribed by Bari Helms Images scanned by Caitlin R. Donnelly Text encoded by Mike Millner First Edition, 2007 ca. 16K The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2007

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 Thomas Ruffin Papers (#641), Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Letter from Thomas Ruffin, Jr. to his father, Thomas Ruffin, May 11, 1841 Thomas Ruffin 3 pages, 4 page images 1841 Call number 641 (Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

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 </bibl> </taxonomy> </classDecl> </encodingDesc> <profileDesc> <langUsage> <language id="eng">English</language> </langUsage> <textClass> <keywords scheme="unc_history"> <list> <item> Any special keywords assigned for this project </item> </list> </keywords> </textClass> </profileDesc> <revisionDesc> <change> <date>2007-03-15,</date> <respStmt> <name>Mike Millner</name> <resp/> </respStmt> <item>finished TEI/XML encoding.</item> </change> </revisionDesc> </teiHeader> <text id="unc11-05"> <body> <div1 type="personal letter"> <pb id="unc11-05-p01" n="[1]"/> <head> Letter from <name key="pn0001463" reg="Ruffin, Thomas, Jr." type="person">Thomas Ruffin, Jr.</name> to his father<name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Thomas Ruffin</name>, May 11, 1841 </head> <opener> <dateline> <name key="name0000165" reg="Chapel Hill, NC" type="place" rend="yes">Chapel Hill</name> <date>May 11<hi rend="sup">th</hi> 1841</date> </dateline> <salute>My Dear <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Father</name></salute> </opener> <p>I must beg your pardon for my long delay in giving an answer to your letter. which I received in the due course of the mail. But I have a good excuse for it, Namely, you stated in your letter your intention of going to <name key="x" reg="x" type="place" rend="">Rockingham</name> & I did not know when you would return, And as Sister <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Alice</name> told me in her letter received yesterday that you had returned, I immediately sat down to give you the satisfaction, which I know you will experience, when you learn, that I am perfectly willing to remain a boarder at D<hi rend="sup">r</hi> <name key="pn0001194" reg="Mitchell, Elisha" type="person" rend="yes">Mitchels.</name></p> <p>That D<hi rend="sup">r</hi> <name key="pn0001194" reg="Mitchell, Elisha" type="person" rend="yes">M.</name> had no intention of hurting my feelings I am certain, for he has never ceased to show that kindness to me yet, for which I ought to be & will be, under obligations to him as long as I live, And I assure you I ask his pardon, for accuseing him when inocent, of an action unbecoming to a <hi rend="underscore">gentleman</hi>, And I have found out, since my letter, that he did not ask all of the boarders, but only the seniors, of which I was ignorant for I was told by one of the young men that it was the case. Therefore I hope you will forgive me for the anxiety I have given you, concerning an action <pb id="unc11-05-p02" n="[2]"/>which I regret ever happened, but for one thing i.e. it gave you occasion to write to me, a thing so seldom done, that I am willing to undergo any thing almost for it,</p> <p>I suppose you saw <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">John Brodn.</name> at his <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Fathers</name>, for he left here more than a week ago & I have a boy by the name of <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Caldwell</name> for my room mate,</p> <p>Mr <name key="pn0000622" reg="Green, William Mercer" type="person" rend="yes">Green</name> has been absent now, for more than a week, on a visit to <name key="name0001238" reg="Wilmington, NC" type="place" rend="yes">Wilmington</name> at which place the convention meets. He will deliver a eulogy on <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Gen. Harrison</name> next friday, on account of that we will have that day given to us as a holiday.</p> <p>We have only seven more days to study, for the examination commences week after next and we have the last day given to us also according to custom.</p> <p>I am sorry to tell you that my knee is swolen again, but alas! it is too true. It is more so than ever and gives me more pain, & I can scarcely walk up the stair steps, & I begin to fear it is not the rheumatism, for if you recolect, I fell & hurt it the last session, & it has been sweled ever since that more or less,</p> <p>You will please to tell Sister <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Alice</name>, that I received her letter and the book she sent also, but that the one belonging to the <name key="name0000869" reg="Philanthropic Society" type="organization" rend="yes">Philanthropic society</name> did not come to me, & she did not send me the shos of which I told her I was in need & <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Papa</name> I whish you would send me a pair of those I left at home, for I have on a pair of my <pb id="unc11-05-p03" n="[3]"/>roommates, which I know is against your rules, but I was compeled for I wore mine untill they had no soles in them.</p> <p>Tell <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Ma.</name> that I have no vest for commencement & that she promised to make me one las vacation & that I am very much obliged to her for the shirts she is haveing made for me.</p> <p>Sister <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Alice</name> mentioned that the boys would stay untill the vacation. What will you do with them after that.</p> <p>Give my very best respects for I can not say love now a days to Miss <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Mildred Cameron</name> but my love to all the rest. & tell Cousin <gap reason="[unrecovered]"/> that she is very much envied here, for <name key="pn0001462" reg="Ruffin, Thomas" type="person">Papa</name> showed the letter I wrote to <gap reason="[unrecovered]"/> D<hi rend="sup">r</hi> <name key="pn0001194" reg="Mitchell, Elisha" type="person" rend="yes">Mitchel</name> when he was there & he came home & told all the contents to the young ladies. & as a matter of course, they are angry with her.</p> <p>I promise you to carry home the book, which I will use next session & I will make use of them in the vacation.</p> <p>I am glad to hear that Mr <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend=""> Brodnax</name> & family intend coming to see <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">John</name> graduate & I hope you, <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Mama</name>, & Sister <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Alice</name> will accompany them but tell <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Mama</name> that I will comply with her whish as to the girls.</p> <p>There is nothing else to tell you now, But I will write before long</p> <closer> <salute>I remain your affectionate Son</salute> <signed rend="center"> <name key="pn0001463" reg="Ruffin, Thomas, Jr." type="person">Thomas Ruffin</name> </signed> </closer> <pb id="unc11-05-bk" n="[Back]"/> </div1> </body> </text> </TEI.2>