Letter from Grace McClurg to her family, 1911

Tues. a.m.

My dear folks:
Unless Uncle Hayes forgot to mail my letter, you will soon get it. I have wondered whether he put a note on the back saying that he spent the evening here Sun. Came out about 4:30, took me out to lunch, then he went to League with me and came back and stayed until about 9. We had a dandy visit, and he has promised to come back to see me the 19th. He is going to finance my ship of stale the rest of this year. Has been very kind about it. Told me when he would send the amount I need, then said if that is not enough for me to let him know.

Since yesterday I am wondering whether it might not be advisable to follow a plan which has been a temptation all year; i.e. To drop out of the second semester to work, go to Kans. next summer for a rest, teach a year and then come back for my senior year. Still with the possibility of getting thru this year that seems like folly. Sunday I had been having cramps all day, not too severe, and had just begun to stir around when Uncle Hayes came. Yesterday morning they began again, and I had even a worse siege than that last Sun. at home a year ago last fall. Not a thing relieved me until I got into a tub full of steaming hot water and sat there until I had to get out or faint. But oh, the relief while in. Wrapped up in the blankets and went to sleep. Must have slept about two hours. The cramps were gone but I was sore all over and weak as a cat. Had not been able to eat any of the lunch they sent up at noon, but did justice to supper. This was on the tray - roast potato, thigh of rabbit, brown gravy, dish of spinach, pickle, apple-sauce, cranberries, bread and butter. The girl told me that she brought the cranberries extra. The last matron was not a good manager and toward each close up semester the girls youth to about starve for the board cash would have been used up earlier. This matron is very thrifty and seems to have extra cash on hands now. Sat. night we had the celebrated Miss Pankhurst, the suffragette of whom I spoke, with us for dinner. Wish you could have been here too. Three courses. 1) The prettiest red tomato soup. (2) Roast pork, horseradish, olives, peas, cranberries, mashed potato and gravy, and a delicious salad with chopped nuts on. (3) Pineapple sherbert and ladyfingers. Sun. Dinner almost as good. Do not know when I will get to the dentist this week. Had to call off the date for yesterday p.m. Am still too weak this a.m. to go to class all day, so am cutting the first two and will get out to the rest. Was provoked last night. The girl who took it upon herself to bring up my dinner came up afterward for the dishes and stayed until 9:30. She is one of the seniors. Her personality wears on me more than anyone I have ever met and after an hour’s being in her presence I am just worn out. Yet she thinks more of me than anyone else here in school. I can't understand it, for I am as unresponsive as a block of ice. She has a dear, little, unattractive freshmen for a roommate and this freshman falls at my feet. Nearly every freshman in the hall has her idol, and I am Christie’s. It is fun. When she found out I was sick, she told Florence she wished so much that she could bring up my supper and wondered who was going to do it. Florence never said that she herself was planning to do it. I think she ought to have let Christie do it, and I wish she had. This whole end of the hall, downstairs and up were provoked at her for her shrill voice bothered every one from studying the whole evening and then they were angry to think she would annoy me so long. She is lacking in the faculty of realization (under given conditions). At times I feel so selfish and not returning more of her devotion, and then am tempted to lay the lines to open a way for her to room with me as she is so anxious to do. But when an experience like last night comes I sometimes wish she would go to the end of the earth where I would never see her again. Will enclose a P.O. order which has been due so long, so that the cash can be sent Sat. The 75 cents can come in stamps. Much love, Grace