Vassar College N.Y.
Dec. 13th 1871
Dear Allie
I am writing to you. not 
that I have anything to say, but
simply because I want to hear from 
you so badly. I have been hoping for 
sometime that you might take 
pity upon me, and write without
waiting for an answer.
I wish I knew whether you generally 
see my letters to Aunty, for I shall be 
apt to repeat the same things which
I wrote to her. The girls go home for the holidays 
next Wednesday. Most of the them 
are going. Some of the western girls 
will stay, among them several 
seniors. We are going to form a 
reading circle, that is, one will read 
while the rest sew. As a grand
finale, we will have a candy pull. 
We intend to have as good a time 
as possible. 
Do write me what they are going 
to do at home. How does Lena Mills 
strike people as Mrs. Ayerss How 
do you like Mr. McCoy's wife.
Is Libbie Hubbard going to be married 
soon, & and how [she] is she, fcc,fcc.
Any thing else which is going on & shall 
be happy to hear about. It seems as 
though I hadn't heard any doings for 
six months. You know Aunty does
hear what is going on [who] among 
the young people, and so she doesn't
write about their doings.
I accidentally heard the other day 
that Edd & Nate Coy were both East. 
One of the girls told me that she 
had invited them up to our
Philalethean Entertainment 
last Friday. Nate is teaching school 
in Jersey City, and Edd is visiting 
him. I was quite delighted when 
I heard that they were coming for
I would then see somebody that I 
knew among the company. The young 
gentlemen did not make their 
appearance however. We had a very 
good time. The second floor  
was trimmed with evergreen 
the whole length of the hall, 
and the chapel also. After the 
exercises in the chapel, the programme 
of which I will send you, the company 
adjourned to the dining hall, where 
we enjoyed the ice creams (especially chocolate) 
ices, cakes & fruits which were spread 
before us. Then those who had company 
promenaded up & down the 
corridor talking & having a good time. 
I promenaded to my room. The 
whole thing is rather stupid, except 
for watching the people. It is fun 
to see how they carry on sometimes. 
I wish you girls could be here at one 
of the Entertainments Just to see what 
things are like. Wouldn't it be elegant 
if you could all come on during 
commencement week? With the 
programme of the Philalethean Society
I will also enclose the record of a previous
celebration, which was equally as entertaining.
We had so much fun over our 
Filet d'aloyain braise aux Champignone." 
No one knew what it was, and each one 
did not wish to let the other know that 
she was not familiar with the dish, 
so we all sent out for it, with a very 
matter of course sort of an air, and 
found that it was old roast beef, 
with a little mushroom sauce over 
it!
To change the subject you ought 
to have seen me when I came in from 
walking yesterday. It was snowing, and 
consequently my skirts were all draggled, 
and my stockings wet half way up to my 
ankles (is that right? it is too much trouble to get up 
and get a dictionary) But my feet! Oh you should have
seen my feet. They were as red as beets,
In fact just the color. I rubbed them for 
about fifteen minutes, and then when 
I felt them with my hand, they were 
as cold as ice.
It Is time to mail this, so goodbye. 
Now be generous, and write me once or twice 
during vacation won't you. I wish that 
I were going to be at home. Tell Jessie that 
I hate her.
Lovingly,
Sallie