[In the same envelope as Gertrude's Dec 1880 letter to her sister Chillie]South Hadley, Mass.
Dec. 19" '80
My Dear Father:
I can't tell you how glad and thankful I was to get that postal from Brother, saying that you were not seriously sick; I imagined all sorts of things were the matter and have been in a fever of worry since Wednesday.
Our vacation begins Wednesday and lasts nine days, [...] received a letter from Robbins yesterday morning containing money to go home on, she had expected remaining here but of course is delighted and would prefer going home, how I would like to go with her! but guess I can survive here.
As I see no immediate danger of my starving you folks need not send me a box Christmas, (that is if anyone had any such intentions,) because it is so much trouble to get it ready and the Expressage costs so much.
I as so shocked and sorry to hear of Sam Morris [?] death, it seems such a little while since I saw him strong and well. Poor boy, how kind and obliging he was, and how you will all miss him.
Sarah Bernhart is coming to Springfield on the 25th of this month which will be during vacation, a crowd of the girls who are going to be here, are going and want me to go with them. As she is more wrote about and talked about than any other woman living I'm very much interested in her, and would like very much to hear her. The tickets for the Progme are three dollars, for the dress circle $2.00 and for the gallery 8:00 one dollar. As we girls dont make any great pretentions we'd be satisfied with the gallery, tell me if you think it would be all right for me to go.
My board bill here will be six dollars ($6.00) and I will work some, I have an invitation to spend my vacation with one of the girls but think I'd better stay here, don't you?
We have our dispensary and tuition to pay at the same time, mine amounts to $80.00. They want us to pay as soon as it is convenient for us to. If you think best I'd rather you would send me $100.00 and I will make it do me as long as I can. I'm real worried about your health, take good care of yourself. Edd [her older brother] will soon be home then you can rest.