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The Danton Burroughs
FAMILY ARCHIVE
Presents
A BURROUGHS FAMILY TRIBUTE
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LETTERS TO HOME FROM YALE
1887 April - December
George T. Burroughs, Jr.
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MOTHER'/S DAY CARD
To the Dearest Mother in all the world
"TO WISH YOU HAPPINESS ON MOTHER'S DAY
Mother's Day, to my heart, is
every day all year
For each day finds you doing the things
that help and cheer,
And mother's day, to my heart, comes
just as often, too
For each day finds me thankful to think
my mother's YOU?"
All my love
George
New Haven Conn
4/20/87
Dear Mother -
Your letter of the 17th rec'd. Now while it is a
pleasure to us to receive such long letters I want to urge you not to write
them if it tires you as I should think it would I know if I should write
such a letter as that I would want to go to bed & recuperate. You think
less about taking care of yourself than of giving us pleasure I guess.
Frank must be having a fine time with Carl &
Ralph there & with his pony & a new cart. It will do him good
to have some one to go with if only for a short time.
I must say I am pleased that you see Belle now
as I always have for we wont be apt to clash on that point any more.
If there is any plain speaking to be done it
occurs to me you had better let Father do it. You know he can say the most
fearful things to people without making them mad & then if she should
get mad & talk against you as she would be apt to do Father is better
able to stand it than you are.
Now I think a better way would be to thank her
for the present, putting in a word or two to show her that you see the
difference between you & Mamie's and then drop her altogether.
What I mean to imply is that you can't show her what you think of her treatment
of you & still remain in friendly relations with her. Perhaps you can
but I know that I couldn't..
Do you have oatmeal for breakfast? I hope the
girls Lizzie can soak it better than most cooks we have
had for we will want lots of it when we get home. We each eat two soup
plates full morning & night. Beside this beef is our principal
food & I am apt to have all the beef steak I want before we are through.
The class races which will be our first race comes off on the first of
May. Our important race probably with the Harvard & Columbia Freshmen
does not occur until the last of June or the first of July.
Our Chemistry exam comes Friday. That will be the
end of Chemistry. After this week we expect to have a somewhat easier time
than we have been having.
With love to all Geo
POSTMARK: New Haven ~ April 26, 1887 ~
10 AM
To: Mrs. Geo. T. Burroughs ~ 646 Washington Boul ~ Chicago Ill
(Answered May 1 by Mother)
4/26/87
Dear Mother -
Your letter of the 22nd Inst. recd. I have explained
about the races in my letter to Frank. Nothing particular occurs if we
should defeat the Harvard Freshmen except a bonfire & lie celebrations,
but probably even these will be swallowed up in the excitement over the
'Varsity race would they come near together.
I have been thinking of getting a flannel suit
(short pants) to use on my wheel & in tennis &c, to save my good
suit. I can get a pair of short pants for $3.50 made to order and a flannel
coat black & blue striped called a blazer for $4.00 or $5.00. Let
me know what you think of it on the ground of economy taking into consideration
the fact that it will be almost necessary for us to have something of the
kind during the summer.
I tell you I will be glad to get through studying
& get home. I begin to feel the effects of what I have done since Christmas.
I think our training which keeps us in good physical condition will keep
us up about five weeks more. I am afraid the strain in preparing for examinations
will add the finishing touches to my already tottering reason &
leave me a maniac, crazy on the subjects of Physics & Analytical Geometry.
With love to all Geo
New Haven Apr 27 / 87
Dear Mother-
Your letter of Sunday rec'd this morning. My
sty dissapeared very suddenly after it came to a head, but while it did
last it was so painful that it kept my eye full of water which not only
prevented my studying but made it impossible to use my eyes at all.
Hamie Dickinson has owed me a letter for some little time, so I dont know
where they are but I imagine they are still in Freeport.
I think Sam is at home on acct. of his eyes &
suppose he will be back. I don't know anything positive.
The class have commenced Botany (commenced yesterday.)
