South Hadley Mass
Feb. 1st /69.Dear Father
You began your last letter by saying that I had no claim on you that evening, meaning I suppose that you were not owing me a letter, therefore I am writing to you, so that I can have a claim upon you. Your business is so thriving that I suppose you do not have much spare time to devote to letter-writing, but I am always glad to hear from you.
I don't know when I have been so disappointed at the nonappearance of my letter as I was upon Saturday night. I had thought about it several times during the day[.] If my Wednesday night letter fails to come, I think Well! it will come tomorrow night, but Saturday nights I say to myself Oh dear! I shall have to wait two days. The letter came tonight and was very welcome. I can imagine that I heard your words and saw your face. Friday evening when you found that the letter had not gone; think I will have to excuse Clara under circumstances but I hope that she will not go to Salem unexpectedly next Friday. I am glad that the box is coming soon, have begun to live upon it already, dont know but it will be empty by the time it gets here. I don't now think of anything that I wish sent in it, except some little, hard pickles and one or two of the newest journals. We have the advertiser in the reading room now I do not like it as well as the Journal. Tell Mamie if she will put her shawl into the box and tell me how much larger she wishes it to be I will try to fix it. I am sorry that it is not large enough. Am very glad to hear that she is so happy, but I do want so much to see her. Last evening we had a very interesting Missionary Concert, letters were read from Misses Parmelee, Baker and Hollister. Isa's gave an account of their journey from Harpoot to Diarbekir, and Miss Parmelee's a description of their Mardin home. Miss Hollister said that for the present Hattie Powers was in Aintab assisting her. Not much has been heard from Hattie and in what she does write she does not express herself as very happy. She misses very much some friends she knew when she was there before, who are now dead. Tell Clara I think she ought to write to her as soon as she possibly can and to Miss Parmelee also.
Suppose you saw the paragraph about "Mt. Holyoke Seminary" in the Congregationalist, the gentleman referred to was Mr. Fairbanks of Vermont. Rev. Mr. Rich, the one who used to live in Beverly, was here this afternoon, he came into our literature recitation. Miss Newhall is here again to teach gymnastics. I dont know whether [h]er wedding is postponed or what is the
matterreason that she can come back again. Pommie Parsons isn't here this term. There are only five minutes before the tardy, therefore I must say Good Night[.] Please put some thick brown paper for covering books in my box.