[Some paragraph marks added for ease of reading.]Templeton, Jan. 10, 1904.
Dear Lucy,
I did it. I wrote 1904 and not 1903, and I think that is being pretty smart. I have surprised some of the people of this town to-night by going to vesper service at the Unitarian church, you ought to have seen them look at me. Bert Phelps was there. Do you suppose he will put me in the paper? I enjoyed it pretty well but the organ is so loud that my head gets very tired. Mr. Meals sang two or three times, Geo. Stone once, Arthur Hawkes once, the quartette once, so you see it would be fairly good. Uncle Isaac and Mary did not go. I suppose Mary goes to school tomorrow. I have been sleeping so late mornings that I am afraid I shall not awake in season, most likely I shall light matches most of the night. There really is not much to write, and I think going to church has muddled my head so I can't write what there is.
I had a letter from Esther one day, thanking us all for the things sent, she said her dusting cap was about worn out so yours came just right. Arthur has joined a drum corps, and Esther says she thinks an insane asylum would be a 'haven of rest' for her compared to her home. Arthur is going to tease his father to let him give up school and I think she is afraid Mr. C- will do it if Arthur teases long enough. Poor Esther she is not very happy; Minnie told Mary that Walter Leland is married and has been in Gardner but has gone to Boston, it may not sound very cousinly, but I hope he will not come back this way, he would be sure to catch us looking our worst if he should call.
Carrie has not heard where Fred is or if he has any position. Have you sent your invitation to him? I would at once, send to 39 Day St. Somerville. I believe that is right. You will need to know pretty soon what you are to do. I was glad to hear that you reached there all right and so early, but don't get on a moving car again unless it is a very urgent matter - a slip, and you might have been killed or crippled. How do things go with you? Do you sleep well and warm? I hope the sleeves I sent will be all right, but I think you would have liked them longer. I believe I forgot to put the number of your box on, so if you have not received them you can look them up.
I went to call on your Aunt Ada the day you went and Mary went to your Grandmother's - we found them all well. Ada was much disturbed about your Aunt Augusta - she had a letter and a postal from her and she wanted Ada to go to see her, she writes that she has grown very thin, suffers terrible pain, can not eat, and that the Dr. had asked her if she wanted a council of doctors. That sounds bad but Ada was feeling as if she might not be as badly off as she thought she was: she (Aunt Augusta) does not want to go back to Aunt Mary's and Ada thinks she may be making things as bad as they are so she shall have an excuse not to come. Ada was going to see her Thursday if the weather was right but was dreading it much and wished I would go with her and I was sorry afterwards that I did not say I would. Augusta talks hard and unreasonably about Mattie and your Grandmother and altogether Ada did not feel happy, and said she was glad I cam so she could talk out. I am very anxious to hear how she really found her.
I must close now for it is getting late, and I am tired. I have jumbled things so that I don't know as you can make much out of the letter. Carrie sends love.
Much love from
Mama.