Payne correspondence

[written] 24

[typed] Easter Sunday April 18-97

My dearest darling Nannie

Have just come home from church and had dinner. The service was a very lovely one though the music was poor. Yesterday Lolie came down an just for the afternoon and brought the shirt waists and dear lovely things. The collars are just what I have been wanting but can't get anywhere in the city. The white stock is lovely with my blue tailor suit - it and the cuff buttons with some white viotets Lolie brought me constituted my Easter trimmings and I liked them quite as well as any millinery display, I saw there. The little white tie and the blue neck ribbon with the festoons of roses and the white ribbon I kept too - also the longest petticoat - so you see I came off with very much the lion's share especially as the shirtwaists are all too small for Theodora and are just right for me except very long waisted which makes no difference. A week ago today Gertrude came and I have had a lovely week with her - a great many pleasant things came up for her to do which she will tell you about, no doubt. Dr. and Mrs. Jordan and Edith dined at Roble the night after she came and Mrs. Baker asked Gertrude and me to sit at the same table with them though only graduates were supposed to be there.

After dinner Dr. Jordan told the girls the story of the university and it certainly is a pathetic history when one considers the brilliant beginning and the clouds that so soon fell upon it, but now all the greatest crisis are past and thanks to the wonderful self- sacrifices of Mrs. Stanford and the clearheadedness of Dr. Jordan all is well.

Friday Prof. Anderson asked Gertrude and me to luncheon - an invitation which we accepted in spite of its being Good Friday. Mr. and Mrs. Washburn were there and it was the pleasantest thing imaginable. Prof Anderson is lovely in his own home and Mrs. Anderson appeared so bright and was so witty - we staid till four o'clock and walked home through the Stanford grounds. Prof. Anderson saw Mrs. W. off on the train and them caught up with Gertrude and me. The walk is one I shall always remember - Prof. Anderson was so perfectly delightful telling the [illegible] story of his teachings and his beginning-

Dr. Jordan found him his first position and they have been brother professors before they came here. I have never talked with him about my teaching and have always been afraid to broach the subject but I screwed up my courage and suddenly asked him if he thought I could teach. He paused quite a long while and you can imagine what the suspense was - then he said "I think you are admirably adapted to teaching" and after another long pause (I am horribly conceited to tell this) he added "It would be enough for the pupils to just sit and look at you", I replied something about that might not earn me a salary but I was in such an ecstacy of delight that I did little more than mumble. He went on to say a great many more lovely things and to tell about the first time he met Mama and how he was struck by her intellectual ability and with her beauty of character and how he regretted that he was not able to accept her invitation to stay at our

[written] April 18-97 25

[typed] house so you see the secret of his recommendation for me to teach. The Stanford grounds are so beautiful now, every turn in the road beside the stream gives one glimpses of blooming orchards and the lawns are so green and in many places sprinkled with fallen blossoms.

I must tell you about going to church Good Friday service. Mr. Macy had asked if he might go with me and he cut a quiz for it and I cut Shakespeare as he said service was at ten o'clock. We hurried as fast as we could and found the church empty so thought we had made very quick time and could stroll around Palo Alto a while - when we came back the church was still empty but we went in and finally Mr. Peet appeared - we enquired what time service was to be and he said eleven - which meant we must cut the last morning class too- This was my Shelley with Prof. Anderson and I felt queer enough when I thought I was to meet him at 12:30 to go to luncheon with him. But there was nothing to do but stay and run the risk of not being too late to meet the luncheon engagement - especially as Mr. Macy is a freshman and I didn't want him to get into unchurchly ways. To add to my confusion I felt myself not more than half dressed as I had hurried so and as my shoe had come untied and unlaced itself down to my ankle which gave me a very dishabile feeling.

What a good time you had in New York and how lovely to see Mrs. Bliss! Thank you so much for all your trouble in buying such a lovely Santa Claus box of lovely things. I send by this mail one of the little pictures Helen and I had taken at Christmas time when the group was taken. We didn't have very many finished up then but we have a new supply now.

Miriam and Marylyn send love as well as all of Epsilon Chi -

Bye bye your loving Rose

I am sorry the pictures couldn't come in time for Easter...

[written] 26

[typed] Sunday April 25 '97

My dearest Nannie

I can't for the life of me think what date this is but it is something and I'll find out before I mail this I hope. Let me see, I can't remember what or when I last wrote nor a thing that has happened this week. Oh yes, Wednesday one of the bus men got a long bus and took his four [illegible] and invited all his "patron" girls to go for a moon light ride with Mrs. Baker to chaperone. We Epsilon Chis including all the San Jose girls went and had a very fine spread by candlelight when we got back. First we had raw oysters, then boullion then cold chicken, and olives then hot chocalate and whipped cream with cake, and sliced oranges then bananas and candy - Wasn't that swell? Helen Alice and Miriam stayed from the drive to fix things for it It was very prettily served the table looking very pretty in its white cloth and clever blossoms in sprays and in knots for decoration. It was in Marylyn's room.

