May 19, 1852 Folded Letter Crawfordsville Postmark Wabash College Lafayette Rail

Description

Up for bid is this wonderful piece of ephemera dated May 19, 1852 (May 20 Crawfordsville, Ind. postmark).  It is a folded letter on pale blue paper.  Unfolded this paper measures approximately 15 1/2 by 10" and is in good condition.  It does have one hole where the wax seal was attached (see photos).
It has 3 pages of interesting text!
Some excerpts from this letter:
Wabash College reference? - 'The symptoms of my disease are returning again however - and I fear that I must remain away from college during the next year to strengthen the physical."
The letter writer talks about walking for exercise/health - 'last Saturday I, with two others, walked out about 4 1/2 miles on a railroad which is being built between Lafayette, 26 miles (?) and this place it is finished to where we walked.  There we got a 'hand car' used by the workmen and rode 6 or 7 miles up the down the road.  That is the fasted riding I've done since I returned from Amhurst.
He also talks about his studies and challenges - "...and my mind has been in a state of torture for 3 - 5 weeks and all because I can't find a piece to suit me.  I must 'perform' on the stage at the close of the term before a "large and enlightened audience..."
and so much more!