Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

[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

[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