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Vassar Coll. Sept. 25
My dear Nellie,
You have no idea how much I missed home yesterday afternoon, and yet it was not half so lonely as I had imagined it would be. We had a sort of Bible class after chapel conducted by Prof. Buckham. I liked him very much, the school is to be divided into three parts. Miss Lyman takes one Prof. Buckham another and Prof. Farrar the third. I hope we shall be in Prof. Farrar's. After Bible class Miss Lyman came in and told Minnie Miss Fessenden was going to church, and she could go with her, so we flew around and helped her get ready, and found Miss Carr and Miss Deppan (i.e. Deppen) in the hall watching her off. We talked a few minutes and then invited them into our room. They came in and staid about an hour, we had a very pleasant quiet talk. They are young ladies from Troy, both dress in deep mourning, and I have an idea they are cousins. There is a very pretty girl rooms with them whose name is Silsby. I like them all very much. After they left we read different things. I read principally Minnie's big poetry book. We had about half a dozen books from the library, but they were not particularly fascinating. Miss Gilbert brought in a couple of books she had borrowed from Miss Sayles. she let Hattie take one, a sort of poetical treatise on the New Jerusalem. Minnie came home at five minutes after one. she thought the enjoyment scarcely paid for all the trouble she had getting permission. I forgot to tell you that the girls are not allowed to go church but after a good deal trouble Minnie had permission to go with Miss Fessenden. she is a very sweet looking teacher. Minnie came back full of the information that Miss F. had been teaching in Mrs. Worcester's school, knew Katie Pease very well, and had seen a great deal of her this summer. Then we had a very sensible Sunday dinner. Oyster soup, and grapes and apples for desert. After dinner we came back and dressed for chapel. I wore my brown fall dress, a ruffle in my neck, my mauve ribbon. I looked very nicely. Minnie wore her black & white dress. Hattie her fall dress. At half past three, bells rang for chapel where we had an excellent sermon from Dr. Raymond that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." After chapel we went into
the library for a few minutes, and then came back home. Miss Gilbert came in here a few minutes before tea, when we went to dining hall and I had bread and milk. We always have two large pitchers of milk on the table besides the cream pitchers, beautiful yellow milk. After tea came silent hour, and chapel, then Miss Dana came into our room for a little while. The girls were a little afraid of being considered prisoners, when they found that the gates are locked and no girls allowed to go out, but I think they will soon recover. We have just been interrupted by a visit from Miss Hill and Miss Harris, two young hopes who reside next door. I like Miss Hill very much, but can't say that I care to cultivate Miss Harris' acquaintance. O! I forgot to state, that yesterday morning before we were dressed Mrs. Metcalf brought us a letter from home. I assure you I was delighted. I am very sorry that Mr. Colburn was sick. I am sorry for all we said because he didn't come and see us. I stopped in the midst of this letter. I had to stop for chapel, and on my way Mrs, Metcalf met me with Will's letter. It certainly was one of the best letters I ever read. I shall write him very soon. Does Sara's hired woman have the impudence to sport her daughter also? I am so glad that Mother has a new dress - balmoral ditto. I have read over Mother's and JWillie's letters three times already. It was so kind of Mother to write too. I read my letter first in chapel waiting for Dr. Raymond and ever so many girls looked as greedy as possible. I have not been one bit homesick yet, a day or two ago when Miss Lyman said in chapel that three of the young ladies fathers were waiting to see them it almost made the tears come. Miss Usher has a letter of introduction to us. I shall be glad when she is able to be seen. I wish you could see Madame. She is killing. Miss Lyman told us one day that we ought to step faster in changing during silent hours - so Madame gathers her skirts around her and rushes through the halls imagine Mrs. McLeod undergoing the same graceful process and you can have a faint idea of her appearance. Give a great deal of love to all. as to Bridget how she would like to wash for three hundred girls beside nine women and children, we are allowed a dozen articles collars & cuffs count as one - I should hate to have charge of the laundry. It is raining hard, the weather until yesterday has been perfect. Miss Gilbert says she doesn't think we shall be reached in the examinations before Wednesday - I wish they were over. The girls almost all wear calico in the A.M. - so Hattle & I are sporting our calicoes. How are the girls flourishing. Tell Father not to be troubled about our letters for we haven't anything else to do at present. I am contemplating drawing up a plan of the house & sending it to you. I hope that Max survive my absence with tolerable composure, increased loss of flesh would be unbecoming. I think I have Dr. JL's sweet voice as much as anything. Give a great deal of love to Father, Mother, Willie and yourself - We have got to send all the letters we write home to be mailed for the present. I can't say I consider it pleasant, but in view of the fact that Miss Hill has five gentlemen correspondents upon whom she had decided I don't know but it is necessary. Do write soon and occasionally send us a paper.
Minnie says she wants a plate of grapes too.
