Katherine Fletcher to Henrietta Fletcher, 1887 October 1
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I received your letter this noon, and was not intending to write to you until tomorrow, but as I have my lessons for Monday nearly prepared, guess I will spare time today.
Bessie sits here singing and cutting papers for model work, so you see I am
laboring under . I did my
ironing this morning.
About enough clothes for me. Bessie did up all our room work and then we sat
down and studied until Mr. Andrews drove the carriage up under our window and
wanted us to go for a drive. It was a new pony he had just bought, so he went
with us. We took our ride over Depot St. for a way, and then down the river. We
enjoyed ourselves highly. The boys did not go to Morrisville today as they had
planned, so we girls gave up our going there.
I came off well enough in examination Thurs. Was marked 92. When she first gave
me my paper it was down to 85. I carried it back to her and told her I must have
more on it, and, she, fearing I guess, I would show it to proffesor took it, and
raised it to 92 saying that she did not give me what she intended to. I was
rather glad that I did not accept the first mark. My adverage now is 96; more
than half of the class are marked But mama, no knowing how long I shall be able
to keep my marking high. I am working too hard for any one to the first of a
term, and do not take much of any exercise only Fri. nights. If only I can pull
through, it is all I care for. If I want
so sleepy all the time I
could do better it seems to me. Every day we meet in Constitutions at three
o'clock P.M. and it does not seem to me that I could keep awake any-way until
class is excused.
One of the school boys was suspended for yesterday for going away without
permission. Prof. told him to stay in his room all day and evening and study.
When it came evening he came down here to call on Miss
Perry
and stayed until rather late and I was told last night, that
he was on the street about all day so I shouldn't wonder if after all this, that
is. if Prof. finds it out, he may expel him. May not though.
There was nothing going on last night so a small party of us went out for a jubilee.
Fred Ober and Tom Guild came down for Bess and I to go out for a walk. I never
had spoken to the fellow at school, only
meet him at Campbell's
reception, but he seems to be a nice fellow though, so for the fun of it I told
him I would go. (Mind! it isn't one of the Obers of Jeff.) The boys came in and
stayed a little while, then we went out. Times were coming to a
in consequence of this. but I never, in my independance
of such a thing. Well, after the walk, we went up to
Bridge Falls, we came in for a lunch, and a little after eight the band began to
play and all hands of us went out for a promenade Well, the joke of it is, as we
were just leaving the yard, Rollie came up. He had left the rest of the band
boys playing
and was coming for me to go out with him. Well, to clap
the climax, he noticed who it was, bowed, and whirled around and put directly
for Mr. Hills for Nelly Slade. The boys thought it the best joke of the season,
and I guess it was, for it has, I guess ended up all between Rollie &
I.
What do you suppose the Transcript meant by putting in the Belvidere items that "Kate F. was at home?" I heard from Mamie the other day and she did not say anything about being at home last week. I think if she was, it is strange she did not mention it.
Sunday Afternoon.
Dear Mamma.- I left this letter for a little while yesterday, consequently did not get it into the office.
I have been to church & S.S. this morning Prof. C. has our S.S. class now
as Mrs.S. Thought she must give it up. There are twenty young ladies in our
class. Mr. C. and I generally have quite discussions in class, I am generally
quite well posted on the lesson for we spend so much time every Sun. morning
here at home, all looking it out togather. It is a great help to me. There is to
be a lecture at the
Methodist house to night by Rev. Mr. Nide upon the
Missions of Mexico. We girls are all lotting upon its being something pretty
nice, and I hope we will not be disappointed.
I finished my work in the English, with Training Class, Friday. I had excellent
success with it I think. I have given up the Arithmetic work, Mr. C. gave me to
take up next with them, to Mr. Hill. He wanted it very much, and to please him,
I gave
I let him have it. I shall take it up further
along. I am observing now the work in model room, done by some of my class and
am to report on it tomorrow night at Student Teacher's Meeting. We have these
meetings every Mon. night and have reports of the work given.
It rather plagued me to learn about Ida's school. I think it strange, she should
want so much to go to Mrs. Powel's. It looks rather simple on her part I think.
I supposed she was more reasonable! If only the public opinion is not against
us, for her disliking there, I don't care, I would look to Carrie, mamma, and
see that she is not up to any more of her capers, like to the one I
caught her in when home. I should have supposed Isa H. would have applied for
the school in Thorp's district at Underhill and not have come so far from there
to teach. Rather unreasonable. Might have saved so much trouble just as well as
not, also, much travel.
I hope she will succeed in the school, thats all. I shall have to have a new book by another week, on Elecution. So shall need about $2, more by that time.
Now, mamma, dont work yourself to death because Elsie has gone, but have Carrie
help you a little. Won't you be glad mamma when I get home for a little while to
stay? or will you; as papa says he will, be sorry? It does seem as though we
might enjoy ourselves better than we do. Now when I do get home baby will be
large enough to leave at home so that you can go out more, to church etc. and
mama we might have reading in the bible among
us, and prayer every
morning, as other families that enjoy life do, and mama I can pray for us as
there is no one else to. O mama I am trying to be a Christian, a true Christian,
and follow Jesus for I feel he has called me, and has a work for me to do, and I
want you to help me mama, and pray for me.
I fail every day of my life to do right, I have such a spirit within me I am
constantly falling and before I know
it, I lose my temper, and am so
wicked. I believe it is harder for me to be good than for some others
girls I know, and for this reason I need the prayers of all that will pray for
me. There was a little paper sent me the other day from Jeff. that was splendid,
the passages were, a number of them marked off, which made it so much nicer.
Think Mrs. G. sent it.
A few days latter I rec'd. a letter from there, containing hints for new converts which were good. Believe Mr. [ ] sent those.
I saw Josie Weston for a few moments the other day.
She said that "she heard a few days ago that I liked Johnson pretty well," and a few other things of about as much consequence.
Guess by that, Addie is circulating her story about the community well, Let her keep on, if she enjoys it, poor girl is to be pittied. Has nothing else to take up her attention.
Well, Mamma, quite a discourse this, it is so long a one you must be tired by
this time.
Thanksgiving will soon be here.
Mama, I want you to talk to papa about me, and have him try and never use me, abuse me with such debased talk again, as he has for the last, year. When I hear girls say as I heard two the other day, that their fathers never spoke unkindly or sharply to them in the world it sets me thinking. This letter is to you mama. Call baby Bessie. It is not a very common name & is pretty, dont you think so. Say- if I don't stop writing before long I shall have to get another sheet of paper.
So good bye. Love to all & a kiss.Kate.