Vassar March 22/66
Friday afternoon
My Dear Sister
Perhaps you will 
wonder why I commenced this 
so much earlier than usual,
well, a little while ago we were 
summoned to the parlor we went 
down and there was Mary Collins 
with a very kind invitation from 
her brother and wife to go out and 
spend Saturday & Sunday with
them I took the invitation to 
Miss Lyman's room and she was 
not there so I went to the President 
he gave me permission immediately 
whereas Miss Lyman would 
have made us answer about 
twenty questions and perhaps
not let us go after all the fuss 
so I thought best to commence 
a letter for fear that we would 
not get it done in time for the 
first mall Monday morning 
but they are not coming for us 
if it rains and it is raining now 
so I think it very doubtful I just 
told the girls that I was afraid 
that I shall not know how to 
behave but shall be saying "please 
pass the syrup" please the bread"
those two things are our constant 
desire or at least so you would 
think were you hear the times 
they were called for every meal 
Your weekly accounts are very 
nice we are able to picture you 
all I am real sorry that Kate 
Reed is sick is she confined to 
her bed Our love to them both
Sunday evening
Dear Mame
Well here we are 
back in the Asylum after a 
very pleasant little visit at 
Joseph Collin's only think it is 
three months since we have
been in any house Their house 
is situated a little way out of 
Poughkeepsie and in the prettiest 
place I most ever saw you can 
see on one side the Fishkill Mts 
and on the other the Catskill 
with the Hudsun river in 
front I had no idea that there 
were so many nice houses or 
that the scenery was so grand 
until now, as it is not so pleasant 
here every one wonders why he 
did not build it on higher ground 
and on the river but I am 
wandering.
They have a very nice pretty house 
furnished inside about like ours 
they have one daughter and two 
boys they are very pleasant, polite 
people and altogether we had a 
very pleasant time. Mary Collins 
requested her love to be sent she 
is going to return soon
We had very nice letters this week 
from Alice Cornell and Cousin 
Hannah this Joseph Collins wife 
is the one that Cousin Alice thinks 
so much of she is very lovely
You spoke of the professors I have 
not mentioned because I did not 
think of it Prof. Knapp professor of
languages resigned and said that 
he was going immediately he was 
a great favorite with the students 
so of course there was a great deal 
of talking which Dr Raymond 
forbid. I knew that Prof. Knapp 
thought himself too much under 
Miss Lyman but if they had any 
fuss among themselves they were 
wise enough to keep It from us 
poor little innocents so I cannot 
give you much information
{Caroline E. Slade)