Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

[written] Theodora p. 9 a VIII

[typed] Stanford University, Cal. Oct.13 1895

My dear Anni-

Rah, rah, rah, rah, rah, rah, rah, rah,--Stanford !! !! The second decision is rendered in favor of Mrs. Stanford and the University.-- Dr. Jordan was in San Francisco yesterday, and on reaching Palo Alto the boys had gotten a hack, decorated it with chinese lanterns and attaching a long rope to it, drew him and Mrs. Jordan to Roble--(as many as could get hold of the rope-) when he made a very enthusiastic speech, closing with the words - "The doors of Stanford University will never close "!

Rose and I missed it all except the bon-fire, for we missed the 5:30 train and had to come on the 6:40. I had gone up to talk with Fred a little. Rose to get her waist - which is very pretty - but won't be done until Thursday - Then having the rest of the afternoon, our idle brains cast about to see what we could do. "Tribly " is having a popular run now and many of the Profs. went up to see it - Doctor Jordan and wife included - so we decided if we could get cheap seats we would go. The seats were a 1.00 and a dollar and a half but we managed to get good seats in the gallery for 35¢ and there were all respectable people around us. It was in the 2nd gallery and we didn't know what ( at first) we were getting into ! but what was our astonishment to see a number of out Stanford friends among our neighbors ! It is a very strong play - and nothing improper in the presentation. Rose enjoyed every minute of it but we had to come away before the last act in order to catch our train and then missed it. Wasn't that prevoking?

Laura Clark sent me last night another picture of herself. She is devoted to her camera and takes very good pictures.

I am afraid you will be discouraged about our pictures - but expect to see Mr. Heath in the evening.

[written] 3

[typed] Saturday Jan 9-'97

My dearest Nannie -

My dearest Nannie - I forgot I called you that once and absent mindedly have written it over again but I mean it a whole page full. Your letter came just about an hour ago and I have been grinning over it since and reading parts of it about the pictures to the girls. Helen Younger has been moving down from the 4th to the 2nd floor so we are near neighbors. She has been fixing up her room and I have been helping her. Her room-mate - Mary Caldwell a freshman & relative of Marguerite Sabler - has almost as many pretty things as Helen has, & their room has assumed already a very Bohemian & artistic air, it has been great fun, & we have fixed pretty studies by burning the edges into rich brown odd shapes - a trick I picked up from one of the boys at the Rho Eta House. This is such a glorious day. We certainly are having a heavenly winter! Last Monday I started out to make calls in Palo Alto in my new suit that I like immensely. I found Mr. Teggart was sick in bed, I suspect she is on the verge of enlarging her family. Mrs. Angel, Dr. Angel told me was in Boston and as he said had gone shortly after the ("Opera" or card party they gave. Mrs. Gilman - Mrs. Cullen's sister - was not at home neither was Miss Darrah the excellent Education teacher. In the evening Alice Colt and I called on Dr. & Mrs. Stillman & of all my list they were the only ones home. Tuesday we registered & made out our programs for this next semester and Wednesday lectures began again. We are beginning Hamlet. It is so far now most difficult & thorough Shakespere study. I am not going on with Hudson's class as it makes too many hours and though it is deserted devoted to Tennyson I think I can make a study of it myself some time. Otherwise my course is almost the same except that I take Renaissance Art History under Prof. Krieber instead of 18th cent. Hist. We begin with Giotto. The girls feel very sad at the thought of leaving this semester and I am happy in the thought that It is not my last quite yet. Mrs. Baker our new matron is lovely she knows so many people we know - the Cullens & the Lathrops & knew of Mama thru some of the faculty ladies here. Did I tell you of the lovely call I had on Mrs. Jordan. She inquired about you, & wished to be most warmly . Did I tell you about Mr. Delamater's death just before Christmas. It was the end of quite a long illness & feebleness. What do you think Theodora is doing! She wants & must have the 400 paid Louise as soon as possible and in order to do so we couldn't draw on our allowance. So Theodora is sending me 30.00 out of the 40.00 she earns each month, of course when I earn or get the money I shall repay her, but think of my sister sending me thro' college! My last letter from her said she was having a happy time with her little "tads" coming back. She is really fond of her work and got some useful hints from Miss Darrah & the teacher's institute. Oh the Sohrab & Rustum paper is not worth sending. It was written at the end of the term in a great rush & my main ideas was to get off my hands. Helen took more pains with hers, and if I can persuade her to let me send it I shall. Am going to call on Mrs. Fairclough this afternoon.

