Vassar College.
Sept. 27. 1868.


My dear Mother


I received your letter yesterday and was very glad to hear from home I assure you. Isn't it very funny that I am so happy and contented with never a homesick feeling.


I had all my "blue spells" before I left home and on my way here. I am so very glad that it is this way when I expected to spend the principal part of the first week or two in vain regrets that I left home. I am more pleasantly situated by a great deal than last year even if I do not have Saidee here to talk to. My room is quite large. I have in it a bed, chair,


bureau, washstand, wardrobe and my little trunk with a shawl on it. Harrys picture hangs over my bed and the one you sent me last year is just opposite over the wash stand. Under the gas burner is a brackett with my silver vase with the red wax rose that Gracie gave me and on each side of it those two little china ones that I brought from home, then on each side of the burner are Saidee's and Ellen Ayers' pictures in those little frames. I can keep it in perfect order with little trouble this year with no one but myself to look out for. I shall never have a roommate again here I am pretty sure. My studies are all settled now. I am in Latin Prose Composition, Greek and Logic.


I could not continue German


and be in the classical course so it had to go, but I do not intend to give it up altogether by any means. Two of my parlor mates study it and I am not likely to hear the last of it this year. After we have studied Latin Prose awhile we are to take Tacitus' Histories. They have recited since Monday in Greek so I had a good deal to make up, but I like it exceedingly and have now made up all but two lessons which I can do before reciting again.


I told Prof. Backus how I was situated and he said I must not wear myself out the first thing with study and he would excuse me from reciting in Logic for three or four days if I would like to have him. I told him that I hoped it would not be necessary but if it was I would tell him.


Last Friday evening our society elected new officers the election result of which was as follows. President Kate Sill - a splendid senior and owes her election to Hattie P. and myself for we went around and asked the girls to vote for her. Vice President Hattie Palmer, Secretary Belle Hatt, Treasurer Lizzie Merrell, 1st Critic Mary A. Parker your humble daughter, 2d Miss Ladd. You will understand just how much I shall dislike this office for it is one of the most difficult ones in college.


A critic has to be severe often if just and no one enjoys having his or her foibles made more public than is necessary- The most I can do is to exercise the kindest spirit that I can and make my criticisms as unostentatiously as possible. In this respect I hope to improve on the critic of last year.


We are obliged to write a report every other week alternately and read it the first thing in the next meeting. Well I am not going to worry about it any more let what will happen. I was very sorry to learn by your letter that Mrs. Kilburn was at home that day and that I missed seeing her. I rang twice quite hard and thought of course no one could be in the house.


I went to the city yesterday with Miss Mitchell and she didn't go around with me at all. I didn't see her from the time I left the 'bus till I got in to come home. You will see I had a splendid chance to buy all sorts of contraband articles. I bought some grapes but no confectionary.


I think every thing of Miss Mitchell. She is just as good as she can be, so very smart and yet perfectly simple in her manners. I went over to the observatory the day after I got here and recd a very warm welcome from Mr. Mitchell, a very cordial one from Miss Maria.


He said he had inquired ever since college began of any one that might know when I was expected. I staid an hour or more and shall go again in a day or two.


I went to see Miss Powell, Usher and Fessenden last Thursday, and made Miss Goodwin quite a long visit on Friday so you see that I have visited the teachers quite extensively. Miss Goodwin is perfectly lovely in looks and character. I was in her class in Rhetoric last year and she says she feels as if I belonged to her.


She is the mutual one who Mr. Mitchell says constitutes the third party of our ^admiration society.


How does Harry get on with his arithmetic ? I shall be interested in his progress more than in my own I fear. I expect that he and Nell will get on wonderfully well. I thought he took hold of fractions in good earnest and very intelligently although he said he found it difficult to confine his thoughts to what he was doing. He has too fine a mind to neglect. I must not write more now. I always want to be remembered with much love to my friends.


Darling little Emily! What would I not give to see her today? Be sure to write me all that you can about her. Sue said she would too.


Lovingly Mary.


[Mary (Parker) Woodworth, '70]