Vassar College.
Dec. 30, 1894.

My dear Father,—

Well, I have been to New York and back. By Wednesday, when the Margaret Louisa Home sent word that they could not accomodate us, I gave up going, but about nine oclock Thursday night we got word that we could stay at a boarding house on West 44th St. which one of the girls knew about. So we rushed around and got ready, and started off on the 8:46 train Friday morning - six of us. We wanted to go to the "Messiah" Saturday evening, so of course we would have to stay till Monday. But we could not get tickets for that time; every one was sold. Just by the skin of our teeth we got tickets for Friday afternoon- the only other time it was to be given. It was fortunate that we went to buy the tickets as soon as we got to New York- Ellen Hailey did not want to stay till Monday, so as we did not have to stay on account of the "Messiah", she and I came back on the six oclock train Saturday evening. Some of the money that we would have spent for two days more board, we used to buy some things that we have been wanting, as we had such a good chance to get things in New York. After I got back I found mamma's letter telling me to be sure to stay over Sunday- I am well satisfied myself with doing the way I did, but if I had known you were so anxious to have me stay over Sunday I would have stayed. Your letter with the money in it came Wednesday noon, and though I thought then that I would not need it, I was very glad the next day to have it. It was so nice of you to allow me to go, and I had a fine time. We enjoyed everything so much, even the poor food at the boarding house, and the man with the blue necktie who tried four or five cups of coffee every meal before he got one that suited him. The boarding house keeper was a nice little woman who did all she could for us. And so did "Robinson" the elevator man, a colored man, who ran errands for us. We felt quite "swell" to have colored waiters waiting on us in the dining room too. We slept three in a room, which made our board cheaper, though not so cheap as at the Margaret Louisa. We went to our boarding house just before lunch Friday, so Saturday Ellen and I took our lunch at Macy's, (where we happened to be) for 19 cents and so we had to pay for board for only a day. At first she thought we were at her house for lunch and so was going to charge us for a day and a half. We took our baggage and went to the Metropolitan Museum for the afternoon. Of course I remembered very well [crossed out: seeing] the things I saw ^a year ago there last Christmas vacation^and they seemed like old friends. There is a fine model there now of the Notre Dame Cathedral, which they were just putting in ^a year ago [crossed out: last] Christmas when I was there.

The Messiah was certainly worth the $1.50 we paid to hear it, though we were provoked when we paid it. All the tickets at the box office were sold, but some individual had bought a lot and was standing on the steps selling them for more than they cost. We did not like to patronize him when he was doing such a mean trick, but we did want to hear the Messiah. Our seats were in the balcony, quite good ones. The tiers are so steep that we were ever so far above the floor. It was in Carnegie Hall, a very fine building - well arranged and beautiful. Walter Damrosch, you know, is the Director of the Oratorio Society, and Lillian Nordica was the soprano soloist. Then there was the Symphony Orchestra. Oh it was all so fine, and will be unforgettable. The audience all stood up while they sang the Hallelujah Chorus.

I wanted to go to Mr. Smith's church, and so did one of the other girls who heard him here at college two years ago, and has wanted to hear him again ever since. We thought we would go to the prayer meeting Friday night, but we found that they have prayer- meeting on Wednesday night. But Willie is not coming home till tomorrow night, so she was to go to his church this morning- I just got acquainted with Willie lately, and she is a very nice girl, from Memphis, where Ellen Hailey came from too. Willie is a Senior.

I felt quite independent going around New York with Ellen (for we went alone a good deal). Ellen Is a little bit of a thing and seems like a child, and doesn't know a great deal about New York. But it is a very easy place to find your way in. and you never lose your bearings, on account of the streets having numbers. I suppose. We took different streetcars, as much as we could, so as to try all kinds and see different streets. When we went to the Metropolitan we rode all the way in the Fifth Avenue stage, and saw all the fine residences. Vanderbilt's for instance, and the fine hotels and clubhouses. The hotels and club houses are the finest buildings in New York, aren't they?

Ellen and I came home alone on the six oclock train. The depot was not far from our boarding house. We got to Po'keepsie about half-past eight - the train was a half hour late— We were gone long enough to have quite a little change, and new experiences, and feel as if we had had quite a trip.

Everybody here had a sleigh ride Friday afternoon- there was a great deal of snow, freshly fallen. The last few days have been very cold indeed, though it was partly on account of the wind. Poor Ellen thought she would freeze while we were on the streets in New York. Having lived in Memphis she is not quite so used to such weather as I am. It is a little warmer now though. Are you still having spring weather?

Your loving daughter
Adelaide. [Claflin]