Vassar College
May 20, 1867-

My dearest Mother,
I have broken the bounds of propriety once, and found it so delightful that I fear I shall be tempted to again, and you might as well steel yourself immediately to receive all manner of scrawls from me in future. It is a lovely Sabbath day. I should like to have gone to church this morning, but Louise and I have registered solemn vows never to be caught walking down to Po'keepsie again. To say nothing of sundry vicious looking cows, rampant horses, and noisy drunken men whom we met our glorious career was suddenly cut short by the discovery that Louise had a back and I a head. For the sake of burying this discovery in the profoundest oblivion we registered the vow above mentioned. I have been writing to Carrie, and feel really very sad at the thought that I shall never write to her, or see her again as a girl. Oh dear! How fast the girls are getting married. I never did see any thing like it. We will be entirely behind the times soon - Please insert an advertisement in the paper, to the effect that four young damsels are ready and waiting for any body that is willing to take them. Has Aunt Katie come? Don't tell her how very anxious we feel, lest Anna may have been more fortunate and she be tempted to undue exaltation. Emerson lectured here Friday night. His subject was "The Man of the World." I believe that he gave universal satisfaction, although he several times alluded to the extreme youth of his audience, probably overlooking Miss Mitchell, Miss Lyman, Prof, and Mrs. Tenney, the Raymonds, Mr. and Mrs. Corning, and all the teachers. Once in the course of the lecture he stopped and marching over to Minnie (who sits on the stage, and introduces the lecturers) asked her, in not exactly those words, if it was the girls' bed time. I hope that I shall be on the lecture committee next year, and have the priviledge of speaking to all the great men. Mr. Corning had the impertinence to ask Emerson to preach for him today! He declined, but I wish he hadn't, I think it would have been the means of ridding Po'keepsie of its pseudo-Congregationalist minister. Think what doctrine the man must hold who invites Ralph Waldo Emerson to preach for him! So Mr. Pope is to favor Detroit with his family as well as himself. I am glad that he will have no further excuse to play old man of the sea to you. Is that Mrs. Cook Clestia's mother? If so I don't know which family I envy more. I am glad that you are getting along so nicely with your sewing. Your gingham is a beauty, and I should judge that your other dresses must be very pretty also - I have thought some of having my travelling dress made short before going home but have where decided not to worry myself with the where with all I shall be clothed, which is a very comfortable decision to come to, inasmuch as, like the old woman of Cumberland, I am full of "rags, and shags, and prickly shags" - I must say that when I commenced my letter I had no intention of trying you with quite such a looking scrawl as this, but Mother dear, just reflect that every day I am coming nearer my dotage, and be thankful that I am no more infirm than I am. Love to all - Hattie and Minnie are in a very unsettled state, but hope to feel better in the course of the next six weeks. Good bye dear. I must stop now - 

Your loving daughter Mattie -