[This letter was folded in with a letter from Gertrude to her father dated Jan 16, 1886, and was marked as a second page of a letter, but it appears to be part of an older letter to her younger sister Chillie while she was a student at the Seminary.]Have come down from the Cupola watching golden gleam of the sunset fade away in the sky and the stars come out. It was grand up there we seem so far up above the world, first rough irregular outline of the mountains so clearly outlined against the faint pink of the sky which changed to deep steel blue away above. The shades of blue were exquisite; and "senses" [?] gleamed out, so large and bright.
I'm in a great perplexity about rooming, we change rooms Wednesday of this week. I wrote to room with Lucy Atwater but am not sure she is coming back. There's an irrepressible Junior something something after the style of Nellie Griggs - who is a daily caller and who thinks it is my desire to form with her inspite of protests; I'm afraid Miss B. will think it my duty to room with her and I don't feel like making a martyr of myself. The girls tease me nearly to death about "my mash" - she presents me with bags of plums and apples, that are quite touching. My second choice is a young lady from Kentucky, who is very nice but I don't know her very well.
Prof. Harris [lecturer, philosophy of education, Mount Holyoke] is to lecture here next week on Philosophy and on the paintings of Raphael and Michael Angelo, with views from their paintings in the Vatican at Rome. The teacher I sit beside at table has spent the last two years travelling in Europe[.] She is perfectly delightful and is going to help me in the lectures, by talking over and studying with me coppies [sic] of ever so many of these old paintings she has brought with her. I'm looking forward to a rare enjoyment.
We have just received new painting from Italy, which I will tell you about again.
I want you to send me my hymn book, about two feet & quarter of a yd. of the ruffle of that black & white lawn I made over, I tore it a few days ago, and I want two of the largest pieces of blue flannel left from my dress. Long polinaises [?] are all the rage here.
Chilli thank you ever so much for your nice letter, I feel so grieved over Auntie's death, wish I had staid [sic] at home a little longer & soon uncle & the children, are they going to move? That letter was just like your own dear self. I took a weep over it and wished you were here, give my love to all the children & Pa &c Tell May [their younger sister] I will write to her next. Did you get that dollar I sent you to pay Mrs. Radcliff?
Your loving sister G.
I'm in a hurry for flannel. G.