Feb. 25, 1872.
My dear Mamma,
This Is a very gloomy Sunday, but very much like a spring day.
The last week has seemed aa much like March weather* It has been
quite warm with blustering winds which sometimes were cold. Then too
the ground is so "soft" that the walking is not vary agreeable* Yesterday,
however, the road had become quite dry and Birdie Bell and I were anti-
cipating such a pleasant walk Into Po'keepsie today to attend church, but
this morning we were disappointed, because it rained a good deal last
night and the roads are again muddy. Miss Tarry la very good to us.
Anyone can go In to church the first Sunday In the month and we Episco-
palians can go any or every Sunday we please* Than wo can go Into
Po'keepsie on Saturdays without a teacher which is very nice. I never go
in because I have nothing in particular to do and do not enjoy trudging
about the streets doing nothing. In the spring vacation I shall go in how-
ever* About drosses which Is always womans greatest nuisance. I think
I had better have my last year's suit made over into a polonaise* The
waist is much soiled and the sleeves are worn out so that I shall have to
try and get some stuff to match it} if I cannot, I do not know what I shall
do. I have worn the dross a great deal but still I thought it would last
better than it has done. But you remember that I am very hard on my
clothes.
There bee been m daughter of oae of the Lelands here at college.
Her father keeps the Stuydesvaat jStuyvesant, house 1a New Tork and la
building a fine hotel someirhere near the park. This girl seemed rather
peculiar, had red hair, a fiery temper and was much to© familiar with the
College servaats. Oae day last week her father came to the College bring*
lag with him a lieutenant !a the army. Whea Miss L eland received them
in the parlor her father informed her that she must leave school immedi-
ately and marry the Lieutenant. MUs Leland had only seen the geatlemaa
two or three times before and very much disliked him, and so she told her
father she would not marry the xnaa for she hated him. Thereupon the
father became enraged fc she grew also) it finally ended by her leaving
College, with She told the girls that she was In deadly fear of her father
and would have to obey him. She left here Wedaesday saying If ahe married
at all it would not be until some time this wsek. Great thea was our
astonishment at reading In a New Tork paper that she was married oa
Thursday, the day after leaving here. It seems her father is a very pas-
sionate man, who treated his wife so badly that she separated from him.
There were four childrea. The mother took two aad the father two. This
oae fell to the fathers she herself says that neither father or mother care
what becomes of her. Her father became very much la debt to the Lieu-
tenant and gives his daughter to him for pays isn't it dreadful? Lieutenaat
Conckllne aad his wife start for Texas very sooa. Such a thing occurring
la our midst has excited us and caused a great deal ol talk. The young
lady was over twenty and I think could not be compelled to marry against
her wish. I will write to Carrie today and so will close this. Remember
me to all my Irleads In Austin.
Accept much love Irem your ,
loving
Julie
(Julia M. Pease, >75)
A