[Zimmer-Kamerad is German for room-mate]Two in the Afternoon,
Tuesday, July 3, 1894.Dear Zimmer-Kamarad;-
Your letter was a delight; I enjoyed it so much and thank you heartily for taking so much trouble to tell me everything so soon after your arrival home. I know last year that it was a weariness of the flesh to even thing of writing letters and cost a great amount of will-power to get the Round Robin started. I know dear punctual Abbie will start it promptly and with the improved route it ought to go swimmingly. Do you know the plans of any of the girls? Of course the Northfield girls are home now. I am so glad for you that you are going to Eastport; the mere trip would be fine and then you and Alice are so congenial. Are you planning on seeing Mollie or any of the others this vacation? Sue is visiting in Cambridge; she has always pined to meet some of "Lucy's College girls," so I've written to ask Mollie & Edith if [they] felt inclined to hunt her up. I hope they will for I know they'd enjoy each other. Henry's ship sailed from Norfolk Virginia for Boston yesterday; they will be in all probability stationed there for some time. He's very shy of Eastern girls but I shall let Mollie know he is there, then inveigle him to call. I know that he & Mollie would get along beautifully. Jean Grier is here to be bridesmaid at a swell wedding, but I haven't seen her. Did you meet a Miss Galloway who was back to the College for her class Re-union - a friend of Eva G.'s? Well, she & Eva were also here a few days visiting the Patterson's. Lots of people were asked to meet them, but I wasn't. I was provoked because as long as I too am a Holyoke girl every one supposed I was. It was so annoying & anyway I should have greatly enjoyed meeting them all. I saw Grace G- the other day; she was very friendly but I noticed she wore neither College nor class pin but only her society pin - Rats! Did either of the societies have an initiation after I left? Grace told me she had as yet no position for next year.
Did I tell you that some friends in Hartford that we had quite lost sight of have suddenly "bobbed up serenely" and are urging me to spend one of my vacations with them next year? I suppose I shall travel lovingly down there with Tillie! They have sent us several Hartford papers lately; to-day one came and in glancing over the marked items I saw "Miss Imogene Bacon, one of the forty-one young ladies to receive degrees from Mt. Holyoke College this year, has returned to Glastonbury for the Summer." I suppose Mr. Winser fancied she might be an intimate friend of mine!
According to that examination notice I shall have to leave here Sept. 10 so as to be sure to be on hand in time the morning of the 12th. If the 10th wasn't Monday I shouldn't mind for I had meditated starting earlier than usual so as to interview various faculty and get straightened out as soon as possible. I suppose I must resign myself to a lot of domestic work & showing around of Freshmen. Did you make any arrangements about a carpet? I presume you'll come, as usual, Wednesday eve. Can you send me sometime during the summer the keys? Because I may want some of my books before you get there - you won't mind my dragging things out, will you? I am glad you mixed things up - any thing would be preferable to lugging things up & down "steen" flights of stairs.
These "little works" that people speak about are so delightfully vague & indefinite! I know I am going to have a dreadful term of it - I might put it year [sic], seeing there's Logic, Physics & Astronomy to look forward to.
No, I don't think the silver will be very bad - in fact I fancy I shall like it pretty well, if Mother Green will leave me alone.
What fun the Soph. Farewell Meeting was! How I wish I had been there.
Positively, I thing Sara will be the death of The Family some day!
Grace is sorry to let me take her Class-Book, so I shall have a pretty good idea of Commencement.
Yes, the pictures & schedule came safely, I've had a crazy sort of a letter from Elizabeth Kane since Commencement. She was either asleep or sick when she wrote it.
I went to most of the exercises at the school Commencement Week but they only made me feel that "the glory had departed." The only cute thing Class Day was a catchy '94 Polka comprised by one of the girls. Most of the subjects were fresh & taking and the essays consequently seemed above the average High School production, but the girls were dressed so much alike - white muslin & satin ribbons. The Alumni was a perfect success - really the most delightful one I ever attended. We went by street-cars to Lakewood late in the afternoon and gathered immediately in the ball-room of the Kent House for the exercises which were all fine; then there was a half hour of "social coverage". There were three of our class there and one husband! - Jim. Louisa Morse Gokey & husband & moi-même. At 8 the banquet was served to the 150 who were there. The tables were C - only straight. Miss Willard, Jim Glyde & I captured one end and had a jolly time "reminiscing" &c. The banquet was good & well served - ditto the toasts. Formerly old students have grown garrulous & wearied everyone with their lengthiness, so this year at the end of five minutes the orchestra choked them off. It was awfully funny. It was just eleven when we arose from the tables. I came home right away with the other old fogies, - the rest stayed to dance. Well - write me about all your darings & plans. Remember me to all your people - especially the Doc!
Lovingly
L. F. B