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Date
March 4, 1866
Abstract
VC Spec 1865-1866
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Transcript file(s)
Subject (Topical)
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Identifier
vassar:25251,,Box 22,VCL_Letters_Williams_Ellen_1865-1866_034
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1 item
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: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866034001
Vassar College Pokeepsle
March 4th 1866
My Dear Parents,
I received Mother's letter Friday morn, and it is needless of course for me to tell you how happy it made me. I am sorry though that you are not feeling as well as usual this Spring. I wish sincerely that I might be home to help you about the work. I should be so glad to do so. But a few more months and then-— But it will not do for me to think of it or I shall get homesick. You must not work too hard about the house and when you get to boarding you must let the carpenters take care of the house with Just enough overseeing from you to kee give you "sufficient exercise in the open air—as Miss Lyman would say. And Mother dear, don't trouble yourself about my underclothes for X am sure X have plenty enough to last me until I can make some for myself— I have got it all arranged about the bands for my chemise and shall improve my odd moments to perfect my plans. I am afraid my writing about that one of my chemises wearing out gave you the idea that there were more In the same way but that was quite an old one and
March 4th 1866
My Dear Parents,
I received Mother's letter Friday morn, and it is needless of course for me to tell you how happy it made me. I am sorry though that you are not feeling as well as usual this Spring. I wish sincerely that I might be home to help you about the work. I should be so glad to do so. But a few more months and then-— But it will not do for me to think of it or I shall get homesick. You must not work too hard about the house and when you get to boarding you must let the carpenters take care of the house with Just enough overseeing from you to kee give you "sufficient exercise in the open air—as Miss Lyman would say. And Mother dear, don't trouble yourself about my underclothes for X am sure X have plenty enough to last me until I can make some for myself— I have got it all arranged about the bands for my chemise and shall improve my odd moments to perfect my plans. I am afraid my writing about that one of my chemises wearing out gave you the idea that there were more In the same way but that was quite an old one and
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866034002
the others are very good and you know I left two or three quite good ones at home. So X think you had better drop the subject of sewing and would'ent a little trip to Pokeepsle do you good? lam inclined to that opinion— No selfish motives of course In that. I wonder if you are having as farm weather in Ithaca at present as we are here: It is quite warm this morning and though rather cloudy at present the sun breaks out occasionally and the drifting clouds look as though it may be clear and bright soon. There was a very thick fog this morning, so that when we got up we could not see the Observatory or Gashouse. They are quite frequent and the most disagreeable feature is that they remain so long hardly ever clearing away until between nine & ten o 'clock. I am very anxous to have it pleasant this afternoon as
we are to go down to Po'keepsie to communion. Emily has gone down this morning to the Episcopal church. It is so pleasant for me now that I
have Julia for company, for before when I have been down there have been
none of the girls with me that I am very intimate with. I thinkI must tell you of a little incident that occured here yesterday which was very amusing to most of us
we are to go down to Po'keepsie to communion. Emily has gone down this morning to the Episcopal church. It is so pleasant for me now that I
have Julia for company, for before when I have been down there have been
none of the girls with me that I am very intimate with. I thinkI must tell you of a little incident that occured here yesterday which was very amusing to most of us
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866034003
and if my descriptive powers are sufficient I trust will be to you. You know it is one of the rules now that we are to walk in the open air fifty minutes every day, and perhaps you have also inferred that it is that It 4s none to agreeable to us on some of those very cold days we have had or when the walks are at all muddy to tramp around with 41k* no object but to get through our fifty minutes, for I must confess health has not formed the chief motive. Such being the state of affairs we very naturally availed ourselves of every rainy day and in fact everything also we could think of which would be at all reasonable---to be excused from walking. Yesterday morning after Chapel the President talked to us for quite a long time---about the necessity of exercise for health especially when we are studying—he said for his part he did not think there were more than three days in the year which were too bad to go out but he also said he did not believe however there were more than three days when we could not find an excuse for not going out. He talked in the same style for some time & then excused us. I had to remain a short time at society meeting and when I reached our room I found several of the girls had been around through the house to persuade all those
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866034004
who could to form in a procession at half past ten for the purpose of
exercising. Now you must know that it was raining and all in our room
had previously got excused from walking-—but for the joke of the thing we
all consented to go except Mary;. At half past ten then imagine us assembled in the lower hall with only two or three exceptions all with water proofs on} the hoods over our heads and our dresses well up. There were over one hundred girls and each with an umberella so just think of us as we marched out of the door single file and took up our march around the house. I think I never saw such a long string of girls and for looks—Oh Dear I wish you could have see them. My powers of description fail. I could not see so very well myself being one of the number but what I heard from
those who watched us from the house fully strengthened everything I saw. I heard some saying the most comical part was when some part would get behind and the first one would run to catch us which would of course oblige all behind to run fe then to watch the different ways in which those objects under water proofs moved. Well we went around the house first and as we went by the Presidents rooms the rain was pouring straight down, but he had the window up and stood waving his handkerchief which we all managed to return in the most hearty manner. All the Professors their wives and the teachers did the same and old
exercising. Now you must know that it was raining and all in our room
had previously got excused from walking-—but for the joke of the thing we
all consented to go except Mary;. At half past ten then imagine us assembled in the lower hall with only two or three exceptions all with water proofs on} the hoods over our heads and our dresses well up. There were over one hundred girls and each with an umberella so just think of us as we marched out of the door single file and took up our march around the house. I think I never saw such a long string of girls and for looks—Oh Dear I wish you could have see them. My powers of description fail. I could not see so very well myself being one of the number but what I heard from
those who watched us from the house fully strengthened everything I saw. I heard some saying the most comical part was when some part would get behind and the first one would run to catch us which would of course oblige all behind to run fe then to watch the different ways in which those objects under water proofs moved. Well we went around the house first and as we went by the Presidents rooms the rain was pouring straight down, but he had the window up and stood waving his handkerchief which we all managed to return in the most hearty manner. All the Professors their wives and the teachers did the same and old
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866034005
that it made it disagreable going & coming. The girls tell me the Presi-
dent preached 68 minutes I am glad I have not got to report it tomorrow
morning. Do you know who that piece of poetry "The Snow"---that Father sent me was written by? I hear it was an actress In St. Louis and thought perhaps you knew the name as I am under the impression Father wrote me who was the author when he sent it but X have forgotten. It adds much to the Interest of the poetry if that story I have heard concerning the author is true. But I must close now——Write as much as you can. Every little thing is of interest—
Your loving
Ella
dent preached 68 minutes I am glad I have not got to report it tomorrow
morning. Do you know who that piece of poetry "The Snow"---that Father sent me was written by? I hear it was an actress In St. Louis and thought perhaps you knew the name as I am under the impression Father wrote me who was the author when he sent it but X have forgotten. It adds much to the Interest of the poetry if that story I have heard concerning the author is true. But I must close now——Write as much as you can. Every little thing is of interest—
Your loving
Ella
