Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1911-12-22
AN OLD LETTER

his book, and made a copy of ii
with the intention of reproducing it
in full, but, finding that it would
take up too much space, he made
use of only part of it. He has
kindly given us his copy and rec
commended its publication for the
following reasons: CD it is very
old document; (2) it covers a
wide range of interesting events; (3)
the writer came of a well-knoWn
Highland family, the oldest son of
the late Reuben Slaven EDDY
Union Ranch, Butte, co. Cal.
May 23rd, 1860,
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK
Before this reaches you youwill no
doubt have heard of the Indian war
in Washoe. In the first attack
there were near 80 white men kill
ed. A good many are wounded
and missing, have not yet heard
how many of the latter. The re-
ports were very much exaggerated
at first, and are not yet fully cor
rect here. There were 105 whites
in the battle and a large body of
Indians. As to the cause of the
war, it is difficult to tell. Perhaps
the jealousy of the Indians at the
rapid encroachments on their wild
country. Some think the Mormons
are melting the Indians to war.
They are mean enough to do the
like. l suppose this will be a war
of determination, so far as possible
to be carried on in such a country.
| wrote a letter some time ago
to Samuel B. Campbell. !
Hope he has received it. II X
1 would like very much to take a
trip to see him. but it cost SO much
to travel here that I do not know
how can spare the money, (as l
am very scarce or even the time
from my school, unless | can collect
some, and should take a recess dur
ing the hot weather (oD a month
or more. Some of the patrons OF
my school, perhaps all of them,
would prefer a short vacation. The
trip to San Luis, Obispo county,
where uncle Stewart is now living,
is tolerably long; probably between
four and five hundred miles. # y
There were several things in the
letters l received quite new to Us.
We learned several items mention
ed incidentally by father and Stew
art, and these naturally excited our
curiosity to know more them. l
did not know where Paul Lightner
was, and that Lucius Stephenson
had been at a law school until by
the last letter; and so of some other
particulars. Why don't you all
write to me, at least once every
few months. | do not complain of
father; he does pretty well, and it
really does US good to receive his
letters I am glad that he intends
writing often. You must not ex-
pect me to write more than once a
month to some of you, and an oc-
casional communication to the Reg
ister too. For the latter, when 1T
comes, still lets you know that |
am "alive and kicking" at least.
I have not so much time to write
as you perpaps suppose. Besides
my regular routine of school and
small jobs generally, l have large
amount of reading on hand that |
wish to get through with while my
school lasts. There is much of it,
although all very entertaining and
delightful, that requires close at
tention and sometimes almost as
much hard study as knotty ques-
ton in mathematics; such books,
for instance, as "Butler's Analogy
and Edwards on the Will" " | am
not yet done with Humboldt's s
"Cosmos". This is a work which
requires a great deal Of previous
knowledges to understand it we'll
more than l have. 1t cannot
be read, however, without improve
meut, Humboldt was himself
vast cyclopedia of knowledge. Ma
rietta in her spare moments (Which
are not very many is reading DR.
Robertson's History Of Scotland
1t is IL charming old work.
Twas pleased with teachers re
port of Boone's progress in his
i studies I hope he will not STOP