Vassar College,
March IT, 1871.
Dear sister,
X had just commenced a most doleful letter to you yesterdsy when
I was Interrupted by a visit from such s sweet girl, Ettie Cleveland, who
telling
would not let me feel sad any more; comforting me sndAme that the dark
places in ones life only made the pleasant ones brighter. There are
occasionally 4n> with everyone days when everything goes wrong, and
yesterday was such a one with me. 1 suppose, as the eld saying is, 'I got
out of wrong side of the bed.1 I knew my French lesson well, and did
not get a question, but for that matter, Miss Kapp hardly ever asks me
anything and it makes the class very stupid for me. Then Miss JLord, in
Latin, gave me a scolding, not because I did not know my lesson, but
because X can not read Latin with any expression. Reading Latin is her
great hobby, and it Is a thing I cannot do. She makes us learn Latin and
it
recite^and, what is much worse, read a sentence from the book, then
close the book and repeat it. 1 never could learn Ike a parrot and so it
is impossible for me to do this without s greet deal of help. I am drawing
the head of Diana, from a cast and yesterday 1 could do nothing with it.
I could nut make it lo©~ Uke her. Sometimes 1 think that 1 can never do
anything at Drawing and had better give it up. To crown all, I came down
to hear the mail distributed and found no letter for me, and in more than
iwc weeks X had had nothing from home except a very short note from you,**
I am afraid that If Ettie should come In now, she would find me writing about
Mar. 17, 1871 * 2
as complaining a Isttsr as I was yesterday. But this morning I received
your letter and Mamma's, and they have made me quite happy.
Thank you, lor your wish to send me a birthday present. It makes
me sad to feel that I am eighteen. I used to think that I would always be
willing to tell my age, but now I leel very much like calling my sell
younger. In lact, I can hardly realiae that I am so old, and it seems more
natural to say that I am sixteen. I suppose that is the way with all these
ladies ol a certain age; it seems more natural to call themselves younger.
I expected to have had a cry on my birthday, it is the custom to do so,—
but I was so busy all day that 1 did not lind Hme, and at night I was so
sleepy, that I dropped oH to sleep, while preparing to squeeae out a lew
tears. You say that you heard Prol. Hamiasy was to be ordained. I do
not think it can be so or Mr. Levancoat would have mentioned it. Among
the Austin items which he told me, was one that Dr. Lane was very soon to i
be married to Miss Mollle Green. That will be one more oil the list ol
Austin belles, and if Mtollie Sewal marries soon, as you seem to think she
will, the number lelt will not be very large.
I have written you that I shall remain here during the holidays. We
only have ten days, and I think I shall enjoy my sell very well. There is
i ' .... ^ i
such a fine library here that one cannot fail to find amusement.
Dear little Carrie, don't think of such a thing as my criticiaing
your letters, they are very precious to me written in any way. When I
Mar. 17, 1871. - 3
learn to write as good oaes it will be time to think of each a thing. What
a funny ides to seat myself with a letter la one hand fc Rhetoric In the
other, but do not fear that I shall ever attempt it.
The weather is so warm that 1 find 1 am beginning to be affected
by "spring fever" (laziness) and I want to be out doors all the time walk-
ing, or seated on one of the benches readiag, instead of staying in the
house learning stupid lessons. X think I have afflicted you with enough
stuff of an inferior kind and so will close with much love*
Julie
(Julia M. Pease, *75,