Handwritten letter from Mary Dover in Pittsburgh, PA to unknown recipient, likely Gertrude Starkey Pitcairn or Pauline Starkey Wells. Dated: “Monday Morning,” no day, month, or year. Filed under 1878. 2 pages, double-sided. Crest of a rope wrapped around an anchor pressed into upper lefthand corner.

Contents: -letter received from Mr. P. (Pitcairn?): in New York ready to depart, speaks of happy days in Phila. -Sunday social event at the Nest (Oaknest) w/ Mr. Childs, Mr. G. (Gillespy?), etc.; decided to start reading Old Testament every night and New Testament every morning; will also adopt practice, suggested at the Island, of reading at the table & all repeating the Lord’s prayer together; absent “saints” (Academy members) were remembered & toasted -Mr. Childs & Mr. G. (Gillespy?) leaving for the West next week; invited Mary & Maria to have dinner with them -Childs talked about time in Phila.; went for drive, had Cara & Dora with him much of the time -Ida wants letter from Cara -Mary Mills is going to be a Swedenborgian; what will her mother think? -too much work & no play is bad for the students

Names mentioned: Mr. P. (John Pitcairn, Jr.?), Maria (Maria C. Hogan), Mr. C. (Walter C. Childs), Mr. G. (John Gillespy?), Maggie (Marggie Pitcairn?), Father V. (Rev. H. C. Vetterling), Miss Janet (Janet Pitcairn?), Mrs. Crum, Ida, Mrs. P. (Mrs. Pitcairn?), Capt. (Alfred Matthias?), Dr. C. (Cowley?), Mrs. Burns, Dr. B. (Nathan Clark Burnham?), Cara (Cara Starkey Glenn), Dora (Theodore Starkey Smith), Ida, Mary Mills, Lotta (?) Places mentioned: New York, Phila. (Philadelphia), the Nest (Oaknest: home of Walt C. Childs), the Island (“Island of the Blessed”/ “Island of the Saints” ?), the West