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Date
February 18, 1866
Abstract
VC Spec 1865-1866
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vassar:25267,,Box 22,VCL_Letters_Williams_Ellen_1865-1866_030
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1 item
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: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866030001
Vassar College Po'keepsie
Feb. 18th. 1866
My Dear Parents,
Mothers letter of the 14th was received Friday morning. I was sorry she did not have time to write more as I was so interested to hear all about the party etc. It must-W have been a very grand affair. I have quite a long story to tell you this morning about our trip to Po'keepsie yesterday. I do not remember whether I told you in my last letter that Mollie wished Mary Cornell Julia & I to spend the afternoon with her Saturday. We were so afraid Miss Lyman would not let us go, but 1 must tell you about our asking her for we had such a funny time. We all three went to her Friday morning---I was "speaker" and luckly for us she was in very good humour. I presented our petition and Miss Lyman said—I have no objection to your going but I have objections to your standing on one foot. Then she
Feb. 18th. 1866
My Dear Parents,
Mothers letter of the 14th was received Friday morning. I was sorry she did not have time to write more as I was so interested to hear all about the party etc. It must-W have been a very grand affair. I have quite a long story to tell you this morning about our trip to Po'keepsie yesterday. I do not remember whether I told you in my last letter that Mollie wished Mary Cornell Julia & I to spend the afternoon with her Saturday. We were so afraid Miss Lyman would not let us go, but 1 must tell you about our asking her for we had such a funny time. We all three went to her Friday morning---I was "speaker" and luckly for us she was in very good humour. I presented our petition and Miss Lyman said—I have no objection to your going but I have objections to your standing on one foot. Then she
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866030002
got up and stood on two feet and then on one to show us the difference and said it was very inelegant to stand on one foot- Then she advised us to walk-eve-five minutes every night and morning in the corridors with bean bags on our heads- We commenced that night and you would laugh if you could see i us marching up and down the whole length of our long corridor. All the girls in our room have joined except Mary so with Mary Cornell and Julia we have quite a "company." AU the girls, servants, & whoever happens
to be in the corridor stop and watch us in perfect amazement. I told the girls I was going to write you about it for I knew you would be delighted to think I am making such efforts to become straight. But I have almost forgotten about Po'keepsle. We of course wished to spend all of the after-noon we could with Mollle but we had quite a good deal of shopping to do, or rather little things for ourselves and the other girls which would take a good deal of time so we concluded we would go down
to be in the corridor stop and watch us in perfect amazement. I told the girls I was going to write you about it for I knew you would be delighted to think I am making such efforts to become straight. But I have almost forgotten about Po'keepsle. We of course wished to spend all of the after-noon we could with Mollle but we had quite a good deal of shopping to do, or rather little things for ourselves and the other girls which would take a good deal of time so we concluded we would go down
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866030003
at eleven o 'clock and do our shopping and depend upon getting something
for dinner at a restaurant kept«ai by the brother of our steward here at
the College, and where Mary had been with one of the teachers so, we
knew it was nice. Oup shipping teoh mmrn *iw»si There is an omnibus
that usually leaves at eleven but when we went down to the office at that
time we found that they had to have one of the horses shoed and might
not leave in half an hour or more. We were afraid we would not have
as much time as we wished so we concluded to walk as it was very
pleasant and the roads smooth. We had a nice comfortable walk and were
hardly tired at all when we reached the city but concluded we were warmer
than we would have been had we ridden in the omnibus. Julia and Mary
wished to have some Tereotypes taken, they which took quite a long
while They persuaded me to have some taken but I do not like them very
much, for the man 3aid they would look so much better with full front face,