Saturday was intercollegiate fee field day and debate. Nearly the whole university went down and as the fare was reduced I took the opportunity to go and get a hat. Theodora met me at noon. With her help I got a beauty at Coughlans. I had picked out one for 8 not very pretty. Theodora didn't like at all and elected a 12 or 15 one and got it for 10. It is very soft green satin straw with quantities of beautiful La Franc roses all over the brim with black wings and white bird of paradise plumes on one side and a to white rosette. It goes exquisitely with my pink organdie and is so pretty with all my things especially light dresses. I got me a pair of white best gloves and that was all - but succeeded in getting very tired and was very willing to come home on the 6:30 train. Theodora came home with me and we had a jolly concocting a little supper in our room out of the remains of the feast a week ago - boiled eggs in the chaffing dish and made boullion.

I forgot to tell you that last Monday Charles sent me such a nice box. I had writtedn telling him to send me a couple of chickens thinking the feed would be Monday. They came in time and with them a lovely chocolate cake, fresh lettuce and about two dozen eggs, all beautifully packed. The chickens were boiled so that night we fried them in a chafing dish, made lettuce sandsiches and had a jolly time. We had lettuce sandwiches and the night of the ride too.

Friday when I was agonizing through my second hour of Chaucer which comes from 2-4 Friday afternoon - there came a knock and Helen Lathrop appeared much to may astonishment. She and Edith Cullen were down for a little visit at Mrs. Gilman's. Helen had come for me to go for a ride with her, Edith and a Mr. Dully. Of course I went and had such a lovely time through beautiful county till we readhed the bay. We passed a wonderful hedge of white hawthorne and gathered enough to fill the carriage. We also stopped at Sherwood Hall and Mr. Dully invested in roses and carnations for each of us. Helen slipped into my hand a dear little volume of Max Müllers memories from Foreign lands.

[written] 27

[typed] Today I went to church and accepted Mrs. Gilman's invitation to go home with the girls to dinner - such a good dinner as it was ! After dinner I met Kittie Haskell and we went to call on Miss Darrah in Palo Alto we had a most delightful time - She is such a delightful woman and so very encouraging in the teaching prospects. We planned to go to Prof. Anderson's too but didn't have time. Theodora was gone when I got back but I had left her to visit Helen.

Everyday I christen something new that came in your beautiful boxI love the collars and cuffs and the hair brush is a dandy - I am waiting till I wash my hair before I use it. I haven't worn the shirt waist yet but we have a stroke of warm weather so shall have the chance. We lost the Field day yesterday but wome the the debate- just the reverse from last year. The field day was a great surprise as John Bruenton our champion man proved overtrained and stale. I don't like track athletics - it throws too much responsibility on individuals.

I have gotten my pages very much mixed but hope you can make them out. In Browning we have been reading Colombe's Birthday and Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came. Prof. Anderson read the latter so wonderfully well and made it so full of meaning. One always reads so much personal experience into his interpretations- his personality is so rich and yet so buoyant + one of the people whom you know the world over no matter whether you can see and speak with his. I consider it the greatest privilege of my college course to have studied under and to have known him. My other work for the end of the year is coming out very easily and smoothly - I contemplate no very difficult examinations and I have all my note book work done up. There is just one little German Composition examination left over from last semester that I forsee any trouble with - and that lies mainly in making up my mind to take it - like bad medicine. The girls mothers are all coming to see them graduated - Mrs Morrison - Marylyn Main's mother, Mrs. is coming soon just to visit - Marylyn isn't graduated for another year - Alice Colt is so disappointed for Mrs. Colt has just written she can't come - but Mrs.Maclaren will be here for commencement

Thank you very much for all the advice and everything and I'll be good about following the directions

Your Rose.

[written] 28

[typed] May 2, '97

Nannie dearest

I don't believe there is a thing to write about this week - itiis oozing in upon my consciousness that there is not much more than three weeks of college left and that a large amount of work lies lectures between the now and the then.

We are reading Browning now and it is perfectly facinating. I spend all my spare time and a great deal that isn't spare reading. Mrs. Sutherland Orr's life of Browning. Isn't it delightful? I hve scarcely ever read anything I liked so much. I have been reading Mamma's letters too - was so amused at those I wrote too when I was housekeeper while Mama and you were east. It all brought back those Washburn days ages ago.

This afternoon Helen, Miriam and I went to Prof. Anderson's and had such a good time. The funny part of it was we stayed so longIt was half past six before we started to go home and then we thought the watch must be wrong. We were so interested talking and looking at pictures that it never occurred to any of us that it was getting late. Prof. A. showed us a short cut home cross fields and fences and a stream with Robert as a guide. We met some fierce dogs that Helen was very much afraid of, then in climbing a fence - an accomplishment I have never mastered - I of course got stuck and my major prof. had to come running back to help me over. Before we reached home we had done everything funny even to fallying down in the waisthigh grass. Through the hired generosity of the head waiter we managed to get quite a good dinner.

Next year Miss Gardener is to have charge of the dining room and kitchen and great chnages are hoped for especially in the funrnishings of the dining room and the goodness of the board. The board and room rent together is to be $25. Now it is $22.50. This morning went to church to hear a Brahmin in the chapel. He wore his white robes and was very interesting - was ver exceedingly erudite - seemed to have read everything. To morrow there is to be a reception for Dr. Peet at Palo Alto - I don't know whether I can go or not but shall try.

The pink shirt waist I dressed up in today with my white duck skirt and new hat - the pink roses mathched it exactly - I am very beautiffully dressed since the box cam - the collars and cuffs I like so much.

Bye bye Your loving Rose.