Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

[written] p. 23 b XVIII

[typed] I don't know if you know about the collarette that Wallace was to make me. It is a great sucess. I got it yesterday and it certainly is a very rich garment. Your descritoion of your 14 mile walk was delightful. How strong you are.' I should be tired out with such a long tramp - 5 or 6 miles is about as much as I can stand. I have walked to Menlo and back which I thought quite a feat. The Stanford is or has been a gorgeous sight. THe leaves all turned red as the reddest wine. This is the most ideal place and we are so happy here. This morning I had a fit of cleaning though Sunday, but I didn't get back until 7 last night and so I feel it a necessity to get our room in order for the weeks work. Rose was busy yesterday over a dance which the girls had gotten up very suddenly. Rose enjoyed it very much. I am so glad she does. Tomorrow night we the Roble girls are to be given the Thanksgiving dinner at Encina. I would 100,000 times rather dine quietly here but I suppose we won't have anything here in anticipation of the event. O! whom do you think came down on the train with me but Harry Morrison! He gracefully gave his seat beside me to Mr. Wright about half way here and so I had a chance to ask of Mrs. W. She has been very ill. Pleurisy this time I think. She is up now after 3 weeks in bed. My pencil has gottes so dull that I shall resign in favor of Rose She read me the first of her letter which sounded so well that I was quite discouraged ere I began. Love to Aunt Clara and yourself. from Theodora.

[written] p. 14

[typed] Sunday - June 28 - '96

we wake up, & the evening is my only chance to read. Have not quite finished "The Diamond Necklace " yet - was very glad to come across it as I was very misty about that incident of the Fr. Rev. Is Carlyle partisen in his treatment of it? Even if he is I gather a very clear idea of the affair from his striking account. He makes you understand a thing as if you were an actual observer of such a case speculating, moralizing & forming your own opinions as you look, or do I cheat myself, are they his opinions he so subtely makes your own? As soon as I finish the N___, I am going to read Pendennis - your copy that Gertrude has lent me. My impressions of Erasmus you have revived, as my only acquaintance with him was in the Education I course a year ago where I met him as a Humanist educational leader. I shall hope to read the Harper's story as soon as I get back to college where there are magazines. What a pity you are having such uncomfortable weather - the days here are cool and breezy now. I wonder with you as to how I might like Cazeuoria, I have such a vivid impression of its gossiping, conventionality, its handfull of freakish grotesque characters, its butterfly processions of summer people, and its beautiful natural setting that I am quite curious as to whether I am mistaken or not. I generally have toward people that I hear many bad things about and who have a few good qualities quite a leaning, or at least a tacitern way of sticking up for them;probably it would be the same way with Cazinovia, I might like it very much at first and find it beautiful and interesting but if I should have to stay there a long time I know I should hate it for I should hate to live in a place where I couldn't get at least a whiff of a broad, free, active life where people are working & doing something, and where you can get some higher progressive life, & know & be associated with people of high progressive thought, & hear fine music and see goo plays - even if you have to get a third balcony seat at the theater. Gertrude came down for a last little glimpse Friday evening - she looked very tired but I hope her trip will greatly revive her instead of wearying her the more. Theodora and I were dressing to go over to Mrs. Might's for a little evening to meet a Mr. & Mrs. Jackson - bride & groom from Malta - so the glimpse of Trudie wasn't very satisfactory as I was so taken up with Rose Payne & the way she looked. The evening was a jolly one - playing an observation's game - I helped Mrs. W. at the tasting table - for it was progressive - so didn't play. There was a seeing, swelling, touching & tasting table & every one was blindfolded except where they were timed at the seeing table, & the prizes were given to the one who had guessed the greatest number of things correctly - each one wrote down on a card what she thought she had tasted smelt etc. Charlotte Newbury & Dr. Grisem got the prizes - a prettily framed photo of the "Long words" & a silver knife. Theodora came within one of getting the photo. It seemed very natural to be having a good time in that pretty home but I think Theodora really enjoys things more, she hates to start so that she has a pleasent reaction that I entirely miss. I meant to get up at five to see Trude off the next morning but woke up a quarter of an hour too late & had to give it up - was sorry as I have done nothing for her birthday or her journey and am ashamed of myself; will try to concoct something this vacation for her return as soon as this clothes business is off my mind. Mrs. Might sent over quantities of ice-cream & cake & salad" after the ball was over". Major Bradford has had the appoint of manager of the mine - the position Mr. Aberdeen - his partner left - so Allis is at the head of an establishment - servants & carriages furnished - and a salary of 12,000 a year for her husband. A good beginning for Allis's enterprise. Theodora has just

[written] p. 20 15

[typed] Sunday - June 28 - '96

called down to me to start the dinner so shall finish this later.

