Here's our first "burn this letter" instruction from Lavinia. I'm glad Mary didn't obey, but I'm not sure how juicy it really is. There's a special delivery stamp, plus some extra postmarks on the back of the envelope.

Same term address as usual.

Thursday
Dear Mary
Some excitement about Helen's going up there How like Ealanor to invite her, I hope you can get-out of it gracefully, and that no one will take offence.

I told them yesterday that you told me you were glad Martha was going to stay with the Pi Fi's for you did not know where you could put them both to sleep

We have Elanor spelled two ways, and I suspect that Lavinia is just careless/wrong.

Ealanor wants to stay till Monday, she has set her own time from Friday til Monday, but I told Martha she must come home Sunday, and that will give you a little time for rest and study. Rather than to offend any one, if you can't come arrange for it you might stand but Martha don't want Helen & thinks you can fix it some way, and if Miss Faith hasn't room for her that is excuse enough.

So we have an unwelcome visitor, and Lavinia is bolstering the plausible deniability about accomodations.

Maybe you want her, but I think not, Martha wants to stay to supper with you Friday night she says + wonders if Miss Flanngan + Ann will have things for her to do if Ann is there.

Are you doing well, Mary? I hope you feel well and have good breakfasts now.

I have thought about Doris inviting herself up there for a week. It is just to see Julia not you, so don't let her go to stay only over Sunday.

It will tire you all out. Be very careful not to ask her only for a day or two. She is so crazy about boys + cares only for herself. Burn this immediately.

I have a terrible cold in my head + am not going to get up til after breakfast. Rebecca is here and Paul Lizzie + Gilbert are coming up to dinner this being Lizzie's birth-day. Rebecca is very frail + so sad that it is depressing.

We still don't know much about Rebecca and Paul, and among the college girls, we have a few new names.  October 23rd was a Thursday, so I suppose the special delivery was needed for the discussion of weekend guests to arrive with relevance intact?