Unsigned (probably Martha S. Warner, '68)
My dear Nellie,
You have no idea how much I missed home yesterday afternoon, and yet it was not half so lonely as I had imagined it would be. We had a sort of Bible class after chapel conducted by Prof. Buckham. I liked him very much, the school is to be divided into three parts. Miss Lyman takes one Prof. Buckham another and Prof. Farrar the third. I hope we shall be in Prof. Farrar's. After Bible class Miss Lyman came in and told Minnie Miss Fessenden was going to church, and she could go with her, so we flew around and helped her get ready, and found Miss Carr and Miss Deppan (i.e. Deppen) in the hall watching her off. We talked a few minutes and then invited them into our room. They came in and staid about an hour, we had a very pleasant quiet talk. They are young ladies from Troy, both dress in deep mourning, and I have an idea they are cousins. There is a very pretty girl rooms with them whose name is Silsby. I like them all very much. After they left we read different things. I read principally Minnie's big poetry book. We had about half a dozen books from the library, but they were not particularly fascinating. Miss Gilbert brought in a couple of books she had borrowed from Miss Sayles. she let Hattie take one, a sort of poetical treatise on the New Jerusalem. Minnie came home at five minutes after one. she thought the enjoyment scarcely paid for all the trouble she had getting permission. I forgot to tell you that the girls are not allowed to go church but after a good deal trouble Minnie had permission to go with Miss Fessenden. she is a very sweet looking teacher. Minnie came back full of the information that Miss F. had been teaching in Mrs. Worcester's school, knew Katie Pease very well, and had seen a great deal of her this summer. Then we had a very sensible Sunday dinner. Oyster soup, and grapes and apples for desert. After dinner we came back and dressed for chapel. I wore my brown fall dress, a ruffle in my neck, my mauve ribbon. I looked very nicely. Minnie wore her black & white dress. Hattie her fall dress. At half past three, bells rang for chapel where we had an excellent sermon from Dr. Raymond that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." After chapel we went into
the library for a few minutes, and then came back home. Miss Gilbert came in here a few minutes before tea, when we went to dining hall and I had bread and milk. We always have two large pitchers of milk on the table besides the cream pitchers, beautiful yellow milk. After tea came silent hour, and chapel, then Miss Dana came into our room for a little while. The girls were a little afraid of being considered prisoners, when they found that the gates are locked and no girls allowed to go out, but I think they will soon recover. We have just been interrupted by a visit from Miss Hill and Miss Harris, two young hopes who reside next door. I like Miss Hill very much, but can't say that I care to cultivate Miss Harris' acquaintance. O! I forgot to state, that yesterday morning before we were dressed Mrs. Metcalf brought us a letter from home. I assure you I was delighted. I am very sorry that Mr. Colburn was sick. I am sorry for all we said because he didn't come and see us. I stopped in the midst of this letter. I had to stop for chapel, and on my way Mrs, Metcalf met me with Will's letter. It certainly was one of the best letters I ever read. I shall write him very soon. Does Sara's hired woman have the impudence to sport her daughter also? I am so glad that Mother has a new dress - balmoral ditto. I have read over Mother's and JWillie's letters three times already. It was so kind of Mother to write too. I read my letter first in chapel waiting for Dr. Raymond and ever so many girls looked as greedy as possible. I have not been one bit homesick yet, a day or two ago when Miss Lyman said in chapel that three of the young ladies fathers were waiting to see them it almost made the tears come. Miss Usher has a letter of introduction to us. I shall be glad when she is able to be seen. I wish you could see Madame. She is killing. Miss Lyman told us one day that we ought to step faster in changing during silent hours - so Madame gathers her skirts around her and rushes through the halls imagine Mrs. McLeod undergoing the same graceful process and you can have a faint idea of her appearance. Give a great deal of love to all. as to Bridget how she would like to wash for three hundred girls beside nine women and children, we are allowed a dozen articles collars & cuffs count as one - I should hate to have charge of the laundry. It is raining hard, the weather until yesterday has been perfect. Miss Gilbert says she doesn't think we shall be reached in the examinations before Wednesday - I wish they were over. The girls almost all wear calico in the A.M. - so Hattle & I are sporting our calicoes. How are the girls flourishing. Tell Father not to be troubled about our letters for we haven't anything else to do at present. I am contemplating drawing up a plan of the house & sending it to you. I hope that Max survive my absence with tolerable composure, increased loss of flesh would be unbecoming. I think I have Dr. JL's sweet voice as much as anything. Give a great deal of love to Father, Mother, Willie and yourself - We have got to send all the letters we write home to be mailed for the present. I can't say I consider it pleasant, but in view of the fact that Miss Hill has five gentlemen correspondents upon whom she had decided I don't know but it is necessary. Do write soon and occasionally send us a paper.
Minnie says she wants a plate of grapes too.
Unsigned (probably Martha S. Warner, '68)
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