Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

[written] p. 30 25

[typed] Roble Hall Sunday [written] Nov '96

[typed] My dearest Nannie -

Can't for the life of me think what date this is but it is a week before this letter reaches you at most and five days at least, so I'll leave the mathematical computation to you, as "sich like" isn't in my college course.

Ther is but one fact of particular interest to relate this week that I can at present think of. Lat Wednesday, Mrs. Angel called and invited me to an informal little card party for Friday evening-- with apologies for my being the only student there; of course I was flattered & tickled to death and accepted with utmost pleasure. By Friday it occurred to me I had not earthly means of getting there, and Dr. Angel said two bachelor profs were the only ones going from the campus. But I was pretty sure Dr. and Mrs. Fairclough - the Latin professor - would be going, and as I knew them a little from Episcopal affairs I mustered courage to call and ask if I might go with them. Mrs. Fairclough 5 a chirping little English woman was too lovely for anything and said she knew I was a well bred girl for not going alone and would be very pleased to undertake my chaperonage! So much for your niece! I wore my crêpe waist & broadcloth skirt and did so enjoy the pretty home lighted by candelabra & an enormous great flickering fire in the hallway. Of course they had to go & play six-handed euchre which paralized me as I never played it in my life, and of course I found myself speechless for a second time at the second table with Prof. Smith, Prof. Marx, Prof. Kellog & Campbell & Dr. Fairclough the only girl as all the female partners had progresses. I was in misery & was thankful when at the second bell Dr. Fairclough, Prof. Campbell & I were victorious enough to move on to the head table where we found Dr. Angel, Miss Peet (Dr. Peet's pretty coquetish blue eyed daughter) & a Miss Roberts. Refreshments interrupted our victory there, when Prof. Allardice appeared & we ate delicous fried oysters & sandwiches, black coffee & cake together while having a very jolly time - he is the brilliant Edinburgh mathmatician you know, who is just as nice as he is peculiar. Soon we went home; and Dr. Fairclough is about the loveliest man I ever met (including, I think, Charles) he cheered up my terrified introduction to euchre in the most considerate way & was so thoughtful all evening.

The lights are going out and I have thought of a million things I wanted to say - so shall anyway - I began by not wanting my Sunday letter delayed by procrastination which Wordsworth considered a legitimate excuse but the lights are combining with the clock to present in my good intentions.

The sigma sigma senior & junior inter-fraternity is going to give a dance either the 11th or 18th and Mr. Abbot asked me for it which I accepted as all the girls are going and it is to be a pretty party.

I missed the chance of my life to do the polite by Mrs. Stanford last Saturday by my laziness - she was visiting the Hall & asked to see some of the rooms - Mrs. Clements told her she would show her mine and of course I had just gotten up and it was kicking its heels so that by the time I had thrown things in order Mrs. Stanford was driving off - served me just right, didn't it? I am rooming alone now as Miriam is going to come & go every day for the rest of the term. She has shown a wonderful insight into the depths of her sorrow by her cheerful sameness of dress and manner just a jolly & bright as before a fact in itself which makes you know every minute how keen & deep the experience was.

[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] 40

[typed] Sunday Dec. 12 '97

My dearest Nannie

Saturday morning bright and early my dear birthday letter from you came and I at once purchased two Stanford pins at a dollar and a quarter apiece one for Lolie and one for Rose and the rest is to go for Stanford photos to remember the dear old Alma Mater, nannie and my twenty second birthday by forever. And now I want to tell you what a beautiful birthday I had. For a week I had kept a little box in my lower bureau drawer without looking at it, supposing it to be a much desired Stanford pin. The night before I put it under my pillow with Mama's picture to be opened the first thing in the morning. All night I dreamed about my having a Stanford pin and having all kinds of dreadful things happen to it even to being stuffed in my punch. in the morning I woke up with a disappointed feeling and a wish that I were not so old that I could not be surprised any more and then sneaked down to the bathroom where to open my box by myself - when what do you suppose I found ! A most lovely pearl crescent pin and a tiny little pearl finger ring - just what I had longed for and always thought of as so far out of the range of the possible. Just imagine .' I haven't squeeled so since I used to hang up my stocking, I tore into Kittie's room to disply my pleasure and I think I never in all my life was so pleasedand I always shall be pleased anew whenever I see it and wear it - wasn't Lolie an angel? I am going to foward her little birthday note just to show you how dear she was.

The day was one of surprises - for later a box came from Mrs. Younger, Helen's mother, with two beautiful birthday cakes - prset- beautifully decorated with glazé cherries and fruits and oh they were so good .' A silver mounted crest came from Louise and a promise ofthe money for a purse from Gertrude with ever so many dear letters from the girls that happened to come on that day. So you see my cup was running over full and I am filled with a desire to be as good as I ought to be with such precious relatives. Yesterday evening was the faculty reception given by Roble, and Kit and I had a best time with the Bachelors and Mr. and Mrs. Pierce This afternoon Kit, Marylyn and I attended the Peirces smal usual Sunday afternoon gathering and had such a good time. Professors Allardice, Snow, Campbell, Young, Duninway and Dudley were all there. We wrote a composite letter of a line a piece to Mr. Allardice's supposed fiance - in which all of his idiocycrasies were detailed. Mr. Snow addressed it to Miss Milly Little Wit? Last change, Salt Lake Co., Utah.

This evening Phil Abbott is going to call - next Friday evening the Bachelors give a little card celebration to which Kit, Marylyn, Florence Pouts and I are asked. Next Saturday evening is the Theta girls reception and next Sunday Kit Marylyn and I are invited over to the Zete house to dine with Dr. and Mrs. Jordan. In the meantime I have my hands full of examinations, I suppose,although only one has so far been announced. Theodora comes down this week. Have finished the Choir invisible. Yesterday evening Mary Caldwell, Kit, Jessie Haskell and I spent the evening with Mrs. Peirce reading out loud and mending - later eating marmalade which Mrs. P. keeps on hand for my special benefit and fruit.

Thanks so much for my happy birthday

your Rose