so I had them taken that way. However I only had a
for dinner at a restaurant kept«ai by the brother of our steward here at
the College, and where Mary had been with one of the teachers so, we
knew it was nice. Oup shipping teoh mmrn *iw»si There is an omnibus
that usually leaves at eleven but when we went down to the office at that
time we found that they had to have one of the horses shoed and might
not leave in half an hour or more. We were afraid we would not have
as much time as we wished so we concluded to walk as it was very
pleasant and the roads smooth. We had a nice comfortable walk and were
hardly tired at all when we reached the city but concluded we were warmer
than we would have been had we ridden in the omnibus. Julia and Mary
wished to have some Tereotypes taken, they which took quite a long
while They persuaded me to have some taken but I do not like them very
much, for the man 3aid they would look so much better with full front face,
so I had them taken that way. However I only had a
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866030004
few and I have the promise of one or two very pretty ones in exchange. I will send you one and if you do not care to keep it you can send it back as it is plenty good enough to give to the two or three here who are the only ones I care to exchange with. Mary Cornell succeeded very well. I never saw better pictures of her. After we had gotten those and finished our shopping we found it was almost two o'clock so we started for Smith's to satisfy our
stomachs which were beginning to call rather loudly for dinner. Judge
of our surprise when we reached the place to find it closed— Well we did not want to go any where else and besides we should be so late at Mollies if we spent any more time so we at last concluded that we would go directly to Mollie's without any dinner and leave there a little earlier so that we would have time to stop and get something to keep us from starving until we reached the College— We had a very pleasant visit with Mollie as we had our work which made it seem home like although Mary Julia & I concluded between ourselves that we would have felt a little livelier if we had not been quite so hungry. Well you may be sure we started
stomachs which were beginning to call rather loudly for dinner. Judge
of our surprise when we reached the place to find it closed— Well we did not want to go any where else and besides we should be so late at Mollies if we spent any more time so we at last concluded that we would go directly to Mollie's without any dinner and leave there a little earlier so that we would have time to stop and get something to keep us from starving until we reached the College— We had a very pleasant visit with Mollie as we had our work which made it seem home like although Mary Julia & I concluded between ourselves that we would have felt a little livelier if we had not been quite so hungry. Well you may be sure we started
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866030005
in good season for the Gregory house where we expected to meet the omnibus at five o'clock—-But Oh horrors---Mollie said she would walk around with us and keep us company until the last minute—. Of course we did not wish Mollie to know we had been without our dinner but Mary and I after a consultation, during which Julia kept Mollie very busy talking, concluded we would ask Mollie to go into Smiths with us and take a dish of oysters which we would try and make suffice us until supper time at the College and would not excite Molliefs suspicions. Again we were doomed to disappointment for when we reached Smith's we found it closed with a notice on the door that there had been a death in the family-— But Mollie knew of another place almost as good and we went there and at last succeeded in reviving our drooping spirits by a very good dish of oysters. That done we hastened to the Gregory House fearful lest the omnibus we had promised Miss Lyman we would return in had gone. We enquired of the
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866030006
clerk when,—Oh ye Fates—he informed us that he was not aware that any omnibus left at five that the last one left at half past six or seven. What could we do we knew Miss Lyman allowed none of the young ladies to go out in that omnibus or rather at that time, without company. There was no alternative but to walk and walk we did & with the delightful (?) stimulus that if we did not hurry we would be too late for our supper At last our weary feet had passed the porters gate when hearing a rumbling noise at our backs we turned and beheld— Did our eyes deceive us— no— the omnibus.
