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Vassar College
Feb. 17th 1866
My dear Mother,
Before I tell you how very glad I was to recieve your letter, I shall feel it my duty to apologize for the extreme untidiness of my sheet of paper. I didn't notice how very much tumbled and soiled it was. Hoppie (short for Emma Hopkins) left this morning for Vergenes, amid the lamentations of the whole house. Every one from the President to Miss Pratt head waiter seemed to regret her departure. As far as we have learned, she left nothing behind her, except her napkin ring - We miss her sadly, especially at table. I am very glad that she is going to stop in Detroit - How I wish I could be at home. I am glad that your skirt for Sara is going to be so pretty. She wrote me about it, also that Nellie is going to braid a night gown for her. I wish Mother, when the time comes, that you would please get her some thing nice for me, something silver. I know that she would like that best, and it goes farther than any thing else I think. Don't you? I am very much obliged for that prayer. I'll show it to Miss Lyman as soon as I have an opportunity. Miss Mitchel has a brother and his wife visiting her. I think they both look very smart. Mrs. Mitchel is a granddaughter of John Q. Adams. I had the honor of an introduction to them after dinner - Miss Mitchel paraded her astronomy class down to see them yesterday. Miss Palmer of Northhampton, you have heard us speak of her, received a telegram today saying - "Come home directly, bring your trunk," her mother has been very sick, and from the indefinite style of the telegram she has every thing to fear. Don't ever telegraph for us in that style. Mrs. Judd of Warsaw has come here to teach music. Did you know her? She gave Fannie lessons when she was about ten years old - since then she has married and lost her husband. I think you that you and Nellie have made famous improvement in the calling line, since we left. It must be owing to the lack of my fascinations to keep to at home. When we come back see if I let you even look out of the window - If I haven't altered in any respect, I have increased to such an extent that it requires a very powerful pressure to check me, when once I have started on an oration, most people fold their hands with a sigh of resignation and let me have free course. I have been reading "Tom Brown at Rugby" out loud. I think I obtain more and more good from it every time I read it - We are going to read Arnold's sermon's to his boys. The weather is bitter cold; today just after dinner the sun was bright and warm, so we walked the hour after dinner. It was perfectly delightful, we went way off over by the fence, where I had never been before; we walked on the crusted snow, as I never have done since I left Burlington. We are going to have another spelling match tonight, likewise tableaux next Thursday (Washington's birthday). Has Father come back from Washington? I feel so exceedingly like writing to my brother William that I shall do it immediately and send it in this letter - I hope Mother that you won't be very greatly agitated if I inform you that I have opened a correspondence with a young gentleman residing in St- Joseph Mo- who signs his name "Your Cousin Will"- Our correspondence so far has been limited to conundrums sent via Emma's letters, but no one knows what the result may be - I hope you didn't ask me any questions for I'm too lazy to get your letter - How sad it must have been for Mrs. Avery to be so sick. I should think she would be very impatient at being confined to the house - A great deal of love to all the dear good people - I wish you could have heard Miss Lyman pray for Miss Palmer at prayers tonight - Tell Nellie she's a jewel - love to Bridget - and all the others
Your loving daughter
Mattie
Did Helen ever tell "Fannie" King that we couldn't make appilication for her without regular authority, and her father would be far the best one to do it.
Feb. 17th 1866
My dear Mother,
Before I tell you how very glad I was to recieve your letter, I shall feel it my duty to apologize for the extreme untidiness of my sheet of paper. I didn't notice how very much tumbled and soiled it was. Hoppie (short for Emma Hopkins) left this morning for Vergenes, amid the lamentations of the whole house. Every one from the President to Miss Pratt head waiter seemed to regret her departure. As far as we have learned, she left nothing behind her, except her napkin ring - We miss her sadly, especially at table. I am very glad that she is going to stop in Detroit - How I wish I could be at home. I am glad that your skirt for Sara is going to be so pretty. She wrote me about it, also that Nellie is going to braid a night gown for her. I wish Mother, when the time comes, that you would please get her some thing nice for me, something silver. I know that she would like that best, and it goes farther than any thing else I think. Don't you? I am very much obliged for that prayer. I'll show it to Miss Lyman as soon as I have an opportunity. Miss Mitchel has a brother and his wife visiting her. I think they both look very smart. Mrs. Mitchel is a granddaughter of John Q. Adams. I had the honor of an introduction to them after dinner - Miss Mitchel paraded her astronomy class down to see them yesterday. Miss Palmer of Northhampton, you have heard us speak of her, received a telegram today saying - "Come home directly, bring your trunk," her mother has been very sick, and from the indefinite style of the telegram she has every thing to fear. Don't ever telegraph for us in that style. Mrs. Judd of Warsaw has come here to teach music. Did you know her? She gave Fannie lessons when she was about ten years old - since then she has married and lost her husband. I think you that you and Nellie have made famous improvement in the calling line, since we left. It must be owing to the lack of my fascinations to keep to at home. When we come back see if I let you even look out of the window - If I haven't altered in any respect, I have increased to such an extent that it requires a very powerful pressure to check me, when once I have started on an oration, most people fold their hands with a sigh of resignation and let me have free course. I have been reading "Tom Brown at Rugby" out loud. I think I obtain more and more good from it every time I read it - We are going to read Arnold's sermon's to his boys. The weather is bitter cold; today just after dinner the sun was bright and warm, so we walked the hour after dinner. It was perfectly delightful, we went way off over by the fence, where I had never been before; we walked on the crusted snow, as I never have done since I left Burlington. We are going to have another spelling match tonight, likewise tableaux next Thursday (Washington's birthday). Has Father come back from Washington? I feel so exceedingly like writing to my brother William that I shall do it immediately and send it in this letter - I hope Mother that you won't be very greatly agitated if I inform you that I have opened a correspondence with a young gentleman residing in St- Joseph Mo- who signs his name "Your Cousin Will"- Our correspondence so far has been limited to conundrums sent via Emma's letters, but no one knows what the result may be - I hope you didn't ask me any questions for I'm too lazy to get your letter - How sad it must have been for Mrs. Avery to be so sick. I should think she would be very impatient at being confined to the house - A great deal of love to all the dear good people - I wish you could have heard Miss Lyman pray for Miss Palmer at prayers tonight - Tell Nellie she's a jewel - love to Bridget - and all the others
Your loving daughter
Mattie
Did Helen ever tell "Fannie" King that we couldn't make appilication for her without regular authority, and her father would be far the best one to do it.
