A Letter written on Jan 18, 1881

[Original had only one paragraph break. I added a few more for readability.]

South Hadley Jan. 18. 1881

My Dear Old friend and roommate:

When I recd. your letter it brought up so vividly to my mind the days we spent together in 76 that I felt in a mood for sitting right down and answering it, but thought I'd wait a week or two, and so I have been putting it off from week, to week, but am really quite shocked upon glancing at your letter which lies open before me to see Oct. 27. staring at me; for it doesn't seem possible that so many weeks can have elapsed while I have been procrastinating.

I recd. your card mailed Jersey City, the other day, and my curiosity was excited not a little, to know who there wished to open a correspondence with your humble servant, but as you will doubtless remember, I am quite gifted in reading Takig. [?] so it didn't take long to get enlightened on the subject. Imagine my surprise, at learning that you had strayed so far away from home, as that, what could have possessed you! My first thought was that you were on your wedding trip, but I notice you still sign your name Brooks, and unless some fortunate gentleman bearing that name has secured your hand my prognostications were not true. Please give information in your next, as I'm still interested in you.

You asked several questions in your letter, which I will proceed to answer to the best of my ability. Firstly, the elevator is is [sic] in the main building, taking up part of the space occupied by the middle room in the basement, so you see it is handy to the dining hall. We girls find it a very convenient thing to have in the house too. All we have to do if we wish it to come to the story where we are, is simply to touch a knob, which communicates with a bell, in the elevator: We do not ride down to meals, but it runs after each, for half, or 3/4 of an hour and at recitation hours. Miss Guernsey has it for her domestic work to run it. If I had time I could tell you much more about it, as Miss Holmes has explained its mechanism all out to us, in connection with Physics.

You ask whom we recited to in Chemistry. Miss Shattuck had the class that Ina and I were in, but Miss Melvin had the other two. Miss S. has inquired after you once or twice, also Miss Wood at whose table I now sit and whose Sunday evening meeting I have the privilege of attending.

You ask if Miss Hughitt is back teaching. No she isn't, but Miss Samuel, who graduated last year (perhaps you remember her, is, and the girls say she seems to fit in most anywhere, at any rate it always falls to her lot to supply vacant places[)]. I think she has presided at almost every table in the dining hall, for a greater or less length of time since the scool [sic] year began. Miss Votey is a Senior this year and makes quite a good one. By the way the Senior class numbers 47, and is a fine class too I think. I might have been among them if I hadn't stayed out last year, too bad, isn't it!

Matie Rexford, and Ella Penfield, with a Junior room in the same hall with us so we see them often, I don't know just how many there are in the Junior class, but I do know there are a good many pretty wild ones but some of them have been sent home to see their friends, and I guess it would be a good thing for the institution if a few more should go. Emily Bissel is here this year, she quite distinguished herself, a short time ago, by giving an account of her mother's missionary work in India, at the Monthly concert in Sem. hall. I suppose Julia is preparing herself to enter Wellesley next year. Prof. Harris of St. Louis, one of the greatest Philosophers in America, has given us two lectures and will give two more this week. His subject is "Education." I can tell you he is deep, but I like him pretty well. You would I know. I will add a little Takig [...]

[Included with this letter are two short pieces of shorthand that look like a school assignment; the translations are a string of unrelated words. The third piece is definitely a letter in the shorthand, but I have yet to find someone who can read it.]