Dear Mamma:-You will be surprised when you hear where I am - in New York. A man noted in Biology, from Amsterdam, lectured here yesterday and Dr. Clapp wanted me to come down to hear him - paid my fare from the department funds. Miss Hooker and Miss Anderson2 of the Botany department also came down. Miss Anderson came down Friday night, but Miss Hooker and I left college yesterday at 10:30. The lecture was up at the Botanical Laboratory in Bronx Park (upper part of New York city) at 4:30. We had to come into town and then go back on a local train. Our train from Springfield was late so we barely got there in time. There were several hundred in the audience, and lots of people I know - a good many people like us from out of town. Prof DeVries is studying the way plants have evolved and told us about his experiments in a most interesting way. After the lecture Dr. Underwood showed us all over the building - the place where all the graduate work of Columbia University in botany is done. There are immense greenhouses and gardens in connection. Dr. Underwood was most kind. He has some work at Columbia and will be there tomorrow and has offered to show me about. Miss Clapp gave me letters of introduction to some of the professors also, as that is one reason I wanted to come down. So tomorrow I shall go around up at Columbia & New York University and also to the new High School. I happened to see Dr. Peabody yesterday - the man who has the Physiology at the H.S. - and he asked me to come to see their equipment.
Didn't decide to come until Friday noon, but I sent a postal to Elizabeth and am at the Shearers. I knew they would be glad to have me come if they were in the city. Elizabeth has just begun to teach - seems fairly well - sends her love to you & Papa. I shall go up to So. Hadley either tomorrow afternoon on Tuesday - it depends on how much I succeed in doing tomorrow. I mentioned my broken jar of spiced tomato, and I now have another to take back with me. We went to church this morning and heard Dr. Patton formerly president of Princeton.
We have just come in from a four o'clock service at an Episcopal church where they had lovely music. It was more high church than any I have ever happened to strike before - incense and places for confession &c, but the musical service was like the ordinary Episcopal service.
The week has been ordinary enough aside from this sudden trip. We got our money Tuesday and I sent you a check Friday or Thursday I forget which. Went to Springfield Wednesday afternoon and got me a pair of pretty window curtains for $2.50. They improve my room very much. I think I shall be able to get on without a Fall coat all right by wearing my raincoat. Also got me some shoes that fit very well for $4.00, less 10% discount - cheaper than I have had for a long time, but they look good.
Hope you are all right, and that Papa keeps fairly well. I have had a rather bad cold, but it has been and still is a regular epidemic so I suppose I could not expect to escape. Mine is not bad now - I did not have to give up to it, tho the worst of it came the days when Miss Clapp was away.
Mrs. Bowers of Nashua came up to see me last Tuesday. One might think I was her best beloved daughter by the fuss she makes over me, but I suspect she wants to see the College. Also one of the girls who was in Revell two years ago came to visit & I had her & the one who is entering this year over to dinner Tuesday night.
There was a recital by the voice teacher that evening, and after that an informal reception to Miss Talbot, Dean of Women at Chicago, and her friend Miss Breckinridge. They are in Green Hall and I was very glad to see them again. Saw them also Wednesday morning a while. About 20 of the faculty have studied at Chicago. Friday evening there was a lecture by the astronomer at Oxford, Eng. - not particularly interesting. His name is Turner.
I must stop & take this out to the box if it doesn't rain too hard. Hope it wont rain tomorrow.
Love to you and Papa -
Abbie117 East 54th St.
New York City.
Oct. 2, 1904