Mt Holyoke Seminary
Nov. 14th 1873My dear Mary
I did think of imposing a postal card upon you, and not writing again this term, but after getting your delightful letter to-night I could not resist the impulse to make an immediate answer.
I have a little leisure-like feeling this evening, as my examination came off to-day and the new series does not commence until Monday. To-morrow is an examination day, but I shall probably spend it in correcting compositions - delightful task. It seems like coming to the end, but there is a whole week and a half after this before we go home.
I shall probably come home on Wednesday Nov. 26th in the afternoon, as I intend to stop in G. over one train.
When does the ordination take place? I should like to be there so very much. I remember Mr. Norton's ordination so well. I wish he could be in Montague at this time.
How wintry it seems out of doors, and in the house too. The steam has not worked well, and we have been quite uncomfortable a part of the time.
I think you would have been amused could you have heard some of the mistakes made in examination to day. The bat was called a "winged insect" by one of the poor, confused Juniors. The forlorn cow had no teeth except eight on the upper jaw, and so on &c[.] Mistakes in Natural History are the most comical of all comical things imaginable[.]
Miss Noble has had an invitation from Joe to spend her vacation in Washington. She has not fully decided about it yet.
Received a letter from Miss Sturtevant a few days since.
Have you seen such a thing as an old silver thimble with no top any where about the house. I think I did last summer. She says that was hers - or at least she left one somewhere last vacation, and she wants to keep it because her father gave it to her, and because it is of much value. If you find it please keep it for me when I am home I will send it to her. She says "Jesse" has made $3,000.00 in the baking business, and is now studying medicine in Philadelphia - "clothed in purple fine linen" Alas!
Miss Newhall sent me sixteen pages a short time since, perhaps I told you. She says they have a fine gentleman there now as head master - Mr Ames - but that Mr. P. has actually turned Newton Holmes out of the position he held and has done a great deal to hurt him. How does it happen that you have finished Algebra. I dont [sic] understand. If I should give you any advice it would be to study Arithmetic both written & mental. The girls that enter here are terribly deficient - 3/4 of them.
I must not write more until the 21st
goodbye
Cornelia