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Vassar College.
Feb. 14. 1875.
My dear Mr. Barns,
Since Friday noon last I have had the most comfortable kind of a time you can imagine. We finished our examinations then and there has been nothing for us to do, even if we desired it. So I was just lazy to my hearts content - read & lounged and had a good time
generally. I made a little plan after I returned here at Christmas - that all my letters should be written during the week and that Sunday night be entirely free to do as I chose - so far my plan has worked very well, & if I had written to you yesterday as I had intended, with one exception I might say perfectly. ln a letter from Kate yesterday she spoke of seeing you at the Locust Club the other night- I hope it was a greater success that the Dickens night" at Mrs. Bancrofts. I never did think much of that "show" - and now I think still less - for since I last wrote you - we attempted something of the kind here and the contrast was remarkable. At our usual Club Supper- the members went [crossed out: the] assuming the personalities of Dicken's different characters and they kept them up wonderfully- Miss Cushing was Betsey Trotwood and she carried her ^part out to perfection. Every body did well and there was some fun in it - but the other affair seemed something of a farce —
On Thursday night of this week we had our first senior party. Mrs. Backus sent the Class and invitation to their house for said evening stated that it was to be a surprise to Prof. B.~ We learned inciden^ally that it was his birthday. He is thirty three - and thinking to have a little fun we all agreed to carry him some funny present. You never saw such a remarkable collection— The poor man was completely loaded down & still he kept asking- "have all the senior come"- as though he hoped for one or two more. Every body there, seemed to be in a very good humor and our first party will be remembered pleasantly. The next night Miss C. and I were invited in to play whist and "finish up the party". And now before I forget - I want to say [crossed out: I] ^that I think we (- I should say I for I commenced it) had better let the Backus question alone- Suppose somebody should happen to see what we have said they never would understand it - & it might occasion a little surprise- The fact is I dont think you understand me yourself and I dont think you can until you see the gentleman, [crossed out: yourself]. I was in hopes he might visit us in April next- but he is going to Boston and Miss Cushing is to have that pleasure. Last week I went in town one evening to hear Camilla Urso- in a Concert given at the Opera House. You have heard her of course, and there fore can fully appreciate how delighted we were with her. Miss Castle, a sister to the one who visited Miss Drew, is now at College and is a very good friend of mine- She has been very kind and attentive to me and to her I am indebted the pleasure of hearing Miss Urso.
The young lady is very lovely & has quite won my heart- I came back this year to College resolved not to care especially for any body and like every body in general - but I fear it is not my nature and I find I have not succeeded very well. Florence and I are the the best of friends and I think with-out exception she is the most elegant girl I ever knew, Moral, intellect, ability every thing included. I see more of her that any one else - and I guess think more of her- but there is very little sentiment lost between us- Miss Castle is very different- She is much younger does not know half so much- but is very pretty- (just the style) ^you admire. has seen a good deal of society and I imagine is a great favorite with gentlemen. She is a beautiful dancer - and has just taught me the Saratoga- do you know it? It is all the rage- and if you dont, you must learn it right off.
Lissie Barrett has been visiting up the Hudson ever since before Xmas - and drove down some twenty miles the other afternoon to see me- My how she has changed- Society seems to have perfectly received her already - it just made me sad to see her. I wish you could have seen Miss Cushings greived expression when Lissie said "Why Florence I dont see how you can stay here — I just hate the sight of a book." Florence merely replied she thought her very brave to express such a sentiment.
I have just gotten hold of such a nice book- "The Conflict between Religion & Science — By Draper - have you read it? It is a new book and one wh. bids fair to be very popular.
