Vassar,
May 13, 1894.

My dearest Papa and Mamma:

Sunday afternoon and it becomes my pleasant duty (tho' I would much rather talk to you), to write you a little account of my little doings for the past few days, and perhaps to, to "fess up" for what do you think? I've been to N.Y. and am back alive to tell the tale. I thought I wouldn't say any thing about it till after I got back for I knew Mamma would worry, at least, and so thought it was all right not to mention it as you ^had said I might go some time. I couldn't find any girl to go with me specially, so went down with one of the girls who was going alone. We both went for shopping purposes, so separated after we reached the city and each went our several ways. We went down on the early train in the morning as
usual, but met at the station in the afternoon and came back on afternoon train which got us at College at dinner time. Never was I quite so glad to get back here as last night, for I was so warm and so tired and dirty. It is getting pretty warm to go to New York and I have probably taken my last trip, for this year at least. I went down to do a few errands and partly for the fun of it and the change. I shopped all day, with only a few minutes at noon for a little lunch. I suppose you. Mamma will want to know what I bought. Well, for one thing, I quickly disposed of all the remainder of Grandpa's money, by investing in a lovely book, and a pair of the sweetest cuff pins, something which I very much wanted. Then I proceeded, too, to do something of which I fear me Mammy won't approve. You told me I believe not to get a suit now, if I didn't really need it, and I had quite given up the idea, and went down expecting to get a duck or linen blazer suit to travel in. But at Steam's and L. and T's the suits were either very high or very low so I did not look any farther but invested in a very neat pretty light brown covert cloth blazer suit, which only cost 14:50 alteration & all. I began to feel that I needed something in which to travel home in for of course I've had no new heavy dress except my winter one since September, and that is out of the question now. I did not think it would be disobeying to invest in so cheap a suit, for you see it did not cost 1/2 what the one I proposed getting would, and tho' of course it will not last as long nor be as fine, it answers my purpose now very well indeed and I hope you don't mind my getting it. It is perfectly plain skirt, no lining, after the fashion and a plain little coat with reveres, open in front of course. I think I shall like it very much indeed for this summer and early fall. Was it
all right to get it? You see I have to decide some things on my own responsibility, for I think you might approve if you were only here to say so. Then I got a brown tie, a brown pair of gloves (for 95¢ at a sale. They fit beautifully too and are fine and I wish I had purchased more of them. But crowning glory of all I got a swell Knox sailor, also brown, so will be a "symphony" in brown, as the girls say. There you have a picture of me as you will see me in four weeks from Thursday next. If you have any trouble in finding me just pick out the biggest sailor in the crowd and that will be me. When I came back I found Kate returned, and very glad I was to see her. Her mother is better and may perhaps come on at commencement time but has been very ill, I guess. Kate has been gone three weeks.

Nan had a beautiful angel cake sent from home and we feasted on that in the evening, after Students meeting was over. And then the girls were interested in seeing my purchases, gloves ties etc. and a trinket or two for you Mamma and Clare, which I will give to you when I come home. I didn't get anything for Papa for the usual reason. The only thing that I think of now, Papa, which you would like would be a nice dinner at the Murray Hill, and that would hardly be sendable. It made me feel quite homesick to go down into that part of the city, for it made me think of Easter time and what a good time we had. I think that is about the best time to go to New York. I'm sure we couldn't have had a lovelier day than the Saturday we were there.

Today is lovely here, very warm. Bingley Anderson and I are out under the pine trees, she reading and I writing. My little fund of news is fast dwindling down, so I think I would better begin to retail it in another letter.

Lots of love and kisses all around. I'll soon give you some of the latter which won't be "light as air"- Now, if any one happens not to be well or needs me at commencement time please send for me to come home, for of course I can come just as soon as my exams are over, tho I want to
stay to Commencement very much, for '94 belongs to us, or rather we to them and it will be so lovely. A good many are planning to stay.

Now another shower of love from yours Nette.

(Nettie (Brand) De Witt, ex-96,