Letter from medical school classmate telling of death of his sister, settling at Waterford for the summer, and if he will follow the medical profession or drug business.

Postmark: Waterford, Pa May 2
Postage: 5   10

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S. C. Gleaves MD
Buffalo Ford
Withe Co
Virginia

Waterford Erie County Penn
Thursday April 27^th 1848

My Dear Friend

Your kind letter was received in due time and read with pleasure,  To hear from one with whom I spent many a hard but pleasant hour amid the halls of the old University is considered by me a rich treat and one that I always will enjoy,  I received my “sheep skin”  from Philadelphia a few days previous to your letter, and then felt certain that, I was an “MD”.  But I did not derive much pleasure from that reflection as my mind has been oven fried since my arrival at Pittsburg with the very melancholy reflection of the loss I have met with in the death of my Dear Sister on whose account I left Phila at the time I did,  I reached my Father’s at 8 o clock on Saturday night.  She died at 5 o clo the next morning,   It was to me a melancholy reception, but still not void of some little consolation, as I saw her before the arrow of death obtained its victim,  One after another of our family has gone to an early grave until I am now left almost alone in the world,  But I will not annoy you with a veritar of my troubles

I am now engaged in the settlement of my Father’s business which will occupy my time for most of the summer,  I have found

convenient and pleasant to make Waterford my stopping place for the coming summer as my business is principally in the northern part of the state,   It is doubtful whether I will ever practice my profession,  if I conclude to practice I will spend next winter in Charleston SC partly for the improvement of my health and partly to attend lectures,   If I do not conclude to practice I will go at the drug business

I have provided myself with a fine horse & buggy and am now very comfortably situated as my business will cause me to travel more or less every day

You can scarcely imagine how pleased I was to hear of the unanimous passage our class as I was somewhat afraid of Hale – they were a noble of fellows every one, God bless You all,  I will always feel a great interest in the welfare of every member of the class,

You will be kind enough to write me soon and I will try to give a more interesting one in return than this one

I am as ever your servant friend

J L Stewart