217 Lake View Avenue
Jamestown, New York.
Friday, July 7, 1893.My Dear Nellie;-
Let me tell you all that I have done since I left the College that rainy afternoon and I think then you will pardon my negligence in keeping your clover pin so long. I really blush for myself, but then you will see for yourself how occupied my time has been. I got the Round Robin off the other day and when "in the course of human events" it reaches you will you learn the most interesting events of my journey and visit. By-the-way my aunties gave and made me a very pretty dress which I am saving for Helen's wedding. It is Nile-green cotton crêpe, made with pointed yoke front & back of ribbon to mach and bretelles of wide silk lace (white) and a wide belt of the ribbon. It is very dainty and pretty - oh yes, the sleeves are very full and finished with a florence of the lace. Then my uncle in Corning gave me a new hat. It is a brown plaque caught up in the back and trimmed with velvet ribbon and lace of the same color and a Prince-of-Wales tip - brown shading into yellow. I think it is pretty and every one says it is very becoming. I fancy I hear you say "I never saw such a girl."
Well, I got home at noon Saturday the 1st. Of course the rest of the day was given over to talk. All the family and a lot of the girls met me and six of them called during the afternoon and evening. Lena spent all of Sunday with me; we discussed Helen and every thing else. Monday I was very busy until late in the afternoon then I was down to Miss Willard's to tea and Nora Yates was here in the evening.
Sue's married sister has a cottage at one of the points on the Lake, so she invited some of us to spend the Fourth there. We went up on the ten o'clock train. The weather was perfect and the Lake lovelier than ever. I wish I could make you see it all, but I know there isn't much use in trying. We were out rowing, fired crackers, walked a mile or so down the Lake sore to see a cracked-brained old woman who assured us that things were "differently changed" & who quite insisted that I should pull one of her three remaining fangs. I only made my escape by promising to come again with my forceps! When it came evening we went across to Lakewood on a little steam-yacht and came home on the electric cars.
Wednesday I spent out at Marion Gifford's. Marian is not at all well, so the only exciting thing we did was to drive to Lakewood.
Yesterday I had planned to stay at home and do many things but Sophie Hall appeared and dragged me off to Forest Ave. to spend the day with her. All the Halls live on Forest Ave. so I saw Sir James & his sister Lady Glyde, Elizabeth's old room-mate Katharine Clapsadel, a girl who has been studying elocution in Boston and knows Florence Adams, Snell and Martha. Mattie remarked casually that she had heard twice from Martha Hazen who had told her that E & F are being made into rooms for girls. I should expect to be haunted with ghosts of parallelopipeds [sic] & "sick", if I roomed in one of those rooms.
You see, I really haven't been burdened with spare time and I haven't even looked at my deutsch, and Helen is to be married July 25 and we have so many things we want to do before then - picnics, drives, teas &c. For we feel that we are going to say "Vale, vale, in aeternum vale" [farewell forever] to Helen then and thereafter be only a "Tripod" instead of a "Quadrupod," though she assures us to the contrary. She has been away, as you know, having her dresses made & only just returned. I haven't seen her and (between you and me) quite dread going to see her this p.m. She wrote me a dear little letter and gave it to Mamma to give me as soon as I got home. Wasn't that schön?
I haven't heard from any of the girls? Have you? Do write and tell me all about yourself and any of the others you know about. By-the-way Frances Farrington is also engaged. "It never rains" &c -
How is your mother? Tell me what happened at College after I left and your stop in Boston & everything. I am afraid you'll think this is only an apology of a letter, but Twice-Told Tales in letters are tiresome and as I said I told a great deal of my recent experience in the Round Robin which in time will reach you.
Very Lovingly Yours
Lucy Fish Baker.