This is my favor, Miss Hunter. Elizabeth respects and admires you more than any of her teachers. She quotes you frequently and seems influenced by you. Arnold has made me promise that I will not ask her parents to bring her home and that I will not write her. I will not. But can you do anything? It is rather absurd to ask you to conspire against your college, to give up one of your pupils: but you have a great many, and remember that I have but one nephew! It is all rather a comedy, but a sad one for me, if there is no change within three weeks, I assure you. They are only two headstrong children, but they can cause more than one heartache if they keep up their obstinacy. Elizabeth has forbidden Arnold to come to Northampton on the score of her work, and wild horses could not drag him there.
I offer no suggestion, I ask nothing definitely, I merely wonder if you meant what you said on the Etruria, and if your woman's wit, that must have managed so many young idiots, can manage these?
Yours faithfully,
Arnold M. Ritch.
IX
From Miss Marion Hunter
to Mrs. Henry Stockton
Northampton, Mass., Nov. 7, 189-.
My dear Mrs. Stockton: As you have certainly not forgotten that I assured you in the early fall of my interest, professionally and personally, in your daughter, you will need no further explanation, nor be at all alarmed, when I tell you that Elizabeth is a little over-worked of late. In the house with her as I am, I see that she is trying to carry a little too much of our unfortunately famous "social life" in connection with her studies, where she is unwilling to lose a high grade. She entered so well prepared that she has nothing to fear from a short absence, and as she tells me that she does not sleep well at all of late, she will have no difficulty in getting an honorable furlough. Two weeks or so of rest and freedom from strain will set her up perfectly, I have no doubt, and she can return with perfect safety to her work, which is, I repeat, quite satisfactory.
Yours very cordially,
Marion Hunter.
X
From Mrs. Henry Stockton
to Miss Elizabeth Stockton
(Telegram)
Lowell, Mass., Nov. 8.
Come home immediately will arrange with college and explain myself.