Holyoke. Jan. 29", 1850....My dear Parents,
I arrived in South Hadley with all my baggage safely between three and four o'clock Friday afternoon. I was hardly any tired when I reached here - went to Miss Whitman's room, and ate a cookey for dinner, and then unpacked. Poor Lizzie felt very homesick that day and the next, and even shed some tears, and though I felt a little blue, I would not indulge in tears. I found here three letters awaiting my arrival which had come during my vacation. One from Lydia, Maria Bates, and Sarah Ann Ellis at Groton. Lydia wrote that they were well & happy. It was dated Jan. 9. and had lain here several days during vacation I suppose. She said her husband was away but she expected him home in a day or two, not to be absent any more that term.
Maria Bates said that Jane had just sailed for Charleston, having been detained at the North by sickness. Mrs. Butler her sister Anna has a daughter, her third child, three or four weeks old. She is very pleasantly situated in Wells River Vt. She and her parents wished to be remembered to you both.
Sarah Ellis writes very happily - she is boarding at Boynton's now - she says this is to be her last term at Groton, and then she hopes to obtain a school, and commence "teaching young ideas how to shoot."
Sunday, we heard Mr. Smith, Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy in Amherst College preach. Some liked him very much - I did pretty well, but not as I do Mr. Laurie. His gestures were rather singular, and consisted chiefly in bowing the body repeatedly. Mr. Laurie's health is not good, and will not allow him to study so he and his wife have gone to Chelsea to visit Mrs. L's friend, I hear.
The night after we came here, Miss Hazen told Sarah our third room-mate, that she might move to 46 a room near by, & room with a girl whose sister was here last term, but not now. The poor child felt badly and shed some tears over the matter, but finally went, and now seems quite happy, - said the girl heated some mince-pie in a saucer and gave her. - The night she went away, Lizzie was in the closet, and saw a mouse, who came from a large crack - he soon vanished, the way he came, and we stopped the hole the best way we could to secure ourselves from like encroachments of his mouse-ship in future - We call him our "third room-mate", but have not seen him since.
Lizzie brought some corn to parch from home and a corn-popper, and she succeeds admirably in the popping business. She feels very badly today because she has lost her dear Section-Teacher, Miss Yale of whom I spoke when at home. Her section has increased to forty-five the candidates for the Middle Class, and it was found necessary to divide it, and give those of the first letters to one of our new Teachers. Lizzie can hardly be reconciled to it.
I hope you will write who they choose for Superintendent. Abbie said that Dr. Jewett, Mr. Alpheus Adams, & Mr. Proctor were chosen - The first declined, and the latter was not present, at the time of appointment. I also want to know what is decided about Mr. Houghton's case.
I find my studies are to be rather hard, though interesting - but Lizzie and I find it difficult to get interested in them though we hope to, very soon. - We paid our Tuition the Monday after we came here.
Tonight there is to be a general change at table, and I am to sit at Miss Scott's, for which I am not very sorry. She says Mrs. Bates did not write poetry when she was here.
The question of the half-century has caused a good deal of dispute among the papers taken at the Seminary, and our table had quite a long confabulation about it, some of our best friends are very positive that we have indeed entered upon the last half of the nineteenth century.
Lizzie sends love to all. She is very well, but a little homesick. I hope to hear from home. My love to Miss Whitney and all,
Your affec. daughter
Sophronia.I received a letter from Nathaniel tonight - He said he received a perfect mark 7 for the Geometry lesson that he learned at home.
I have worn my braces several days - and like them much. I wish all our crooked girls here had them on.
It really seems good to sleep with Lizzie in my own room. We are so happy and cozy here together - can rise and retire regularly now, bath nicely &c.