Hattie Seminary May 12th 1866
Saturday afternoon.My very dear Kate,
Could you look into my writing-desk just now, you would not think this long silence had been without an effort to answer your dear letter received some time since, for there are three or four letters commenced to you. I am all alone now, can think of no possible interruption, and hope this letter will meet with better success.
I presume you have heard from Mother that I've not been very well some of the time since I returned, a punishment for running up and down stairs. However I'm quite well again only when I go around out doors to much, it makes my back a little lame, but that is growing stronger daily. Miss Belden, the physician, thought it would bee [sic] too hard for me in the fourth story this summer, and Julia and I have moved down to the second story. Have two pleasant rooms looking out into the court, can see the girls in their rooms on the other side of the court. It is rather hard sometimes to see them looking at me and not communicate by recognizing them in any way, which is an exception. Lou Battelle, a very pleasant girl from West Virginia, rooms with us, and we enjoy ourselves ever so much when not study hours. In the forenoon I take my book out doors and sit in the sun nearly two hours. What delightful weather we are having now, and the air is fragrant with the apple blossoms.
There are nearly three hundred girls singing Orations in the Hall very near us, and they make no little noise. I have to stop every few minutes to hear soemthing "beautiful." Miss Wilder has indeed trained them well. Mother wrote me that Mrs Smith had arrived in Bradford. Do you take music lessons? I would like very much to see her.
I was pleasantly reminded of your presence in the P.O. last Saturday on receiving a letter from home, with a sweet word from you on the envelope. I should think it would be quite an amusement once in a while, to look over the letters. I would not object having the letters here for domestic work.
Only two more weeks dearest Kate and we will not have to talk to each other through the mail. It does not seem possible that four weeks next Monday will have passed since I left home.
In these days that I could not study I've had more time to think of home and dear friends, and how many many times has the incident of that Sunday come to me, the thought that we could be "separated." May God forbid that we shall ever realize the meaning of that word, and may He make our love for each other ever yet stronger by helping us to love Him more and serve Him better.
Please do not remember how long I've been in writing you, and write me soon for every letter makes you nearer and dearer to me, and thus do you wonder I like to get them very often. My love to all your family and dear Grand-Ma Tappan and Aunt Mary,
Your ever true and loving
Hattie.