Sept 1st '02
Dear Miss Wilhelmina:
What a week this has been!  There was the teaming up of the springs of the great deep when Morganton must be left - Then 
the hurried man-ia of departure - and the long tumultuous journey to my home (I hardly know whether it should be called 
"new" or "old"-  My route was vis - Chester & Hickory -  At the latter place I grew tired of waiting & so took the *Narrow 
Gauge to Lenoir - & came back all the way to Chester-  We came within a point of having an accident and a genuinely bad one-  
There was a  terrified coach as we were going at least 25 miles per hour between Gastonia & **Yorkville - The old women 
observed that the train was off the track -  & persisted  (pg-2) in this idea during the five minutes it took us to slow 
up-  On returning a party of us found a rail - broken half in two  two feet of it having broken away!

Yesterday was my first Sunday here & I was homesick for you all-  Oh why did I ever leave Morganton!  I felt like exclaiming 
all day long-  I preached for my father last night to a fairly good audience-  Really I never imag-ined I loved my Morganton 
people so.

Today school has begun & all morning the new Superintendent has been introducing him-self to his duties-  Time and time I have 
said to myself-:  "Oh, for Miss Wilhel-mina"  We can never do without you any more- Your place is here, and we are counting on 
you at the earliest possible (pg-3) moment.

In the meantime Miss Lillian Erskine has charge after Mary Jacobs-
I am beginning to find my place here and to see that it is a very reprehen-sible one- I would give anything if you were here.
Our Monthly, which is going out today will give you the news.  Remember that I am homesick for Morganton & the news from you 
all-  and am especially anxious to hear from you about anything bearing on your coming to be with us here-

I am saving up a lot of things to tell you when I see you in October
Remember me to Mrs. Ray & Miss Hunt & Sue & Gordon-
Yours T
Thornwell Jacobs

*http://www.carolana.com/NC/Transportation/railroads/nc_rrs_chester_lenoir.html
**present day York, SC