Transcribed by Cathy Rae Clark from a letter found in the genelogy records of her mother.
graduating class of 1893........
-while sitting in my study a week ago completing a new play, I was interrupted by my servant who brought in the mail. Among the rest was a invitation from the boys that use to be in my class at school, requesting to be at Boston on the 14th day of June l903. There was to be , so the letter read a reunion in Liverpool of my former class mates. We, that lived in
America were to travel to Liverpool by the Boston, and Liverpool pneumatic.
So it is explained why I am at Mrs. B's house in Boston Libby. Always was a favorite in school and is now a favorite of a handsome telegraph operator , Mr. B. There she is now. Well Abbie are you ready? It is time to leave the station. After a short journey I found myself in a vast hall in the midst of a crowd, laughting chatting and renewing the broken lenghts of friendship. They were in the coinframoions of my school days. The hall was an elegant station in Boston at the terninmes of the Boston and Liverpool Puenmatic Tube Co. "Look at those two great iron cylinders," said a woman standing near me. I gazed upon these two cylinders, set in a mass of masonry, having enormous metallic obtiurators, from whence several iron funnels extended passing through the ceiling. These tubes were the invention of the male portion of my classmates in Milwankee. Their object was to connect England and America or, as one may say, to weld the two contentents together by laying these monstrous tubes on the bed of the ocean. The cylinders resembled two gigantic pea shooters and carried in their interiors a series of passinger cars which were impelted by powerful currents of air. In these tube's there were no disagreeable noise to cause nervous trefridation, the temperature was even and the rates very reasonable. The speed attained is so rapid that it takes but two hours and 14 minutes in accomplishing the 3000 miles between Boston and Liverpool. And a traveler who leaves Liverpool at noon disembarks in Boston at (:34 am because the time in Liverpool is 4 hours and 40 minutes faster than ours.
So we boarded the cars in this wonderful subarmarine railway. Narly all the faces I used to see in the schoolroom are here. The rest I will meet in Liverpool.
Those two young ladies on the front seat are still Miss Hehnning and Miss Hart, two of the happiest dressmakers that ever lived in New York. They are very wealthy now but it took many years of labor to gain such a position.
What chums Mrs X and Signora Del Puente were when they called themselves Flora Vogel and Estelle Neidhoefer. But now their baths are so widely separated Flora was but twenty when she married but Miss Neidhoefer was one of
page 5
the most noted singers in the St. James Cathedral in London for many years. There she met an Italian count who fell my love with her sweet voice and they were joined in appy wedlock.
That distinguished looking women just a few seats away is Gertrude Judd. everywhere known as one of the greatest elocutionists of the age. She is sought after by hundreds on account of the grace ability and tact she uses in teaching. Behing her is Mrs. Dr. Drown Ella Bierback never told her preference for a doctors life to any of her school mates but a doctor is what she has blossomed into.
Page 6.
Winnie Wall whose name now stands as an attraction the play bills of the leaders of theatrical management has a company in Germany. Not long ago she bought a play of mine"A D 1813. She is a star whom all cultured people considered it an honor to wee.
In one of our great hospitals there was seen a short time ago a nurse passing with noiseless tread from one bedside to another. She mustt give this one medicine that one a little berf tea or must carry a bouquet to a convalescent. When her soft hand soothes the forehead of a sufferer the fram seems to vanish as if by magic. It is a pleasant task for her and her friends will reconoize this administering angel in Ella Schildknecht.
What a sad event determined Lizzie McLies' present career. She was married to a handsome young banker and, while riding home from the church, the horses became frightened and ran away. Her husband was killed before her eyes. She nearlly broke her heart mourning for him and decided to devote the rest of her life to Christrin duties. She is now in a convent in France and is the only one we will not meet today.
I am Stearns is librarian of the Milwaukee Public Library on 9:10 Store Graud Av. earning an minense salary. Her great circle of acquaintances appreciate.
Page 8
her great capabilities.
We have now some good literature to read for our Maggie Malloy has become a famous author and the strole of her workings is very pleasing and popular. She is sitting in this car with Maggie White (nei' Sullivan) sho married an elderly gentleman for his money to revenge herfelf on a false young man. She is a happy widow now.
Memoriy recalls to us all how clever Elanor Streckewald was in shool. She afterwards enlistd in the army of school teachers and has much sucess as an instructor.
Fannie Voss little thought when she was in our class that she would someday be the succssful music teacher she now is.
Page 9
Two bright stars in our midst are Susir Sceets and Fanner Jones. Susie lives in Italy and has become a proficient artist. Fanner single to hundreds of enthusiactiv audiences. Her rate of admittance is ten dollars for a seat but the sum seems trival when we listen to the Adelina Patti of the 20th centery. Edna Wright, after she left school became so interested in her fathers business that she kept his books for many years. She was finally rewarded by becomming the happy bride of a late ex-president of Hawaii. Three of our girls, Cora Planthahr, Tessie Burke and Kate Shea are boarders of Mrs. Frandland who once was known as Maud Williams, Siegle Cooper and Co. has three trustworthy employees. Cora, as head
page 10
saleslady in the cloak department. Tessie is his stenographer and Kate his bookkeeper. Although sometime has ben taken to discribe the gay crowd in this car. yet only an hour has really been spent since the departure from Boston. We were far from land under the billows of the ocean. Above our heads the crested waves may be beating against each other with fury or the shases striking thur powerful tails against our long iron poison house. Half an hour passed when I felt a damopness on my forhead. I carried my hand to my face. It was wet! Wet? Whkat had Happened? Had the tube burst under the emmense pressure of the water above? Should we all be drowned? I endeavored to cry out was my agony.
And I woke finding myself in my own room in a chair in which I had fallen asleep while thinking of the future and my sister had sprinkled water on my face to awaken me.
