An 1854 Letter from A Young Lady to Her Friend

Waterbury: By the Author, 1854. Softcover. Manuscript, written in brown ink; 8 x 10; pp. 4; a few faint horizontal crease lines; several small ink spots; near fine.A heart-warming and somewhat sad letter by a young lady, signed Ursula, to her friend. She has, apparently, just moved from Haddam to Waterbury, CT to work in an establishment dealing with curtain bands, sacks, etc. Among talking about her job and asking about various relatives and friends back home, Ursula mentions she has gone to watch a local college's exams and graduation ceremonies. Anybody can feel her sadness and melancholy in her words: "I there wished I was a Normal Scholar. I think I should have been, had there been such an institute a few years since, but I shall give up the idea of ever being a Normal Scholar." One can speculate about the exact reasons for her not being able to attend school.