When I chance to look out the window and behold what a glorious day it is - and remember that yesterday was the same - I almost regret that I did not go to Brooklyn on Friday last — & is of course too late now to mourn and I only hope that next Friday will be as pleasant- We will go, though, whatever happens and I do hope that I may have the pleasure of presenting you to my friends- You have seen a good many Vassar girls but I doubt if you ever saw three nicer ones than Misses Cushing, Jackson, & Brown. If you "should happen to be in Brooklyn" on the 21st I shall hope to see you - at no 11 Tompkins Place - Miss Jackson's as I believe you put down last summer in your note book. So you have declined my invitation to come up here on the 22nd Now dont think I want you to come I would not have you for the world if you did not care to- but I dont believe you know half how swell it is to be. There are four hundred invitations &
more afloat over the country to all the dignitaries therein -(who are advocates of womans higher) education)' to be present- Many have already sent there acceptances and will probably address us on the occasion- Dr. Hopkins Bishop Huntingdon, Dr. Storrs, Col. Higginson, Gen. Tilden, Whitelaw Reid, James T. Fields- Geo. W. Curtis, Hon. Ira Harris, O.B. Frothingham James Freeman Clark & others were among the acceptances of yesterday- I was told when in Miss Terry's office the other morning that I must be sure to be back on Monday evening that the seniors would be expected to escort the guests around and help entertain them- The rest of the College are to be excluded from the the show- A collation with speeches and toasts will be the entertainment of the evening- In Kate's letter yesterday she spoke of the "Internation" wh. is to come off in our City the same evening- and she seemed to be looking forward to it with much pleasure- There are to be one thousand aids, she tells me— Well, one thousand pretty girls all dressed up fine is a great inducement so probably you are not to blame for preferring their society to that of — say one hundred intellegent men — —
What do you mean about those gentleman from Boston smoking in the Library? I never said they smoked - They probably had their cigars In the pockets- but there were so many of them we could not fail to detect the oder of [crossed out: them] ^cigars after they had gone.
Have you ever seen Maggie Mitchell play "Fanchon-"? It is a very cute play- we had it here the other night - and although an amateur took Fanchon's part it was sufficiently well acted and the story just sad enough in some places to bring tears to my eyes- at wh. I suppose you would laugh- you always do. I am very glad to hear that there is some hopes of your finally getting some pictures- I did not know but you had gone back ^on me! Hoping to see you - will it be next Saturday night - (?) I will say au revoir Your friend
L.S.
Lucy (Sellers) Barnes, '75
With this I send you the Iast Miscellany Some of the articles I think are very fine but dont think you are obliged to read them just because I send it to you - I shan't ask you about them & shall not be ^any the wiser.
Feb. 14. 1875.
My dear Mr. Barns,
Since Friday noon last I have had the most comfortable kind of a time you can imagine. We finished our examinations then and there has been nothing for us to do, even if we desired it. So I was just lazy to my hearts content - read & lounged and had a good time
generally. I made a little plan after I returned here at Christmas - that all my letters should be written during the week and that Sunday night be entirely free to do as I chose - so far my plan has worked very well, & if I had written to you yesterday as I had intended, with one exception I might say perfectly. ln a letter from Kate yesterday she spoke of seeing you at the Locust Club the other night- I hope it was a greater success that the Dickens night" at Mrs. Bancrofts. I never did think much of that "show" - and now I think still less - for since I last wrote you - we attempted something of the kind here and the contrast was remarkable. At our usual Club Supper- the members went [crossed out: the] assuming the personalities of Dicken's different characters and they kept them up wonderfully- Miss Cushing was Betsey Trotwood and she carried her ^part out to perfection. Every body did well and there was some fun in it - but the other affair seemed something of a farce —
On Thursday night of this week we had our first senior party. Mrs. Backus sent the Class and invitation to their house for said evening stated that it was to be a surprise to Prof. B.~ We learned inciden^ally that it was his birthday. He is thirty three - and thinking to have a little fun we all agreed to carry him some funny present. You never saw such a remarkable collection— The poor man was completely loaded down & still he kept asking- "have all the senior come"- as though he hoped for one or two more. Every body there, seemed to be in a very good humor and our first party will be remembered pleasantly. The next night Miss C. and I were invited in to play whist and "finish up the party". And now before I forget - I want to say [crossed out: I] ^that I think we (- I should say I for I commenced it) had better let the Backus question alone- Suppose somebody should happen to see what we have said they never would understand it - & it might occasion a little surprise- The fact is I dont think you understand me yourself and I dont think you can until you see the gentleman, [crossed out: yourself]. I was in hopes he might visit us in April next- but he is going to Boston and Miss Cushing is to have that pleasure. Last week I went in town one evening to hear Camilla Urso- in a Concert given at the Opera House. You have heard her of course, and there fore can fully appreciate how delighted we were with her. Miss Castle, a sister to the one who visited Miss Drew, is now at College and is a very good friend of mine- She has been very kind and attentive to me and to her I am indebted the pleasure of hearing Miss Urso.