Harry & I with 48 others, studied it up last term & with seventeen
others passed it off. This gives us two hrs more a week to ourselves, without
counting the time necessary to prepare the lessons. I don't know anything
about how it is taught here. While I think of it will acknowledge the
recpt of that program that Alice Head gave you to send. (I have
mislaid it & can't think of the name). Please thank Alice for us. I
dont think I will write her for I haven't the time to keep up a correspondence
which would necessarily follow.
I don't know anything about "Clarence" or "Jim"
& what is more I dont know much about Eva for she has not written for
some time.
We will probably have a good deal easier time this
term with our studies than last, but those that are left in quite enough
for hot weather. I think it is a very wise arrangement to let up on us
a little bit now. But any time we gain from our studies will be devoted
to rowing so there is no danger of our being idle. I have had an unusually
hard row today, about four miles this morning & right this afternoon.
I am somewhat tired but my hands bother me the most.
No matter how tired I come home if I can get
enough sleep at night. I always wake up perfectly rested. It has been definitely
settled that we will not row Harvard. It may interest you to know why they
refuse to row us. The Freshmen are not afraid of us, but the Harvard "Varsity"
men know that by letting their Freshmen accept our challenge it will keep
us in training about six weeks longer than if we were only going to enter
the class races in May & thus develop material for our University crew
which Harvard will have to meet in following years. Beside this Yale is
at New London a week each year immediately before the race with no crew
to row against while Harvard can practice with their Freshmen every day.
The Freshmen being up there to race Columbia (which race we wanted to enter).
We have received a challenge from the University
of Penn. Freshmen to row them at New London & have accepted the challenge.
It will probably be a walk away for us but it will accomplish the desired
end, that of keeping us rowing until the end of June & also having
us at New London with the Varsity.
I think in all probability we will challenge the
winner of the Harvard, Columbia Freshmen race & as long as we are up
there they can hardly afford to "crawl". We have a very young crew, their
men are only seventeen & their men only eighteen. I am the oldest one
on it. We are also very light & if we do win any races it will be only
through hard & diligent training.
With love to all Geo
5/4/87
Dear Father -
I suppose you will be surprised to know that after
all bills are paid up to the 15th inst there will be a slight deficit.
This is due to the fact that we have had to have about twenty five dollars
worth of clothes, Hats shoes, socks &c. You may think that we ought
to know what we want & get them all at once. The reason we dont do
that is that we put off getting things as long as possible. Perhaps you
would rather have us get things here rant to come home & have to have
a good many things as soon as we get there. I don't think we can get through
with less than $110 or 115, though I can't account for more than $100.00
I am glad there will be only one more draft to ask for.
Geo
New Haven May 4
1887????
Dear Mother -
Your good long letter of the 1st recd. Those
trims you used in botany when you studied it are all in use now. When I
spoke of my hands bothering me I meant that they blistered & were sore.
They are all right now however.
Yesterday we had a two & one half mile race
with the University crew. They beat us however, which is not surprising,
although class crews have been able to beat the Varsity in that distance.
The reason for that is that the Varsity being in training for a four mile
race rows a low stroke, 24 or 25 to the minute, while the class crews,
as they only row a two mile race, row a much higher stroke, at 80 &
40.
I would like to meet Mrs. Hotchkiss' daughter
& think we might spend a day in Riverside very pleasantly.
My eyes have hardly bothered me at all this winter
& as our hardest work is over I anticipate no trouble from them. The
fact from which I derive more enjoyment is that my stomach is all right.
I can now look upon the world as a place fit to live in.
I am mighty glad Uncle Henry has a chance of
getting a position under the new municipal administration. It must be pretty
rough on a man to go through what he has been through. I dont see how he
has stood it so well. While the "News" is inclined to make fun of Mayor
Roche it has commanded several activities of his.
I guess I will have to stop now & study German.
We are reading Schille's "Song of the Bell" in German now, and &
are studying it very thoroughly. With love to all. Geo.
New Haven Conn
5/11/87
Dear Father -
Your letter of the 8th rec'd. I am sorry you
feel that you have to sell those lots because I know it is to keep us here
at college. I know you are doing what you think best & I hope you are
right. But if I had my way I would come home & go to work before I
would let you do it.
