{Roanoke College, Salem, Va.}

May 5, 1893

My Dear mama,

I stood my last examination today to Dr. Fox and am glad to say that I passed as good an examination as I’ve passed this year. To use college vernacular, what I did for that examination was a plenty or an elegant sufficiency. I was more afraid of this examination than any I’ve had this year, and consequently I feel unusually good since I’ve gotten over it so well. I am now an alumnus of Roanoke College. The Board of Trustees meet and pass on us tomorrow. I think probably all our class

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will get through; in that event we’ll have 17 which is a right respectable class. I tell you I feel immensely relieved now that I have gotten through not only without “busting” but with a right decent and respectable grade. I don’t know yet who made the best grade in the class and don’t know whether I will know or not, but I don’t think I’m far from it anyway. If I don’t make first I’ll come in a good second if I’m not mistaken. The [speaker?] will be assigned tomorrow; I may write you then and let you know what I’ll get. I got the Newton paper and also a letter today and see that Hickory went dry by two votes – it was certainly very close and I guess a right exciting time. I didn’t

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know that Ed Cline was running for Mayor; tell Blanche to tell him I’m sorry he didn’t get elected. I invested $6.75 in Chambers Encyclopedia the other day. It is a fine work and there are 12 volumes of it, each of which contains over 1000 pages. I thought it was too good a chance to let slip for getting a good Encyclopedia cheap. What you can’t find in an Encyclopedia is hardly worth knowing as they profess to comprehend universal knowledge. Dr. Fox recommended the books in the classroom the other day. Prof. Smith has given us notice that he can’t keep us much

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longer than Monday as he is going to move into another house and board, so I guess I’ll have to hunt me up another boarding house again. Prof. Smith seems to be a man of many notions. I have paid him all the board I owe him except $10.89. I wish you would let me know how much you have paid me for board to see if the acct. tallies. I think, however, it is all right. On tuition I owe $53.75. I don’t think I’ll be very far in debt when I get through here. If I hadn’t bought such costly clothes, I wouldn’t have been hardly any in debt. But Prof. Smith says he will give me a year to pay up the tuition in without interest. I still have $60 in the bank. I am going down to Roanoke early next week to see about my suit & pay for it when it’s done. When I

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do go down I’ll go see Mrs. [?] and find out whether she’ll be here when you come up. Will you buy a return ticket when you come or not? If you don’t let’s go back through Tenn. It’s a little further but think I would like that route. I’m getting tired of going the other way; but it don’t make much difference. Well, write to me soon; I’ve no more news at present.

Love to you all,

Most affectionately your son,

[signed] Carroll H. Little

P.S. Dr. [?] hasn’t arrived yet from up North. It’s a wonder; he don’t think boys can grad

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uate unless he’s here. He didn’t know we were going to get out so soon or he would have been here before now.