Green Mount, Feb. 9, 1881

I am again reminded of the rapid flight of time by the coming of my turn to write before I know it.  Lucy played for us the grand old hymn we love so well, Rock of Ages, after which M.K. [Mattie Kate Faunt Le Roy] volunteered to read us a very interesting & instructive piece about Shetland Ponies.  It taught us a good lesson of how joyfully God adapts his creatures to do their appointed work.  Loulie played Wild Ashe deer for us very well. Sallie read us what the printer poet Benjamin F. Taylor says of the The Printer & His Types.  It is strange how little we k now of the art preservative, the achievement of the types.  I am sure after this we will try to learn more of it as we have the opportunity.  Mattie repeated "The Book of the New Year" a piece we ought to think of every new day, as well as every New Year.  Nannie read the extract from Mrs. Browning beginning "let us be content in work To do the things we can & not presume to fret because it's littlle. Lou read us of the beautiful things that will make up presently from under the snow.  Ma came in to bring us some Va. dates & stayed to hear M.K. sing "Birdie Darling."
We were very glad to welcome Mary back.  I read the sad announcement of the death of Thomas Carlyle, with an account of some of his writing.  Sister [Lou] played for us Prof. Gambel's lost "Valsi, Bon Lou (?) after wh. we adjourned to see the wonderful fr??ks the frost has played with our falls. 

Florence Fleet