That we are acquiring knowledge here that will
be useful in afterlife there can be no doubt. That we are enjoying ourselves
I freely admit, but there is always the thought that whenever you send
us money you are depriving yourself & other members of the family of
something.
If this is different another year I will feel
less guilty & mean for what I have accepted this year. But if not I
dont think you will ever be repaid for the sacrifices you have made added
to those you will be compelled to make. I speak entirely for my self for
I think Harry may amount to something & in that way repay you.
There will be lots of time to talk this over more fully when we get home.
Harry & I are making inquiries about Preparatory
schools & are in a good place to get information so that by the time
we get home we may be able to help you in deciding where to send Frank,
either next year of year after as you see fit.
While we still have considerable studying to
do, it is so much less than we had last term that it seems easy. Owing
to our having a pretty high stand we are not afraid of any of the examinations
except mathematics in which, though I hope not, we may one or both get
a condition. My paper is entirely exhausted so I must stop. With love
to all Geo
LETTERHEAD: Yale University
New Haven 5/19/87
Dear Father -
I have only a few minutes to write & to acknowledge
receipt of draft for $115.00 which I know I should have done sooner. I
intended to write last night but felt compelled to take part in the celebration
over our victory over the Harvard Freshmen in base ball. The game was played
at Cambridge yesterday & we got the news which gave us the "fence"
right after supper.
Our race comes off Sat. & if we should win,
which is not likely there will be no end limit to the
joy of the Freshmen.
Tell Frank I will write him soon.
We get through our recitations about the 10th
of July & for the two or three weeks following have nothing but three
examinations. If you notice anything peculiar about the looks of this,
it is because I have just cut the end of my thumb & have to hold the
pen rather akwardly. Will write more next time.
With love to all. Geo
New Haven May 26 / 87
Dear Father -
Your letter of the 22nd to me & mother's of
later date to Harry rec'd. I have several times been on the point of
telling you that I would not go out with Sweetser but thought I would wait
until you mentioned the only as there was no hurry, then your letters speaking
of sending me to Tacoma made me think that if you wanted me to go out then
I might make "Cal" a visit on the way. I will let him know as soon
as he comes back from Harvard, where he has been since I rec'd your letter,
that I wont be able to go with him, and will be ready to go to work as
soon as I get home. Mrs Addison is coming East in June and with Bernice
will be here during commencement week. I guess this is straight as I am
to engage rooms for them. I was pretty short financially before, but
this makes it absolutely necessary for me to have some more money if I
am to leave here with my debts paid. Now what I want to ask is this, that
you borrow what I need and, let me give you my note for it. My note would
be of no value to any one else or I would have got the money here without
bothering you, which under the circumstances I couldn't do without giving
some security, and at the same time would have to pay enormous interest.
If you have not confidence in my ability to earn enough in the next
year to pay it why let it go. Now dont think this is intended to prey on
your generosity for not one cent will I accept as a gift from you under
the circumstances and I dont believe you have the money to loan. I would
like to get one or two hundred dollars. One hundred will enable me to pay
what I will owe here by the end of June and to entertain my friends as
they should be entertained, but I am pretty short in the way of clothes
and although I could get along until I got home I would have to have some
then, now that I have decided to stay in the city. I would feel much more
independent if I could buy them here on my own money than to have you fit
me out again. Then I want to go to N.Y. with our class to visit some places
of interest in the line of our studies, they are to take in the cable system
on the Brooklyn Bridge, a number of the newest Atlantic steam ships, the
Delamater
Iron Works & the Brooklyn Navy yard where some of the new warships
are. This is the most extensive trip we take and as we are to stay in N.Y.
four or five days it is more than I can afford now. If you will borrow
two
hundred for me please wire Wed. as I would then go to N.Y. with the class
Wed. night. If you don't wish to send two hundred I can just as
well wait for a letter. I am not in any trouble or scrape nor am I in debt
heavily, by scrimping along and economizing for the rest of the year I
could probably pay everything I owed, at any rate fifteen or twenty
dollars would cover everything, but I have had enough of that in New Haven
and my last month here is going to be different from the others If you
will help me in this I can leave a good name here and be in debt to you
in an honorable way if not I will trust to my own resources.
