Vassar. Dec. l6, 1875
My dear father and Mother:
\
Have just finished looking over my things, I mean just felt as though I could
stop trying on the hat and smoothing the muff long enough to write you and
thank you for them and tell you how perfectly satisfied I am with all my Christ
mas and I am almost crying with joy for I feel as I did when I received m
watch, so happy and yet as though I have been so naughty" so many times and yet
you look it all over and get me everything I want. I was never so perfectly
satisfied with my Christmas from papa and Mamas as I am this year. hat hat
is lovely and fits me all-right. The muff and boa are the nicest I ever saw.
Te girls all say they are not sealskin they must be otter and I think so too.
All I can say is they are beautiful. III knew of a.word more expressive I
would use it. Can't I know how much they cost? The shawl is very nice. The
gloves are a splended fit and a very pretty siade. The neckties are just
what I wanted, handerchiefs, ditto. I am so happyl I can not tell you how
much. My cloak did not come until to-day, and if I did not worry all this
week finen I never did. Yesterday Corie wanted me to go in town with her and
I went more to go to the express office than for any other reason. I thought
may be he had forgotten to put V.C. On. And they told me two packages, one
from the north and one from south came yesterday and would be sent out to-day.
That relieved my mind I assure you. I did not wait for them to be brought up
to me but rushed Helen down to carry one of the for me, as soon as we were
throughgginner. I think about as Pa does about it but then it will do very
nicely, only if it is a mile too big and will see when I get to S.S. if the
sleeves, any way, if nothing else can be fixed, can not be made a little
shorter, for they come to the ends of my fingers. Hr. Sill's note explains
the delay. I sent him a postal saying it made no difference. I bought Ben


a dressing-case, black leather, containing comb, brush, clothes-brush, tooth
and nail brush, shaving brush, two razors, case for shaming soap, razor-strap,
and hand-glass. It cost $10. If he only likes it I shall be so glad. I wasp
a little lonesome last Saturday when I came back to the college, but not one
bit homesick, am 2:3: §g_mu§h contented since you have both been here. And
do send everyone to see me that comes near Po*keepsie that I know. I am writing
in such a hurry, for I want this to go out in thexnail at five oclock and it
is almost that now. I took the out of the satchel. The conductor did
not send it up to the college, but left it at the lodge so I did not%;et\until
I went here for it. Did you get you a silk dress? Do write me all you did
and got. And Papa that $10. made quite a hole in my $25. I bought my ticket
and it was $.h0 more than at the depot. Now when I come home I dont propose
to pay two or three dollars more for it and shant I get it in N.Y. in April?
Mrs. C__;wrote me to take a freight train that has a passenger car; on it to
come to Waterford and said they had written so S.S. to see about Small-pox
and would tell me when I came there. Answered Jame's postal for you. Now
good bye give my love to all and kiss the babies for me, will write Sunday
to Oshkosh. Wrote G__ to come for me Tuesday at Glens Falls.
From your loving and happy daughter
Addie Thompson