So. Hadley Dec. 23rd/68
My dear sister Mary
And now a letter to you, Molly, but what to say I know not, so I will talk of the weather a while, until some thing comes to mind to tell you.
We are having a nice snow-storm this morning. I dont [sic] know much about cold weather this winter, as the house is warm night and day, throughout, and unless I go to walk, I hardly know that it is winter. It is Wednesday and I shall not have to walk to-day.
What are you up to these days. Suppose you are studying very dilligently [sic] of course.
Christmas is most here. Mother will have a chance to see some Christmas Trees this year I hope. Do you anticipate Christmas eve?
The teachers keep their own counsels, as is their custom, but we girls suspect that something is planned for us on Christmas.
Mr Boardman [sic], one of the Trustees, has been trying to get the day for us as a holiday, but it is very improbable that we shall have more than one half of the day.
I have just finished my extra work and have been sewing on my fancy work, that is mending my black dress, which comes to rags, while hanging in the closet. That makes me think, I would like to have you send me a piece of my garnet dress in a letter, about as large as half of this sheet, not the letter but the piece, for I have been so unfortunate as to tear it near the pocket quite badly, and I can find no pieces of it here so I suppose I must have left them. Have you got your hat made yet? presume you have.
Has Cornelia Alford come yet? I am so glad you like Serena, I heard in some way, that you were going to have Readings in Montague, is it so? We have decided upon our Christmas present for Miss Hazen. It is a silver fruit basket. There goes the 15 before dinner. It has cleared away beautifully. This letter will answer for a weather record if nothing more. I guess I will go down and read till dinner, and finish this so to send it to morrow morning.
6.45 P.M. I have just been to Mr Lawrence's office to find out if we could have our stove moved, it is under consideration.
I have spent a part of the afternoon in making calls which is dull business for me any where else except here. Mary has just got a letter from home, containing a Christmas present of a lace collar. Mary just read me from her letter that the Punchard High School building has been burned. Presume you have heard of it. Miss Bailey has not yet answered my last letter.
Tell Charlie that he must use his pen holder - christen it by writing me a letter. Also please with that older brother of mine to use his pen holder in the same good cause. The next bell will soon ring and I must seat my self to that Algebra[.]
Please send the piece
sof my dress in your next, and let the next come as quickly as possible as I need my dress much.I have heard a rumour that we are to have all day Christmas, Mary is just proposing that we start Friday morning and come back Saturday, this is only talk, however. I would love dearly to be present on the occasion at home but it is too serious an affair to leave here even for one day, to pay[.]
Good night to you all Cornelia
Miss Hazen has taken to calling me Cornie of her own accord which I dislike very much.
One girl told me to night that she always supposed my name was Clack.