Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

[written] p 327

[typed] Christmas Day - at Roble - 1896

My dearest Nannie -

Thank you so much for the present - I am going to invest it when I see just what I want and need. I was so sorry not to get a Christmas letter off to you but I hope Theodora told you how rushed with exes I was - simply didn't have time to eat, sleep, or talk much less write letters, two set papers and four examinations in three days. But they are all over now and Theodora and I are enjoying our Christmas ever so much. There were lectures and examinations right up till noon Wednesday. And Wednesday evening some of the Zete boys came over and we made candy and played cards. Last night some of the Rho Eta boys - Mr. Holbrook, Mr. Will Thomas and Mr. Royce Strohn stayed after dinner and we repeated the performance of the night before. To-day all the girls are asked over to the Zete house by Mrs. Baker for five o'clock Christmas dinner which I think is very jolly. This morning we had a dear Christmas service and Mr. Prof. Fairclough asked me to her home for Christmas dinner but of course I couldn't accept, but Theodora and I are going to call there to-morrow, as well as at the Stillmans, Angels, Gilmans, Teggarts, Jordans, Thetas, Mrs. Bralys and the Kappas!

I hope you like the picture. The one in the center of the large group is Helen Younger, the three on the right side Jessie Haskel, Alice Colt, and I; the three on the left side are Miriam, Kathe Hadkell, and Marylyn Main, Marylyn sits corresponding to me. I was sorry we sent them to Cazerona but they will be there on your return from Rome. I sent the back view to show you how the little party gown was made that shows better than any of the pictures. I don't know as you will care for that view, if you do not you can send it back, if you do be sure and keep it the same with the big group.

We were delighted with the excellent picture of you in the GIsland group. It looks just like you. I am glad to see Elsie keeps her mouth open in a picture too, I simply cannot shut mine. We are going to spend New Years with Mr. Myrick which will give me a chance to get me a suit for the second semester, and have a change tool. In the meantime I can rest and mend. It really is very very pleasant staying here. Dr. Jordan is just home and we are all so thankful we hope to have the matron changed the one we have is too old and unintellectual to be in anyway competent.

It was so much fun last night to see the girls unpack their Christmas boxes - such quantities of lovely things and fruit cakes, candies, jams etc., I have eaten myself full several times which is a swell sensation for a Roble girl.

Prof. Anderson is such a dear darling old blessing I just love him; he is too nice and sociable for anything. So is Miss Daralu - my education instructor. Gertrude is spending her Christmas with Dean in Marysville.

I had a Columbia spectator come yesterday from Jack Reynolds, one of the twenty Stanford men who are at Columbia or in New York now.

Theodora is so enthusiastic and wrapped up in her work, she can scarcely wait to go to the Institute in San Jose next week - Think of it! She looks very well in her beautiful new tailor gown.

We are having delightful Christmas weather just enough sunshine to make the frost brilliant every morning. The Encina boys take their in Roble during vacations which is a pleasant diversion - as there are quite a number of the nice ones staying. The Sigma Sigma party was postponed till next term and is to very extra superfine. When it does come off. So I am still waiting to wear the dear Liberty scarf. Give

[written] 9

[typed] Roble Hall Sunday - Jan.3-'97

My dearest Nannie -

Last evening I came back from a very pleasant New Year with the Mynicks and now that dear little Lolie has gone to take her bath, I will have time to write. She tells me she forgot to tell you about Christmas day. I don't know whether that included a little impromptu card party the night before or not. But I believe I told you about that in my last letter. At any rate Mrs. Baker who has lived at the Zet Psi fraternity house ever since her son entered asked us to take Christmas dinner with her together with the Haskel girls and their mother, Marylyn Main and Alice Colt. The things did taste so good and it was such a pretty dinner, afterward we danced--three of the boys were home, and the evening went in a twinkling. The Monday afterwards Theodora went to San Jose and I suppose has told you all about that. Thursday I put on my green skirt and waist and went to the city on the noon train, and spent a couple of hours shopping before I went out on Broadway to the Mynicks. I found at Sammuels a blue English serge suit - close fitting- double breasted, small sleeves, velvet collar & tailor finish all exactly what I wanted & made to wear shirt waists with too like this [sketch of a dress as described] all for 23.50 reduced from twenty-seven. I shall like it because it is different from the half-fitted jackets so common and like my last winter black serge. It is very stylish too & has quite a distinguished air I flatter myself. I also invested in four pairs of excellent stockings at Drane & Hueshil woods for a dollar and a black merino petticoat. And in a trice did all my little errands and went up to Mrs. Mynics by five-thirty. We had a very delicious turkey dinner, lighted candalabrae with red berries. Judge Mynick had asked Mr. Pomeroy to dine and is he all enthusiastic about Stanford where he taught law last year, we had a very congenial time. His father is of the law text book fame. In spite of an engagement he had to watch the old year out he stayed to help extole Prof. Anderson with me and before he knew it he stayed the evening too. After he went about eleven o'clock we went to a Presbyterian watch meeting and issued in the New Year singing hymns. The next day I didn't wake up till nearly two O'clock in the afternoon when Couisin Emma called me and then we went out to the Cliff House for a ride. The day was about the most perfect I ever saw in San Francisco so clear that we could see the Farolon Islands. That evening we met Miss Brewer and Mr. Wilcos at the theatre where we saw the Trauley Co. in "The Great Unknown" - a pretty little society comedy with Frank Worthing the most attractive player. The next day Mrs. Mynick went with me while I did some more odds & ends of shopping - getting my dress which I left to be refitted & which I found most satisfactory and then we had such a delicious little luncheon at the University Club. I came home on the four-thirty train finding Marylyn Main and also Prof. Allardice. He is the brilliant Edinburgh professor in Mathematics and exceedingly entertaining. At the Hall had the happiness of finding Mrs. Baker installed as mistress of the Hall. Dr. Jordan had told me that Mrs. Clements was going to go and then Mrs. Baker would be our temporary house-mother--most delightful news and the dear precious man took such pleasure in telling it. It is so good to see him walking past the hall again, when