Bye-bye Your loving Toodles.

[written] 4

[typed] Saturday [written] Jan 16 '97

[typed] My dearest Nannie,

Your dear letter just received and read and I'd like to squeeze you to pieces. Do hope you won't have a very bad time in Cazenovia. Last evening was astonished by the breathless appearance of Mr. Royce Stroker who wanted me to go to a Glee club concert on the spur of the moment. Of course I went, and had such a good time. He is a dear fine fellow and the concert was splendid. The two clubs - the glee and mandolin - have just been and had a very jolly tour but of course are deep in debt so this concert was to help defray expenses. To-day Mr. Abbott asked me to go for a walk back into the hills but as it is cloudy and damp I thought we better postpone so we are going to Palo Alto to do some errands instead. Have you read "King N-" by Stimson yet? It is called the Lorna Doone of America and promises to be a splendid historical novel of the time of Cromwell & Charles and the settling of Massachusetts and Virginia colonies. Mr. Workman lent it to me and I have just begun it. Did I tell you he adked me to drive down to San Mateo some day to see Theodora? We are going some field day.

Am so glad you like the pictures - I was afraid you wouldn't but I had them taken just for you.

Our glle club I think is finer than the Berkeley Glee club a good deal, and has the additional attraction of a very good mandolin club. Mr. Abbott has just resigned his leadership of the glee club. His voice is magnificent. To-morrow Bishop Nichols preaches in the chapel. I am so anxious to hear him. I think in the afternoon I'll go and see the Andersons.

Bye-the-way did Mama get the Shelly set? We take Shelly up just as soon as we finish Byron, and if you have his works and could spare them could you send them on to me? Next Tuesday evening the Jordan's give a reception in honor of Mr. Washington Lee Capp. His chief claim to distinction is to his ancestors I believe, as he is a lineal descendent from the Washingtons & Lees. He does not believe in co-education so Mrs. Jordan has selected a very few of the students beside the faculty to him the falacy of his views. I have the honor to be among the number. Mrs. Jordan is lovely to me oving to her recollection of beautiful Mama. This week I have come into possession of a book case that is very much more substantial & keeps the books very much better than the little bamboo ones. In itself it is not elegant by any means - red wood and with a sort of top as it was made for one of the ex-Roble girls who read and wrote standing on account of her health. It has an open book in the (lectarn) an umbrella plant, my little old lamp, Mama's work basket and Papa's & Mama's pictue so the whole makes a very pretty addition to my room. I have lent my bamboo shelves to Marylyn & Alice Colt for safe keeping. Am going to get some carbolic acid & glycerine this afternoon for throat gargle. There is such an epidemic of colds & grip that I think it will do to have some on hand. Mirian's home now with grip, and Laura has just recovered. Mrs. Baker is lovely. She wears dear little dresses made with surplice fronts like Mama's, and is about her height. Not pretty with a heart full of goodness and sweetness. Can't think of another thing today except that Maggie Scott is here off and on now, just exactly as she used to look.

If I can get hold of the Palo Alto that had the glee club tour in it, I'll sent it to you. The picture of Mr. Abbott is not at all good.

Bye bye Roodles

January 16'97 Roble

[written] 6

[typed] Sunday Morning - Jan. 23 - '97

My dearest Nannie -

There is just a few minutes before the Episcopal Sunday morning bus come and I will have time to begin my letter to my Nannie. After church I am to dine with Mrs. Gilman, Mrs. Cullin's sister in Palo Alto, and afterward Helen and I are going to call at the Anderson's in Menlo Park and then at Mrs. Stanfords. Mrs. Anderson has her paralyzed bedridden mother with her, also Prof. Anderson's mother and uncle. Prof. A. says she gets lonely with so many old people and far away in Menlo.

