Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

[written] 18

[typed] Saturday. Isn't it a shame we have to wait so for them, but he has to wait for his Shasta views just the same. I think there is nothing left to tell about. I include beside Helen Lathrop's picture, a picture of Helen Younger, whe is very much prettier than the photo and her chief charm is in her graceful queenly carriage and her bslowing walk, not to mention her comprehensive nature. Give a great deal of love to Aunt Tad. Your letters are so good and newsy. Theodora has just gone to bed and I am getting sleepier and sleepier so Good-night. your loving......

Don't write anything about Lolie to me because we have our letters in common - I am ashamed of this ill written thing.

[written] 24

[typed] Monday Morning

It was a tie! Wasn't it too bad that we didn't win, but we came very near it, five minutes before time was called, the score was six to nothing in our favor. All the girls are back now after their outing, and everyone is glad to be back again in Roble. Thanksgiving night the girls roasted apples, cracked nuts and told stories. Saturday night they gave a very informal dance and I wore my dear little fresh dinite sans guimpe and had a lovely time. I enjoyed my vacation very much and got my mending all done and my story copied for miss Hardy and a table cover almost done.of Madge's Christmas. Poor Lolie didn't have a very good time in the city, but her sealskin collarette was a great success. The next three week's are to very full of exams and hard work. Don't worry about us, our eyes are all right and we never think of them. We have Pippa Passes next Sunday. Anderson does not like and compares his love with the love portrayed in Shakespeare's sonnets - sonnet 81 - (I think he ( ) talked too much to be a true man. In French Rev. we have been studying the writers of the period + Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot and Montesque - now bye-bye.

Yours...Toodles

[written] p. 17 12

[typed] May 29 - '96

benefit. Theodora has gone to bed, and Gertrude is going, so I must say good-night to my Nannie. I had a lovely letter from Marguerite who is doing good work translating & who looks forward to a new house in Marysville. Poor, dear, little Helen Lathrop is getting tired, with her night work in the hospital, her father is worse too. Gertrude & Lolie send Mr. Good-night--

Your loving Toodles.

[written] p. 18 13

[typed] Sunday - June 28 - '96

My dearest Nannie,

Your dear good letter came yesterday at noon, and Lolie and I laughed at the "p Letitia" gratifying your most most justifiable envy in such a unique and satisfying a way, and we both most heartily agree with you on the collar-button question - certainly no patent device for the promotion of patience (or the profanity) could be invented. I have all my collars and cuffs made seperate from my shirt waists as it greatly saves washing - I buy very high white linen collars at men's clothing stores and like them very much as now I can get the highest in my size 13 or 13 1/2; so I am quite sure the shirt waist that is too large for you can be made all right for me by putting on one of my collars. I thank you a thousand times over for the shirt waist pattern it fits me beautifully, and this week Theodora and Louise have made me two beauties out of the pink dotted and the striped stuff Theodora bought some time ago. The Kerr's thread has been an equal blessing - I should speak in the past, present and future tense, the past referring to this last week. Mrs. Brown, the dressmaker has been here one day - Thursday, she was ill the first part of the week and Friday & Saturday Miss McKinnon wanted her as she has decided to spend her summer east and is going to start to-morrow I believe, & needed Mrs. B. to get her ready. Mrs. B. got my blue flowered waist almost done and with Theodora's excellent help almost finished the rough & ready skirt I told you of. There proved to be enough material & I know I shall like it hugely as it will be light will not show spots & will be very stylish as such rough goods are going to be the proper winter suiting. She cut out the lining for my pink crêpe waist from which I have gotten a very good waist pattern. Am actually going to let her plan that waist as I haven't any very good ideas for it & she has. That is about all she is going to make for me. The petticoat question for winter wear has settled itself as I told you in my last letter, but I was disappointed to find, after I had put in such a pretty trimming to my black silk petticoat, that it didn't have much wear left in it, and what do you think I have done! With the first intention of making a silk waist I ripped up and pressed Mama's precious little steel blue dress but found that the waist she wore needs only[written] new sleeves and refitting to make the prettiest and dearest waist in the world, with some of the Persian silk that matched for stock collar when I wanted to wear it hight; so I decided to take the best that is in the very full skirt and make me a petticoat of it and use the rest in caps for new sleeves. Do you think that a sacreligious use to make of it; for it will just help out the petticoat problem & make me such a dear waist? I have worn the gloves you sent several times I find them just what I want; I took the 6 3/4 size and 'though they are loose now they will wash all the better. Now we will drop the clothes subject for while. Ohl yes - I am retrimming my navy[written] blue Coughlin hat with the asters Mama had on her little black lace bonnet & blue quills - very stylish & pretty and I am getting so advanced in the milliners art as to contemplate sewing it as I find the use of pins conducive to much loss of plumage - pin feathers not being so very secure (rather flighty in fact)! Have just tried on the paper collar & find that is just the right size - but are you sure you can spare it (Imean the shirt waist) for I shall have three without it. Your blue sample is lovely.