Please dont send me any money without saying
that you borrowed it for me at no inconvenience to yourself or I will send
it back by the next mail and would feel hurt that you considered me
small enough to enjoy myself here at the expense of the others at home.
Something which I have done too much now for my own self respect.
Harry & I have been working on our theses since
se got up this morning. I have worked eight hours and will probably require
two men to finish it which I must do tonight. Those races which you
seem to fear so much dont hurt a man who is in good training in the least
and they are a great education which only one who has rowed them can appreciate,
we are both the better for the few we have rowed I believe.
We are both well as usual
With love to all Geo
P.S. I shall send this to the office as I want you to see it first.
Geo
Yale University
6 / 1 / 87
Dear Mother -
Your letter of the 29th ult. just received.
I think I understand pretty well the general plan
of operation of that new organization. I hope it is formed soon. Does it
look now as though it would be? Now I suppose I'll have to tackle my most
dissagreeable duty, telling you how much money we want. I have just $40.00;
and room rent for May & two weeks board (through July 2nd) yet to pay
so you see I am $8.00 short. I have enough money of my own to make up that.
We will then require that
$8.00
two weeks board through June 16
$24.00
Clothes
$20.00
$52.00
Sixty dollars ($60.00) will be the very least that we will need. I
know very well how I got behind, it has been clear to me that it would
be so in the end since Christmas, but I hated to ask you for anything more
than I could show that we had to have, and as there were incidentals each
month that I could not foresee this is the result.
I have kept a strict account of everything spent
and shall want you to examine my books & pass judgment on them. I feel
confident that though we have spent a good deal, there will not be an article
in the purchase of which you can accuse us of extravigance.
We can leave here probably the first or second day
of July, but if you will want us to wait until the 4th so that you can
send our draft without any more overdrawing your June account, we can do
so.
If we go away this summer the clothes I spoke
of will be absolutely necessary but will probably be of less use in the
city, the boys wear them here altogether. We have of course made no plans
for the summer. Ed Camp wants us to come to Geneva Lake to visit him &
speaks of it in every letter he writes. We have given him no answer
however. * * *
With love to all Geo
New Haven
6 / 8 / 87
Dear Father -
Your letter of the 5th (I think it is that date,
Harry has the letter) rec'd this morning.
I am much obliged to you for the studs, which arrived
to day.
The Academics had their last recitations today.
We get through Monday the 13th. Our examinations then string along until
the 22nd, when we get through & go up to New London where we will probably
be about a week.
Our class played the Harvard Freshmen the second
& last game of base-ball this afternoon & were victorious with
a score of 10 to 2. This gives us both games of the series. We got our
rowing suits Monday. They are furnished by the class.
It is getting past our usual bed time & as we
have to be very strict about that I will have to stop.
With love to all
Geo
New Haven June 17
1887 or 1888
Dear Mother
Your letter to me from Glenwood rec'd. I am sorry
that you found things as you did there. It is strange that our own family
enjoying such good health, happiness & prosperity, almost all our relatives
suffer from just the reverse. I hope you will not get too much pulled down
in health & spirits. Harry & I are both quite well. I have
had a lot of boils, just enjoying my seventh, but as they are not very
serious they dont affect my general health only my comfort, which has been
quite seriously affected owing to the fact that I have not been able to
sit down comfortably for about four weeks.
We have had four of our examinations. I will have
my last one Tuesday & Harry will have his Wed. I found out last night
that I got through an exam in French in which two thirds of the class were
conditional. It has created great consternation as some of the best men
in the class failed & nobody feels sure as yet whether he go through
or not.
I have just finished reading a French book
of about 300 pages without the aid of a dictionary and have started another
. If I can keep my self at it during the summer I believe I can pass off
my senior French in the Fall & take Spanish instead which I am very
anxious to study.
I think we will b e home on Sunday July 1st
at 9.50 A.M. & probably by the Michigan Central R. R. It is frightfully
hot here. With love to Grandma, Aunt Silae & Fred Sherman.
Affectionately Geo
POSTMARK: New Haven ~ June 18, 1887 ~ 3 30 PM
TO: Mr. Geo. T. Burroughs ~ 646 Washington Boul. ~ Chicago, Ill
New Haven, Ct.
