Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

[written] 36

[typed] Sunday Oct. 4, 1897

My dearest Nannie-

I am most afraid to write a word, in fact I got so bad that I have been afraid for a whole week, because I am sure Nannie has been worried to death about me, and I have simply been busy as could be, with good times to take up my spare letter-writing moments. This semester augurs a term of faculty good times, that is among the young faculty people. Miss Snow, daughter of President Snow of Kansas University is in the Hall this term and she has a brother whom I knew last year who is one of the assistant professors in entomology, so all of the bachelor profs with Mr. and Mrs. Hudson and Mr. and Mrs. Pierce make things very lively over here at Roble and at their homes. So you see that, together with two seminary courses, two history courses geology, and evolution have kept me more than busy. I have 18th century poetry in Prof. Hudson's seminary Tuesday afternoons, and the history of old English and AngloSaxon literature in Dr. Flügels seminary ( a course especially adapted to teachers), then the elementary, one term, geology course, and the history of England since 1485 and England in Tudor and Stuart reigns. I love my course, but I have had all kinds of sieges of being blue and wanting to do impossible things.

The boys seem to be making a special effort to be polite - to make up for the end of last semester, I suppose. This afternoon Kittie Haskell Edith Snow and I spent a few hourse over at Mrs. Dunnes withProf. and Mrs. Pierce, Prof. Allardice, and Mr. Snow. Mr. Pierce brewed coffee and we had a jolly time. How I do wish I could see you and describe all of the people and tell you in detail all the funny little things. You will think that I have not been thinking about my serious work after Christmas, but I anticipate little difficulty. I have a letter from Prof. Barnes to Mr. Brynton of the Fiske's teachers agency and letters of recommendations from Miss Darrah, Miss Shellenk..., Mrs. George, Mrs. Washburn and, besides Prof. Anderson, I expect to be able to get recommendations from others of the English faculty. Prof. Anderson and Dr. Jordan are not the people to go to in educational matters. All positions are obtained through the education department. Gertrude supplies me with ample funds and I am as well as well can be. I take the borowine het and like it immensely.

Kittie Haskell has sold her wheele to Theodora for what the repairs on it cost and so Lolie has the prospect of a glorious old time cycling - She is very well, and happy as a King, with a raise of salary and high praise. Next Saturday a number of the girls and I are going to the city - I need scarcely anything this winter- just shoes and a quadrangle hat - with an errand or two for Theodora so expect to have time to accept Mr. and Miss Snow's invitation for the theater in the afternoon. Marguerite Stabler is in the city and I am going to spend Sunday with her and Sunday night with Lolie. Howard Veeder is coming down to the university before long to visit Fred Schneider. Oh you will be interested to know that I had the best paper in English History a couple of weeks ago, that was read before the class and complimented for its English !

I am worried to death because I know you will be worried - if I only could plaster this letter with special delivery stamps - I never never never will be so bad abouyt writing again. I am simply head over heels

[written] 38

[typed] November 27, '997 Sunday night

My dearest Nannie

Am just home from my "Thanksgiving jag" as the football song goes and such a good time I never did have before! In the morning of Thanksgiving day Edith Snow, Kittie Haskell, Mr. and Mrs Pierce (pronounced purse) Prof. Allardice, Prof. Young, Prof. Campbell and Mr. Snow took the special to the city. The coaches were all bedecked with red bunting and after the engine had tooted the Stanford yell, the fourteen cars set off. When we reached the city I found Theodora waiting for me and when the regular Flyer came in we met Helen looking more like a queen than ever. Mr. and Miss Snow,Helen, Theodora and I took luncheon at the University club and then proceded to the game. We had seats in the yelling section which was the most loyal Stanford place. It was certainly a "red" day and the poor Berkeley men could scarcely keep their feet before our invincible line. The brilliant colouring of the cardinal mingling with the blue and gold makes a never to be forgotten scene, with trumpeting, shouting and waving of ribbons and flags. No one was hurt and the score quickly mounted up though the U.C. men did well and they had one good player and runner but our team is the heaviest of any of the Universities in the east, and Brook our coach was sure that it could have defeated Cornell this year.

