A Letter Written on Nov 145, 1909

88 Pearsons, South Hadley, Mass.
Nov. 14, 1909.

Dear Mother,

Guess I will have to scribble a little to night after all. The ten bell is ringing and the girls are tareing [sic] down the hall. Mary has just been in to kiss me good night. Lucy Mowry came in for a minute just to congratulate me on having had you and Dad here.

After you went Marion came up to my room (I didn't just like the idea of coming up alone) and we tried to write letters but talked instead. She told me as a secret that she was working for a scholarship & that if she got it she could come back next year. Guess she will get it all right. Said she didn't know why she was telling me about it. We ended up by deciding to try & be really tr... friends, that is to take each other for better or worse, am afraid it is mostly worse in my case.

After supper we started for the parlor. They had the lights out & the wood fire going & one of the girls was playing. However we got stuck in front of the door of the company parlor. The door was closed & a big brasswork engaged sign hung up. In front of the door were two open umbrellas. & in the parlor w They said one of the girls had had a man in there a terribly long time. There was a crowd outside & Beryl Gates & Dot Larned were doing their best to make them (the man & girl) miserable. Every once in a while the monkey & they pinned a slip of paper on saying, "May I come too, Two is a company etc." Then we formed a double line down the hall & Beryl opened the door & then the monkey in & we awaited developments. Nothing happened so Beryl opened the door & low [sic] & behold there was no one there, only the monkeys & a pair of rubbers stuffed with confettie. [sic] Well we were somewhat st[...]. I had no idea that our house chairman could be so perfectly kiddish.

When the excitement was over we went in the parlor & sat by the fire till time for Y.W. After that Marion came up & we wrote letters till bed time, or rather I took a bath out of the time.

Good night. How I wish I could kiss you good night to night. Hope you managed to get some dinner.

Nov. 15.

Your postals came & I was very glad to get it. Could read it all.

This noon I went to see Miss Galt. She said she thought my trouble was fundamental & I told her I knew it was. She said that she thought the best thing I could do would be to tutor & so get the foundation I have always lacked & I quite agree with her. She said I wasn't conditioned & that was what she wanted to avoid. So I feel happier. Am sorry about the extra expense but if I can get a foundation in Latin I shall be thankful.

Also had D+ in French prose, which is some better than E.

Have just had a conference with Miss Adams about English & she made me very happy. Asked me if I liked to write. I told her yes & she said she thought so. Said she could usually tell. Asked me what I liked to write on. Also told me how to help my spelling. Said she spelled by sight & couldn't spell orally. Said it was a (physiological trouble?) If you know what that means & to rewrite the misspelled word & look at a word it hard. Then she said that when I had overcome these little faults she thought I would be ready to do splendid work for her. It makes you feel mighty good to hear things like that after a succession of etc.

The St. Nicholas came today & I am on the first roll of honor for verse.

Wonder how 'twill seem to do domestic work again.

Have dinner 15 minutes earlier tonight so some folks who are going to a musical at Springfield can get off.

The maids were asking me tonight what my "Ma & Pa" thought of the place. They said Dad was awfully young looking & they thought he was my brother at first.

Nov. 16.

I told you one of the girls asked if she could use marked my Browning. Well yesterday before she asked if she might take it again. And I most politely told her she could & also most politely (at least I tried to) asked her not to mark it. She was very appollogetic etc. Last night I came up to my room after dancing on the piazza with Eliz. Taylor & Cath. Newton and the book was on my table atop the enclosed note. [no longer with the letter] What do you think about it?

We have had a most glorious sun rise.

Good by with lots & lots of love, from your loving daughter,
Marjorie