Page 223 - The Story of My Lif

Keith comes every afternoon at four o’clock, and gives me a “friendly lift” over

the rough stretches of road, over which every student must go. I am studying
English history, English literature, French and Latin, and by and by I shall take
up German and English composition—let us groan! You know, I detest grammar
as much as you do; but I suppose I must go through it if I am to write, just as we
had to get ducked in the lake hundreds of times before we could swim! In French
Teacher is reading “Columba” to me. It is a delightful novel, full of piquant
expressions and thrilling adventures, (don’t dare to blame me for using big
words, since you do the same!) and, if you ever read it, I think you will enjoy it
immensely. You are studying English history, aren’t you. O but it’s exceedingly
interesting! I’m making quite a thorough study of the Elizabethan period—of the
Reformation, and the Acts of Supremacy and Conformity, and the maritime
discoveries, and all the big things, which the “deuce” seems to have invented to
plague innocent youngsters like yourself!…

Now we have a swell winter outfit—coats, hats, gowns, flannels and all. We’ve
just had four lovely dresses made by a French dressmaker. I have two, of which
one has a black silk skirt, with a black lace net over it, and a waist of white
poplin, with turquoise velvet and chiffon, and cream lace over a satin yoke.

The other is woollen, and of a very pretty green. The waist is trimmed with pink
and green brocaded velvet, and white lace, I think, and has double reefers on the
front, tucked and trimmed with velvet, and also a row of tiny white buttons.
Teacher too has a silk dress. The skirt is black, while the waist is mostly yellow,
trimmed with delicate lavender chiffon, and black velvet bows and lace. Her
other dress is purple, trimmed with purple velvet, and the waist has a collar of
cream lace. So you may imagine that we look quite like peacocks, only we’ve no

trains….

A week ago yesterday there was [a] great football game between Harvard and
Yale, and there was tremendous excitement here. We could hear the yells of the
boys and the cheers of the lookers-on as plainly in our room as if we had been on
the field. Colonel Roosevelt was there, on Harvard’s side; but bless you, he wore

a white sweater, and no crimson that we know of! There were about twenty-five
thousand people at the game, and, when we went out, the noise was so terrific,