Mary Baldwin College - Bluestocking Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

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your acquaintance with such a distinguished personage. There is one at least of the old class whom you surely must have heard of. During the late British war all the papers both in England and America were filled with the praises of a certain Kentucky girl, Nancy Griffith, who had gone to the front as a Red Cross nurse and who by her splendid courage and daring had excited the admira- tion of every one. At the close of the war the King of England presented her with a badge of distinguished ser- vice. Two of the Baldwin girls have won laurels in the most intellectual centres of our country. Louise Leckey is President of Wellesley, and the educational world is greatly interested in her advanced theories of higher education for women. Marie Hammond is at the head of the Boston Conservatory of Music. This brings me to the last of the old class, barring yourself, and I must tell you how I happened upon her five years ago. It was an odd coincidence. I was travel- ing in England, and the only other occupant of the car- riage being a bright-faced little woman. I took particular note of her. She had quantities of luggage, wore boots, did her hair in a net and had bangs. When we fell into conversation I became convinced that she was very English, but in the course of our little chat I discovered that she too was an American, in her girlhood had attended Mary Baldwin ' s and previous to her marriage with a young Englishman of rank had been Fay Green. Of course I was able to place her immediately and easily traced some familiarity in her face and manner. We parted reluctantly at the end of an hour or so. The meeting was, as she expressed it, just jolly. But, Josey dear, with all their success and happiness in their various fields, none of them have attained the summit as you have. Little did we think, away back in naughty-four, when we predicted J ' s for our Josey from over the sea, Some day she ' ll return to the heathen Chinee, that in comparatively few short years our Josey would be doing the greatest work in all the great field of mis-

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of the old graduates quite by accident. I was invited to visit a salon where famous pictures were being exhibited and was there introduced to the artist of the most talked of production of the season. You can imagine my sur- prise when I recognized Emily Pancake. I was anxious to hear something of her life and success during the long years that had separated us, but she was pounced upon by several fashionable art connoisseurs and borne away be- fore she had fairly begun. She told me, however, that our old schoolmate Rosa Lee Dulaney was playing in concert in the metropolis, her first appearance on the American concert stage after her return from European triumphs. I went to hear her the first night and can verify the criticism which followed. She is a brilliant musician and a great future is predicted for her. I think that very few girls have had more romantic lives than Florence Pealer. You remember she was an art graduate and had remarkable talent. After she left school she went to Paris to study. There among the artistic Bohemian circles which welcomed her, she met a young French count and married him. She has given up painting, but still holds her interest in the art, and her magnificent salon draws the cream of artistic Paris. I ' m sending you a copy of the best all-around maga- zine in the country and want to draw your attention to the Editorial and the Editor, Josephine Timberlake. Not content with getting out Mary Baldwin Miscellanies and Annuals, she has gone on in the literary world and achieved decided renown. She is too busy to be a good correspondent, but I gather from her occasional letters that she is all enthusiasm and is absorbed in her fascinat- ing work. A recent number of her magazine contained an article of much interest to me. It was on Winifred (yes, actually our sweet little Winnie,) Morris ' s great botanical discovery. You know Winnie grew tired of the frivolity of society in her second season ; her student nature asserted itself, and she took up her old study of botany. She plunged into the science and has pursued it in many cities and various climes. Perhaps some time she will drift out your way. I know you will be proud to renew

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sions. But the loving, cheerful spirit that was omni- present with our little schoolmate has blessed her noble labor to a marvellous extent. May it always continue to do so. Perhaps it is your letter, so like the Josey of school days ; perhaps it is the calling to mind of these old com- panions, perhaps both — aided by the plaintive wail of a hand-organ beneath my window, dimly recognizable as The Campbells are Coming — but as I have written, how the days of my girlhood at Baldwin ' s have come crowding back to me — days so full and care-free. The only shadow is the knowledge of how little we realized our happiness. It gives one a queer pang to think that another generation of girls have taken our places there ; that the old Seminary rings with the sound of new voices and resounds with strange footsteps. Perhaps now these girls are strolling up and down the terrace in the moonlight bidding tearful farewells, or going through the final com- mencement exercises. Dear, dear, the girl you and the girl I have clambered half-way up the ladder of life, and yet it seems but yesterday since we stood on the first round. If I find out anything more about the girls I will be more than glad to let you know of it. With lots of love and best hopes for your success in all undertakings, I am, as ever, Your old chum,