Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, September 30, 1885

Dearest Mary, There has not been one unoccupied moment in which to write you even a few words of thanks for your note, which came on Wednesday morning and which it was very nice of you to write, as Wednesday was, as I expected, a trial; Although every one else seemed to think it went off successfully and Mr. Gilman paid us the complement of the most carefully prepared address I have ever heard him deliver. I was very much surprised by his personal address to me but apart from the fact that I was of course on the platform in full view of the audience so that I could not help minding a little, what he said seemed in perfectly good taste and his reference to the Johns Hopkins having refused me equal privileges which I sought elsewhere seemed to me the amend honorable from the person who refused them. I will come home next Friday and stay until Sunday evening if it seems best. I wish very much to see the teachers and hear about the school indeed now that the college is running better I quite agree with Mamie and Julia in thinking you and Bessie neglectful in omitting to tell us of new pupils. We were all extremely worried about the Szole child but there seemed nothing else to be done and we agreed with you. I am so sorry you have the worry and so glad you are there to have it. I hope I can see you unofficially but I do not intend to be unmatchable again-- you were quite right about the necessity of a prolonged Committee meeting before I left and I have seemed to myself since most ungrateful to object for a moment to sitting in a golden room in a comfortable red chair with its troublesome little tidy crumpled up somewhere with such agreeable women. Since then I have had nothing but Faculty meetings and all sorts of horrid business in very different surroundings and with Gǣ Gǣ persons. I do not know whether Miss Knox is still with you but if you asked me I should like to spend Saturday evening with you at Montebello. If it is not convenient or [illegible] you will tell me of course-- I will devote myself to seeing beaches on Saturday. Yours lovingly Minnie C. Th.