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Vassar College,
May 16, 1873.
Dear little sister,
Your last letter was just six days coming; it does seem almost like talking to you to get letters in so short time. Yet I have been studying the calendar and find that unless my letter to Papa goes in the shortest time possible and his answer returns in the same way, there is no time for an answer to my letter before the twenty-ninth, or thirtieth, when I would like to leave here.
Immediately I must begin to prepare for my examinations. They will be private, of course, and pretty hard, but I do not dread any but Zoology. That is the easiest study yet the most difficult in which to be examined.
Poor little Carrie, you must be nearly used up with your manifold cares, and the hot weather coming on. And then, like Mamma, you do not get all the work you can out of the negroes. If you had your sisters laziness I don't know what you would do now.
Last night some of us went over to the Observatory to gaze at the stars. You would have thought us "moon-struck" certainly to have seen us down upon our knees, or even reclining upon the steps in order to look through the little "Holland," a small specimen of a telescope. After all we could see nothing, whatever, and a Junior offered to get the focus for us. In vain did she gaze and gaze, and see nothing, but finally she discovered that the "solar eye-piece" was in. This was a good joke on us but not so good as when the Junior gazed and gazed and wondered what could be the matter with that splendid "coast-survey," for all looked dark at the other end. Finally a Sophmore kindly informed her that the "cap" had not yet been removed!
I have come to dislike Gymnastics as much as you used to. They are hard work when the weather is warm, and I am delighted to think that I shall get rid of that wretched Exhibition on Class Day. By means of our sketching outdoors we are excused from Gyms, two days in the week, and I hope to be from the other.
Carrie, my letters seem so disgustingly egotistical that I hate to send them. From beginning to end it is I. But yet there seems little to tell of interest to you unless in some way appertaining to me, as the only person you know here, so please excuse them. The other day I looked at hamburgs and saw some very pretty patterns for seventy five cents. It seemed safer to get them and bring as the time is now so near. With much love to all, Julie.
P.S. Will you ask Ma mm? If she is willing for me to spend enough of that money Grandma gave me last summer to get a sash? I don't see what I shall do without some kind of a one, this summer. I don't know whether I have made it plain that, unless I can have company, I would like to start for home from College on the 29. In either case I shall have to receive letters or telegrams from Papa or Mr. Swenson, in order to leave.
May 16, 1873.
Dear little sister,
Your last letter was just six days coming; it does seem almost like talking to you to get letters in so short time. Yet I have been studying the calendar and find that unless my letter to Papa goes in the shortest time possible and his answer returns in the same way, there is no time for an answer to my letter before the twenty-ninth, or thirtieth, when I would like to leave here.
Immediately I must begin to prepare for my examinations. They will be private, of course, and pretty hard, but I do not dread any but Zoology. That is the easiest study yet the most difficult in which to be examined.
Poor little Carrie, you must be nearly used up with your manifold cares, and the hot weather coming on. And then, like Mamma, you do not get all the work you can out of the negroes. If you had your sisters laziness I don't know what you would do now.
Last night some of us went over to the Observatory to gaze at the stars. You would have thought us "moon-struck" certainly to have seen us down upon our knees, or even reclining upon the steps in order to look through the little "Holland," a small specimen of a telescope. After all we could see nothing, whatever, and a Junior offered to get the focus for us. In vain did she gaze and gaze, and see nothing, but finally she discovered that the "solar eye-piece" was in. This was a good joke on us but not so good as when the Junior gazed and gazed and wondered what could be the matter with that splendid "coast-survey," for all looked dark at the other end. Finally a Sophmore kindly informed her that the "cap" had not yet been removed!
I have come to dislike Gymnastics as much as you used to. They are hard work when the weather is warm, and I am delighted to think that I shall get rid of that wretched Exhibition on Class Day. By means of our sketching outdoors we are excused from Gyms, two days in the week, and I hope to be from the other.
Carrie, my letters seem so disgustingly egotistical that I hate to send them. From beginning to end it is I. But yet there seems little to tell of interest to you unless in some way appertaining to me, as the only person you know here, so please excuse them. The other day I looked at hamburgs and saw some very pretty patterns for seventy five cents. It seemed safer to get them and bring as the time is now so near. With much love to all, Julie.
P.S. Will you ask Ma mm? If she is willing for me to spend enough of that money Grandma gave me last summer to get a sash? I don't see what I shall do without some kind of a one, this summer. I don't know whether I have made it plain that, unless I can have company, I would like to start for home from College on the 29. In either case I shall have to receive letters or telegrams from Papa or Mr. Swenson, in order to leave.