The young lady is very lovely & has quite won my heart- I came back this year to College resolved not to care especially for any body and like every body in general - but I fear it is not my nature and I find I have not succeeded very well. Florence and I are the the best of friends and I think with-out exception she is the most elegant girl I ever knew, Moral, intellect, ability every thing included. I see more of her that any one else - and I guess think more of her- but there is very little sentiment lost between us- Miss Castle is very different- She is much younger does not know half so much- but is very pretty- (just the style) ^you admire. has seen a good deal of society and I imagine is a great favorite with gentlemen. She is a beautiful dancer - and has just taught me the Saratoga- do you know it? It is all the rage- and if you dont, you must learn it right off.
Lissie Barrett has been visiting up the Hudson ever since before Xmas - and drove down some twenty miles the other afternoon to see me- My how she has changed- Society seems to have perfectly received her already - it just made me sad to see her. I wish you could have seen Miss Cushings greived expression when Lissie said "Why Florence I dont see how you can stay here — I just hate the sight of a book." Florence merely replied she thought her very brave to express such a sentiment.
I have just gotten hold of such a nice book- "The Conflict between Religion & Science — By Draper - have you read it? It is a new book and one wh. bids fair to be very popular.
When I chance to look out the window and behold what a glorious day it is - and remember that yesterday was the same - I almost regret that I did not go to Brooklyn on Friday last — & is of course too late now to mourn and I only hope that next Friday will be as pleasant- We will go, though, whatever happens and I do hope that I may have the pleasure of presenting you to my friends- You have seen a good many Vassar girls but I doubt if you ever saw three nicer ones than Misses Cushing, Jackson, & Brown. If you "should happen to be in Brooklyn" on the 21st I shall hope to see you - at no 11 Tompkins Place - Miss Jackson's as I believe you put down last summer in your note book. So you have declined my invitation to come up here on the 22nd Now dont think I want you to come I would not have you for the world if you did not care to- but I dont believe you know half how swell it is to be. There are four hundred invitations &
more afloat over the country to all the dignitaries therein -(who are advocates of womans higher) education)' to be present- Many have already sent there acceptances and will probably address us on the occasion- Dr. Hopkins Bishop Huntingdon, Dr. Storrs, Col. Higginson, Gen. Tilden, Whitelaw Reid, James T. Fields- Geo. W. Curtis, Hon. Ira Harris, O.B. Frothingham James Freeman Clark & others were among the acceptances of yesterday- I was told when in Miss Terry's office the other morning that I must be sure to be back on Monday evening that the seniors would be expected to escort the guests around and help entertain them- The rest of the College are to be excluded from the the show- A collation with speeches and toasts will be the entertainment of the evening- In Kate's letter yesterday she spoke of the "Internation" wh. is to come off in our City the same evening- and she seemed to be looking forward to it with much pleasure- There are to be one thousand aids, she tells me— Well, one thousand pretty girls all dressed up fine is a great inducement so probably you are not to blame for preferring their society to that of — say one hundred intellegent men — —
What do you mean about those gentleman from Boston smoking in the Library? I never said they smoked - They probably had their cigars In the pockets- but there were so many of them we could not fail to detect the oder of [crossed out: them] ^cigars after they had gone.
Have you ever seen Maggie Mitchell play "Fanchon-"? It is a very cute play- we had it here the other night - and although an amateur took Fanchon's part it was sufficiently well acted and the story just sad enough in some places to bring tears to my eyes- at wh. I suppose you would laugh- you always do. I am very glad to hear that there is some hopes of your finally getting some pictures- I did not know but you had gone back ^on me! Hoping to see you - will it be next Saturday night - (?) I will say au revoir Your friend
L.S.
Lucy (Sellers) Barnes, '75
With this I send you the Iast Miscellany Some of the articles I think are very fine but dont think you are obliged to read them just because I send it to you - I shan't ask you about them & shall not be ^any the wiser.
