Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, September 14, 1888

Dearest Mary I wonder if it is not time for another news bulletin, or does the time so eternise itself that a week has not passed. TIme is long when days and nights both count. That and Godwin brought me to Baltimore before the rest - Godwin has been unfortunate lately. The janitor appeared when it was time to clean the house to give warning, and it took trouble to find a new janitor ready to come at once. The filth of the house was terrible and three colored women have been at work. Then of course Miss Andrews was not here on the 13th and Bessie Carroll had to be asked to meet the parents. Five children entered yesterday. Miss Andrews entered on her duties today. She looks blooming, prettier than ever and more inefficient. The first thing she did was to borrow MamieG��s list of last yearG��s classes, having GǣmislaidGǥ her own. I left Bessie still in bed and still discouraged about herself and yesterday Father brought word from Blue Ridge that Dr. Price had been telegraphed for. I hope it is nothing really serious. On Tuesday last I came here to stay till tomorrow week when the Bryn Mawr examinations begin. September 22nd and on Wednesday I found and bagged my Anglo Saxonist, a gentleman, a Princeton AB&A Leipzig Ph.D. a worshipper of Zarcke and altogether I hope a congenial colleague. As he was the fifth I had tried I am much pleased that we liked each other. Last night I thought I should like to sleep in the room where Mother spent seven months before it was dismantled and the night, the moon or the gas lamps made it so light that I could so [sic] all her pictures - the last supper the Madonna of the rocks and the Christhead of Leonardo, Titian and MurilloG��s Madonna and TitianG��s entombment - through the night. I thought how wonderful it is to go into the valley of death surrounded by such symbols of such a rainbow bridge across the gulph (to use ShelleyG��s spelling). I think one becomes more of an idealist all the time. It is not what people are but what we imagine - things are only the springing board for our leap into ether - I think my constant companion Shelley life shows that - compare his letters - GǣWhat a pity that one (Mrs Williams) so gentle and pretty should be so selfishGǥ with the gorious love lyrics he wrote to her. I am working at the Peabody every moment now on my Shelley lectures. My back is much better I shall not have to go on to New York which is a great relief. But how little one knows without experience the difference between the day life and the night life. I like the night thoughts best if it only were not so wrong to lie awake with a college on oneG��s shoulders. Let me see last Sunday and Monday nights I thought of you a great deal and wondered how you were. According to the psychical society you could have been conscious that I was anxious about you although of course I do not suppose there was any cause. I hope you are well dear Mary and if you care to see me I should be very glad to stop at any time for a little while at your town house. I wish as I have so often said - but I cannot help repeating it - that I could be of any use to you. It would do me good, I think, to be able to help any oneI love find a little easier what is so hard - and yet how little any one person can help another. I thought last night how little I had been able to help even Mother during last winter. One has to realise that oneG��s morbid thoughts must be struggled with hand to hand but next to happy thoughts - as mine have been hitherto - friendship and love are the best companions. And I think for our own sakes we ought not to let the morbid thoughts get the upper hand but at present I am worsted. Yours lovingly, Minnie C. Th