Oh' the Jordan birthday party was perfectly lovely. Dr. Jordan's 46th birthday. He did look so grand and handsome and for the first time actually appeared in a dress suit. He was a great big courtly gallant. Mrs. Jordan was very sweet and pretty in a becoming dark Washington gown with a good deal of crimson about it. Mrs. Stanford was there, Prof. & Mrs. Anderson, Dr. & Mrs. Brauner, Prof. & Mrs. Hudson, Prof, & Mrs. Murray, Prof & Mrs Smith, Prof. & Mrs. Lenox -the four bachelor profs--Mr. Allardice, Kellog, Campbell & Young. Mrs. Baker and few of the girls & boys - with some of the musical people to play, the Dully family particularly who have wonderful talent - two brothers play on the violin, accompanied by their sister. I felt wonderfully honored to have Dr. Stillman come up to me when I was talking with Prof. Allardice and one or two others and tell me Mrs. Stanford wished to speak with me. She was very lovely & gracious and was very appreciative of the call we made. In the middle of the evening Dr. Jordan ushered Mrs. Stanford into the dining room where there were three immense birthday cakes with forty-six candles ablaze around them. Edith managed the whole affair, and asked me to cut the icecream. Prof. Allardice escorted me home and ended an evening I shall never forget. One of the girls in the Hall had very seriously hurt her eye so I spent the rest of the night till almost three o'clock taking care of her, as her roommate was tired. The next night b was a screeching Pasmore invitation concert, and the evening after Mrs. Baker had the Zete boys & Prof. & Mrs. Hudson to dinner. In the evening we danced and made candy in Helen's chafing dish. Saturday morning there was a meeting of the executive committee of St. Agnes guild at Mrs. Faircloughs, and it was decided to have an informal meeting and tea for all the members there next Saturday. I have forgotten to say that the bus came for me yesterday when I was writing and that now it is Monday immediately after luncheon. After church Mrs. Gilman took me home and such a good dinner as we had! Just a roast beef dinner with best plum pudding I ever at. afterwards wine jelly, fruit, nuts etc - with claret that this Roble chicken greatly enjoyed. Mrs. Gilman has two splendid sons in their teens and soon to enter college - one is 6 4in. tall the other 6. 2+. The girl Mary is a healthy fourteen year old little beef eater. Mrs. Gilman's mother was also there. All are fine looking English people & Mrs. Gilman is lovely. Afterwards I met Helen in Palo Alto & we took a bus to Prof. Andersons. He has a lovely home just entering Menlo Park - a very large green house in the midst of a great field of oak trees and the most beautiful view of both ranges of hills. Mrs. Anderson could not leave her mother so we did not see her. But Prof. Anderson was so lovely. His mother helped him entertain us. She is a very old lady with a wonderfully sweet face & cultured voice and

[written] 8

[typed] Saturday after luncheon Feb. 6 - 917

My dear darling, Nannie

Have just read your letters and of course must talk back right straight off. I wish to goodness I had made a record but the only reason people are so lovely to me is because they all have such a lovely recollection of Mamma, even Mrs. Baker who never knew her.

Yesterday afternoon Marylya Main and I went to call on the Judsons Jordans - Mrs. Jordan did look so pretty and Edith always appears well in her own home. Dr. Jordan came in before we left and he told us all about his writing the poem that I send you in the Sequoia, it is a beautiful thing, and he wrote it in the dreary little cabin of a British man o' war. He said it had been a dark cloudy day and just before night, a rift came in the clouds and snt a ray of light with into his little cabin. it fell on the picture of Mrs. Jordan on his wall and inspired himm with the poem he wrote a couple of days after. He said he thought it was a "good poem and he guessed he liked it better than anyone else would." He is so in love with Mrs. Jordan and her with him that no wonder all the world loves such two lovers.

In the evening we met them again at the Roble Faculty reception and Dr. Jordan is such an old dear when he wants to be, after he has made the prettiest kind of a complement he says "I can't do any better then that".

Today Helen and Alice Colt have gone into the city to do a little shopping and to see N.....in Marie Stuart. Next Saturday Theodora wants me to go with her which I am more than tickled to do tho' I don't know what she is going to get. This some evening some of the Sigma Rho Eta are coming here and we are going to have a little dance. Yesterday Mrs. Anderson was up in the quadrangele she was looking quite I thought, but her mothers life is really a question of days. she feels more resigned I think as her mother looked very philosophically upon death which is a great comfort to Mrs. Anderson. Theodora I think is very well and very busy - full of golf and making plans for making shirtwaists. I was glad to hear from Mrs. Start. Our week of rain is over as today is a lovely one. Am so delighted with the Shelley and the ribbon and the envelops and the four dollars.

Bye Bye your Toodles.