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Vassar.
Feb. 6. 1874.
My dear Sister,
Finished my last examination just before dinner today and am consequently heartily rejoiced and greatly relieved. Yesterday and today, although not in reality such very hard days, brought with them a vast deal of anxiety. My examination in Deutly went off well enough. I was called on twice and could easily answer the questions. Rhetoric, which I dreaded, was given by topics, and as the topics did not hold out to me I did not recite. It is the greatest pleasure that I am forever through
with Rhetoric - Like Literature it was not hard, and quite interesting,
but as I have not the "gift of gab", I am an idiot in it, never reciting when not called upon and then miserably - But my joy over Astronomy is
extreme. Just let me tell you a little secret. Some weeks ago three of us
had become so much discouraged over it and thought ourselves do dull,
that we had serious intentions of dropping It and taking something else.
Miss Braislin got wind of our little plan and confided it to Prof. Mitchell, who came immediately and took
each one separately, encouraging her and urging her to go on. She was so
lovely that we could not help keeping on, although soma scruples of con-
science were still left. For two days Professor Mitchell gave us a written
examination, making us sign fictitious names to our papers, so that she
might mark us fairly, without any influence from our semester's work.
Today after our examination I met her and she told me that she was well
pleased with my today's recitation and that she was agreeably disappointed in my examination paper: that I was among the first six in the class (and the class is not composed merely of six students: there are 22.) The reaction, from thinking myself among the very worst and now among the first half, is so great that I must unburden my mind to some one, so I hope you will pardon this very egotistical letter - deceived a letter from Aunt Maria a few days since In which she
says that the family have all been sick. Uncle was quite ill during the holidays, Clive was taken ill after returning to school, and was compelled to
come back to Albany where he will remain the remainder of the winter; and
Aunt herself has been sick within the last two weeks. Quite a category of
ills is it not?
Far from bemoaning your sad lot at being compelled to go to the
inaugural ball, 1 quite envy you the pleasure. I don't fear for you a repetition of that former ball at the Capitol - And as for your rides and visits with the girls, I would like to Join them, and the "candy pull", even if a "hen-party". Here we are so used to them that we do not mind them; yet when we can we rejoice over the presence of one of the sterner sex - Tonight Prof. Mitchell gives Chapter Delta a short account of her trip to St. Peters-
burg last summer. I wish you could hear her talk, she Is so very interesting. I must get her picture in town and send you. There are some of the most lovable women here whom I ever met. Dr. Avery, Miss Mitchell, Miss
Miss Kapp, Miss Lord, Agnes M. Lord, and Miss Braislin.
I can just count them on one hand, and on the other to counter balance are President Raymond whom I only know from a distance, and Professor Van
Ingen. By the way, one of the girls, being asked by
Miss Kapp how many brothers and sisters I had, told her about my "six
brothers". Miss Kapp was very much amused, and was sorry that she
could not remember them (as they were only phantasies) In her will as
she would do my sister - She never meets me now but she begins Immediately to talk about "meine Brtider". Last Saturday I went in town, and
among other things inquired for the book you wanted, "Sara Coleridge's Life". It was not in town, but I ordered It and was to have had it today. But as I did not feel like going in today I will get it as soon after as possible. The other two books you mentioned I could not read from your writing; not being familiar, either, with any of the recently published books If you will send me the names again I will get them. If I cannot find them out before. You know I have neither the time nor inclination as you, to keep up with what is going on in either politics or literature. Have you seen the latest "Scribner's"? They contain quite good illustrated papers upon Texas. With Love, Julie.
Feb. 6. 1874.
My dear Sister,
Finished my last examination just before dinner today and am consequently heartily rejoiced and greatly relieved. Yesterday and today, although not in reality such very hard days, brought with them a vast deal of anxiety. My examination in Deutly went off well enough. I was called on twice and could easily answer the questions. Rhetoric, which I dreaded, was given by topics, and as the topics did not hold out to me I did not recite. It is the greatest pleasure that I am forever through
with Rhetoric - Like Literature it was not hard, and quite interesting,
but as I have not the "gift of gab", I am an idiot in it, never reciting when not called upon and then miserably - But my joy over Astronomy is
extreme. Just let me tell you a little secret. Some weeks ago three of us
had become so much discouraged over it and thought ourselves do dull,
that we had serious intentions of dropping It and taking something else.
Miss Braislin got wind of our little plan and confided it to Prof. Mitchell, who came immediately and took
each one separately, encouraging her and urging her to go on. She was so
lovely that we could not help keeping on, although soma scruples of con-
science were still left. For two days Professor Mitchell gave us a written
examination, making us sign fictitious names to our papers, so that she
might mark us fairly, without any influence from our semester's work.
Today after our examination I met her and she told me that she was well
pleased with my today's recitation and that she was agreeably disappointed in my examination paper: that I was among the first six in the class (and the class is not composed merely of six students: there are 22.) The reaction, from thinking myself among the very worst and now among the first half, is so great that I must unburden my mind to some one, so I hope you will pardon this very egotistical letter - deceived a letter from Aunt Maria a few days since In which she
says that the family have all been sick. Uncle was quite ill during the holidays, Clive was taken ill after returning to school, and was compelled to
come back to Albany where he will remain the remainder of the winter; and
Aunt herself has been sick within the last two weeks. Quite a category of
ills is it not?
Far from bemoaning your sad lot at being compelled to go to the
inaugural ball, 1 quite envy you the pleasure. I don't fear for you a repetition of that former ball at the Capitol - And as for your rides and visits with the girls, I would like to Join them, and the "candy pull", even if a "hen-party". Here we are so used to them that we do not mind them; yet when we can we rejoice over the presence of one of the sterner sex - Tonight Prof. Mitchell gives Chapter Delta a short account of her trip to St. Peters-
burg last summer. I wish you could hear her talk, she Is so very interesting. I must get her picture in town and send you. There are some of the most lovable women here whom I ever met. Dr. Avery, Miss Mitchell, Miss
Miss Kapp, Miss Lord, Agnes M. Lord, and Miss Braislin.
I can just count them on one hand, and on the other to counter balance are President Raymond whom I only know from a distance, and Professor Van
Ingen. By the way, one of the girls, being asked by
Miss Kapp how many brothers and sisters I had, told her about my "six
brothers". Miss Kapp was very much amused, and was sorry that she
could not remember them (as they were only phantasies) In her will as
she would do my sister - She never meets me now but she begins Immediately to talk about "meine Brtider". Last Saturday I went in town, and
among other things inquired for the book you wanted, "Sara Coleridge's Life". It was not in town, but I ordered It and was to have had it today. But as I did not feel like going in today I will get it as soon after as possible. The other two books you mentioned I could not read from your writing; not being familiar, either, with any of the recently published books If you will send me the names again I will get them. If I cannot find them out before. You know I have neither the time nor inclination as you, to keep up with what is going on in either politics or literature. Have you seen the latest "Scribner's"? They contain quite good illustrated papers upon Texas. With Love, Julie.
