WednesdayDear Peg -
Just got your letter this evening. It's swell to get letters the day after thee writes them.
First - I positively can't come before Friday evening the 21st - about eight in the evening, I think. You see they charge us about $10 extra for leaving early (my last class is Friday morning at ten o'clock), and make us take a Mid Years exam in June, and other highly unpleasant things. You really can't get away early unless someone in your family gets married, or you die or something - of that more presently. Anyway, I prefer to remain 'til we are officially excused. And I want you to go home with me - of that more presently.
Indeed it's been an awful week. Not so long ago a Freshman died of Spinal Meningitis. Now Sally Pickett, a Sophomore, has it, and can't live more than a day or so, the doctors say. Another girl died yesterday. Also another Freshman chose this time to fall off a fire-escape, and nearly kill herself. She is in the City Hospital, done up in several layers of plaster casts.
In the face of all this, my own personal catastrophe is decidedly harmless, but even at that it's a trifle devastating - to me. Daddy sent me my monthly check, and money to come home on. And oh bother - it's lost and gone. It's caused quite a stir among faculty and students, house superintendents and maids, but none can find it. My present status is that of acute need for money. I can borrow enough to get to Phila. and after that - well, I tho't that maybe thee could loan me money for lunch and that sort of thing, and I'll borrow car-fare (railroad!) from Uncle John. I'll pay you all back the minute I can - from Xmas money and January, February allowance. At present I haven't a cent, and it's highly uncomfortable. Just put the money away for a day or two, go about without any, and see how many things you miss simply because you haven't even small change.
You see I didn't want to tell mother - it would give her fit thee knows, and really worry her - and I won't tell father for he works hard enough without having to refund all the money I happen to lose. So the family is blissfully proud of the fact that I am comfortably supplied with money to come marching home on - and I'm not going to bother them - I'll probably have to hock all my Xmas presents. I'm going to sell all my clothes that I can, but this isn't a good time of year for that. And dern it! - I haven't a winter hat either, tho' my summer one does pretty well.
I lost it this way. I took the check over to the drug-store in the evening late. They said they couldn't cash it there, but they took the check. The next morning I happened in on an errand - I hadn't come for the check-money. They gave all my money to me, and I put it in the little battered change purse that I happened to have - along with the sincle cent that was in it. I put the purse in my pocket, and went to my next class. After class I went in the Post Office for some stamps. I put my hand in for my purse, and it wasn't there. That's all. But (see other sheet.)