Vassar College -
March 2nd [1866]

My dear Mother
I was very much delighted at receiving your letter
for it was so long and long coming.
I should think your letter was long enough getting started, and
I am afraid it may be the case with mine as to-day is Saturday (or
rather to-night) and my letter cannot go till Monday. I am very glad
James has occupation for it will be so much pleasanter for all. It was
very dull, I should think for him to be idle at home all the time.
President Raymond gave us a talk this morning about taking our daily
walk and said there were not more than three days in the whole three
hundred and sixty five that a well person could not go out with advantage.
Well it was a dreadful day to-day,- it rained very hard but some of the
girls as a good joke on the president went around to all the rooms and
got the girls to go out all dressed with waterproofs and umbrellas and
march in a procession around the grounds
There were about a hundred who went and they looked about as
forlorn and ridiculous as could be imagined every one single file, and
when we got in front of the college we saw the president waving his hand-
kerchief at his window, taking the joke with a good deal of enjoyment.
I am just as anxious to come home or for the time to come when I shall go home as can be - I want to get through my studies first of course. We are going to survey the college grounds and make a plot of them and put in all
the college buildings with mathematical exactness, just like any surveyor. Our Trigonometry class is to do all this.
I feel very well again and keep remarkably well considering
how much I study. My time is much more occupied here than at Utica
as
and I feel about as well.I did there. Soon it will be very pleasant here
for it is growing warm very fast; if it does not grow cold again.
How nice it will be next Summer to be at home and the house so
comfortable. I do not think you ought to go to New York again this spring
you will come home sick again. Let Henry get what you want when he
comes - I am sure he and I could get something perhaps not as cheap
as you would. I can hardly think what news to write as there is none
now I wrote it all in James' and father's letters, except the procession
You do not say whether you have got my hoop skirt covers yet.
I am quite anxious about them for I am very much in need of them. I
hope father will get the Patterson place if it has to be sold, it will pro-
bably not be much and X would not miss having it for anything.
Father gave me a very graphic description of how you were all
occupied last Sunday, when he wrote his letter and it was so "true to
Nature" I could see the whole scene before my eyes- I hope you will
write soon and cannot you and father find something better to write on
than that awful yellow paper? Please do write and write a good long
letter When Henry comes I want to get a spring balmoral french calico
besides innumerable other articles such as shoes &c.
My love to all.
Your affectionate
daughter Helen
P.S. Please ask father to send me a little money now as I need some
before Henry comes-