Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Sept 21st 1874My dear Martha
When you get tired of receiving letters from me let me know and I will stop certain sure. I told "Grace" so the other day. So I expect to receive orders very soon from you both.
It is raining like fun so no one can get in to see me today and it
smakes me feel rather lone-some. Dont [sic] you remember how we used to try and get excused from walking? Now I would be glad to get permission. I have been out to ride twice and it seemed rather nice to be out once more. I still walk on crutches and am afraid I always will be a little lame.I am not going to worry about it, if I got to be lame. "So be it"
The dress-maker is coming to-morrow to make me all over. So that I can once more make my appearance in society. I dread it for I expect I will be as awkward as a ho
urse in harness for the first time[.]Have you changed rooms yet? And did Miss Ward let you and Han room together? Just give her a little talking too [sic] or would you like me to come and do it for you. I used to do it up fine last year. I just think it is ashame [sic] they let Ida W- come back and would not let Cassie and if your humble servant had made a
mn application they would not have let her but I was'nt [sic] fool enough too. [sic] But then Ida has joined the church and that of course was her pasport. [sic]Cassie likes Kalamazoo better than Holyoke and says in every way it is nicer. They let the girls go to all the operas and lectures and every other place of amusement. That is an improvement on Holyoke.
You see that I owe H- a grudge for letting Ida come back and as for looking meek if it is a specimen of the meekness that "Western Cats" have I would keep as far away from her meekness as possible I guess I will stop before I get too earthy.
The Sun is just bursting through the black clouds in the south east. So far good. For now maybe Mamma will let me go out on the poarch [sic] and walk[.] What are you studying now I hear that there is a married lady at school is she as good looking as Mrs Hall
I am going to take German Latin and Ancient History.
Yours with love
Mollie[Mollie was identifiable because she was writing from Council Bluffs, Iowa, and that was Mary O. Phillips' home town according to the 1873-1874 seminary catalog. Cassie was identifiable because of the midwestern bond implied in "Western Cats" and from her connection to Kalamazoo. Cassie Reamer was still living in Kalamazoo a few years later, according to a web search. And Cassie was also a midwesterner, from Leavenworth, Kansas according to the 1873-1874 seminary catalog.]