Vassar College,
Feb. 11, 1871.
My dear £ spa.
Your letter and Mamma1* were received this morning, and as I
have a little spare time now I will answer them. I am sorry to hear that
Mamma has been sick, but hope it was not very bad. She usually has an
attack towards spring, but as she has been North all summer I thought
that she would escape it this winter. In one of your letters you say that
you are all coming North next summer, do you mean this coming one or
the one after? I should suppose you meant what you said, but that mamma
aad Carrie said that they would not travel over the road so soon again. I
do hope you will all come far I want to see you so much.
Our lady principal, Miss Lyman, died last Tuesday evening. She
has been sick a long, long time aad we should rejoice with her in being
free from all pain and sorrows but her death is a severe loss to Vassar
College. No one has done so much to give the College its reputation as
Miss Lyman, and her equal can aever be found to fill the place. The
funeral services were held in the Chapel on Wednesday, and immediately
after, her body was carried to the train, to be taken to Montreal her former
home. The students can not do much to show their respect for Miss Lyman
and sorrow at her death, but as a slight tribute to her, they procured all
the flowers they could in Poughkeepsie and then ssnt on an order to Montreal
for flowers to be furnished there for the funeral. We all wear a mourning
badge for thirty days. Wednesday and Thursday were both holidays,
Feb. 24, 1S71 * 2
Wednesday beiag Washington's birthday, aad Thursday, the <day, of
prayer for Colleges. We had beea looking forward to them for a long
time, but as Miss Lymaawas lying dead In the house at the time the days
were rather sorrowful oaes. The sermon on Thursday was preached by
a prespyterian minister from Hew York city, Dr. Hall. Toaight a lecture
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is to be delivered by George Curtis which we are all looking forward to
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with great eagerness. X think he never lectured in Hartford while we were
there} if he did, I never heard him.
X am sorry that the "Republicaa" is ao longer In being. Who will
have the republican.paper now or will there not be aay?
How alee it will be to have grape viaes so aear the house. X cer-
tainly hope they will be beariag whea I go home, but fear they will aot
unless X remain aad graduate.
About three weeks ago myself with two other young ladies were
examined for the Freshman class la French. The french teacher told us
were qualified to
that wejlffti be admitted and weote the President to the same effect.
Receiving ao aaswer from him, we wrote agaia aad thea received a note
saying that he had ao recollectloa of seeiag Mademoiselle's note and that
he would have to have another from her. She has lost the paper la which
she put our marks aad so X fear there is no chance of our entering the class
to which we are eatltled. Of course the Pres. will aot admit us ualess he
has our marks aad grade in passing, and he caa aot get them without
Feb. 24, 1871 - 3
another examination. It is too bad In the Pres. to be so careless. I must
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study a while now and so will close with much love your Julie
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I ought to have acknowledged the receipt ol your note to Mr. Levenson
in regard to the College bills, long ago, but even now had nearly forgotten
it. The bUis are not due until the first ol April and then I can send them
to him.
Today a young lady, who has been home some time on account ol
her health, returned. She said that she met a very nice gentleman in the
cars who Is acquainted with you. I do not see hew they happened to speak
of such a thing as she had no idea, until this gentleman told her, that my
father had been Governor of Texas. Unfortunately the young lady could
not remember the name of this gentleman. Ha now resides In Vermont,
but formerly lived In Michigan. He went to Texas lor his health and was
acquainted with you In Austin. Have you any Idea, from this very clear
cescription, of who the man Is? It Is strange that there Is so little to tell
me in regard to home matters! The trouble with you seems to be to find
enough to say to IU1 two small pages* while with me it Is when to stop. My
long stupid letters must be very tiresome, but it is a great comfort to me
to write them. Did you ever know a lady who did not write a postscript?
Mine are almost as long as the latter itse!f~«*«
,julla M. Pease, '75,