You make my fingers itch to try and write something and I am every so much obliged for your criticism, it is just what I want. But I think have immense conceit to ever think of writing anything and I fairly hate myself for such audacity. Haven't nearly finished the N___ yet as I simply don't find time: we go to bed very early & get up early - when

[written] p. 22 17

[typed] St.Mathew's School, San Mateo, Cal. Monday- Aug. 31st '96

My dearest Nannie - -

Your poor distressed letter came just before I left home and I feel like [written:] such a brute to think that [typed:] I have spoiled your summer pleasure. Just at present I am in a happy transition "all that's past is gone, you, know, the future is but a dream" and for the present I am staying a day or two with my dear Lolie at this most delightful place. She is so happy here and it is such a wholesome congenial atmosphere with good board, wonderful views and air and delightful people to make one happy, and I am in a very exuberant frame of mind at the prospect of getting back to dear old Stanford - that city of refuge from all that has ever been unhappy in my life. We left the house - it is no longer home - Friday at noon when the Toucoup took possession. I found an excellent man who swept the whole house so thoroughly and I saw to the woodwork and . Charles cleaned the yard and barns and porches and my man Friday washed the windows. In the course of two days all was[written] sweet and clean, and Friday & Saturday nights I stayed with Laura occupying the intervening day with paying bills and calls. Louise went to Santa Cruz for a month or so. I saw poor Auntie Sue - Mr. Minn died early Tuesday morning - he heard the news of a law suit that had been decided against him and that meant a few thousand as his loss and the business[written] worry combined with his great physical pain made life too great a burden for him and at about four A.M. Tuesday he went to the water, clothed in his stocking feet and blew his brains out. He made a deed of the homestead to Aunt Sue and wrote a note to the coroner requesting no autopsy and stating his suicide & the reasons for it. The funeral was Thursday afternoon. Poor Aunt Sue seems crused indeed but Maurice keeps as cheery and bright as can be. I went also to see Mr. & Mrs. Hazelton who have been so kind to us this summer in giving us practical advice and comfort. The rest of the friends I was too tired to call upon. I shall write to them but I know they do not understand how utterly impossible it has been to be social in the swift purgatory of the summer months - had there been time besides the house-work, sewing and business affairs to visit it would not have been so unpleasant but there was not time.. The allowance question is just as good as assured - a few weeks and it will be entirely settled, possibly in less time; then Theodora has turned over her twenty to add to mine which gives me forty a month and I feel like bloated bondholder at the very prospect. The Goodnough interest is due - an amount of 400, and there is a little coming in from the ranch in hay, dried fruit, vegetables, etc. I came here yesterday, stopping off between trains to unpack my trunks at Roble and get my dress box moved up to Miriam's room a corner room - southeast - on the second floor - I have a pretty view of the quadrangle and of the hills, three large windows and so much sunshine - the room is larger, pleasanter, airier and sunnier than the room last year - and I am resolved to keep it neat and be systmatic and I know it will be pretty. I still have Mr. Hermes fur rugs to give a Bohemian air to the floor. I caught a glimpse of the new matron, but could judge very little of her, she seemed to a moderately old woman with a bank of little gray curls on her forhead - not Miss Thompson's intellectual type - a commentary on Mrs. Stanford's taste. Theodora has just spent her half hour recess with me - her hours are so short and it such a delightful place that both of us are happier than larks. I must begin my personalhousecleaning now as everything from my hair to my nails needs a thorough overhauling - though so far I have discovered no moths! Got such a good letter from Gertrude which I enclose. Am going to have my party dress made when I need it - I believe I have never thanked you