[Some paragraph marks added for ease of reading.]South Hadley, Mass.,
Dec. 10, 1907.Dear Sister:-
This letter will be a patched up affair for time is precious. I am writing now in Class Meeting between times. Sunday night Miss Galt read "The Brushwood Boys" to us down in the parlor. As I had letters to write I went into Lida's room to write them as the girls there were going to do the same thing. One of the girls brought up some milk & the girls wanted to make fudge but they had no sugar. Abbey and Louise went down to get some off the tables. Soon they came back on the run. They had dropped some on the floor and just as they were going to clean it up they saw the matron coming. They fled but the sugar scattered out of the girls' pockets so Miss Smith traced them clear up to the fourth floor so naturally the girls caught it and had to go down and clear it up. They made the candy down on the second floor. Louise, Ruth & I stayed upstairs & wrote until it was done. Then we went down & while we were eating told stories of fires, dreams, robberies and in short of every horrible thing under the sun. I guess I was the only one who slept well that night. While we were talking an alarm clock in one of the rooms went off twice. It startled us & the second time it really frightened us & we went out to explore. We met Miss Galt, also on an exploring expedition. The girl in whose room it was, appeared & explained. Miss Galt said, "It sounded like the fire alarm", and walked away in her stateliest manner.
Yesterday A.M. I got my seat for the Christmas concert. Being up in the alphabet I was one of the first to get my tickets after the Seniors. The tickets were just handed out so there was no choice. Elizabeth & I are going to-gether. I got 506 in 7, Right Center. Isn't that good? I think it so.
I washed a very little & studied hard all day long. I had a pile of fun in Gym. The Gym closes this week Sat. so I can't have the pleasure of cutting next week. I read up in Botany until dinner time trying to get ready for that paper.
I expect to be bankrupt when I get home. At lunch yesterday a paper was read to this effect "That be it known to all men as this is a season of rejoicing & good will etc
andthat a fine of one cent would be imposed for the following offenses committed in the dining-room forthea week beginning with dinner
Tardiness
The use of awful or awfully.
Shop talk
Complaining or whining.
The money obtained will be used in brightening Christmas for the village poor."That is horrible (I was going to say awful). I got fined last night for "shop talk". Poor Marion Hoyt said "awful" five times. Margaret had been rejoicing that the forbidden word wasn't "mighty" & then she said "awful". We got thirteen cents last night. At that rate those at Miss Smith's table will walk home.
Wed. P.M.
The deed is done. My exam is over. I hardly know what to say about it. It wasn't nearly as hard as I expected it would be. I answered everything. I had to guess at one thing and guessed about right. They say that the recommendation from the tutor counts more than the exam. I think Miss Locke will give me a good recommend. The lady who had charge of me kept saying , when I went in, not to worry about it, that she guessed it would be all right etc. Either she was trying to encourage me or else my taking it was just a ceremony. I took it in the Chem. lab.
IfWhen I find out, if it is before Friday, I will send you a postal. There won't be much on it for I don't care to have everyone know my private affairs. Don't expect much of a letter from me Sat. for as the concert is Fri. night I expect time will be valuable.I think our table enters into the spirit of the restrictions more than some do. We certainly make more money & have a better time over it. I have heard several of the girls from other tables grumbling about it but we really enjoy it. I was late at lunch to-day so now my bill is two cents. Horrible! Miss Smith got caught twice last night.
Class Meeting was horrible. We wanted our present chair-man to be President & she refused to have her name up & it was such a surprise that we didn't know what to do so we got in a grand muddle. I fear Parliamentary rules had to suffer. It was absolutely necessary that the President be chosen last night for the appointment was made for her to have her picture taken this A.M. (to go in the Llamarada.) We finally chose the girl whom we chose secretary at the first of the year. I am very well satisfied as long as Sarah wouldn't let us put her in.
Last night until after eleven I was the only one
ofon the fourth floor. The Dramatic Club gave a great play but me was studying Chem. & couldn't go.I got a little figuI felt a little funny when I realized I was "all all alone" so I made some explorations & found that the girls at the foot of the stairs on the third floor were at home so then I felt better. I got somesleepy that a little after ten I went to bed & slept until the noise of the girls coming in woke me. Then I had to hear all about it but as soon as the house was quiet I went to sleep again. I didn't get up till 7:30 & lay down when I came in from my exam so you see I am resting.The lecture Mon. night was something terrible. I think the only thing we found out was that "the Cid was a national hero". (It was on the Cid). The man spoke with such a strong Spanish accent that we couldn't understand much. Everyone went to sleep. The speaker sat down & read his speech, & when he had finished just slapped his hands down on the table. We clapped hard - we were so glad it was over. I had just a lovely letter from Cousin Bessie Mon. night. My eats didn't get here until yesterday.
I don't need to bring my raincoat do I? How about gaiters? I shall need my sweater shall I not? (Ahem). I must stop & not dig. How are you all? My cold is getting over with fast. A week from to-day!
With lots of love,
Molly.
South Hadley, Mass.,
Dec. 15, 1907.Dear Sister:-
How honored you both ought to feel to each get a letter from such a distinguished person as I am. Well here goes for answers to your suggestions. I think Aunt Ada & Uncle Warren would like the "Cosmopolitan" as well as anything we could get. I don't remember in whose name it was sent. It would be likely to be to Aunt Ada, wouldn't it? I think a magazine would be nice for Aunt Mattie. I believe we spoke of it last year. What, I don't know. The "New England" is very nice I think unless it is too expensive. Perhaps you can get special rates or something of the kind for some magazines. I think a water color would be nice for Grandma. As Aunt Mattie has flowers perhaps she would like it better than the bulb. (Perhaps you could take down a bulb some other time.) I think a water color would be nice for Cousin Esther & don't you think Cousin Bessie would like one? They seem to fit her (if you can understand that.) How about Cousin Emma & Cousin Lizzie? I don't know of anything else we could get Arthur. We might get one of Cooper's books if we could get one cheap enough. Perhaps Auntie & I could get it. Margaret says the "Deerslayer" would be fine for him.
About Auntie I don't know. I guess we will have to talk her over. I suppose we can get Uncle a diary as usual. I don't know of anything else. What am I going to get for the girls? Did I write I had given up making banners for this year? I don't want to have to hustle all the week before Christmas. Mama suggested once that I get one book for all the Stone children. How would that do? Please think what I can get for Karl & Russel. I hope I can get some of these things in Springfield if she meets me there.
Last night we girls had a spread - Olive, Alice, Margaret & I. We had a big chocolate cake, buns & then popped some corn. The corn was great.
Fines are off down at the table and I only owe four cents. Didn't I do well? Lida only opened her mouth once and said "awful" in that speech.
I can't think of another thing so I will stop. It seems so soon. Only two days after to-morrow. I can hardly wait.
With love,
Molly.I forgot to put on my Christmas list that a green hair ribbon to go with my green dress would be very nice.