6/18/'87
Dear Father -
Your letter of the 13 inst with draft for $65.00
inclosed received yesterday. Owing to the great celebration here yesterday
(in honor of the dedication of the soldiers & sailors monument) which
consisted chiefly of a big military procession in the morning and fire
works in the evening. I was too busy to come within half a mile of
here from morning until bed time so could not acknowledge receipt of draft
sooner.
I will give you now some idea of what money we will
need in the next draft:
Traveling expenses
$60.00
Wash & laundry
$7.00
Room Rent (about)
$30.00
Repairing clothes at tailors
$5.00
Pair Shoes
$7.00
Carting, Freighting & Crating Bicycles $2.00
Board from June 16 through June 30 $24.00
Doctor's Bill with prescription $5.00
Total
$140.00
That last item is a bill I incurred last month & has not been able
to pay yet. I had a very large & painful carbuncle which I stood as
long as possible & then went to a doctor.
Then I think you had better add about $20.00 for incidentals, for it
would be rather akward to find we did not have enough to get home on. You
may think the amt is large but you know that we would not spend money just
because we have it & if there is any left over we can return it. I
know very well that a lot of little things will spring up that cannot be
foreseen. There is one thing more; Harry is as usual entirely penniless
& as he is to go up to New London Wed. he will need something
so if you think best I might give him $5.00 extra this mo. Dont write any
more on this subj than to let me know your wishes for Harry sees the letters
& it makes it akward.
You can't think how glad I am that this
is the last letter I have to write begging for money. I say last because
I wont go through it another year (the worry would kill me) We will
have to decide on something different. I can't give you our address
at New London but will find it out & leave it with Miss Farnsworth
who can forward such letters to us as may come to the old stand. If you
stop sending the papers at any time, which will not not be necessary until
after Sat. the 25th, please save them for me if convenient.
I received a letter from Mother Thurs which I delayed
answering while waiting for the draft.
That article by Julian Hawthorn in the Century
is creating a good deal of sport at the author's expense owing to the many
foolish & extravagant statements he makes. I read the "Century" &
"Harpers" every month & beside these usually look over "Sippracott's
Magazine", The "Nineteenth Century", The "Forum" and other similar periodicals,
using the library quite a little too. So you see I have done considerable
reading, such as it is.
If I dont write you next Wed. as I probably wont,
I will do so as soon as possible there after.
With love to all I am
as ever your affectionate son Geo
New Haven June 22
Dear Mother -
Your letter to Harry with Father's note enclosed,
rec'd this morning. In regard to being home on the 3rd we could do it
but we would have to miss the Harvard-Yale race which is the most important
event of the college year and is something we have looked forward to for
a long time. If I thought you cared enough about it to wish us to give
up seeing the race we would do if of course, but it seems so small a thing
that I hate to do it. We go to New London at 3 PM today. Our first
race & perhaps our only one is on the 25th with U. of P. Freshmen.
Then we will probably stay up their until after the Harvard-Columbia Freshman
race to see if they will let us into that.
Tell father that I have freighted the bicycles
to him, that I had to pay the freight, or will have at this end &
will enclose prepaid bill of lading in this letter. I have written this
letter by --- in different places on paper I took from the examination
room. We have both passed the last exams & are Juniors now. I must
stop again & will add more if I get time.
Our address will be ??????
*********
DUPLICATE FROM ELSEWHERE
How much time do you expect to spread away from
business?
Tell mother I have given up the idea of going on
that trip with the Glee Club also a projected visit to Harvard owing to
lack of funds. I think next year I would like to go back to the old system
of getting money as I need it. I have had all the allowance I want, ti
has caused me more trouble than a little.
Do you still think of coming down here this summer? We get out Wed
morning for a short recess of a week. We will stay here quietly & try
to get a good rest. I have some studying to do & as there is no news
will stop.
With love to all Geo
LETTERHEAD: Hale & Co. Proprietors: Watch Hill House, Watch
Hill, R.I. (Opens June, Season 1887) ~ Crocker House New London, Conn (Open
All The Year)
New London June 7??, (probably 26) 1887
Dear Father -
Harry says he forgot to write home yesterday so
I will drop you a line while we are waiting here for the train to New Haven.
