Vassar Not. 28, 1675
Sunday. 5 p.m.

My dear father and Mother,
Here I am again writing 
you from school, and since I last 
wrote have seen you. It does seem 
as though I was never so happy 
as while I was at Saratoga. Did 
you receive my postal? I did not 
have an opportunity to mail it 
at the depot and so gave it to a 
man on the car to mail for me. 
I changed at Troy. The car was there 
for passengers to get right in 
but it did not start in over 
half an hour. Had to change 
again at Greenbush and wait 
some fifteen minutes for the 
train. It rained hard all the 
time and I was so lonesome
I could hardly keep from crying. 
There was an old gentleman 
acquainted with one of the girls here 
that I sat with from G and 
he carried my baggage for me 
from the cars across the depot 
into the street car and so I could 
not wait to mail the postal. 
Do not know how I could have 
gotten along without his 
assistance it rained so hard, I 
wished myself back in Saratoga 
all the time I was riding out 
to the college. It rained harder 
than ever when I got I here, and 
I would have been soaking if I 
had not had an umbrella. When 
I got into the hall the janitor 
saw me and carried my baggage 
up for me, or I do not know 
how I could ever have gotten up 
with it, it was so heavy. 
girls think my dress is lovely 
and well they may. Got here about 
half an hour before supper. Went 
down, but was too lonesome to eat 
hardly anything. Helen went over
to the Gymnasium to see them 
dance and I regulated my bureau 
drawers and folded my dress and 
laid it in the bottom part of 
my trunk, then I got all ready 
for bed. I had plenty of lessons 
to get for the next day and worried 
over them but was so homesick 
I could not study. I kept 
up as long as I could and 
then gave up and cried as hard 
as I could for about an hour. 
Saturday morning I felt pretty 
bad, but got through my lessons 
very well. I wished when 
I got back here I had not gone 
away at all. I was so homesick
but now do not feel so, as I am 
all over it and shall be more 
contented than though I had not 
gone at all. Hope I won't be homesick, 
but presume I shall after 
you leave me. We had a splendid 
dinner to-day; cold turkey, potatoes, 
sweet potatoes, tomatoes, celery, 
pickles, dressing and gravy, mince-
pie, cheese, and apples. Just wrote
a letter to Ben, and while I was 
writing Nellie Preston came in 
and said she would write a note 
to him so wrote, "Having become 
acquainted with you through
your picture, almost feel as though 
I know you through Addie----
Addie's friend, Nellie." Wonder what 
he will say. I am tired out studying. 
I do not want to drop my 
French and yet we go so fast do 
not learn much, and I want to 
take music lessons. I don't know 
what to do. Dr. Webster says the 
girls are studying all together too
hard and so they have fitted 
up that room, where we went to see
Miss Terry, with easy chairs, tables, 
plants and games of all kinds. But 
what is the use of their doing all that 
when our lessons are so hard and 
we have to study just so much and 
then can not half learn them. I do 
not have any time to spend in 
the reading-room, library or art-
gallery. I am afraid they will 
not allow me to have but two studies 
and music as that is something 
only allowed pupils very 
far advanced in music to do. 
Prof Raymond preached to-day in
Law, and said when we studied so 
hard and did not take recreation and 
sufficient excercise we were weakening 
our mind and violating 
law. I am not doing as much
as many cf the girls and do not 
understand why it is so hard for 
me. I have always been able to 
do as much as any of the girls &
sometimes more studying and it 
never hurt me, but here it seems 
as though I can not do as much 
as when I was at home. My head 
gets so tired I can not study. I have 
worn my plumbcolored all day to-
day. Do not care for dress here, but 
I tell you I am glad I have got 
my silk far Friday night. The 
girls will dress so elegantly. Have 
bought my collation-ticket. It was 
$.50 and gives me my supper, 
the excercises in the chapel are free. 
There is no school all day you 
know. If Ben was in Troy it would 
be very nice. The girls can and do 
invite young gentlemen. Most of 
the girls invite some gentleman
I will write some more tomorrow. 
Good night dear papa and mama. 
Do not think I am homesick now, 
but I do wish I was with you.
Tuesday afternoon.
I believe you said you would 
be in S_ to-morrow, so will finish 
up this letter and send it to-day. 
It is very cold here, the wind blows 
hard all the time and it seems 
colder than it does in Winona. 
I have had my lessons pretty 
well since I came back for I 
have studied easier than befor I 
went, I do not have a spare moment 
though. Ma, I think you 
better leave that silk handerchief 
with me, for I want it for every 
day and you get a new one. 
Give my love to Aunt Sarah, 
Archie, Uncle Hiram and all 
the friends. I find those mittens 
just the thing. Write very soon 
and tell me about your visits
Your affectionate daughter
How about the cloak?
Addie Thompson