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Date
October 24, 1865
Abstract
VC Spec 1865-1866
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Transcript file(s)
Subject (Topical)
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Identifier
vassar:25248,,Box 22,VCL_Letters_Williams_Ellen_1865-1866_009
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1 item
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: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866009001
My Dear Mother
I received your letter of the 21st yesterday noon and one from Chick today. I have only a few minutes to write this evening as it is almost ten o'clock but I am going to write as much as possible for fear I shall not have time to finish this to morrow evening if I do not. I have been studying all this evening & the other girls have been either studying or writing. You would have laughed if you could have seen Emily and I. Immediatly after our private devotion hour which is just after supper and lasts until a little after seven, Emily and I took off our clothes and put on our "Glm" dresses and then we each turned a chair over, so that the back slanted down to the floor (you will know how) and then we put pillows on them and our water proofs and shawls and we have been reclining on our make-believe "lounges" all the evening studying I say studying for I, have been studying real hard
I received your letter of the 21st yesterday noon and one from Chick today. I have only a few minutes to write this evening as it is almost ten o'clock but I am going to write as much as possible for fear I shall not have time to finish this to morrow evening if I do not. I have been studying all this evening & the other girls have been either studying or writing. You would have laughed if you could have seen Emily and I. Immediatly after our private devotion hour which is just after supper and lasts until a little after seven, Emily and I took off our clothes and put on our "Glm" dresses and then we each turned a chair over, so that the back slanted down to the floor (you will know how) and then we put pillows on them and our water proofs and shawls and we have been reclining on our make-believe "lounges" all the evening studying I say studying for I, have been studying real hard
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866009002
and have got my lessons pretty good I guess, but Emma gave up in the early part of the evening and has been sleeping as sound as could be in such is sleeping yet down on the floor just behind me though I guess it is about time I bundled her off to bed. Wed. eve. 8-1/4 o'clock. Just as I had got that written last evening Nellie came In from one of the rooms and commenced talking to me and before she had finished the bell rang and 1 had to wake Emily up and we had to undress partly in the dark as the lights have to be put out when the bell rings. I have commenced writing this evening earlier than usual but my lessons are not quite as bard as usual and besides I am going to try and stop writing in time to study a little more. About five o'clock this afternoon it was so pleasant and I had not been out of doors to day and knew I ought to exercise some, so I proposed a walk to sun-set hill which Is not a very great distance from the house. So Nellie, Emily, and myself started. We went once before but It was so windy we could not stay long enough to see the sun set, but to-night it was perfectly quiet though rather cold, though we hardly counted the last as an objection as we were rather late and Nellie and I ran most of the way for fear we would be to late. Em. was with some of the other girls. We got there just la time and a more
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866009003
beautiful sight I never saw. Just below us were the buildings and grounds of Vassar College with groups of girls wandering here and there, the whole lighted up by the last brilliant rays of the sun. In the distance lay Po'keepsie. The river was not visible but even had it beea I do not know that 1 should have looked at it for Just beyond rose the Catskills and I
behind their clearly defined summits the sun was just sinking in all its
glory. I never saw any thing more glorious. It seemed a ball of fire and every tree on the hill top this side of it was as clearly defined as if printed on canvass. But 1 cannot do it justice. I only wish you could have been here to see it. I was very tired when I arrived here again but X felt repaid for my exertion and I presume I am not as sleepy this evening as I should otherwise have been. We have got quite regularly to studying now and
so far I have got along very well. I recite Geology and Zoology alternately every day from 11 till nearly 12. Rheteol♦ French from two until nearly three and Rhetoric from that time until nearly four. The German Class has not been arranged yet and Emily does not think she will take it when it is. A number say they will not take it because they think the teacher is not a good one. I hardly know what to do. What do you say, I want to study it some time. I think I shall like Rhetoric very much for al-
behind their clearly defined summits the sun was just sinking in all its
glory. I never saw any thing more glorious. It seemed a ball of fire and every tree on the hill top this side of it was as clearly defined as if printed on canvass. But 1 cannot do it justice. I only wish you could have been here to see it. I was very tired when I arrived here again but X felt repaid for my exertion and I presume I am not as sleepy this evening as I should otherwise have been. We have got quite regularly to studying now and
so far I have got along very well. I recite Geology and Zoology alternately every day from 11 till nearly 12. Rheteol♦ French from two until nearly three and Rhetoric from that time until nearly four. The German Class has not been arranged yet and Emily does not think she will take it when it is. A number say they will not take it because they think the teacher is not a good one. I hardly know what to do. What do you say, I want to study it some time. I think I shall like Rhetoric very much for al-
