292 NATHANIEL SOUTHGATE SHALER 



FRANKFORT, KY., Dec. 7, '76. 



... I am weary with an unspeakable weariness which has grown with 

 every hour of my journey. . . . The Survey bill has made no headway 

 yet. I shall drag it out and make it win or lose this week. It looks as if I 

 might have to stay here until Friday to do this. I shall have to go over to 



Lexington to-morrow and get a quiet night at Dr. Peter's. P and N 



and the others seem absolutely dependent on the Survey and helpless if it 

 fails. The Legislature is without an efficient leader and so does little business. 

 I greatly doubt whether the bill gets through. 



LEXINGTON, Dec. 29, '76. 



... I have had a piece of good fortune. M and P , half buried in 



snow in western Kentucky, wisely decided to give up the field work with- 

 out waiting for me, so I find them here. I have therefore escaped the journey 

 to that part of the state and can fairly hope to be on my way home Tuesday 

 evening. It is an additional reason for being grateful that we are now having 

 a prodigious snow-storm, the heaviest in this region for fifty years. Find 

 matters in good train here; the season's work has been good on the whole, 

 the best yet had in the Survey. I have been pretty well so far. . . . 



FRANKFORT, Dec. 30, '76. 



... I wrestled over here this afternoon in a train baffled with snow 

 which people do not know how to deal with. I find enough bothers to keep 

 me until Tuesday afternoon, when I hope to be away for home. ... If 

 I have much more of this travel to do I shall take to venturing in telegraph 

 stock so that I may feel that it is allowable to send you as many messages 

 as I want to. ... 



The succeeding letters close the correspondence while Mr. 

 Shaler had charge of the Kentucky State Survey. 



FRANKFORT, KY., Jan. 3, 1878. 



. . . There is a red heat here over the senatorial election ; we cannot get 

 a hearing until that is over. I have sought for my enemies, but do not find 

 them. I dare say they will appear in time. We count the necessary vote, 

 however, and hope to get through in decent shape. I do not intend to come 

 out again in February. The work is detestable. 



Since writing the above, Stoddard Johnson has been talking to me for an 

 hour to convince me of the absolute need of my giving a lecture on next 

 Wednesday, when he believes the election will be over. I am so determined 

 to make this my only visit that I may consider it is best to do this. I have 



