Untitled Page 507

[written] 15

[typed] Monday evening,March 15,'97

My very dearest Nannie -

I can't quite remember where to begin but last Wednesday is a good
place as I went to afternoon service; it was not so very well conduct-
ed as a very scared student is left in charge by Dr. Peet for the
Wednesday and Friday service. Thursday Mr. Oliver Pitcher and John
Daggett both of Pasadena called for Mary Brunton and me to go up to
Frenchman's lake for a little walk. We did and found it full of water
and wonderfully pretty. The views from the hills were beautiful - for
the weather is growing warm. Saturday morning Helen, Marylyn and I
took the 7:40 train for the city as Helen and I had shopping to do
and Marylyn was going to see a friend. I had my new organdie waist to
get and pay for and shoes (patent leather) also some errands for
Theodora; you see the conductor forgot to take my ticket the last
time I went, which makes the trips cheap as I am very lucky in being
overlooked. The New Orleans French grand opera company is at the
California and that afternoon were giving Faust. I had never heard
grand opera nor seen Faust on the stage so thought it, in spite of
Lent, to be too good an opportunity to lose.

We got the best seats in the house by having resold ones presented
to us in exchange - the first row in the gallery. I never enjoyed
anything so much in my life; every work of it was in French but of course
having just been studying it very carefully I knew every scene and it
was so grand. I never heard such music. Of course it is not the
finest company in the world but the voices were fine and the parts
well interpreted besides having very good stage setting. We had a
libretto and I am sure the dollar was well spent - the music still
rings out in my memory. In the scene where Valentine dies and curses
Margaret I found my face wet with tears, the traces of which gave me
a grotesque appearance the rest of the play. We had time afterwards
to have a sherbet at Maskeys and catch the 5:30 train. I got off at
San Mateo and stayed all night with dear Lolie and it was the crowning
treat of such a happy day. She looked very well and we had such a jolly
talk. You can't imagine how much more human and sensible that dear
child is and I am proud to say we have grown very companionable.

The next day Dr. Breuner called and offered us the carriage to ride
to San Mateo to church [illegible] and hear arch-bishop Weber. Dr. Brener
also officiated but I did not like the service so much even if it was
a wonderfully pretty little church for there was something affected
about it an air lent by the rather fresh divinity students who also
assisted. The whole Brener school marched in in full uniform and
white gloves though they were quite overheated by their march from
the school. Theodora and I slipped out in time to catch the 12:30
train to Palo Alto where I found myself in time fo dinner.

After dinner Mrs. Baker wanted the girls to go into the parlor and
meet Dr. & Adn Mrs Wendt who had preached in the chapel. Prof and Mrs.
Hudson were also there. Dr. Wendt impressed me as being a very
egotistical kind of a man and I didn't like him at all. Afterward
I slept the rest of the afternoon and last night Miriam, Helen and I
simply dug with all our might for an examination in Shakespeare this
morning. The ex proved the most severe one I ever had in the university
The whole class is groaning over it. Twenty two questions on the text
of Hamlet - lines or portions of lines being given and we were to tell
everything about them that we knew - quote the passage, tell where it
came from and explain the words and annotate as if for an edition of
our own. Last night your dear letter came. I am so glad you are
going to have a change.