[Some paragraph marks added for ease of reading.]Templeton, Nov. 9, 1906.
Dear Lucy,
There is one important piece of news, if it were true, (it was in the T_n Recorder) and I will write it the very first thing, so to be sure you hear of it. It is that Fred Henshaw is visiting his parents, that he is looking well and enjoyed his trip, that he is to spend the winter in Washington, D.C. and will go to Alaska in the spring. I don't need to write any more, do I? Don't you wish you had smiled on him more? Probably Annie is happy. I know nothing about his being here except that I wonder Mary had not heard of it but perhaps he had just come.
Mrs. Searles made me a short call today, but I think it was intended fro Carrie, so did not feel too set up over it. The surveyors have left and gone to Athol, so Mrs. S_ is hurrying fast as she can to join Linnie, thinks she will go some time next week. Charlie Rich sleeps in the house, so she may not be alone. Perhaps the surveyors will get as far as New Salem, but don't think so.
Carrie went to Hartford yesterday she will be gone a week, perhaps two or three days more. She had quite a bad cold, we four all had colds that commenced about the same time and manner, not a real cold, but just as bad or worse.
The Wellington Club had Gentleman's night last night. I did not go for I felt too tired and was afraid I should get more cold. Mary went with Frank and Eva, who had tickets from here. They had the same man to entertain them that they heard last year, and really I would not go far to hear him, but should have gone for the looks of it if I had been well. Mary had a good time.
Carrie and I drove over to H-n to do some last things Wed: we did not stay all day. I don't expect to go again till the things are to be moved. Mary Miles was getting her things Wed. afternoon, and I have written to the Walkers that they can get theirs. Zoe and Edith made us a very short call last Sunday night, they were out riding with their young men, a two seated carriage, and they stopped here, the young men did not come in.
I had a letter from Albert Waite's mother accepting the bureau, but she said nothing about sending for it. If she thinks I am going to get it packed and send it to them she is very much mistaken, if it is not worth some trouble and expense, she can let it alone. I had a letter from Amoret and she is too big for some of the clothes I intended to send her, so you see I have lots of trouble. I have sent a box to Gilman, but don't know if he has received it yet.
I went to Gardner for an hour yesterday - I had to go. I am to go to the dentist's next Friday forenoon. I have to try to clear a place for the things from H-n and it seems hopeless. I don't dare work out in the cold much. Persis has nto come back and I could not get Mrs. Hersey, so I wash a few things at a time and keep along. I or someone else must do a big washing soon. I don't mean to have Persis any more if I can help it. I think it mean for her to leave me this way. Well, perhaps I have scolded enough.
I suppos[e] you are a granger now. I hope you will not keep such late hours as they do. I think your pupils are very peculiar, if one of them is corrected he leaves school. They need something but I don't know what. News is scarce or I don't hear it. O, Bert Phelps has a new auto. Wont he break his neck, or run over half the people here. We will hope it will be the first. I will stop now. Hope your cold is well.
Much love,
Mama.