Vassar College, Nov. 24, 18/66.

Dear Katie
What must you think of me by this time, that I am a hard hearted girl, and have forgotten all about you, perhaps I deserve all of this, yet I may say that it is not true, for I have thought of you every day for over a week, and have tried in vain to find time to answer Mrs. Dana's welcome letter, which I received over two weeks ago. The time is so
divided up into periods here that I find little time to do anything but prepare my lessons, though I have but three, there are so many extra duties to be performed, we are obliged to exercise just so much every day, and we have chapel twice a day, and about two or three lectures every week. Wednesday evening we have a lecture on health from Miss Avery, who is the resident physician here. And Saturday morning we have a talk from Miss Lyman on etiquet, and twice in the week we have Bible lesson. And then we have gymnastics every day and you have no idea how nice they are; we have a splendid hall on purpose, and the figures are some of them so pretty, it seems almost as good as dancing; yesterday we went over there and as it was Friday, we stayed there an hour, and then scarcely wanted to come home. Now when you think of all of these and great many other little things, that I cannot stop to mention, do you wonder that my time is all occupied? Last night a Mr. Pierson lectured here before the Literary society, it seemed very strange to hear a real lecturer again. The society are in hopes of having a course of lectures here for the College, as we have them every Winter at home; I hope they will succeed, they have written to Gough and to Annie Dickinson and to others, and I believe they have promised to come if they possibly can. Does it seem possible to you that next Thursday can be Thanksgiving day, I can scarcely realize it. We are hoping to have a very pleasant time here, there is a committee I believe to make arrangements for the day, but what these arrangements will be we do not yet know, there will probably be some entertainment in the evening. Monday after Thanksgiving I believe there is to be a grand celebration in the evening, as it is the anniversary of the establishment of the
Literary society. Though there are of course a great many things here that are different very different from home, and there is scarcely a day but what I think how glad I should be if I was only at home again; yet there are also a great many things that make this strange sort of life pleasant, and I must say that I think this College Is almost as near perfect in its arrangements as any boarding school can be, and that we have great advantages here. I think you must have got along splendidly In French if you are going to have a French play so soon. Mrs. Dana asked if we had progressed far enough yet to publish a paper, I am sorry to say that we have not, though I believe there is one paper published every year, though I am afraid that to the students at Yale this would look like very small progress. I received a letter from Mamma in which she said that Mr, Bradley's sister was going to help Mrs. Newhall and her at their dinner table, what a long visit she is making. I have got to write a letter to Minnie Bradford today, beside a composition to commence so I must stop; it does seem as if Saturday was just about as busy a day as any in the week. I do hope I shall hear from you soon; you have no idea with what interest I watch for my letters, and I will try and answer it more promptly than I have this time. Give my love to your mother and sister and to all of the girls. I am with ever and ever so much love
Your aff. friend, Mary