[The letter is dated 1903 here, but was in an envelope dated 1904 and with another letter dated Jan 10, 1904, so it is clearly a new-year mistake by the letter writer.]Templeton, Mass.,
Jan. 10, 1903Dear Lucy:-
I told Mama the other day that I had volumes to write to you but as it would be rather expensive sending them to you I thought that I should have to content myself by writing pages. I suppose that I have got to go to school to-morrow. Elmer told me that there would be a notice in the Gardner Daily when school was going to begin & it would've put in the night before. Friday's said that school would begin Monday but Saturday's did not say anything about it.
Well to begin with the things that have happened since you went. Mama & I arrived home safely from Otter River. We stopped at East Templeton (just as a good many other people do) and she went to Aunt Ada's & I went to Grandma's. Grandma is about as usual & thinks that we have had some pretty cold weather. She had rather expected you down until it was so cold & then she did not think that you would come. Aunt Mattie was telling what Aunt Ada & Uncle Warren and Ruth Peckham for Christmas. Uncle Warren sent her a pair of kid gloves. They tried them on & found that they were all right. Aunt Ada sent her a little wrist-bag & Ruth would not let her father & mother take that away but kept hold of it all day long. Thursday morning I was watering plants & Helen came down. She wanted me to go over to her house for a while that evening. Louise Farnum wants to have a party some time this winter and she had never met any of the boys & they you know are an essential thing to a party. She is talking of having a leap year party.
Well I rigged upon my best bib & tucker & went. There were ten there & we played "Pit" and "Panic." "Panic" is just like "Pit" only there is a Panic card & if you have that you can make a corner with one less card that [sic] you generally have. At the table that played "Pit" there were Sandy Lucius, Willie, Louse & Helen & at the Panic table Linnie, Ralph, Arthur, Martha Newton & I. After that the tables were mixed up a little & we played ghost, but at the table where I was we didn't like it very well so we played a game of "Pit" which I beat. When we played "Panic" "Zip" beat all the time. We played one game by dealing out the cards ten times. We had refreshments of sugared pop corn & apples & then Louise played to us.
Friday I went down to see Cousin Minnie[.] She had just got the boys asleep when I got there but after a while they woke up & I was almost thankful that they didn't wake up sooner. They were on the jump all the time. Cousin Minnie said that they took the balls to bed with them Christmas night. I was made to play ball with them Friday. Once Karl sung out, "Is everybody ready?" He tried to throw a hassock over his head & he tumbled down & hit on the stove. Russel is the bigged [sic] rogue you ever saw. He is very good-natured & is always laughing. When he woke up he was happy but Karl was a little cross. Karl tried to stand Russel on his head & Russel didn't object very much.
Saturday I didn't do much of anything of importance[.] I copie[d] a theme, fixed the inside of my book, made a cake, swept my room (it hadn't been swept before since Thanksgiving) & a few other little things. I have been hunting up some Youth's Companions to give to the Rich boys. Cousin Minnie said that she thought that they would like some. Your collar & cuffs are not within gun shot of done, but I will try & finish them in the sweet by and by. The brooks twins went into Sunday's School to-day all by their lone selves. There was no church last Sunday so you see you were all right in staying at home.
With love,
Mary.[The closing and signature are padded with "x x x" to the margins of the paper]
P.S. I have Witch Winnie to read. Mama & Auntie have goon [sic] to Vesper & Uncle & I are keeping house. I am wearing that blue waist of yours that you wore when you were home.