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866009004
though I think Prof. Buckum is going to be pretty strict I like him so far
very much. I imagine I have done pretty well so far in the class for I think there has not been a day yet that I have not had something to say
and for the first two or three it was all volunteered reciting. To day on
the subject of "objections to Rhetoric" he asked for some examples and I
asked him about a lawyer taking the part of his client and proving him innocent when he might know he was guilty. Em. laughed at me for giving
that example. I like Geology and Zoology very much so far and I hope to
find it as interesting all the way. Prof. Tenney prophesies that it will be. We have a very large class, between 50 and 60 I should think. Mollis
Bartlett was up here to call day before yesterday to call, we had a very
pleasant time. She said Mr Bartlett had been off for several weeks on a
journey on horse back but that they expected him home this week I think she said. She also said she thought Mr Wilkinson would be in Po'keepsie
again soon as he is to sail the first of Nov. and I think he will be up here if he comes* I was very much pleased with the picture you sent of Mr
Torrey You could not have sent one that would have pleased me better*
I hardly know what ones to tell you to send. I only want two or three to
fill my Album and they are more to show the girls than any thing. I would
rather you would pick out any pretty one but if you cannot think of any Mr
Van R. and Mary's or Charlie Sherwood (several here know him) or Ed
Server etc. I shall look for a paper by to-morrow or next day. I enjoy
them so much. Oh I was so delighted at what you wrote me. about Father's
getting the nomination as Judge. I know how happy he must be and I thoroughly appreciate his feeling and glad on his account. How very much
I wish 1 might be home to be with you Mother when he is away, but let us
hope the time will soon come when I may and then I hope X may prove a more profitable companion than I have ever been before. Oh dear, I do want to see you so much already* what will it be before the time comes when I may? There may be some things I have forgotten if so I will add in the morning. I must close now so good-night. Emily sends love. Please write as often and as much as you can for I look for letters so anxiously and feel so disappointed when I do not get anything. Love to all.
From your affectionate daughter,
Ellen
very much. I imagine I have done pretty well so far in the class for I think there has not been a day yet that I have not had something to say
and for the first two or three it was all volunteered reciting. To day on
the subject of "objections to Rhetoric" he asked for some examples and I
asked him about a lawyer taking the part of his client and proving him innocent when he might know he was guilty. Em. laughed at me for giving
that example. I like Geology and Zoology very much so far and I hope to
find it as interesting all the way. Prof. Tenney prophesies that it will be. We have a very large class, between 50 and 60 I should think. Mollis
Bartlett was up here to call day before yesterday to call, we had a very
pleasant time. She said Mr Bartlett had been off for several weeks on a
journey on horse back but that they expected him home this week I think she said. She also said she thought Mr Wilkinson would be in Po'keepsie
again soon as he is to sail the first of Nov. and I think he will be up here if he comes* I was very much pleased with the picture you sent of Mr
Torrey You could not have sent one that would have pleased me better*
I hardly know what ones to tell you to send. I only want two or three to
fill my Album and they are more to show the girls than any thing. I would
rather you would pick out any pretty one but if you cannot think of any Mr
Van R. and Mary's or Charlie Sherwood (several here know him) or Ed
Server etc. I shall look for a paper by to-morrow or next day. I enjoy
them so much. Oh I was so delighted at what you wrote me. about Father's
getting the nomination as Judge. I know how happy he must be and I thoroughly appreciate his feeling and glad on his account. How very much
I wish 1 might be home to be with you Mother when he is away, but let us
hope the time will soon come when I may and then I hope X may prove a more profitable companion than I have ever been before. Oh dear, I do want to see you so much already* what will it be before the time comes when I may? There may be some things I have forgotten if so I will add in the morning. I must close now so good-night. Emily sends love. Please write as often and as much as you can for I look for letters so anxiously and feel so disappointed when I do not get anything. Love to all.
From your affectionate daughter,
Ellen
: VCLLettersWilliamsEllen18651866009005
I am very glad you spoke of Aunt Emily and I will try and write to her
soon. If I knew where to direct I could send it from here. You spoke of
seeing "Mame" Phillpps. Didnt you mean Amelia? Give her my love if you see her again. I wish I could have been home to fix Lizzie's pretty little doll you told about. Give her lots of kisses from Cousin Ella if she is with you yet. Excuse mistakes for I have not had time to look this over.
With love
Ella
soon. If I knew where to direct I could send it from here. You spoke of
seeing "Mame" Phillpps. Didnt you mean Amelia? Give her my love if you see her again. I wish I could have been home to fix Lizzie's pretty little doll you told about. Give her lots of kisses from Cousin Ella if she is with you yet. Excuse mistakes for I have not had time to look this over.
With love
Ella
