Vassar College.
Oct. 16, 1870
Dear Carrie,
Your letter telling of Grandma's sickness gave me such a shock
but you said she was better and until your last letter came X supposed she
was almost well. How terrible it is J and she appeared so well when
Mamma and I left Binghamton. I wish I were there to help there must
be so much to be done and only Aunt Maria and you, for though Mrs. Reeve
is visiting with Aunt and might assist I imagine from what I have seen of
her she will not be of much service in sickness. It must make you rather
homesick If you have time to think of anything and I wish I could enliven
you but Sunday here is about my gloomiest day. I do hope that the next
letter I get from you will say that Grandma is much better, for generally
after such an attack the person gets entirely well. I wrote to Anna
Towns end some time ago, for I wanted to hear from her, she always
writes such nice letters and tells so much news. She answered promptly
and is still in Mass. expecting soon to go down to Brooklyn, her Mother
and family expected to leave Austin the first of Oct. come North, first to
Kenosha, Wis. where you remember they have relations, then to Phila-
delphia where she will remain and place the children at school. Anna will
go on to meet her there about the first of Nov. I am so sorry on your
account that they are coming North to remain for two years, and it will
make it much lonelier at home for you without them. And Judge Bell's family are already in Phil, left Austin in Sept. Lucy and Leah are attending
college
school In Phil. Barclay goes to aabsal at Princeton. Judge and Mrs.
Bell return home this fall, but Evelyn is not certain whether she will go
with them or remain in P. for the winter. Carrie Norton had a letter
from her Grandmother a few days since, asking if Grandma Pease was
not coming to visit her before returning West. It was before I had heard
of her sickness and I told Carrie that she would not come. She also wanted
Mamma and you to visit her this fall and has been expecting us this summer
as she had heard through Ida that we were coming. Shall I tell Carrie now
of Gr* ndma's sickness ? She fears that she will have to return home next
week, as she has had a chilly sensation every morning and the doctor
thinks she may have a fever. She is now in the infirmary. I shall go and
see her todsy and find whether it is necessary for her to go home. There is
\
a great deal of sickness now though nothing serious, except the College
doctress, Doc. Avery, who has been very sick indeed with slow fever, we
did not at the time know how sick, but she has had her hair cut off and
such splendid hair as she had! Every bed in the Infirmary is occupied
which is quite an unusual thing here. I have dropped Algebra and taken
drawing, the Prof, is a splendid man and I think I rhall get on pretty well
although it seems hard now. He gives me so much more difficult pieces
than I have ever drawn before. I forgot to tell you where to direct to Anna
Townsend, she said she wanted to hear from you very much indeed and I
hope when you find time you will write to her. The direction is to her at
South W illiamstown, Mass. X have written a long letter and will now close
with much love your sister Julie.
(Julia M. Pease, *75)