Vassar —
Jan. 14 1872. (i.e. 1873)
Dearest Carrie,
I have been unusually blessed today by receiving several letters.
Your home letters were heartily welcomed, and to show the joy they gave
me I sit down immediately to answer yours. I only wish that you had sent,
and not destroyed, that letter in which you told all the news of the week of gayety. Between you all, I have received but meagre accounts of your
doings ; for each is afraid that possibly something may be repeated to me,
as If I would not be glad to hear more than once what is going on in our
"Mountain City."
Methinks Milton Swisher must have been crazy to get married a second time; and the girl too, to marry such a disgusting old man, as he has become. And what an amusing account of Mary Reids wedding. From that article one would suppose that she had been one of Austin's belles.
 It seems that you aroused Susie Towns end to some purpose, for
I received a nice long letter from her today. What a talent that family
have for acquiring the town gossip, and one would scarcely expect it from
them. She writes that it, is reported Miss Augusta Palm is to marry
Mr. Blackburn. Do you think there is a particle of truth in the statement?
Miss Augusta has been disposed of so many times by the "They say" family
that I pay little attention now to such dispositions. Do the Townsend girls have any particular admirers? I would so like to find someone to tease Susie about, now that George Graham Is out of the question.
Are you not down in the depths of despair about German declensions ? I supposed you would be, by this time. I expect to have a tug next semester, for Miss Kapp has no such word as "difficult" in her vocabulary.
To her every thing is easy, hence she thinks it is the same with us, sad
piles on the lessons.
 Aunt Maria has lately written me a nice letter, as usual. She says
she has not heard a word from you since you reached Texas; neither has
Aunt Carrie. The latter feels much hurt about it, as I should think she
might. Custom, I supposed, demanded that the guest inform the former host of her sale arrival at home.
What a plesaant time you must have had on Papa's birthday! He,
of course, was as unsuspecting as usual. Next summer we must give
Mamma one. But how can we ever conceal the preparations from her
watchful eyes.
I think perhaps our January thaw is beginning, for the day is very
warm and the snow begins to melt. I hope there will not be a regular thaw,
however, but that the snow will go away gradually. There is so much that
the road will become almost Impassable on account of the mud. Don't
you find it too cold and windy to ride horseback much? I am sorry to
confess it, but today I... (Letter Is Incomplete.)