[written] 22

[typed] Saturday morning, April 10-97

My dear darling Nannie

I am just jumping up and down with delight. You are too dear for anything to send Lolie and me the shirt waists, and I was just thinking I never would have any more collars and I need them like fury - you act so sweet I am afraid your nieces will break you utterly - and the worst of it is I am standing on my head with joyful expectation of the box. Theodora is going to spend Easter with me so can the things down then. She will be tickled to death and I am so glad you sent the box to her 'cause it will be so jolly for her to get it. Of all things I wanted it was a petticoat - did I write you so or did you just know it? I was most out of those than anything. I hope the Mississippi floods have subsided for I can hardly wait.

Your letter was so interesting about being in New York. What a shame you missed Mrs Bliss but probably you have seen her by this time. I know th Catherine Adams the sister of the one who went with Marjorie Scott but never met Evangeline - doesn't it seem funny to think of going to Brazil just to sing ! Yes Theodora got the National Cloaks Cos. catalogue and we both liked the suits ever so much. I shall look up no. 21. Yes indeed isn't Maggie Scott magnificient? What a shame you should have been ill but it is a blessing you had such good weather to be sick in.

Summer has come here - it is a perfectly darling day - the air is so soft and caressing and the birds and the poppies look so happy. I was so amused at what you said about Waldo Williams. He is in the University now - when we had the last Shakespeare examination that was such a stunner I felt as if I should walk out of the room a la Waldo which expressed just the feeling all of the class had afterwards when we compared notes. I have a very vivid picture of the kind of a man Mr. Jackson is - I am so glad you have had such a pleasant visit. Gertrude is spending today with precious Lolie and tomorrow comes here to spend her vacation - of course I am delighted. I love to think of you in the heliotrope gown. How stylish it must be this year when that color is so much the thing. Epsilon Chi loves you ever so much and I am always forgetting to send the messages Marylyn Main, Miriam and the girls send.

Last night was the night of the Glee club concert in the chapel I believe I told you Mr. Pitcher called and asked me to go but I was so gladI didn't, for yesterday I accepted an invitation to subsitute for Kitty Haskell to go to a little welsh rarebit party at Mr. Nash's bachelor quarters in Encina. He is the librarian now, and was the Stanford's private secretary. Mr. and Mrs. Hodges - the architect and his wife - Marylynne and Kittie were invited but Kittie had a tooth ache and put a porous plaster on the outside of her face and let it stay too long so has been wretched ever since and could not go last night. So I went in her place although I know the Hodges very slightly and had never met Mr. Nash but we had such a jolly time. The curator of the museum Mr. Schlopbach - was the other gentleman. We played six handed euchre and then went into another room - the guest chamber of Encina - where a table set for six and we made rarebit and had patties, stuffed olives, fruit and candy till the lights went out. It was truly unique and very enjoyable, especially to as Mr. Schlopbach has not been in this country very long and has a strange and wonderful uncommand of the language which was very funny. He is the best curator the museum has ever had, and knows everything. He came home with us and told about his travels in a very interesting way. Mr. Nash is a fierce looking

[written] 27

[typed] Today I went to church and accepted Mrs. Gilman's invitation to go home with the girls to dinner - such a good dinner as it was ! After dinner I met Kittie Haskell and we went to call on Miss Darrah in Palo Alto we had a most delightful time - She is such a delightful woman and so very encouraging in the teaching prospects. We planned to go to Prof. Anderson's too but didn't have time. Theodora was gone when I got back but I had left her to visit Helen.

