Eleanor Randolph Wilson McAdoo to Jessie Woodrow Wilson Sayre

Title

Eleanor Randolph Wilson McAdoo to Jessie Woodrow Wilson Sayre

Creator

McAdoo, Eleanor Wilson, 1889-1967

Identifier

WWP17437

Date

1908 April 6

Description

Eleanor Wilson McAdoo writes Jessie Wilson Sayre with news from St. Mary's School in Raleigh, NC.

Source

Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton University

Language

English

Text

Jetty

I just can never forgive myself for the way I have done! Think of not having written one single word to you, my own precious sister, for two weeks! Why, I just can't believe that it has been so long and oh my, I am so, so, so sorry. Please forgive me just once more. I didn't skip that week because you were at home, either, especially after your asking me not to, but just because I have been so busy. Everything just seems to pile up at once and we have so very little time to ourselves—with so much chapel and every thing else. But I won't spend my time excusing myself, because I really haven't enough excuse for such a very outrageous, abominable way of doing. Just, please excuse me!You don't know how very much I enjoyed your dear letter from home. It was so precious and so interesting and I loved it so. My! what a lovely time you must have had, and how I wl wish I could have been there too! How interesting and exciting the play must have been. Thank goodness, it's the last one I'll miss. Oh, Jettythingk of next year. I feel like crying for joy whenever I think of it. Oh, how thrilling all those engagements, marriages and love affairs are. Princeton certainly is looking up, isn't it? Maybe one of us three will come in next. I hope not. I am so disgusted about Mr. Westcott and Miss Buate, that I don't want even to talk about it. It wouldnt be so bad if he was just marrying her for his children and because he was very fond of her; but to be desperately, wildly in love with her, as they say he is, is just too much. I don't think I will ever marry if that's the way men do.
I started this letter out in the grove this morning, with another pen, as you see; that's the reason I put that heading on the top. Helen and I took a blanket and a lot of cushions and sat out under the trees where it was nice and cool, but we didn't write much—it was too comfortable and we felt so very lazy. It is quite hot here now. We are all going around in white summer dresses I even wore white down street this afternoon and was mighty hot too. It certainly is fine to see the spring here and all the trees just as green and the myriads of glorious violets all over everywhere. I know you envy me, up there in a horrid old city. How I wish you were down here. Oh Jetty darling, darling you don't know how very much I want to see you. I feel as if I simply couldn't wait any longer, because I want you rightnow. Oh I am so homesick and I wish I could see you! But I must brace up and try not to think about it, and I'll get over it soon, I suppose. I think I am this way because of such a very heavy responsibility that I worry and worry about all the time. You remember, last Christmas when I told you that I had heard one of the girls say that she thought I would be inter-society debater, but that I simply didn't believe that they would be such fools? Well, it has happened—they have chosen me and oh Jetty, Jetty I don't know what to do about it. I am so very miserable and distressed about it because I just can't, can't debate. How can I do it—little foolish idiot that I am; I never did have any sense and I simply cannot understand what on this wide earth ever made them be such fools as ever to think of me. And now they all depend on me and to do honour to the literary society and I just can't. I know I'm a little goose to be so excited and unhappy about it but, you see, Jetty, I cannot even write the first important part and then besides to get up before a crowd of people and read it, and then afterwards to retort with no paper or anything. Oh, I am frightened! I know one thing though, and that is that everybody will think very little of the standard at St Marys if they consider their best debater a girl like me.
But there isn't any use getting excited about it and all I can do is to do my best, but oh, you don't know how much I want you, dearest sister. I will tell you the subject and the sides both of which we decided on today. It is—“Resolved—That Lee did more for the Confederacy than Jefferson Davis.” They say that it is very evenly ballanced but don't you think that, at least at first thought, the affirmative is much the strongest. I never did think much of Davis, did you? We thought of course they would take that side because they had the choice but they didn't—they took the negative and we have been overjoyed. I suppose they wanted that, since the negative always has the advantage and then besides there is a new book which has just come out—very good, and very strong for Davis. But—I think we have the best chance of beating, don't you? And that's what will make it hurt all the more when I get up and make a fool of myself when I have such fine possibilities before me. My “colleague' is a very attractive, wvery bright little girl and a fine debater, who will certainly outshine me and probably the opponents until we are nothing but little black specks. That's one very encouraging thing, any way.One of my best friends is an opponent—not a frat girl but my very bestest friend among the non-frats. She is Elizabeth Waddills cousin. You know, Elizabeth has come back, and is going to graduate with her class after all. Isn't that splendid of her and don't you know I am happy—having her back again. She talks about you every now and then and she certainly does love you. But to return—If you can think of any possible point please don't forget to write it to me, right away. It is going to happen the tnenth of May—about a month from now. I'm not going to talk about it nany more now, because it almost drives me crazy. Please, when you write, give me some comfort, but I know you will. You always do help me whenever I need you. Oh, Jetty how I do love you!I must stop now, as it is getting late and I haven't done a bit of studying. I am very well and so are Tantchen and little Annie.Have you heard any thing from Margie lately? When is she going home and how is she? I haven't heard a word.Good-night my own precious, darlingest sister. I can never tell you how much I love you and how much of that love I send in each letter

Your ever devoted little sister
Nell.

Original Format

Letter

To

Sayre, Jessie Woodrow Wilson, 1887-1933

Files

http://resources.presidentwilson.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NWtoJWS19080406.pdf

Citation

McAdoo, Eleanor Wilson, 1889-1967, “Eleanor Randolph Wilson McAdoo to Jessie Woodrow Wilson Sayre,” 1908 April 6, WWP17437, Jessie Wilson Sayre Correspondence, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.