A Letter Written on Feb 4, 1906

[Some paragraph marks added for ease of reading]

Templeton, Mass.,
Feb. 4, 1906.

Dear Lucy:-

I am lonely and wander disconsolately about the house. And what is the matter? Simply because I have no studying to do to-day & I don't know what to do with myself. I have written most of my book review at various times since I got up & now all I even want to do in the line of studying is to look that over.

I went to church. We came nearer blowing there. The wind just blew & gale & it was pretty cold besides. During the last stanza of one of the hymns the organ gave out. Bessie whispered to me to ask if I couldn't see the lights going out in the car somewhere. Lucius said that the cars ran off the track between ten and fifteen times yesterday. I don't know whether he was in earnest or not. Mrs. Parker said that she started from Athol at ten minutes of six and got home at twenty minutes of ten. She & Mrs. Bourn were the only women on the car. (To be sure when Auntie told of it in the Library, she said they were the only gentlemen). Some of the men were full & she said that the rest out ought to have been.

Auntie went to Leominster THursday & came back Sat. P.M. She got me a gilt belt. Mama had taken the other one back & given me the money. The one Auntie got is just what I wanted. She paid $.50 for it so I have 19 cents left which I am going to spend for a collar unless you have some objections. You see I was crafty. By getting a narrower belt I get two Xmas presents where I had but one before. Auntie brought home the green waist of Cousin Bessie's which she gave to me. It has long cuffs, opens on the side & has a lot of tucks in front. It isn't specially becoming to me but I don't look very bad in it so I shall wear it. Mama has a good deal done on my new waist. How well supplied I shall be with waists. Four flannel ones - two new and two nearly as good as new.

Ruth & I went off on a spree Thursday night. We went down to E. Templeton to the band fair. Ruth & "Ben" went the night before to the concert & their tickets were good for another night. Ben had to go to prayer-meeting so there was an extra ticket. He even came to the door with Ruth to ask me. There was a crowd at the fair. I had never been in Memorial Hall before so it was all new to me. The first thing on the program was a farce "Truth". Dora was a servant girl. She broke a vase while dusting & when her mistress Minnie Seaver came in she said that she didn't do it. But the pieces fell out of her apron so Mrs. Seaver gave her a call-down. There were some troubles about love affairs & as Mrs. Seaver had said that the truth should be told at all times Dora told something & that brought trouble. "There" Dora said. "I thought so. A lie is better than the truth. And now things are so bad that not even a lie can straighten them out." She tried it however & that straightened things out. There was "nigger man" straight from the South so Jay said. He was a little coarse. The hay seed band was good. Some of the band dressed up in old clothes & played various tunes under various names. For instance - it was announced that they would play "Home, Sweet Home," & they played "Yankee Doodle." A little boy sung & quite a few spoke. There were three divisions that spoke. Mildred Whitney got the prize for the first, Lilla Hobbs for the second & Mabel Zackery for the third. Mr. Boutelle of B.H.S. was the only, only, on-ly judge, a thing that did not strictly please him[.] There were quite a number that went down from there.

Well, we had the Lend-a-Hand club yesterday. Auntie came home from Leominster earlier than had intended to that she might be here to run it. There were quite a number here & by the way they laughed & talked I should judge they had a good time. I didn't work as Hardanger Work is hard on the eyes & my eyes ache nights when I am studying so I didn't dare to risk it. They sent me on errands. We got a dozen pinks for Mrs. Greenwood & I had the pleasure of going over after them. They were almost out over at the green-house & Mr. Whatever his name is had to just scratch to get a dozen. As it was they were rather small. I love to go over there for everything smells so good in a greenhouse.

I guess Mary Winch heard some startling things at the meetings. While I was gone Bessie got to running on about little children in the churches - they didn't know what they were doing & were not old enough to understand about joining. Then she was telling about various fellows & girls & there were a number of slang phrases used so Mary may be wiser than she was. The Union Tuesday night is a farce. I expect to go. The Glee Club Concert is Friday night. I don't know whether I shall go or not.

We gave Mr. Morse a reception Friday night. He was asked to resign so it seems a little strange to give him a reception. Bessie went so I got a complete history out of it. Polly Cowee, Marcus Wright, Zella Lusk & Arnold Bent were the receiving committee. They are the presidents & vice presidents of the Junior & Senior classes. Grace Hubbard got a little jealous when she saw her Bent standing up there with Zella so they (Grace & Arnold) went home after the second dance. Pierce Wood fell down during the Virginia Reel. I bet he was mad. Gregory & Maud Carlton had a fight so you see there was trouble all around. Mr. Morse had on his dress coat with the tarts on it & Bessie said that when he & Polly danced the tarts nearly touched the floor. Mary Priest was in the Grand March with Mr. McNamara, Mr. Brainard presented Mr. Morse with the ladted latest edition of Websters Unabridged. I suppose it was from the school.

The reception was held in Assembly Hall. Mr. Morse & Miss SMith, the Drawing teacher, led it & went right up over the platform. Bessie said that Tandy was disgusted. He thought it was bad enough to have to get up there in Rhetoricals without getting up there at a reception. Bessie said the Keyworths bundled her all up to go & when she got outside the door she said to Tandy that she was all bundled up. "Well," said he, "They know as well [as] I do that you are a precious bundle.["] Addie came back to school Wed. The measles showed pretty plainly on her face. Carrie is back. She is looking fine but of course gets tired easily. Bessie said that they expected that Drake would come to-morrow. She said that he hadn't been getting along very well. When he was taken sick they thought that it was going to be typhoid fever but it developed into a severe attack of "la grippe." I made up the last of my lessons Wed. nights so I am already to have the mumps. I dreamed last night that I had the measles again. I was so disgusted for I thought that I should have two weeks more work to make up.

Thank you for sending the postal. Do you remember how many students there were at Mt. Holyoke the first year? If you do please write tell me when you write next Sunday. Mama wants to know if you have heard from your class letter. Auntie sends her love & says to tell you that she has brought up another onion. Auntie asked Cousin Lizzie if she painted those pictures & she said she did so we must hang on to them as valuable possessions. Mrs. Greenwood is getting along as well as can be expected. Lucius hasn't come yet. Praise Hannah! But there is time enough. Woe!

With love,
Molly.

(Álas, Álas, he been & gone & stayed an hour & a half.)