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Edited Text
Vassar College
Jan. 21, 1866.
My Dear Father & Mother,
Here it is about eleven o clock and I have been to breakfast, private devotion Chapel service, and Bible Class and am now sitting in Laura's room, as from now to dinner time I am at my own disposal. Professor Farrey is our Bible Class teacher, and our lesson was very very interesting but it was so immensely long an hour and a quarter, we are well as usual, Laura has been slightly sick with a cold but is nearly well to-day. Maria Mitchell came up to our room the evening, she is very pleasant, her father enquired particularly about all our family and asked him you if Father did not teach once, and after I told him that you had not, would hardly give up the idea but what you had, it seems quite like home, to go over there, they are so pleasant and social. We have to go out to walk every day, which is sometimes a great nuisance as we do not always feel like going, but if we have no greater cross than that, I think shall get along swimmingly
Our Music progresses as speedly as possible considering the dullest of the schoolers, although there are about forty Pianos in the establishment, there are so many of the students that take lessons, we cannot have now but an hour a day for practise, but going to have time soon.
I like my other studies very much indeed and am getting along very rapidly, and like my teachers very much.
Mother, thee need not worry about our room ever being In disorder, for we have no chance to let it be so, as the house keepers goes round every once in a while, and if any thing is out of place, woe be unto us, as she gives us an untidy mark and immediately reports to Miss Lyman, we have four bureau draws, a clothes press and our room is quite convenient, notwithstanding it is rather small. I am quite certain I am growing fleshy and very anxious to be weighed. Miss Lyman's lectures on etiquette, which are given after evening Chapel service are I suppose instructive, but sometimes are quite terrific, we are not to sit in the Board window or sills as it is not lady like, we are not do this or that or the other only twenty two more Sundays and only one hundred and fifty six more days (so one of students says). Hurrah!
We have become acquainted with several right pleasant young ladies, we have a new parlor-mate, which makes it very more lively she is quite the lady, she came from New York, she lived in Madison Avenue, and dresses very handsomely, some of the girls here dress splendidly, especially Sundays, one young lady I noticed particularly, she had on a very heavey crimson silk skirt and an elegant black velvet waist with ribbons to match her skirt, but enough of this nonsense, I don't see the good of dressing so much we often wear our morning dresses all day, many of the girls do among three hundred it matters little what one has on. I fear this letter will not be very acceptable but part of the time I have been standing, (because I was tired of sitting) I must now draw it to a close as it is most dinner time and I have more letters to write, give our love to enquiring people, not forgetting to keep a goodly share for selves, Mary's letter was extremely acceptable, to say nothing of Shovey's
Any thing in the shape of a letter is received with great joy. There goes the dinner bell.
I have just come up from dinner, we had namely, Chicken, Potatoes, White bread, Tea, and Mince pie the pie would have been better, had they not used pepper instead of brandy. I have another letter to write and I have but an hour before afternoon Chapel service, so must bid you an affectionate good bye do write soon and do not let anyone see this scrawl I will try to do better next love to grandmother and every one of the family in general and now
I remain your affectionate daughter.
Abbie L. Slade [Spec. '65-66,]
Direct
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie
N.Y.
Sunday evening
Dear Sister
I did not want to let this go without one word. We had about despaired of getting a letter we did not get it until Thursday I hope you will write often, any thing will be interesting to us to remember I hope that dimple will be visible by the time we get home the next time I am going to write you so I hope you will be encouraged to write often. How are you getting along in your National Arithmetic How long did Uncle R. stay I have written to Rebecca Mitchell today Write soon Carrie
[Caroline E. Slade, spec. '65-66,]
Jan. 21, 1866.
My Dear Father & Mother,
Here it is about eleven o clock and I have been to breakfast, private devotion Chapel service, and Bible Class and am now sitting in Laura's room, as from now to dinner time I am at my own disposal. Professor Farrey is our Bible Class teacher, and our lesson was very very interesting but it was so immensely long an hour and a quarter, we are well as usual, Laura has been slightly sick with a cold but is nearly well to-day. Maria Mitchell came up to our room the evening, she is very pleasant, her father enquired particularly about all our family and asked him you if Father did not teach once, and after I told him that you had not, would hardly give up the idea but what you had, it seems quite like home, to go over there, they are so pleasant and social. We have to go out to walk every day, which is sometimes a great nuisance as we do not always feel like going, but if we have no greater cross than that, I think shall get along swimmingly
Our Music progresses as speedly as possible considering the dullest of the schoolers, although there are about forty Pianos in the establishment, there are so many of the students that take lessons, we cannot have now but an hour a day for practise, but going to have time soon.
I like my other studies very much indeed and am getting along very rapidly, and like my teachers very much.
Mother, thee need not worry about our room ever being In disorder, for we have no chance to let it be so, as the house keepers goes round every once in a while, and if any thing is out of place, woe be unto us, as she gives us an untidy mark and immediately reports to Miss Lyman, we have four bureau draws, a clothes press and our room is quite convenient, notwithstanding it is rather small. I am quite certain I am growing fleshy and very anxious to be weighed. Miss Lyman's lectures on etiquette, which are given after evening Chapel service are I suppose instructive, but sometimes are quite terrific, we are not to sit in the Board window or sills as it is not lady like, we are not do this or that or the other only twenty two more Sundays and only one hundred and fifty six more days (so one of students says). Hurrah!
We have become acquainted with several right pleasant young ladies, we have a new parlor-mate, which makes it very more lively she is quite the lady, she came from New York, she lived in Madison Avenue, and dresses very handsomely, some of the girls here dress splendidly, especially Sundays, one young lady I noticed particularly, she had on a very heavey crimson silk skirt and an elegant black velvet waist with ribbons to match her skirt, but enough of this nonsense, I don't see the good of dressing so much we often wear our morning dresses all day, many of the girls do among three hundred it matters little what one has on. I fear this letter will not be very acceptable but part of the time I have been standing, (because I was tired of sitting) I must now draw it to a close as it is most dinner time and I have more letters to write, give our love to enquiring people, not forgetting to keep a goodly share for selves, Mary's letter was extremely acceptable, to say nothing of Shovey's
Any thing in the shape of a letter is received with great joy. There goes the dinner bell.
I have just come up from dinner, we had namely, Chicken, Potatoes, White bread, Tea, and Mince pie the pie would have been better, had they not used pepper instead of brandy. I have another letter to write and I have but an hour before afternoon Chapel service, so must bid you an affectionate good bye do write soon and do not let anyone see this scrawl I will try to do better next love to grandmother and every one of the family in general and now
I remain your affectionate daughter.
Abbie L. Slade [Spec. '65-66,]
Direct
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie
N.Y.
Sunday evening
Dear Sister
I did not want to let this go without one word. We had about despaired of getting a letter we did not get it until Thursday I hope you will write often, any thing will be interesting to us to remember I hope that dimple will be visible by the time we get home the next time I am going to write you so I hope you will be encouraged to write often. How are you getting along in your National Arithmetic How long did Uncle R. stay I have written to Rebecca Mitchell today Write soon Carrie
[Caroline E. Slade, spec. '65-66,]
