41 John Street
Springfield, Mass
September 25, 1898Dearest Mama, -
Mrs. Steere has had Miss Boyden and I out driving all the afternoon. It is a gloomy chilly day and it made me just as sleepy as I can be so I dont [sic] know as I can write you much of a letter.
Pack the balsam fir on top of the pears and put something between.
We are happy here at Mrs. Childs. I have enough good things to eat all the time[.] Does Mamie say anything about coming out here. Does she want me to send the mileage books now?
Monday night we went over to W. Springfield to call on Mrs. Schmuck who had some friends visiting her. Thursday night they came over here and Friday night we all went up to the new high school here in the city.
Tuesday night I called on our new teacher, Miss Gamache, and on Miss Allen.
Wednesday Abbie came down and we went off for a tramp to Bear Hole. It was a fine day and we had a good time.
Thursday afternoon the Paines drove over and took Miss Paine and I up to the new high school here in the city. Mama, you never dreamed of a school-house of such magnificence. It cost about $500[,]000, is immense and contains everything that heart could wish. It is beautifully decorated. The big assembly hall seats 800 in oak opera-chairs[,] has a grand square piano &c. There are telephones in each room connecting with the principal's office. I wish it might be my happy privilege to teach in a school like that sometime. But its [sic] no use yet. Their science lecture room is the room above all others that I envy. Well, I'll bide my time. I have made up my mind not to stay here another year. How well I shall carry it out remains to be seen. But I have changed from last year. I don't want to go back to Mt. Holyoke to study. I want to go somewhere else. But that cant [sic] be next year.
Love to all
Nellie -