You have probably seen by the papers that we
were easy winners in our race Sat. beating the Penn. crew by eleven lengths.
We will try to get a room in New Haven for next year when we get back &
then as soon as we get the draft will come home without waiting for the
'Varsity Race.
* * * * ? (Same letterhead - date 6/26 stroked out....) probably
last of above.
We have not had our letters forwarded to us since we have been here,
so there is probably one from home waiting for us now in New Haven.
When I wrote Mother Wed. & told her we could
not be home by the 3rd of July I thought we would be kept up here until
the day before the 'Varsity race but as it is now it wont pay to stay although
it is something we are very much interested in.
Will mail this as soon as I can buy an envelope
& stamp & find a box.
With love to all Geo
LETTERHEAD: Yale University
New Haven Conn
Oct 2 - 1887
Dear Father:
I have (or Harry has) received so many letters from
home since I wrote last that I wont attempt to answer them all.
I submitted that entrance to Prof William T.
Knapp, Ph.B "Street Proffessor of Modern Languages." He said it was undoubtedly
gram(m)atically incorrect but popular usage would in the opinion of some
grammarians make it proper. That is he names several men whom he said he
had no doubt would sanction its usage because such an expression is very
common. I intend to ask the opinion of others about it but am so busy I
can't find time to go to see them.
I stopped in the middle of a French lesson to
write this letter. I have been at work two hours now & have gone over
about two thirds of the lesson in a hasty manner. At that rate it would
take me three hours to go over it once & I could not possibly recite
on it without going over it all again. The worst of it is this is
the easiest study I have. The result is I have hardly gone to a recitation
yet with the whole lesson prepared.
MISSING SHEET
that a man who rowed in a University racer could not row upon their
class crew, but it appears it is only a custom. I sent Mother yesterday
two "Yale Newsies" & a San Francisco paper. The latter contains some
very good editorials & as it is the advocate of the "American Party"
I thought you might be interested in them. We do not take the "Yale News"
this year but I will try & get them (for nothing) & send them home
once in a while. I know Mother & probably Frank will be interested
in learning something of our habits & customs which they can do by
reading them much better than we can tell them.
With love to all
Geo.
LETTERHEAD: The Continental ~ J.E. Kingsley & Co., Phila
Phila Pa. Nov 17 1887
Dear Mother -
I suppose you will be interested to know what
I am doing here & how enjoying myself. We just finished the business
of the convention 5.00 P.M. after a two days session.
The only thing remaining to be done here is to
attend the banquet which is to be held to night. Tomorrow we go to Easton
Pa. as the guests of one of our men -- Harry Tombler - who lives
there. From there we go to New York to see the Yale-Princeton game. The
Faculty very willingly excused those of us to attend the convention, so
we lose nothing in our studies. Just why they seem to willing to
excuse us from recitations for four days I don't exactly see. They probably
think it politic so to do.
I dont think Phil. can compare with Chicago in
looks at least the business portion of the town cant, for the streets are
quite narrow & I have as yet seen no such magnificent business structures
as we have.
At the theatre last night I saw an audience which
fully made up in style & beauty (among the ladies) whatever the city
itself may lack in that respect. I never saw but one which equaled it &
that was in New Haven last year at the Glee Club concert.
Well this will let you know I am here & having
a good time if nothing else.
With love to all
Geo
LETTERHEAD: The Continental, J.E. Kingsley
& Co., Phila
New Haven Nov 20 1887
Dear Father -
That you may not be dissapointed by not getting
your usual Sunday letter from us I will just write a line to let you know
that we are both home safe again.
Harry has not written today because he has a boil
on his right hand. They say a boil is worth five dollars, at that rate
we could support ourselves only with us the five dolls seems to go out.
I don't think one will ever cost me anything again for I have learned what
to do for them.
You will have heard that we beat Princeton. Game
played in a big mud puddle. We were under cover and kept dry but yelled
my self hoarse, can hardly speak to day.
