Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

[written] Rose p. 11 6

[typed] Stanford University, Cal. May 4, 1896

My dearest Nannie--

What an age since I have had a talk with you! I mean, of course, a written talk for of course, mentally we have chatted volumniously. Just at present there is a kind of lull in the second semester gayeties, everyone is studying hard for final exams, and there is no more frivolity[written] till Commencement week, which begins Friday May 22nd. When there is a promenade concert in the quadrangle, which is all illuminated with Chinese lanterns, & in the short arcades are booths. Then there is the Senior hop to which I have promised to go with Mr.Abbott, the one I wanted to go to the Sophomore Hop with. There is to be a choral concert too and then commencement day. I forgot the burying of the the hatchet bet. the Soph. & Freshman classes too.

Last Friday there was the prettiest reception given to the faculty by the Roble girls imaginable. It was a colonial evening, all the girls got as quaint costumes as possible & powdered their hair, and sixteen danced the minuet. I was to have been in it, but Theodora didn't want to see me in it, as she has sneered on such subjects since Said Pasha. After the minuet--professors and everybody danced all the old dances they could think of, Dan Tucker, Sicilian Circle, Sir Roger de Coverly, etc. You should have seen the staid and awesome faculty so thoroughly enjoying capering about. And the joke of it was they stayed till long after the lights went out, before they noticed that the lamps and candles had been brought in; a thing the boys would never dare to do. Dr. Jorden , Prof.Anderson & Mr. Hudson were not there, owing to previous engagements, but Dr.Howard was the last one to leave. The hall was beautifully decorated, & the refreshments of ice-cream and cakes were delicious. The rest of the week has been good solid digging, such as has gone in since the Junior Prom that I lead with Mr. Herme.

Yesterday I went to church and heard a good sermon from dear little old Dr.Peet, I think I shall that little chapel more than anything else when I get back to San Jose. Walking doesn't seem to tire me any more, and I love to go down there, it is so restful & peaceful, and necessary in the active life here.

I suppose Theodora told you of our little glimpse of Gertrude last week--she is such a splendid girl.

The first of June Theodora & I will go down to San Jose and be home again. I am looking forward to it ever so much. The Manns have just moved into a flat on U. first street much pleasanter, roomier and newer than their red house, and Laura and I hope to have a cosy time this summer.

How pretty the sample of blue alpaca is you sent, no doubt you will have a beautiful suit. Don't think of sending me, anything, for we are loaded with things to make up and without buying a single thing, and I think it will be jolly to sew this summer.

Prof, Hudson was telling me the other day of the summer school this year; he is going to repeat his lectures of a year ago, and a good many more of the faculty are going to stay. Prof.Anderson has moved down to Menlo Park--just where, I don't know. He is the dearest man living.

The picture I sent you was of Theodora, so Elsie was right after all, those little photos are the craze now, and it is positively unsafe to go on the quadrangle for you are sure of having one of those snapped. The weather has been most un-May-like. It has rained viciously for a month and even yet is gray and windy. I find my Caillrueh[written] suit & shirtwaist all lined[written], with a felt hat I made for the Junior