About 2 weeks ago he had a letter from Josiah who reported that Francis was visiting in New York. John hopes he had a pleasant visit. Josiah is a candidate for graduation. The health of the country seems good, but the last few days have been very cold. The roads are bad and wood scarce, selling for as much as $3 a cord. The Ohio flood has done much damage; one whole family of 13 perishing in the collapse of a house. Last winter they had a flood on the Sandusky. Their library is without books. Dunigan has sent 120 volumes for their $50 but they have not arrived. They have yet $74 on subscription and they will probably send to Cincinnati this time for books. They are without a priest. Father John Doherty Daugherty has not returned but has written that he will have a festival there on Epiphany and the Sunday following. He asks which is the best Catholic paper. He sees that Bishop John Hughes has suspended a French priest. They had an itinerant infidel lecturer in the Court House for two days. The third day the place was locked. He reads that one half of European Protestantism is Unitarian. Secret Societies are the rage, the Odd Fellows and Sons of Temperance increase there. He has almost concluded to close his business there and go elsewhere. If he leaves he will try to find a place with a Catholic school. He asks whether Francis will remain in Watertown and about the health of his mother and brother Jerome. :: I-1-a A.L.S. 3pp. 4to.