Everyday I christen something new that came in your beautiful boxI love the collars and cuffs and the hair brush is a dandy - I am waiting till I wash my hair before I use it. I haven't worn the shirt waist yet but we have a stroke of warm weather so shall have the chance. We lost the Field day yesterday but wome the the debate- just the reverse from last year. The field day was a great surprise as John Bruenton our champion man proved overtrained and stale. I don't like track athletics - it throws too much responsibility on individuals.

I have gotten my pages very much mixed but hope you can make them out. In Browning we have been reading Colombe's Birthday and Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came. Prof. Anderson read the latter so wonderfully well and made it so full of meaning. One always reads so much personal experience into his interpretations- his personality is so rich and yet so buoyant + one of the people whom you know the world over no matter whether you can see and speak with his. I consider it the greatest privilege of my college course to have studied under and to have known him. My other work for the end of the year is coming out very easily and smoothly - I contemplate no very difficult examinations and I have all my note book work done up. There is just one little German Composition examination left over from last semester that I forsee any trouble with - and that lies mainly in making up my mind to take it - like bad medicine. The girls mothers are all coming to see them graduated - Mrs Morrison - Marylyn Main's mother, Mrs. is coming soon just to visit - Marylyn isn't graduated for another year - Alice Colt is so disappointed for Mrs. Colt has just written she can't come - but Mrs.Maclaren will be here for commencement

Thank you very much for all the advice and everything and I'll be good about following the directions

Your Rose.

[written] 42

[typed] December 26, 1897

My dearest Nannie -

This paper isn't telling the truth for I am writing at Mrs. Myricks 2345 Broadway on the day after Christmas but this is all the paper I have with me and it is my last piece. I am so sorry that I didn't get a line to reach you on Xmas day as you did me, but Nannie - I never in all my life went thru such a cyclone of daily examinations and papers in my life - some of them lasting two and three or three and half hours. But they are all over now and I think all passed, with the best one and the best mark in a general review of English literature under Dr.Flugel and Prof. Anderson. The first time that such an examination has been given in the Eng. department, so I shall feel especially stuck up over my degree. They are not granted however till January 14th. There were several final festivities - an evening spent at the Bachelors playing all sorts of gambling games with Mr. Allardice, Mr. Nash, Mr. Snow, Mr. Young, Dr. Angel, Dr. Campbell, Mr. Peirce, and Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Hopkins beside Florence Park, Kittie Haskell, Marylyn Main, Marie Markham and Mrs. Peirce. Then, there was a reception at the Theta House where the same little coterie met, an at Home and Mrs. Jordans, a dinner at the Zete house given by Mrs. Peirce with the Bachelors- by Mrs. Baker and best of all Christmas evening spent at Mrs. Peirce's with the Bachelors Mrs. Peirce read from the Birds Chritsmas Carol about the Ruggles family Xmas dinner, Mr. Campbell sang, we played twenty-one, prepartory to having an auction of 10cent Xmas gifts. It was great fun and we had mince pie refreshments - Kittie serving them and I made tea with the help of Mr. Allardice and Mr. Pierce. The next morning (Christmas) Theodora and I accepted Mrs. Myricks' invitation to come up here and we are having such a good time.

The Christmas dinner was so good and this morning Theodora and I went to St. Lukes to hear a sermon by Bishop Michols and a confirmation service. Kittie, Jessie and Fred Haskell are coming up to-morrow for a week and maybe Helen Younger will come too, so we are looking forward to a great lark and good time. I am going back to the university with Kittie Haskell to pack and make calls. I have joined the Teacher's agency and am overwhelmed with lovely recommendations. I applied for the English position in the Santa Cruz High School but that is not till next September. It is a difficult thing to get a position now and if I don't succeed I am going to go down to the University Tuesdays and Thursdays for Bibliography work - an Eng. History course and a general Eng. lit course. I love it up here at Mrs. Myrick's and am getting very fond of their little brown house round the corner.

Money matters are in a particularly encouraging state and oh I am so much obliged (Which doesn't half express it) for sending the letter to Mr. Gosbey about you paying Gertrude my debt. The family allowance is to be continued so I get twenty every month. I wonder if I told you about Mr. Peets death two weeks ago today. After the service in the evening an and an afternoon spent with St. Andrews brotherhood he simply fell lifeless in the lobby of the Palo Alto hotel. The day before Kittie had been with him to have such fine photos taken. She gave me one of the large ones for Christmas and I am so delighted. He was buried in the chancel of the church Bishop Nichols,Dr. Wakefield,Mr. Gassman Dr. Breuer officiating Judge Myrick sends love, and I am hurrying to finish before dinner.

Wishing you a happy New Year

Your Rose.