A Dozen Pages Of Gossip Was Worth Sharing
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
Hill Country Living
By Coulter Fussell
It’s a Wagner Week! Oxford socialite Elma Meek has found her match when it comes to town gossip: Ole Miss frat boy, Morgan Garrott. I edited out half of this letter for the sake of length but you can google almost any of the names in this letter be sent down a rabbit hole of Mississippi history. I have this letter to Elma (who is not a Wagner) because she just stuffed the whole thing in an envelope and sent it on to George Wagner, as opposed to re-writing all the gossip herself.
University Mississippi, October 19, 1902
Dear Miss Elma,
I was around to see Mrs. Meek not very long ago when she told me all about you. When are you going to condescend to make us that visit of which Mrs. Week spoke? I certainly do miss you, Miss Elma. Whenever I pass by the house I think of the many pleasant days which I have spent there and the fun we have had together. But alas, I shouldn’t have expected to spend all my school days thus.
We have the greenest looking Freshmen you ever saw. There are about 275 boys here and most of them are on the campus. Board is so high in town. I’m rooming on the third floor of Dr. Sanders’ with Tom Sykes of Aberdeen. He’s a very nice fellow and I think will make a fine Deke. Hugh Miller is rooming right next-door to us and he is a case.
The prospects for our frat this year are very bright. We expect to take in seven or eight good men. The prospects of some of the others seem to me to be pretty gloomy. The Sigma Chi’s, the SAE’s, Phi Kappa Psi’s for instance. Since Mr. Rivers has moved, the Sigma Chi’s have fixed up those rooms very nicely and will occupy them as their “chapter house.” The KA’s are still trying to do the society act but they don’t seem to accomplish anything from what I can observe.
We gave the Chi Omegas the privilege of guying in our chapter house. Some cakes better be coming forthwith immediately. They are working hard for Betty Sue, as are the ΤΔΘs. If they succeed they will have four, Janice, “Lyn,” Louise and Betty Sue. The five ΤΔΘ, two Misses Rhea, Miss Daisy Plant, Miss Kimmons and Miss Rogers.
Miss Frost Roane is to be married at the Methodist Church next Wednesday night. I am certainly glad that this is going to be realized for I have grown weary hearing the report for the last two or three years.
Janie told me that she received a letter from Ada Lea a few days ago. In it she said that she was almost bald-headed from the effects of a severe attack of typhoid fever which she experienced in Los Angeles Cal last summer and that she was as pretty as she could be. I told Janie that if there was any change in her looks she must necessarily be prettier for she had about gone to the extreme in one direction. But I shouldn’t talk about her in this manner.
By the way Farmer Critz is back with his brother. Mrs. Baird was stricken with paralysis last night and is very ill today. Doesn’t recognize anyone. Rusty Keys is still rushing Miss Montgomery.
From my observation I don’t think the looks of the college girls is any improvement on last year’s crowd.
Twelve pages! “gee whiz!” I must stop. You will think I’m dead in love with you. Give my kindest regards to Miss Potts and Lewis.
Your sincere friend,
Morgan Garrott
