Vassar College Digital Library
jhhorn
Edited Text
Vassar College.
Nov. 5, 1893.
My dear Mother, —
I have just used up all my writing paper,
so I am forced to resort to my tablet. It is almost time for the half
past nine bell, so my letter can not be long. Just as I was gcftig to
write It a while ago, a girl who rooms near us, came In and stayed
till now. We had just taken down our "Engaged" sign. These "engaged"
signs are a great institution. Whenever you don't want to be disturbed,
piece of
just pin a^paper on the outside of your door, with a great big ENGAGED
on it, and It is considered the height of rudeness to knock, under such
circumstances, and If any one does knock, you are not supposed to
answer. Some people just write "engaged" with a pencil on the back of
a visiting card, and so, if it is rather dark, you don't notice it, or you
think it is merely the visiting card which every one has pasted outside their door. We were calling last Saturday night, and went to see Miss Richardson, our Geometry teacher. She had this kind of a sign on her door, and ^Ray didn't notice it, and knocked. (It was in a dark "alley way".) Miss R. opened the door, and looked inquiringly, first at the "engaged" and then at us. We begged her pardon about ten times and retreated, and we have not [crossed out: succee] tried to call on her since, though that was our third attempt. She is always engaged. Every body found out about our doing that, right away, and made lots of fun of us- The Sophomores said they were going to have in their "Trig, ceremonies" when they make fun of the Freshmen. They say some girls did that same thing last year.

I suppose, now that Ed will vote, that Gov. McKinley will surely be elected. I am anxious to hear whether he is- I shall have to give up a letter now, since I only have a few minutes more to get undressed and put my light out, so I will write the rest of this letter tomorrow afternoon, and please excuse this-
Your loving Adelaide.
[Adelaide Claflin, '97]