writes that nothing in the world would taste so good as one of mother's
currant pies. She urges them to send her part of the family sewing to
do outside of school hours. She frequently walks down to Long Island
sound, a mile and a half away, and says at one time:
The sun was passing toward the western horizon, and all seemed calm
and tranquil save the restless wash of the waves against the beach.
A gentle breeze from the water refreshed our tired bodies. To one
unaccustomed to such scenes it was like a glimpse into another
world. In the distance one could see the villages of Long Island,
but I could think only of that village called home, and I longed
every moment to be there.
Her school commenced May 23 and closed September 6, a term of fifteen
weeks, for which she received $30, and she expresses her grief that,
after having paid for necessary clothes and incidentals, she has only
enough left to take her home. She reaches Center Falls in time to
assist in the final preparations for the wedding, on September 19,
1839, of her sister Guelma to Aaron McLean, a prosperous merchant at
Battenville.
Susan's next school was in her home district at Center Falls, where she
was very successful. One incident is on record in regard to the "bully"
of the school. After having tried every persuasive method at her
command to compel obedience, she proceeded to use the rod. He fought
viciously, but she finally flogged him into complete submission and
never had any further trouble with him or the other boys. She was,
however, very tender-hearted toward children and animals.
Among the outings enjoyed by the young people were excursions to
neighboring villages. There were no railroads, but every young man
owned his horse and buggy, and in pleasant weather a procession of
twenty vehicles often might be seen, each containing a happy couple on
their way to a supper and dance. On one occasion, according to the
little diary, the night was so dark they did not dare risk the ten-mile
drive home, as much of the road lay beside the river, so they continued
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