Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, December 12, 1886

Our snow that was so beautiful is reduced to a mass of dirty slush that makes the earth hideous and it has been a rainy dreary day under those quiet influences I ought to have accomplished a great deal, but only now at 2:30 have I got to my desk. At any rate I will begin by thanking you for your letter and by saying that unless I should be out of town, which is highly improbable, I shall be most happy to have the pleasure of your company at dinner on the 23rd. I am afraid that one dayGÇÖs hearing of classes and that day the last before the holidays, will not help you much in forming judgments. I do wish that you girls could sometimes be here for a day or two during the week to hear the classes, etc., but I suppose we must make the best of existing circumstances and weather it through. I had Miss Andrews here to dinner last night and she was as sweet and attractive and inconsequent as ever, and showed no signs whatever of being GÇ£frightened of meGÇ¥ as she might say. She recounted some of her wonderful dreams and semi-spiritualistic experiences to me and the light it threw upon her hysterical temperament consoled me a little for her attack upon me or rather the opinions she expressed of me in her attack - I hope such sentiments about me only come up in her most hysterical moments. At any rate there is nothing to do but let her go on thinking her thoughts about me. I am as kind to her as I know how to be, and so can do no more. She was GÇ£going onGÇ¥ to the LeheGÇÖs reception last night and looked very pretty and excited over it. She talked quite a good deal about Mr. Murray in a way that did not in the least bear out your idea of her being in love with him or on the verge of it. Does praise of a manGÇÖs conversation because it is GÇ£so instructiveGÇ¥ and GÇ£improvingGÇ¥ and so on, sound sentimental? I have been having a little more intercourse than usual with mortals during the past week, but very little, I am sorry to say, with the immortals with whom you have so much. I have not been hearing any classes this week, for several reasons, chief of which was that I thought perhaps I had better let my unpopularity wear off a little if possible. I have heard not a word either of or from Bessie for about 2 weeks and am very anxious to hear. I do hope she is beginning to gain a little. I was so glad to hear that you had no return of your troublesome pains and aches after getting back. I could not form an opinion for your diagram about the trees near the new Hall, so my valuable note can not be given. Have you heard that our petition for the use of the University Gymnasium has been referred to the Executive Committee? You ought to bring your influence to hear in your father to write in favor of it! I hope Mamie is feeling better. It is too bad that her last visit was so filled with school worries. Yours, Mary E.G.