Wednesday Oct. 6
I'm engaged in ironing, honey. I have my little board and my little iron and my alcohol stone, and all goes merrily. In the pauses I'll begin to write to you.
I hit the right year, - just meditate on my seeing a Harvard presidential inauguration! I'll send you the Transcript account. I tell you 'twas great. I had, with the rest of Radcliffe merely an admission ticket - but who wanted more? I stood next the rope and saw that procession. Don't believe you'll see the like of those togs! Oxford scarlet gowns were common enough! I pine for that set of post cards to show what they mean. You should have seen Embassador Bryce in a scarlet gown with cerise pink sleeves and bands and doffing his black velvet tam-o-shanter cap to receive the degree! The platform held 800 and scarce a one was in plain black citizens clothes. The representatives of other colleges came in the order of their charters and Miss Woolley was way ahead of Miss Hazard [Caroline Hazard, Wellesley College president] so they must politely taken the Seminary date. I watched for that. I'm glad both Miss Woolley and Miss Hazard had shady seats for the sun was so hot as to make people faint. Date Oct. 6.
That little stove is as efficient as ever! And I know a place where denatured ale is 58 cents a gallon.
Miss Woolley surely looked very well in that procession. There were four women, I think - Miss Thomas [M. Carey Thomas, president of Bryn Mawr College] and one with Miss Hazard whom I didn't know. (Miss Pendleton [Wellesley College president] - her hair has turned and she's gotten fat!) I met Pres. Seelye [Smith College president] in tall hat and individual whisker-fringe at the corner of Washington and Summer yesterday. My eyes slipped up - I always have to break them in in the fall - and so I quit early to buy my shoes. Nice place, Jones, Peterson & Newhall on Temple Place. Place where you can send year after year for your style of last in low shoes, high shoes, thin shoes, heavy shoes. That's what I want to find. These relatively thin ones were 5.50 but heavy ones are 4.00[.] We'll see.
Well - that Harvard yard! I can't tell you about it, honey. That elegant audience - such a high grade big crowd I never beheld. 15000 supposably. And a perfect day. Of course people gobbled seats, but they didn't fuss - and really it was wonderful to get on a step somewhere and look at the people. That platform was most artistic. University Hall is lovely itself as a background. There were eight big seals set in the ivy beside the big crimson Harvard in the middle. -
Yale "closest of date and closest of kin" to quote Pres. Lowell, U.Pa, Columbia, Rutgers Princeton - the rest I couldn't read. Then there was a big U.S. flag, and at the edge of the platform eight big flagstaffs with lovely red H pennants - beauteous they were, and there was just breeze enough.
The sounding board was ivy trimmed and by no means ugly - and very efficient. Dean Sabine of Lawrence Scientific planned it. He also has planned the acoustics of the new Boston Opera House. He's a marvel, I guess. You know that is a grad school only now? 70 students. Olive Ware, my next door neighbor at table is his secretary so I know all about him. Then that procession of 800 all on the platform, and just in front the chorus of 150 and the band. You'd have revelled in it, honey. Of course I couldn't hear a word, but I saw everything. The conferring of degrees was no trifle. During Pres. Lowell's address I came home and got my camera for a few shots, but don't know how good they'll be. I was going back this afternoon for the banners, but I've taken a nap instead and done my ironing. And now it's too late too call on Emma Longfellow's cousin. I had that in mind for today.
And what do you suppose? I was standing on a chair at the very end (got a chair late) and who should salute me from below but Evelyn Worthley Sites! Husband very pleasant. I had located Janey (who is in with Miriam) and we went to her. There was Florence Blunt - How's that? 4 '96 people together. Evelyn looks well - headquarters in Boston for the year. Then I fell in with Jesse Nichols and wife twice. As natural as ever. Miss Woolley melted away after the exercises. I'm pining to know whether those four went to the regular delegate luncheon, or whether they went to Radcliffe with "accompanying ladies." (They went to Radcliffe - later bulletin)
And I haven't told you I met Helen Kingman the other day. She is studying household science at Simmons. She'd make a good matron I think - unless she gets married. She says Helen Eames and Evelyn Lyle have entered Tufts Medical. I really doubted whether Helen would do it - and Evelyn - she's no M.D.