The great game comes off Thurs, will try & see
it. I will answer some of your letters soon. In haste
Geo
POSTMARKS: New Haven ~ Dec 5, 1887 ~ 7 AM // Recd Chicago Dec 6, 1887
6 AM
New Haven
Dec 4 1887
Dear Father -
Your letter of the 28th ult. is I believe the only
one to me to answer. I am sorry that Mother and Eddie are not well.
I am afraid that neither of them get enough out-door exercise to keep their
systems in order. Plain food, regular habits, good hours & plenty of
exercise keep me in such perfect health that I want to prescribe the same
for every one who is not feeling well. I will enclose another recipe for
mother & a notice I received from the "Yale Glee Club" announcing a
concert to be given in Chicago on the 30th inst. I wish you would all make
up your minds to go for I am sure you would enjoy it.
Harry & I will go anyway. I wish I had a
dress suit to wear to it, for it is usually, here at least, a pretty swell
affair.
I have just been spending about an hour trying to
balance my last month's account, but as usual the thing wont balance.
If we go home by the "Michigan Central" we will
probably leave here Thurs. afternoon Dec 22 and be due in Chicago Friday
night.
We haven't been able to find out yet on what
roads we get a reduction, & until then dont know just when we will
leave. Come to think of it I believe Harry has several letters in his
pocket which have been received since either of us wrote last. Can you
or Mother suggest anything for us to give the boys on Christmas. I have
one or two trifles but can't think of anything they would like. Would a
pair of skates suit either of them?
Things are rather quiet now that foot-ball is
over. Every one is getting ready for examinations. I will have five which
will keep me pretty busy up to the last minute.
I must close for dinner.
With love to all
Geo.
New Haven
Dec 12 1887
Dear Mother -
I just got a letter from Hamie Dickinson inviting
us to stop over in Elmira on the way home. She has an address, to which
I ought to direct and answer in the letter but it is unreadable. Do you
know it?
I hardly think it would be practicable for several
reasons. We will have to go home by the road on which we got reduced rates
& even if the road runs through Elmira I doubt if we could stop over
on tickets sold at such reduced rates. I will find that out however. Now
we want to get home as soon as possible & I suppose you want to have
us & in view of the fact that our time at home will be rather short
anyway, I hardly think we had better accept.
Please let me know whether you know the address
or not. If you don't I will write to Elmira & she will probably get
it.
LOST SECOND SHEETS?
New Haven Dec 18 / 87
Dear Father -- Your letters of the the 14 & 15 inst. to Harry &
Me respectively & mother's of the 14th to Harry rec'd
I have written to Hani Dickinson declining
her invitation. I am very much obliged to you for the trouble you took
to find out about trains for us.
Wed. the 21st we will leave N.Y. on the 6:00 P.M. train on the "Michigan
Central road" & as you know are due in Chicago Thurs night at 9.30.
Now don't feel it necessary to meet us with a carriage for we will have
nothing especial to carry & as the train will in all probability be
late you would have to wait in the cold for us.
We would have gone by the "Pennsylvania" road but
that almost every one is going the other way & we want to be with the
crowd.
I am spending every minute I have now & feel
as though I ought not to lose any more time, as I have three more hard
exams.
With love to all
Geo
NO DATE ~ PAGE MISSING - FALL 87?
Just at present our spare time is taken up in talking about the chances
of our "Eleven" in foot-ball. That is those who have spare time. The aspect
of affairs has changed now that Harvard beat Princeton yesterday. For the
last few years Princeton has been the only college we feared in football,
but now we have anything but a sure thing of winning the championship.
While I haven't seen Harvard play I have great confidence in our men
& do not expect to see them defeated. The Princeton game comes off
Sat the 19th & the game with Harvard on Thanksgiving day. Both are
to be played at New York. If I have to work as hard as I am working
now when I get into business I will learn trade & work with my hands
I think. Not that I would begrudge the time or the labor if I could accomplish
anything, but this always attempting the impossible as I do when I tackle
German or Calculus is what I don't like. The other lessons while difficult
& occasionally too deep can usually be mastered if I give sufficient
time to them. I have a chance to get a good foot-ball, one that the varsity
has used a little & I thought I would get it for Frank. Unless he wants
it now I will bring it home Christmas.
With love Geo
Volume 1098
.
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