Vassar College. Oct. 21. 1894
Oct. 7. 1894.

My dear Mamma,—

I am supposing that you are all safe in Ypsilanti now, so I will address this to you there, and write the news to the rest at home too. I am so glad you decided to go to Ypsi, for you did need a change, and there was no use denying it. And it will be so nice for Aunt Lizzie. She must be lonesome without "Marion", as I see they call her now, and I do think "Marion" is lots prettier. I can't think of Anne and Emma as making cakes, and churning butter, for I always think of them as they were when I was there---little children. I should -be-like to be with you now so much, and see all of you at Aunt Lizzie's.

Julia Gardner is out here at the college now. She rooms over at Strong Hall. We called on her last week, and she has been up to our room several times. I took her to the Young Women's Christian Association reception Friday night. It is the first "event" of the year, and all the girls who belong to the Y.W.C.A. take a new student
to the reception, and act as an escort for her. In that way the new girls
are introduced to a good many of the older ones. I was going to take
Katharine Dunham, but Ida McKean, (a Cleveland girl) wanted her too,
and as Ida is in her class, I thought perhaps Katharine would meet more
of her own class by going with Ida, so I let Ida have her, and I invited
Julia Gardner. I was very glad to take Julia, for she is a nice little
girl. Julia has a very nice room-mate, a girl whom Carrie Hardin
roomed with in preparatory school. At the reception. Miss Hoagland,
the president of the Y.W.C.A. received, together with Dr. and Mrs.
Taylor and Mrs. Kendrick. The Glee Club sang a number of times,
some old songs and some new ones. One of them was mado up by
one of the girls this week, and was full of funny things that have hap-
pened within the last few days.
We had icecream and cake afterwards- Everybody seemed to enjoy
the reception.
There is a Freshman this year who is a regular doctor, an
M.D. She takes every thing in the course except Hygiene. There is also
a Freshman named Miss Vassar, a grand-niece or a great-granddaughter
of Matthew Vassar, I am not certain which. I have not yet found out
how many new students there are this year.
This morning we went into town to church, and took some
Freshmen with us to show them the way- Ray took one, and I knew
took two, to the Dutch Reformed Church, where they had communion
service. Their service is a good deal different from ours at communion,
but I like the minister very much.
They have not got the electric cars running out to the college
yet. They have them running for a little distance down town, and are
the cars
fixing the rails near here now, so I suppose 4hey will be all settled
before the year is over.
Ray is feeling very badly about her brother Harry, because
he has had trouble with his throat so much that the doctor has told
him now that he must not go to the Hartford Seminary this year, but
he must lead an active out-door life. He is	to have his tonsils
taken out right away, in New York. Fritz is in New York now looking
for a job.
I have been having a job for two weeks, helping a girl who had
to take a re-examination in Algebra. I gave her lessons at 50 cents
an hour, which will put four dollars in my pocket. I shall feel quite
proud to think I earned it. It was hard to find the time, because I had
to spend some time getting ready for the lesson, as well as teaching
it, and the girl did not know beans. I am thinking of buying a two-
dollar edition of Shakspere, like one that I have seen, with part of the
money, especially as we have to use Shakspere this year in English work.
We are all keeping a cash account this year, and as we have
been buying a good many books and things together, we had to spend
half the morning yesterday in straightening out our finanees-
I wrote to the Postmaster yesterday about your picture, and if
he does not find it in a day or two, I will write home for another. It is
too bad to have one lost. Carrie Hardin gave me a picture of her-
self that she has just had taken. I wish you could see her for she
is such a nice girl-
Give my love to Uncle Edgar and Aunt Lizzie and the rest
of the family- I am going to write to May tonight. Lovingly Adelaide.
[Clafiin]