-while sitting in my study a week ago completing a new play, I was interrupted by my servant who brought in the mail. Among the rest was a invitation from the boys that use to be in my class at school, requesting to be at Boston on the 14th day of June l903. There was to be , so the letter read a reunion in Liverpool of my former class mates. We, that lived in
America were to travel to Liverpool by the Boston, and Liverpool pneumatic.
So it is explained why I am at Mrs. B's house in Boston Libby. Always was a favorite in school and is now a favorite of a handsome telegraph operator , Mr. B. There she is now. Well Abbie are you ready? It is time to leave the station. After a short journey I found myself in a vast hall in the midst of a crowd, laughting chatting and renewing the broken lenghts of friendship. They were in the coinframoions of my school days. The hall was an elegant station in Boston at the terninmes of the Boston and Liverpool Puenmatic Tube Co. "Look at those two great iron cylinders," said a woman standing near me. I gazed upon these two cylinders, set in a mass of masonry, having enormous metallic obtiurators, from whence several iron funnels extended passing through the ceiling. These tubes were the invention of the male portion of my classmates in Milwankee. Their object was to connect England and America or, as one may say, to weld the two contentents together by laying these monstrous tubes on the bed of the ocean. The cylinders resembled two gigantic pea shooters and carried in their interiors a series of passinger cars which were impelted by powerful currents of air. In these tube's there were no disagreeable noise to cause nervous trefridation, the temperature was even and the rates very reasonable. The speed attained is so rapid that it takes but two hours and 14 minutes in accomplishing the 3000 miles between Boston and Liverpool. And a traveler who leaves Liverpool at noon disembarks in Boston at (:34 am because the time in Liverpool is 4 hours and 40 minutes faster than ours.
So we boarded the cars in this wonderful subarmarine railway. Narly all the faces I used to see in the schoolroom are here. The rest I will meet in Liverpool.
Those two young ladies on the front seat are still Miss Hehnning and Miss Hart, two of the happiest dressmakers that ever lived in New York. They are very wealthy now but it took many years of labor to gain such a position.
What chums Mrs X and Signora Del Puente were when they called themselves Flora Vogel and Estelle Neidhoefer. But now their baths are so widely separated Flora was but twenty when she married but Miss Neidhoefer was one of
page 5
the most noted singers in the St. James Cathedral in London for many years. There she met an Italian count who fell my love with her sweet voice and they were joined in appy wedlock.
That distinguished looking women just a few seats away is Gertrude Judd. everywhere known as one of the greatest elocutionists of the age. She is sought after by hundreds on account of the grace ability and tact she uses in teaching. Behing her is Mrs. Dr. Drown Ella Bierback never told her preference for a doctors life to any of her school mates but a doctor is what she has blossomed into.
Page 6.
Winnie Wall whose name now stands as an attraction the play bills of the leaders of theatrical management has a company in Germany. Not long ago she bought a play of mine"A D 1813. She is a star whom all cultured people considered it an honor to wee.
In one of our great hospitals there was seen a short time ago a nurse passing with noiseless tread from one bedside to another. She mustt give this one medicine that one a little berf tea or must carry a bouquet to a convalescent. When her soft hand soothes the forehead of a sufferer the fram seems to vanish as if by magic. It is a pleasant task for her and her friends will reconoize this administering angel in Ella Schildknecht.
What a sad event determined Lizzie McLies' present career. She was married to a handsome young banker and, while riding home from the church, the horses became frightened and ran away. Her husband was killed before her eyes. She nearlly broke her heart mourning for him and decided to devote the rest of her life to Christrin duties. She is now in a convent in France and is the only one we will not meet today.
I am Stearns is librarian of the Milwaukee Public Library on 9:10 Store Graud Av. earning an minense salary. Her great circle of acquaintances appreciate.
Page 8
her great capabilities.
We have now some good literature to read for our Maggie Malloy has become a famous author and the strole of her workings is very pleasing and popular. She is sitting in this car with Maggie White (nei' Sullivan) sho married an elderly gentleman for his money to revenge herfelf on a false young man. She is a happy widow now.
Memoriy recalls to us all how clever Elanor Streckewald was in shool. She afterwards enlistd in the army of school teachers and has much sucess as an instructor.
Fannie Voss little thought when she was in our class that she would someday be the succssful music teacher she now is.
Page 9
Two bright stars in our midst are Susir Sceets and Fanner Jones. Susie lives in Italy and has become a proficient artist. Fanner single to hundreds of enthusiactiv audiences. Her rate of admittance is ten dollars for a seat but the sum seems trival when we listen to the Adelina Patti of the 20th centery. Edna Wright, after she left school became so interested in her fathers business that she kept his books for many years. She was finally rewarded by becomming the happy bride of a late ex-president of Hawaii. Three of our girls, Cora Planthahr, Tessie Burke and Kate Shea are boarders of Mrs. Frandland who once was known as Maud Williams, Siegle Cooper and Co. has three trustworthy employees. Cora, as head
page 10
saleslady in the cloak department. Tessie is his stenographer and Kate his bookkeeper. Although sometime has ben taken to discribe the gay crowd in this car. yet only an hour has really been spent since the departure from Boston. We were far from land under the billows of the ocean. Above our heads the crested waves may be beating against each other with fury or the shases striking thur powerful tails against our long iron poison house. Half an hour passed when I felt a damopness on my forhead. I carried my hand to my face. It was wet! Wet? Whkat had Happened? Had the tube burst under the emmense pressure of the water above? Should we all be drowned? I endeavored to cry out was my agony.
And I woke finding myself in my own room in a chair in which I had fallen asleep while thinking of the future and my sister had sprinkled water on my face to awaken me.
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