x x x

Sunday July 5th - '96

A trifle later isn't it my dear Nannie? - but actually this is the first time I have sat down since I got our steak dinner just a week ago to-day. I believe I had several topics to wind up with that I shall tell you before this weeks happenings are recorded. Fisrst: Maggie Scott is in New York on her return from Brazil and will be there about six weeks, I told Susie Cory to be sure & let her know your whereabouts. She doesn't know whether she will return to South America or not, and is spending so much time East seeing to educational matters. Second: Charles came in and ina day and a morning put the grounds into such beautiful order that we have been proud of them ever since, & he did do many little odd jobs too. Third: I made a tee-total failure of the Washburn school - my wits & memory & ideas flew every which way & I shook like an aspen leaf till I sat down, having muttered some incoherent sentences that had neither verb nor noun, Laura came next & did better & each improved in turn till Miriam Maclaren carried off the honors. Honestly I never knew what it was to be frightened before but I shall never forget now - Really I didn't like Chauncey Depew when I heard him but I think him & his vocations truly miraculous now that I have had a little experience. Now for this week's news - there is none - it has simple snapped & the week is gone leaving behind it the tracks of an excellent dressmaker & two suit apiece for Theodora & me at the rate of three seventy-five a suit.

x x x

Have just gotten Charles's luncheon - I don't intend to stir till I finish this patch work letter. The shirt waist patter you sent, Laura has used and also Mrs. Wright. Mr. Wright took such a fancy to my blue shirt waist that he carried it off down town to have it exactly copied for Mrs. W. Theodora has gotten expert at making button-holes, and nick by nick I am learning the art of dress making - mean now to make me a little matinee jacket out of my old red striped flannel skirt by the shirt-waist pattern & have a stock collar of red ribbon & full of lace at the neck - then one more shirt waist out of Theordora's old gingham dress, make over my dotted swiss dress, & finish my batiste, then to finish up with my underclothes & I shall be done - oh I forgot my green silk waist, night gowns for every day I shall be most in need of, as at present I have only one besides the little old duds of Mama's that we found in the attic. Friday evening Gilbert & Jessie Russell & Laura came down to get me to go to a little informal, impromptu, dance at the Vendome which was "kind of fun". Felt too tired & indifferent to go out to the Schneider's garden party, especially as we had no way of coming and going without considerable expense, stayed home & finished off my pink crepe waist ready to wear which was more satisfactory. It is like this: - It is a beauty as the crepe draped as only crepe will in the hands of an artist dress maker, I put Ora's pink velvet roses at the sides of the colar which adds the finishing touch.- my sketch isn't very good but it may give an idea. The green broadlcoth skirt made circular is the handsomest thing I ever had, and the blue skirt & silk waist I like

[Sketch to the side of the upper half of a dress, sleeves, and waist] (sketch)

[written] 24

[typed] Easter Sunday April 18-97

My dearest darling Nannie

Have just come home from church and had dinner. The service was a very lovely one though the music was poor. Yesterday Lolie came down an just for the afternoon and brought the shirt waists and dear lovely things. The collars are just what I have been wanting but can't get anywhere in the city. The white stock is lovely with my blue tailor suit - it and the cuff buttons with some white viotets Lolie brought me constituted my Easter trimmings and I liked them quite as well as any millinery display, I saw there. The little white tie and the blue neck ribbon with the festoons of roses and the white ribbon I kept too - also the longest petticoat - so you see I came off with very much the lion's share especially as the shirtwaists are all too small for Theodora and are just right for me except very long waisted which makes no difference. A week ago today Gertrude came and I have had a lovely week with her - a great many pleasant things came up for her to do which she will tell you about, no doubt. Dr. and Mrs. Jordan and Edith dined at Roble the night after she came and Mrs. Baker asked Gertrude and me to sit at the same table with them though only graduates were supposed to be there.

After dinner Dr. Jordan told the girls the story of the university and it certainly is a pathetic history when one considers the brilliant beginning and the clouds that so soon fell upon it, but now all the greatest crisis are past and thanks to the wonderful self- sacrifices of Mrs. Stanford and the clearheadedness of Dr. Jordan all is well.

Friday Prof. Anderson asked Gertrude and me to luncheon - an invitation which we accepted in spite of its being Good Friday. Mr. and Mrs. Washburn were there and it was the pleasantest thing imaginable. Prof Anderson is lovely in his own home and Mrs. Anderson appeared so bright and was so witty - we staid till four o'clock and walked home through the Stanford grounds. Prof. Anderson saw Mrs. W. off on the train and them caught up with Gertrude and me. The walk is one I shall always remember - Prof. Anderson was so perfectly delightful telling the [illegible] story of his teachings and his beginning-

Dr. Jordan found him his first position and they have been brother professors before they came here. I have never talked with him about my teaching and have always been afraid to broach the subject but I screwed up my courage and suddenly asked him if he thought I could teach. He paused quite a long while and you can imagine what the suspense was - then he said "I think you are admirably adapted to teaching" and after another long pause (I am horribly conceited to tell this) he added "It would be enough for the pupils to just sit and look at you", I replied something about that might not earn me a salary but I was in such an ecstacy of delight that I did little more than mumble. He went on to say a great many more lovely things and to tell about the first time he met Mama and how he was struck by her intellectual ability and with her beauty of character and how he regretted that he was not able to accept her invitation to stay at our