Vassar, April 10. 1874

Dear Mother,
I hope you will 
receive my postal tomorrow 
telling of the safe arrival 
of the box. I have an idea 
about the hat. I shall 
take the red berries and 
black feathers from my 
lace hat and put them 
on this. I think it will 
be pretty. Perhaps you'd 
better send me the black 
feathers that I sent home 
the other day. I guess you'd 
better send them. The 
waist, I think, can be made 
as a basque just as well
if you can send enough 
of the silk to line the
part of it that is below
the belt. Mrs. Foster is very 
good at such work. I saw 
a lovely little walking 
jacket that she had made 
of a girl's brother's old 
jacket. Send the silk and 
I think she can fix it so, 
or some way that will 
be prettier than just a 
round waist. The little 
pocket book is a beauty 
and such a convenient 
size, both for funds and 
pockets. The eatables will 
speak for themselves. 
I assure you they are 
appreciated. On Wednesday
a lot of us went to Cedar 
Ridge for flowers. I got 
up the party. Everybody 
laughed at me, even the
girls who were going, for 
supposing that flowers 
could be found so early. 
I insisted that it was 
time and we went.
The Ridge was lovely. High 
cliffs were covered with 
bright green moss. I found 
flowers enough to make 
three saucer bouquets. 
I carried one to Miss Sewell. 
I guess I have told you 
of her. She is librarian. 
She is the last of a large 
family who have all 
died of consumption. 
Last year her sister Lucy 
was here, and soon after 
the summer vacation 
she died. Mrs. Sewell is 
visiting here now and 
was in Miss S's room
when I took her the 
flowers. Mrs. S. is quite 
deaf, so when I went out, 
as I was going away 
I heard Miss S. say "She's 
smart, she's a Junior.
She brought me the 
first spring flowers last 
year when Lucy was here." 
It was such a little thing 
but it was so nice to 
know that she remembered 
it.
Saturday
Wasn't it splendid in how 
yesterday afternoon a 
large box came for me 
from Waterbury. Inside 
were three cakes, oranges, 
lemons, sugar, chow-chow, 
jelly, sweet crackers, bananas, 
nuts, figs and everything
nice. Wasn't it splendid 
in her to send it? I think 
it was so very nice.
Everything came nicely 
and was very nice. 
Last night we had a 
"supper" just we four in 
the parlor. It was splendid, 
but ten o'clock "spreads" 
do not agree very well 
with my kind of sleep 
afterwards. Well, it is 
vacation and there's 
time enough to rest today.
This morning I, or 
rather Anna Wilson, 
have been fixing my 
hat. I curled the feathers 
over, put them and the 
red berries on, and 
now I think it is very
pretty. Hope I shall have 
a letter this noon. You 
need not send the 
feathers [fcc] There is enough 
without it.
Eva M. Tappan.
I had a letter from Mr. Lewis(?) 
the other day.