7.45 P.M.On Train
Sept 1900

Dear mama.

	We have just left Detroit an hour and a half late - and I thought I would start a letter to you before going to bed. I don't think I brought any envelopes in my satchel, so I can't mail it until I get in Poughkeepsie. We have made rather a slow trip—losing time all the way. I think there only two people on the car who are not Vassar girls. They haven't done as I thought they would—all get together and talk. Each has sat in her separate seat and kept it pretty well—or rather they seem to go in pairs. Miss H. is traveling with a friend who's name I have not been able to catch. She seems very nice. Perhaps you saw her talking to Mrs. H. at the train. Then there is another girl who seems to know them. Her first name is Eunice—last name un-known. I sat with them for a while after we started them. Then I went back and sat with Miss Heath—alias Elsie Cox—for a while. Thea I sat alone for a while. She and I ate our lunch together. She didn't bring much, but didn't seem to be hungry. Tell Helen those salted almonds were such a surprise and a treat. After our lunch a couple of boys on their way to Ann Arbor-friends of Elsie's came in and planked them-selves down and stayed the greater part of the afternoon. I was so sleepy that I kept wishing they would go so that I could go back to my own seat but they staid until we were a couple of stations from Ann Arbor. One of them is a "full-back"  on the regular Mich foot ball team—a finely-built strong fellow. The other was captain of the Mich. track team that went to Paris this summer. So athletics was the main trend of our talk. After they had gone Miss H and unknown friend came over and visited with me for an hour or more. Then it was time for dinner. So the five of us all filed back through about ten cars, until we got to the dining car. They had a good sized bill of fare— but the stuff didn't taste so well as it might have. This is what I took,
	consomme —(fairly good)
	celery -
	Roast chicken-
	mashed potatoes (all lumps)
	peas (sour)
	bread and butter (good)
	chicken salad (awful!)
	 Ice cream (pretty fair)
	  and cake.
  Still I got all I wanted out of it. While we were eating dinner - we went aboard the ferry in the St. Claire river.- so we missed getting out on the deck. Then we came back and stood in one of the vestibules and watched the lights  on the river and in Detroit. They were very pretty. And now we are back in the car and I expect that soon they will begin to go to bed. I have not been able to find out which of the remaining girls is Miss James. The country through which we have been passing has been rather monotonous prairie lands, though we have passed some very pretty forests and rivers. It Is very pretty around Ann Arbor though we were not able to see the College grounds. I have not opened Uland's box of candy—every body has been stuffed with candy to-day. I think it will be nice to keep until I get into Pokpsie (It Is too hard to spell that out every time) We haven't even managed to eat all of Graham's box yet. I am getting so sleepy that I don't believe I can write any-more tonight. I hope we are going to make up the lost time to-night. When you get this I suppose Graham will have started. I hope he got off as comfortably as I did. And, now, mama, I think you really ought to rest up some - before you start house- cleaning - or you will be all tired out.
	Very lovingly-
		Lea.
Albany— Had a very good night and beautiful scenery this morning. More autumn leaves here than around Chicago.