Letter from Gabriel Jordan, Jr. to William D. Stuart

Creator:

Jordan, Gabriel, Jr., 1831-1884

Scope and content:

Written from Huntsville, Alabama. Letter comments on respective marriages, jobs, and future prospects.

Language:

English .

Other descriptive data:

Engineers Office
Memphis and Charleston Railroad
Huntsville
November 22d 1854

My Dear Stuart,
I have just stolen away from my wife and have run up to my office with the determination of writing you. I was not a little surprised to learn through your letter that you had written me. Your letter, which reached me about ten days ago was the only one I have received from you since your marriage. I wrote you at that particularly interesting time a note of congratulations, as well as a letter, just before your mariage, but have received no letter in return. Now my good fellow I have no doubt but what you think that you wrote me, but as for my part I am inclined to think that you did not. I am sure I should not think it strange if you had not for you are a newly married man, and as a matter of course can not afford to give your friends many thoughts, at least for a while.

It is really refreshing, my old friend to hear from you and especially to know that you are a married man and in the full enjoyment of the pleasures that attend married love. My wife returned from Virginia about the first of September with much improved health---and my boy is a most magnificent fellow. A look at him might be of some service to you. Don't blush my dear fellow I don't mean any thing.

Dabney, what under the sun has become of all of our class mates. You are living in the center of our great union and should be posted up on every thing. I never see the names of any of our class in the papers, nor do I ever correspond with any of them, hence I am utterly ignorant of their movements. I never any thing from Lexington since you left there. Have any of our old acquaintances married off since our days-.

Matters here are still wearing a pleasant and flattering aspect. Our road is moving on finely, and we trust ere many more months pass away, that we will have a large and important portion of our work finished. I wish that we had a good comfortable post to offer you here. We are finishing up so fast that we are reducing the Corps instead of increasing. Still, should you ever make up your mind to embark in the profession, we might look out for a post for you.

Your school I trust will for the present afford you a comfortable competency, and something besides. School teaching, like every thing else has its reverses, its calms and its storms. We can find no profession that is made up entirely of sunshine. We must expect the life of man to harmonize with nature, having its passing clouds and refreshing sunshine in equal turns. I with all my hopeful temperament, have had my moments of gloom and anxiety, but with a fond wife, no less hopeful than myself, to cheer me, I have faced all and am now full of bright anticipation. Nor does this come about from any fortune, or particular promises, but all from a conviction that there is room for everyone in this world and plenty for everyone to do, and that industry when ever it is found is in the course of time rewarded. This is an unusually difficult time with almost everyone. There seems to be a weariness in the money market in every quarter. Men experience great difficulty in meeting their general expenses. This state of affairs, I have no doubt has had its influence upon your school, and I feel assured that there will be an improvement after a little while. I hope my dear Stuart, that you will continue to keep me posted up in regard to your movements, for I may find a good offering out South that would please you, and if such should be the case, it would give me inexpressible pleasure to serve you. I will always be on the look out. A new country is better for a young man in any profession. The competition is not so great and pay better. Present me the kindest manner to your good wife and receive the renewed assurance of your old and sincere friend and classmate.
Gabe Jordan Jr.

Subjects:

Correspondence

Names:

Jordan, Gabriel, Jr., 1831-1884

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