After the game Helen, Tedora, Mary Brunton, Fred Haskell and I had dinner at the Palace and then went to the vaudeville that is given each year. It was very poor but was redeemed by the speeches of the football team, of Dr. Jordan and the rest of the prominent men. I could have hugged Stuart Cotton our captain, and in fact I am not sure but what I did exchange embraces after the game with Mr. Searles and some of the old men whom I hadn't seen for sometime, not excluding Dr. Jordan who returned from Washington that day. Theodora and I stayed all night at the Myricks and early in the morning Lolie slipped out to catch the seven oclock train for San Jose where she had to see Mr. Gorbey. I found Mr. Young at breakfast and accepted an invitation from him to go thru chinatown with Mr. and Miss Snow and Mrs. Myrick and Mr. and Mrs. Pierce. It was such fun to go thru all the merchants shops and finally up stairs to a swell resturaunt. Tea was served in a long hall very oriental in its black ebony, settes and taberets. The tables were large and Round with tea set for the party and pickled fruits - oranges and plums, ginger and chinese salted almonds that were delicious. The tea was the best I ever had.

Mr. and Miss Snow came home with us to dinner and afterward we went to the theater to see the "Geisha" - a new Japanese opera that has been having a great run. The next morning Mr. Young took us all down to the water front to see the fishing boats and that was indeed a most picturesque sight, with such refreshing drafts of sea air. We all dined at the University club and in the afternoon Mr. Allardice took us to the Loan exhibit at the Hopkin's House. It was of the local artists and we saw many of Keiths and Jorgenson's that we liked. Edith Snow and her brother said goodbye to us there and I do not know when I shall ever see her again. It left me with a very lonely feeling for in her short stay here I have grown very fond of her. Mrs. Myrick soon went home too and Mr. Allardice and I visited Shreves, Vanderdices, etc enjoying the Xmas things so much, especially those with the Stanford seal on them. I went out to the Myricks very weary indeed and had a good nights sleep beginning immediately after

[written] Nov 27 '97 39

[typed] dinner and lasting till late in the morning. Mr Allardice came out to breakfast and went to Dr. McKenzies church with us where I saw a man pull off his coat with his overcoat and left in his shirt sleeves - I simply died laughing in spite of the fact that I was with the head of the mathematics department.

After church we went out to the Presidio and roamed over the golf links where several men were playing. The view was exquisite and the air wonderfully pure and fresh, so invigorating in fact that it inspired Mr. Allardice and me with a desire to run down hill hand in hand leaving Mrs. Myrick at the top in amazment at the faculty and student good times. We got to 2345 Broadway in time for me to have a most lovely glimpse of dear Taymonville family whom I love every inch of - there we had tea and caught the 5:30 train home where Mr. and Mrs. Pierce were keeping seats for us. We made the way home shorter by "nod and beck and wreathed smiles" and games innumerablel and I reached Roble in time to find the dining room doors closed, but as I have found the good side of the cook, he treated me to hot biscuits and honey with apples and cake - quite the best lunch I ever had in Roble. Since the Kittie Haskell has made rarebit and the lights have gone out so I must hunt up my bed clothes which some of the girls have taken to the 4th floor during the vacation and make up my bed.

This Thanksgiving has been such a treat and no other one could have been half such a success because the people were just right this year to make everything so lovely. I have had such fun going over to the Pierces with Edith and Mr. Snow.Mr. Allardice and some of the Bachelor profs are nearly always over there and we have regular larks playing pillow -dex and charades or whist which scares me to death. Edith is so bright and charming that we shall miss her very much and you have no idea how jolly the awesome facultate are; quite capable of playing leap frog or indulging in soafa cushions fights or even Highland flings. I find a letter directed to Theodora in my care which I forward to her at once. She is such a dear noble girl that I respect as much as I love her and I can't say more.

Mr. Allardice took Helen Younger and me to see the new Stevenson monument in the old plaza and read to us in his broad scotch the inscription that has in it " be able to renounce without bitterness, to have a few friends without capitulations" and these two lines have gone into the happy holiday season as a kind of refrain to be always mingled with it in my memory of one of my happiest experiences, and for it all I have to thank my dear dear Nannie whome mama loves so too for giving her little girl such a good time. Please let it be my birthday treat too for it has been so full that it will do for a great many birthdays and last me a long long time. My candle is getting low so I must say Good night with a whole heartfull of thanks and love

Your Rose

Edith gave me the new girl calendar to remind me of her everyday.

[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