Dear Mamma:-I have just been out to the Botanic Garden with Mrs. Johnson. She is extremely fond of flowers, and has a most interesting hardy border around her yard herself. The Harvard garden is more as ours at college used to be, in style, though of course much bigger. Many things have gone by, but it is remarkable how many there are left. You would enjoy seeing hte place. The greenhouses are always open, too, but we didn't go in. It is no farther from here than the South Hadley one from Mrs. Lovell's - in fact not as far. It must be lovely in the spring. I like Mrs. Johnson so much. She has gotten my Symphony concert ticket, since she had two last year and needed only one this year - and former subscribers can have their seats again. There are very few for general sale. There are eight Cambridge concerts and I thought I'd better go to them rather than to odd ones in Boston. Many people say the Cambridge ones are best, and I am so glad to go with Mrs. Johnson. Even if I am not over here the last half of the year, it will be nice to come over for the concerts. And I may find it possible to make some arrangement over here - I'll see when the time comes.
I gave Mr. Clough your address all right. I hope you'll get the money this week, tho it'll not make very much difference to Jessee when she has it. We used to pay Mrs. Lovell only once in four weeks, and you've been there hardly that yet. But I presume you need some for other things, too.
I sent your pen yesterday. It had to have a new pen. They said the points of the other were all worn out. Of course it was not an expensive one to start with. I hope you will find it all right. Be careful not to hit the pen when you put on the cap as they said that would bend the points. I have been down to the stores so few times that I couldn't get it done before. I had my coat relined by a tailor near here and had him put in a heavier interlining so it will be warmer, a good deal, than before. I shall have to get either a suit or another coat after a while, but the old coat was well worth relining. I think I can trim up the hat I had before my last one for everyday. I got it out last night and looked at it. I shall have to stop wearing my straw one pretty soon.
Yesterday afternoon while I was away Emma Longfellow's cousin and daughter called. I was so sorry to miss them. The daughter is very pleasant - a Radcliffe graduate of last year's class.
Miss Smith is in Berlin. She had been down to Dresden when she wrote last and was trying to find out about work at the University. Classes begin Oct. 24 and then the students have two weeks to go to classes and sample them before really deciding whether to take the course or not. Belle sails for home Nov. 4 and Miss Smith dreads to have her go. I hope she will get into a pleasanter pension before Belle leaves.
I still have a few of the cookies left and about half the cake I brought. Being at my room so little makes them last better - but they taste very good. A new cafè has opened quite near the medical. I went in Friday and it was much better than the Art Museum for the same price. Of course it is full of medical students but there was one other woman, and the students were well-behaved, much better than they would have been at Cornell for instance. I think I shall go there.
One of the Misses Salter has done a great deal with photography, even made a camera, and she has already given me a good many points. I have developed my last film and hope to make those prints for you in a week or two. I may have a fairly good one of Mittie's house but Grandma Atwood shows up rather plainly on the front steps, and she was in her oldest clothes. She knew I was taking the house, and came out and sat there in the sunlight. I didn't like to ask her to move, but it would have been better to have done so. If all the family had been out, or if she had looked better it would have been all right.
I must get ready for dinner now. Mrs. Johnson and I are going to church this afternoon so I must get ready for that, put on something to do for both.
I think Elizabeth [perhaps Elizabeth McKee] likes her school in New Haven very much. Her head has troubled her a good deal, but I hope it will be better. There are lots of Mt. H- people there and I think she is making more pleasant acquaintances than in Springfield.
Dr. Clapp and Emma spent Mt. Day in New York, looking up skeletons where I got the sloth. Guess they have the promise of several.
Love to all,
Abby.