GARDEN ST., December 5, 1879.

YOU DEAR, DARLING OLD CRIMSON:-

I write to you because you can't think how fond I am of you, and because I always read you, although Sophie Basdazure (do you know Sophie?) says your general tone is much inferior to that of the Aggravate. Now, you old duck, I 've a little plan, and I want to tell you all about it. I see poor little things wandering about with lots of books under their arms and a very dazed and unhappy expression of countenance. They tell me they are called sub-Freshmen, - things just like Freshmen, only younger and smaller, and trying very hard to be really Freshmen, just like a tadpole tries to be a frog. They have to learn all sorts of things, - Ethics and Dentistry and Agriculchar, and another kind of culchar that they learn in the pretty building with the bell. Among other things, they have to learn Geography. Now I never could remember all those colors on the map, - could you? Green for Arizona and blue for Oregon. I have a pair of - Oh! bless me, I quite forgot - so I 've thought of a way to interest the poor little things. Make nice pretty verses about all the places, and they 'll learn a good deal about them and the people too. This way, for instance; this one 's a perfect beauty:-

There was an old man of Trieste,

Who said, "I will pull down my vest."

But his daughter said, "Papa,

The action 's improper,

And I hope that you 'll give us a rest."

That shows them something of the local color. Here 's another:-

A young Russian girl of Odessa

Eloped with a Harvard Professor;

But she very soon found

She was horribly ground,

So took up with a Father Confessor.

And my aunt, a sweet old lady - come round to tea some Sunday evening, and I'll introduce you - composed this:-