Jennie Olcott is industrial secretary for two Holyoke firms. She lives up at the Republic and, to quote Esther, "exudes happiness from every pore." Esther and Amy Hewes have grad scraps at table - I'd like to see 'em. That's all the news I know.
Work? The whole institution is that demoralized that I'll do mighty little this week. I can get into the library tomorrow A.M. but there's a huge medical tea in the P.M. I want to look on from above awfully, but suppose it'll not be proper. The bandstand was put together on the court yesterday - it matches the rest of the place in decoration!
Your Berlin letter came this A.M. The post cards haven't come, but probably they will all right. I suppose you sent them to So. Hadley? My mail has gone everywhere - the post-offices seem to forward to Phillips, Nashua, So. Hadley and here indiscriminately and or on some exchange system, I should judge.
Jane Carpenter's brother Charles has been home. His wife isn't well, so she has gone somewhere and the three boys have been sent to that nice Moses Brown school in Providence. The oldest wrote home at once for "my foot-ball pance and head-gard." At the end of the card was "(I am getting along well)"
I'm glad you had that nice Tannhäuser performance - and how was Götterdämmerung? I can see Ternina and that horse yet. There's to be both metropolitan and Manhattan opera here this year, beside the new company. Wish I were rich. I'm going to the Cambridge Symphonies with lovely Mrs. Johnson if she can get two seats together - 8 concerts for $7, and the choicest programs, so everybody says - and sights at all the notables at close range.
Now I must get dressed and go out for Transcripts. I imagine they'll be quickly bought tonight. I have a Stadium ticket, too, for 9:30. Oh, Hooray! - life's lots of fun, honey. A quiet Maine summer is an excellent preparation for enjoying all that's coming one's say.
Hope you have a better pension - I'm sure you can improve on that. Didn't you get a letter I sent back ages ago discussing the room problem for next year? I'll wait another week before repeating my remarks. Yes, you'll miss Bille - but hunt up a good pension and have a good time with the folks. How much do you have to pay for board anyhow? My place gets more charming every day. I shall entirely worship that Mrs. Johnson. She's a wonder - so sweet, honey. And they all are so nice to me, an entire stranger so. You must see them. I haven't any idea what'll happen when Jessee gets married - Date Feb. 14 - but I'm going to contrive some way to stay if it's possible. Perhaps I can if I have only a little tuition and if Mamma stays a few weeks out there with Emma, who plans to live along in the house, I think. But I presume she'll want to rent the room for keeps, if possible, so Mamma may not stay. But I'm reasonably confident I can find two rooms near by at no greater expense than we'd have to meet anywhere around Boston. Anyhow, I'm going to stay as long as I can and enjoy it.
I must stop. And I love my honey a great deal. Oh, I'd like to see you. There are so many things I want to ask about and so many things to tell you. Good-bye - I'll love you enough to stop now and buy you a paper.
And the postman brought me another letter from you Sept. 22 - great day! Oh my - I'm wishing I could get German for 25 cents a lesson - but my nice people here are able to tell me of a Harv. ass't prof. formerly a member of the family who can recommend the right teacher, which is a great deal. I sent off the paper to you tonight. Thought I'd send you a whole Transcript, though to be sure it may be torn asunder on the way. Rumor reaches us that Mrs. Bryce said at the Radcliffe luncheon this noon to a Senior who was helping serve (the girls helped the maids serve the grads. the night we were there to my surprise!) "I've no idea what all these colors and things mean! I have to take care of all Mr. Bryce's gowns and hoods, but I don't know whether I took out the right ones for him today or not!"
Good night, honey - I'm about to start for the fireworks at the Stadium -
And love to you, always -
Abby
25 Lancaster St.,
Cambridge.