Bonsall, T. Sterling to family - 1850

[Sterling writes home to his family from Westtown school. He was about 15 years old at the time and writes the entire letter in one very large paragraph.]1
 
West Town, 12 mo. 24th, 1850
 
Dear Parents and Brother,
 
I am not very well at present having considerable headache and pain in my eyes and not feeling all over every now and then if I put one leg over the other and keep it so for a very short time it will become numb and feel as if there was a want of proper circulation and it is the same way in my arms accompanied with a continual fever. I felt quite well on the first few days after I came out of the nursery and was in hopes of being cured but I think there is yet something in my system which ought to come out. I have studied Natural Philosophy and Natural History they do not teach here on account of having so many other things to attend to. I received tehe bundle you sent last seventh day and was very glad to get it as I was beginning to get pretty hungry after something different from what we have here altogether. I am very much obliged to you for it. The cakes are very good also the apples and crackers. I had a real mess of cracker coup today for dinner (fourth day afternnon), I felt quite smart today and have had a royal dinner chicken and mince pie, there was nothing down at the table but what was common, namely meat and potatoes and beets and so i thought I would have my own dinner. therefore after dinner, John D. Griffen, a boy from New York, got some mince pies out of his cupboard and i got my chieck and I guess it was good, It seemed to me it was the best boiled chicken I ever tasted. We ate it all bones excepted and then we picked them clean then we ate a moderate sized piece of mince a piece and afterward an orange a piece and amongst them all we made a good dinner, the best I have had since I have been at West Town. The boys nearly all got bundles of some size or other and are all as happy as they can be with tehe exception of not being allowed to go skating. There is nice skating but the boys made some disturbance and Mr. David would not allow them to go. but it makes no difference to me as I do not expect to go for several weeks yet until I improve very fast but I do nto think it is likely. The thing I dislike most is a weakness of my eyes, even now looking on the paper to write makes them strain and sometimes when I am studying my lesson right hard they become so dim that I have to look away, I hope that I am not going to have weak eyes as they are not at all desirable. I am at the 51st page in astronomy chapter VI, my last lesson took 17 pages. I learned in one morning and afternoon. The book cost 2.75 but on account of its tables is not a very high price. Took soeme of theboys who have been through say that I can finish it and Conic Sections if I go on as fast as I have done tehe last week. It is comparatively easy - some of it is at least - but at least 1 page in 3 is tough. One of the boys by the name of Joseph K. Murray was very badly hurt - he was playing ball and was near the boy striking at the ball when the paddle flew out of the strikers hand and struck him on that bone along side of his nose and hurting hm severely. It broke the nose in several places the Doctor says, but it is so imfamed that he cannot see out of one of his eyes and hardly out of the other and they were afraid for soeme time that imflammation of teh brain would ensue but I believe he is better today. But I must close as I have not many minutes more. With love to all, I am
 
Your affectionate Son and Brother,
 
T. Sterling Bonsall

• 1. Transcribed from the original by Mary Briggeman