Volume
1098
|
The Danton Burroughs
FAMILY ARCHIVE
Presents
A BURROUGHS FAMILY TRIBUTE
|
|
|
LETTERS TO HOME FROM YALE
1887 April - December
George T. Burroughs, Jr.
Letters shared with ERBzine by Danton Burroughs
from the Burroughs Family Archive
Handwritten letters deciphered and transcribed by
Bill Hillman
|
|
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
.
WEBJED:
BILL HILLMAN .
Visit our thousands of other sites at:
BILL
AND SUE-ON HILLMAN ECLECTIC STUDIO
Some ERB Images and Tarzan© are Copyright ERB,
Inc.- All Rights Reserved.
All Original Work ©1996-2004/2010/2020 by Bill
Hillman and/or Contributing Authors/Owners
No part of this web site may be reproduced without
permission from the respective owners.
All
Burroughs letters © Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.