Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, N.Y., March 8, 1876
My dear father and Mother:
I am so happy this afternoon I 
do not know as I can compose 
myself enough to write an
intelligible letter. For some reason
Madame Rock will not hear us 
recite this afternoon and as I did 
not know it until just now 
had learned my lesson, so I am 
prepared for to-morrow. I learned 
my Latin last night for
to-morrow, and will have over an 
hour to learn my Rhetoric before
I recite, so no more lessons to-day!! 
I did not receive a letter this morning 
but supose it is because pa did not 
mail it Sunday evening. It has 
rained hard all day so we are excused 
from excercise. The snow is all gone 
and we are having a warn rain. I 
hope it is as warm at home. Helen 
came home Sunday evening and 
brought crackers, sardines, jelly and 
candy. Monday evening after study-
hour about six of the girls 
came in and we feasted on crackers 
and sardines, for vinegar we substituted 
lemon juice. While she was 
in N.Y. she went to see Julius 
Caesar, and to hear Moody and 
Sankey. There have been a number
of parties gotten up to go down 
to see J. C. some six girls ask Miss 
Terry if they can go. Then they 
invite a teacher and pay her expenses. 
It costs about $6. Carrie 
wants to go but wont unless I do. 
I told her I could not afford it.
I would prefer to spend my six dollars 
in some other way unless I 
had an abundance of them to dispose 
of. I received a letter from Ben 
Monday morning. I think, unless 
you insist, that the correspondence 
had better not be broken after I 
wrote him what I did but that 
we had better not write so often. 
It is such a short time now before 
June, and then there will not be 
any more of it any way. I do 
not want to offend him and I 
would not know how to tell him I  
did wish to write to him. I wish 
I had gotten a letter this morning, 
but then if I had I would not 
have gotten any to-morrow. Ma, I 
do not know how I do want my 
overskirt made and trimmed. 
I would like it trimmed with silk.
there is so much on the dress you 
would not hare to buy much. I 
think a plaiting around the bottom 
of black silk, about 1/2 finger wide
three plaits in a cluster (and not stitched near 
the bottom) headed with a band and cord of silk. 
Make it as long as my plaid in the back and 
a full back, be sure and make it very long. Have 
the front longer than the sides. Take a peice of black
silk the length of the front of overskirt pattern 1/4 
of a yard wide (bias) at the bottom and and 1/2 a finger 
wide at the top, and then put about six [dries] 
up the middle of it, 1 so far apart. Then turn 
the Japanese in, and making a to little ruffle 
[shir] it on to this silk. Then [shir] the sides seams 
in the back in the same way. Then about 1/2 yd 
from the belt put a large bow of black bow (ends 1/2 fingers 
wide) silk lined with the Japanese (the whole 
bow lined) on the left side, I mean a little to the 
left of the middle of the back of the overskirt about 
where the sideseams joins the back breadth. Then 
put a pocket of black silk, made in a triple or 
quadruple box plait and a bow of black silk on it. 
I believe that finishes the overskirt. I want it 
made so very long so it can be looped to make a 
bustle and so obviate the necessity of my wearing.
Could there not be some kind of stiff lining put in
to the back, only extending about half a yard from 
the waist, so it would not show? I would like 
the basque made just about the same as my 
plaid, the same shape & length, trimmed around the bottom 
the same as the overskirt. Then in the back I would 
like those little tiny folds I spoke of, or if you prefer some 
other trimming, put it on, maybe three narrow 
bands of black silk corded on both sides, an inch a 
part at the neck, then nearly meeting at the waist 
and then separating again. Instead of a standing 
collar would like a narrow plaitin of black silk either in clusters 
or not don't care, the same width or rather height of 
a collar, and so I could take it off when I chose. 
But if it would trouble you put on a collar like 
my silk. Then put either black silk buttons quite 
small about so big or else buttons like 
those on my plaid but think the silk
ones would be prettier. Then make the 
sleeves of Japanese very small (basque very 
short in the shoulders) but longer than my black silk 
sleeves and put a little plaiting black silk like that on 
the overskirt and basque on the edge of the sleeve 
then a little cuff of black silk something pretty 
above the plaiting and either buttons or little 
bows on the cuff. Can you understand this 
all. I am afraid you can not. It is the plainest 
way I can think of and yet I am afraid 
there is too much work on it. But it will be very
stylish and pretty made this way. Those ruffles 
that are now on it will do for the plaiting. Make 
the plaits very fine. Please do not put any Japanese 
silk on it for trimming, and besure it is long enough 
in the waist.