Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

[written] p. 34 29

[typed] Nov. 29 - '96

My dearest Nannie -

Such a jolly time as we had last night at the dance! Theodora came down and surprised me about noon as she had said she wasn't going to come; she went to San Jose in the meantime & made an appointment with Mrs. Mann & came back on the six o'clock train bringing Mrs. Mann with her. Laura stayed with me too so it was all very jolly. I don't know whether I told you I was the chairman of the decoration committee, but I enjoyed the distinction for the last time I served my term which is expected from every one. The decorations were lovely - paper ribbons (Cardinal) fastened up to the chandeliers in the dining room the bulbs covered with cardinal tissue paper to give a cardinal light, & the chandeliers trimmed with mistletoe that grows in such quantities all about here. Mrs. Stanford sent me a wagon load of potted plants that we arranged in the lobby with great (red) berries & hung Chinese lanterns across the rafters. Up-stairs where refreshments were served we had the usual profusion of couches, cushions & screens collected from the girls' rooms & all the dancing was in the dining room lobby & lower hall. Such an easy place for entertaining was never heard of - plenty of men, plenty of room & plenty of very accessible decoration! Theodora looked lovely in her white gown, Laura wore a new beautiful lavender crystal silk with chiffon bodice, & I my little dotted swiss that I made over this summer & that was done up very fresh. Mrs. Stanford didn't come, but sent a very sweet little note with her head gardner which was very, very nice of her. All the spirit & enjoyment of the places seemed so heavily clouded by the sorrow that came to the Maclaren family on Thanksgiving day. The youngest boy - Forrest who was the pride & hope of them all was taken ill Wednesday night with some kind of stomach trouble, but was not considered dangerously ill. Thanksgiving morning Dr. Maclaren preached but at two in the afternoon, the child died. Dr. Miller was the physician and I don't know whether anyone else was called in or not but the trouble is not known. Mrs. Maclaren will be so unutterably lonely for, he was the delicate one of the two boys & the baby whom she was always with. I don't know what Mirriam's plans are as to her return; it is her first sorrow-experience.

The little glimpse of Theodora was so jolly, she looked so well & pretty.

I have completely run out of material to write about except don't worry about me expecially about my over working - for that simply is not in me, it is all together too easy for me to get along with high marks & a pleasant mixture of everything that the college life offers without making a record but as long as I have my work I don't worry and you can't study all the time. I am glad you are having such a happy time in Rome I know you will enjoy it. We have such a good waiter at our table now he does everything for us & rushes , the board seems quite endurable. The weather is simply delicious so frosty cold & bright--good enough to eat & drink.

Bye-bye Toodles

Roble Hall

Belle McMurtry has just been in and told about the sudden death of Mrs. Carrol Gates in Los Angeles. She was expecting to be confined in about a month and while up in the night to tendher little girl who was restless she suddenly dropt dead in the hall. The body was brought ...