Dear Carrie, -The weeks and days have gone so fast that I am quite ashamed of myself. It is Sunday afternoon and I have just come up from listening to Frida Rand's singing. She is [in] Pearson's this year. It is such a nice rainy day that we can't take any long walk. Last Sunday Marian and I went around over Cold hill and then thru Bitter-Sweet lane to the Amherst road. It took all the afternoon. Do you remember our walk around cold last fall, or was it only Bessie and I that went?
O I have so many things to tell you that I don't know where to begin. Irene and Elizabeth Gross were over here on their mountain day about two weeks ago, but I haven't seen Elizabeth Thompson yet. They said that Marion Webster was home-sick at first but that they guessed that she was studying pretty hard now. They didn't know where she was going on Mountain Day and I guess that they don't see very much of her. They had a friend with them and Miriam and I took them all over the grounds.
Our mountain day was last Tuesday and it was a fine day for it. Eleven of us - Edith, Louise Seymour, Miriam, Katherine Rogers, Marian Weston, Elsie Burnham, Marion Sayward, Jennie Scoffield and two freshmen - went on the electrics to Sunderland and up Sugar Loaf and had our luncheon and then down and on the electrics to Deerfield. You went there last year didn't you, so you know all that we saw. Isn't it an interesting place.
There has been a serious interruption in the shape of the entrance of Marian, Edith & Louise and later Katherine, and I read aloud from Mabie's essays and then we talked until dark. Leila was in for a while just at dusk when she couldn't read. Did you know the Hamilton Wright Mabie is to give the Founder's Day address? Won't that be fine? That is why we are reading his essays.
We have had and are to have such good Sunday morning speakers this month. The first one was President Faunie of Brown, last week it was a man from New Buttion, and he was very fine, but I liked the man today much better. He is Dean Hodges of Cambridge and he spoke on "Be strong and very courageous," and he was so simple and strong himself. Next week is President Hyde of Bowdoin and then President McKenzie of Hartford Theological Sem.
There has been one fine lecturer here this year. His name is German so I won' t try to give it to you. He spoke on "Democratic Culture," and it was about the best lecture that I ever heard. There is a new scheme this year for every Wednesday evening there is to be a reading for a half hour from ten minutes just nine on. Miss Williams and Miss Marks are to alternate from the Greek and the English. Miriam and I were going last week to hear the first one by Miss Williams but unfortunately we reached the library about two minutes to[o] late and the door was locked. Next time we will start two minutes earlier. This week Tuesday night too there is to be a reading by an out of town person - I forget her name.
We are really truely [sic] seniors and march out of chapel in all our dignity every morning. The first morning was awful and the next was worse. We had carefully taken all of our caps and gowns down in the Pearson's basement, the night before, and that morning from eight until have past we surged and wriggled after one looking glass - and as soon as your cap was straight you immediately colided [sic[ with some other of the one hundred & forty and knocked it crooked. At last we filed out of the crowded basement and trailed over to Mary Lyon & slowly and solemnly - O how solemnly! - marched in. The next day Miss Woolley was not there and some-one forgot about the recessional, and there was only a solemnly slow march played. Nobody knew when to rise or what to do, and we were mighty thankful when we were once outside the door. It is so queer to be a senior!
I have just heard my first hit of Christmas song. The girls are singing hymns down in the parlour below us. Do I make you homesick for South Hadley writing so much College news?
We are counting up the days until Thanksgiving already. I am going home with Miriam. We can both leave Tuesday noon and I don't have to get back until Saturday morning. I have art hours Tuesday afternoon but I can cut those, and Friday afternoon I take field work in Geology but as it is my 16th hour it doesn't count anything, and I can do it or not as I please. It is mostly walks studying the geological structure around here. I love to go on the walks with Miss Mignon. Next Wednesday, if all goes well she is to take all of the class who can go to Mt. Toby on an all day trip. I hope that it will be fair. I have a Quiz on all that we have had in History the next day, but I just must go to Toby.
Holloween [sic] night, after our table performances the Seniors are to give a minstrel show in the Gym. I don't know what my table - Miss Randolph's - is going to do. Both Miriam and Katherine have a birthday tomorrow - the 22nd - I wish that you were here to be over in the evening.
Do you remember Elizabeth Schindler, 06, ? She is back to assist in astronomy and has the room next to us, so we have a faculty on both sides of us and one almost across the corridor - but they are very harmless ones.
Our room looks much different than when you saw it. I like it ever so much this year, and I hate to have the weeks go by.
It is seven-o-clock and Miriam and I want to take these up before Vespers.
Miriam sends lots and lots of love. Remember me to your aunt and to Mary and Helen. Tell Helen that I take the Pinkerton critic and send congratulations.
With lots of love
Mary