Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, March 25, 1893

My dear, Your little note this morning - Everything attended to in regard to Miss McDowell, TimGÇÖs wages written about long ago etc. All the cheques sent to her etc. I am sorry you had not got my special delivery letter when you wrote. I mailed it at 11:45 A.M. Friday from B.M. and it should have reached you by the last mail. My first special delivery was mailed of course at 8 A.M. A patent rest cure - base favoritism - all other letters intercepted at 3 from the privileged person in 1 day. What would Dr. Cushier think? And what of my discretion in letting you do accts all the past 2 days of your rest cure but that at least I did not permit for how could I imagine it I wonder, I wonder if I ought to let you send that letter (for a letter it must be [and to think I have had no chance of copying it] as otherwise it would look as if I had asked you to do it at this juncture and of course it was a wholly independent move, an overwhelmingly independent one) Are you sure you can do it? If you can of course I think it would be charming. And I wonder if you realise how much more I shall regret leaving a Bryn Mawr with $10,000 a year more to spend, should the Trustees refuse now. You see it is altogether a different thing - do you not? It was hard before and now it will be harder, much harder. But seriously since I wrote yesterday I have had time to think it over in the pauses of my dictating and business and I think more and more that it may make all the difference in their decision. They are all except Father business men and I think they would hesitate long before refusing such a material aid to the College resources. Then too I think it will seem to them, esp. if you approve of the letter or some such form of statement (which I should have been ashamed to make so strong had I not known both your love and confidence (for it is both is it not we have for each other is it not) in me and the importance of the strongest statement if our object is to be accomplished) that this letter of yours, accompanied by the money reinforcement that appeals to them most strongly of all possible arguments, is a sort of example a foretaste of the feeling their actions will arouse in the outside world. I can not help feeling that if you really ought to do it it will make as I said a real difference. Then we shall have two factors we can count on balanced against each other - the feeling against me as a woman versus the advantage to the College that will come through another womanGÇÖs my friendGÇÖs faith in me. I have been in town all day from 11 to 1 -+ in Philip GarrettGÇÖs private office talking over appointments for next year all of which he agreed to. Then he himself began on the Will and I believe I thoroughly convinced him routed him thoroughly. Thus he began to argue with me about going and I for once had it fairly and squarely out. I told him how GÇ£abominablyGÇ¥ they would be treating me if they really did put in a cipher as a Pres. over my head. He gave me the opportunity and I said everything there was to say. I kept my temper and was absolutely calm (I am thankful to say) but it was such a comfort at last to have him listen, to make him listen. I forced him to say that if he were in my place he would not stay either but he added that is because GÇ£I am very imperfect and a manGÇ¥ and still insisted that it was my duty to sacrifice myself for the good of the College. Charles Hartshorne I saw also after going with Mamie to the corn drGÇÖs. He said yours was a dreadful corn that he had pretended it was not as he feared he might hurt you and you would be nervous. Mamie he did not hurt at all. Here is B.M. and I have 2 appointments from 7 -+ to 8 and from [illegible] and no time to add all I should wish. Ah my dear when can we write love letters again such as I wrote you to Venice last year only only with a difference Tell me exactly how you are and do not write in the evenings even to me Yours