A sketch of the life of Caspar Wister / by W.S.W. Ruschenberger.

  • William Ruschenberger
Date:
1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A sketch of the life of Caspar Wister / by W.S.W. Ruschenberger. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    Caspar wrote July 18 ;— I have been in West Chester more than a month and it becomes more natural to me. We had no school on the Fourth, and we went morning and evening to the Court House and heard the Declaration of Independence read and several orations delivered by some of the young lawyers of the place. In the morning it was read by a little boy not as big as Owen * * * * Qu g^t- urday we went out the Strausburg road to the Brandy wine to swim. It is a beautiful place and we had a very pleasant time. I found some flowers that I dont think you will know. I have tried to dry them to take home with me * * * j have seen but one stand of bees since I have been here. It consisted of about eight hives in the old German style of boxes. I have discovered a great difference between my letters and those of the other boys. Theirs contain ^ve dollar Jio^es, and there are none in mine, which is a great difference. I want to buy a small box to put minerals and such things in and keep in my trunk * * * N. B. remember, five dollars. Caspar was at home during the August vacation. He wrote to his father and mother Sept. 24 ;— I arrived here safe after a very pleasant ride on the Columbia rail road, at about half after six o'clock. Mr. Bolmar did not expect that I would return. * * * I havd been attending a course of lectures on astronomy. * * * I wish you would get my Grceca Minora of Will. A request often repeated to date his letters provoked Caspar to write, Letter begun Oct. 25, and finished Nov. 8, half past ten in the morning. He was dissatisfied with the school fare. Bolmar gave us for dinner the other day pies made of green tomatoes served and sweetened the same as apple pies. They were the worst things I ever tasted. * * * Received the GrcBca Minora safe and sound, Saturday in October. * * * I^o Christmas presents this year. We rise before the sun every morning and breakfast at 7. The rest of the day is passed [as] formerly. In a letter, Dec. 8, 1834, his father gave a detailed account of an eclipse of the sun, observed Nov. 30, by himself, Lukens and Charley. Caspar had passed the Christmas holidays at home. He wrote to his father and mother, Jan. 15,1835 ;— I am once more in this horrid place, now doubly so since seeing you. From the day of my arrival till about three days ago I have been terribly home sick, but am now nearly well. * * * A.11 here is very different from home, espe- cially the eating. It is worse than you have any idea of, especially the bread and butter.