Mt Holyoke Seminary Feb 20" '66
Tuesday evening.My dear Kate,
The half hour bell before retiring has rung, but I will write a few moments in answer to your letter rec'd two weeks since. I was so glad to get it.
I thought of you so many many times while in Boston, and wished you would come out here, you would not have needed your "great trunk" at all. I want to see you more and more every day. When I think of last vacation how I hardly saw you, I look forward to the Spring vacation hoping I shall have more time at home.
I was happy to know you enjoy yourself so well with Miss "Lou" and other friends in B- but I was a little selfish in wanting you share some of the time with me. I almost made Julia feel bad, while speaking of Kate so often, and now she wants me to stop and retire with her, but I think it will be best for us both to sit up as long as possible, as we have eaten very heartily of oysters this evening, cooked in our own room too, by permission for you know we can not purchase edibles of any kind without "permit." They were real nice, and we enjoyed them much. My section teacher came while we were in the midst of the time and made us quite a visit, she enjoyed the fun with us. I made some of that sugar candy we used to make, one day, and gave some to the girls, from them it has spread over the whole school, till nearly every one has made it.
There's that bell sings in my ears "stop your fun immediately," and brings to my view the large chair in Miss Blanchard's room (just opposite) in which I once sat deeply convicted of my guilt; tardiness in retiring, and waiting with much fear for pardon, which was finally granted, only because I never had been before, The front seat is my reward if tardy again.
Wednesday morning. Having finished my extra work will add a few lines before going to ironing. Dear Kate I would enjoy so much dropping down in Bradford a while this lovely morning. I wonder if you are having such spring weather as we here. The snow is all gone only in spits around in cold corners, but the walking is not any too good.
I rec'd your paper for which many thanks. Thas [sic] was indeed a beautiful sermon of Dr Stones, and made doubly so to those who could listen to it and seem to enter into the whole spirit of it. We are expecting Dr Kirk from Boston here tonight to remain over the sabbath.
I presume you know that tomorrow is observed as a day of fasting and prayer here, and it is looked forward to with great anxiety on the part of christians here. Dear Kate, while at home I did not speak with you, of my hope in Jesus, tho' I suppose you know of it. Yes! dear Kate I do hope I have learned to love Jesus to trust in Him. I cannot write my feelings but in a few weeks hope I can tell them to you, but I want to ask if you will not seek that blessed Saviour, who, through his great mercy and love for us died, that all might live if they would but believe. "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." May not we who are so united in earthly love be more firmly bound in the love of Jesus, which is greater even than a fathers or mother's love? May Christ guide and lead you to Himself, is the prayer of your ever
loving
Hattie.My love to all your family, and to dear Grandma Tappan and Aunt Mary.