Oh the maledictions cast upon that clerk at the Gregory House—- I think
his ears must have burned— To think of the omnibus driving up to the
door just as we entered weary and foot sore. Do you wonder that I am so
lame to-day that I can hardly go up and down stairs ? But I am going to take a good hot bath and expect to be all right by tomorrow. The other girls are about as well off. And now you will say I have gone into particulars enough but
Oh the maledictions cast upon that clerk at the Gregory House—- I think
his ears must have burned— To think of the omnibus driving up to the
door just as we entered weary and foot sore. Do you wonder that I am so
lame to-day that I can hardly go up and down stairs ? But I am going to take a good hot bath and expect to be all right by tomorrow. The other girls are about as well off. And now you will say I have gone into particulars enough but
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866030007
I have given you an example and I hope you will do the same by me—
We are to have a Holiday next Thursday, is it not grand? We are all so delighted.-— What do you think of my dropping Drawing for the rest of this year and taking up Intellectual Philosophy. They are thinking of forming a class and probably the President will take it if they do. Emily thinks she will. I have to hand in a composition next week and the Prof, has given us among other subjects-— A trip to Po'keepsie---I think I shall write about that. Don't you think I have material enough— Emily & I have again changed the furniture around in our bed room and we think now it is just perfect as to giving us room; we sit in there a good part of the time now especially in the evening and we are anxous to make it look as pleasant as possible. Jf we only had a little more room. And I have been thinking that if we
We are to have a Holiday next Thursday, is it not grand? We are all so delighted.-— What do you think of my dropping Drawing for the rest of this year and taking up Intellectual Philosophy. They are thinking of forming a class and probably the President will take it if they do. Emily thinks she will. I have to hand in a composition next week and the Prof, has given us among other subjects-— A trip to Po'keepsie---I think I shall write about that. Don't you think I have material enough— Emily & I have again changed the furniture around in our bed room and we think now it is just perfect as to giving us room; we sit in there a good part of the time now especially in the evening and we are anxous to make it look as pleasant as possible. Jf we only had a little more room. And I have been thinking that if we
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866030008
only had some shelves to hang up, they would be Just the thing. Still I will wait until I hear from you if you think best for me to get some. Nell and Jennie have each one set in their room and Mary has one in her room and they are so convenient. I think if there is any one thing that we are in need of in our room it is a duster. So if you happen to have a chouch to send my things to me do please send me one— Julia expects a box from home tomorrow - and I suppose she will have lots of nice things. Do you know how much her furs were? they are not nearly so nice as mine. Not nearly so dark; no tails, and they do not fit her nicely in the neck. Still they are very nice furs only I had an idea they were the same price as mine. I shall have to have me a new pair of thick shoes I think next month but I am in hopes you will be here then and if so I will wait until you come before getting them. I did not tell you I believe that we expect to have tableaux Thursday eve-— I feel very anxous to hear more of Auntie. I wish I had time to write another letter to send
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866030009
to her—but I hardly feel like writing any more to-day. You can tell her for me what you know I would say. Have not you a geology that either of you studied I wish you would write me the name if you have---
For Mother------
One of my oldest chemises that I brought with me has torn completely
across the band in the back—- Will it be worth while to save it for any-
thing or may I tear it up to use for anything that it may come handy for
I often want white cloth? How are you getting along about packing up the
things and fixing the house I am so anxous to hear X have been think-
ing how nice it would be if you bedroom could be arranged for a library.
For Mother------
One of my oldest chemises that I brought with me has torn completely
across the band in the back—- Will it be worth while to save it for any-
thing or may I tear it up to use for anything that it may come handy for
I often want white cloth? How are you getting along about packing up the
things and fixing the house I am so anxous to hear X have been think-
ing how nice it would be if you bedroom could be arranged for a library.
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866030010
If you remember we spoke of it once and thought how nice it would make the pleasantest room in the house. I think it would make the pleas antes t
room in the house. Wouldn't Father like it? Wouldn't especially when your last was so short—-but I have had
room in the house. Wouldn't Father like it? Wouldn't especially when your last was so short—-but I have had
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866030011
would be for a little library and sewing room. I think it would make the pleas antes room in the house. Wouldn't Father like it? Well I have written a long letter I think especially when your last was so short—-but I have had time to day and when I have that I never know
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866030012
when to stop-— Give my love to Auntie if she is still with you as well as to all my other friends— I forgot to bring any lace undersleeves with me and I may need them before I come home though there is no hurry. I merely remind you that you may bring them when you come. I hope you will appreciate this enough to answer it.
With much love from - your ever affectionate daughter
Ellen
With much love from - your ever affectionate daughter
Ellen
