Mt. Holyoke College,
South Hadley, Mass.Zoological Laboratory.
Jan. 10 1893
My dear Mary,
Miss Hooker has inveigled me into buying one of her crack fountain pens - So you will undoubtedly be able to decipher my letters here after. I like it very much, so far. She took me into the headquarters at New York and made rates for me, so I only paid $2.22 for the thing.
I was glad to hear from you yesterday - so fully. I heard about the gold watches from the remarks on the letter forwarded. I congratulate you both, but hardly know what Harriet will do with so much that is valuable about her. As she is so impecunious just now she might pass the thing and live comfortably for some years -
I dont [sic] understand the allusion to "Fred and his first Waterbury" I should strongly advise you to remain at home during this inclement season. Why go to church and take cold - inevitably? The W. T. C. U. is to be established among us as the Somerset Society and embodied in the S. C. E.
Mrs. Mead goes today to Boston to attend the meeting - 25th anniversary of the Woman's Board. We are having the letters put on the doors of the recitation rooms at Will. Hall. Mrs Williston sent over a paper with the names of the rooms and the letter to be put on each room, so saving of our time is she! She has renumbered the rooms in this house. Floor A 1- 2 Floor B - &c &c
It is such a comfort that we are in such faithful hands - I have sent the Pilgrims Progress to Theodore. You did not speak of Richard's asthma, so I suppose it was a cold that took that form perhaps - for a while -
I sent a couple of postals in vacation, so you know about things in general. I had a fine time all around. Was quite disappointed that Miss Wallace did not get back until after we were there. Did I tell you that we made some aprons for Henry? Miss Wallace writes that he calls us the "apron ladies" and says now he does not have to wear "two pants." She writes "The haythen" wrote a Christmas letter and sent "a little gem of Tennyson bound in red morocco." Alas! I enclose a couple of scraps that have been sent me - Mrs. Mead greeted me on my return with congratulations "on my entrance into society" I looked bewildered, and she could not explain much & I did not know what it meant until I received this scrap. It seems that the society met at Princeton this year - the same set that I found in session at Boston two years ago - and what started them up to elect me I cant [sic] imagine. There were no women members at last accounts. I suppose you read the letter from Miss Cushing & understand that she has appealed to me for Mrs. Wright to run the mess house next summer at Wood's Holl. Would n't I like to have her go, make a great success of it & then tell Mrs. Williston! I am awaiting her answer with much interest. I think she would do finely, and she would put a feather in her cap if she should give satisfaction for that in the one drawback for making to the Wood's Holl life - the table.
I will send the report that Cook has just gotten out on Liberia. The meeting of the colonization society came off the day we came away, and I suppose some decision was reached as to whether Cook will be authorized to return to Liberia, under the auspices of the Society.
The Carters are terribly afraid that Alice will go with Cook to Africa, and the worst of it is this - Alice wants to go to Africa as much as Cook himself does. I shall be curious to know how it turns out. I went to Columbia College, saw Miss Gregory of Barnard. Went to the College of Physicians & Surgeons, called for Wilson who happened to be out, but saw Strong who showed me round. Also saw Lee who took us on over the Physiological Department - the best equipped of the departments & the best in the U.S. they say.
We visited the Metropolitan museum - and as I recall the ride in the "bus" to get there, I am reminded of Henry's description of a ride in the horse cars, after he reached Hamburg. The first experience of riding in any way, I suppose. He said that he thought he "should come apart," & Cook said he hung on to himself as tho' he expected to fall to pieces.
Collins confided to me the fact that it did not take him long to read Miss Wallace. "She is independent" - He also seemed to appreciate that she was awfully strict "Why she dont [sic] believe in having the cars run Sunday!" We keep cool these days.
Write again - pretty soon -