[Letter was dated Aug 10, but the postmark is Sep 11, and it is sent to the address where Lucy was living in September, not her August address. Mary is discussing the start of school, and there are no letters in this collection that date back as far as Aug 10, so I think the letter was misdated. Some paragraph marks added for ease of reading.]Templeton, Mass.,
Aug. [sic] 10, 1905.Dear Lucy:-
It is eight o'clock now & I don't know just how much of a letter you get. However I can write till I am ordered off to bed. I arrived home safely from Otter River Station & didn't get wet. I waited less than half an hour I guess & then the cars came. There were two of them & as the first was an open one & had Roger for the conductor of course I took that. Pretty soon after we left the bridge Roger came around to take my fare & talked with me until we got almost to the square at East Templeton. Wasn't that fine? I never had that pleasing experience before. Probably the people on the car thought that I was a dreadful flirt. The car that I was on connected with one of the extras so I got home just as the clock struck three. I did up the house work that was left & hemmed the dish cloth that I was determined to get done. I had to sit up rather late in order to try on my new dress. I don't know what time Mama went to bed but I wore my dress the next day. However she took a nap the next day.
I went to school & lived through the agonies of having everyone look at my glasses. We had sort of a merry go round performance the first day. The Seniors sat in Room one for about 15 minutes & when a bell sounded passed to the next seating room, stayed there till another bell rang & soon till we arrived at Room 1 our journeys o'er. I think that everyone that sat in Room 7 last year is back except Levi Greenwood. Oh! How we do miss him & his monkey shines. Hazel Sargent & Jennie Peterson, & Harold Woodward from Hubbardston don't go this year but they were specials though belonged with '06 as much as with any class.
Carrie is fine. She says that Norman is ever so much better. The doctors think that if he can be kept as well as he is now until next spring there will be a chane [sic] for him. We are studying Halleck in English. Did you ever have that extreme pleasure? While it isn't particularly easy, it is so much easier than Smith & Thomas that we rejoice rather than otherwise. Cowee is the same old boy - just as moderate as ever. I guess he & Drake are just as good friends as ever. Dwight it [sic] nice of course & Roger. Mr. Brainard's hair stands up just as straight as ever & "Ranny" has given a new theory namely that he didn't like to have his pupils always behave themselves. He wanted them to do some whispering on the sly. Miss Clark wants the mighty Seniors to toe the mark & as usual they don't worth a cent. We have started Burke's "Conciliation with America" & expect to have a perfectly delightful time.
I had such a nice time since Friday night that I doubt if I shall really want to settle down to studying to-morrow. After school Friday I got Nellie and we played croquet for about an hour. Sat. P.M. I set out the croquet set & went over to get Miss Horton. She wasn't at home & as I came back I saw Elsa coming with her tennis racket. We played for two hours steady & I won every set. She won several games. My hand is a trifle shaky to-day as a result of it. We got most dreadfully tired but were determined to finish out the last set. She came down to the house & we got to laughing & fooling trying to drink water out of nasturtium leaves. We got so silly that we didn't know much of anything. We picked some nasturtions [sic] & I carried a bunch over to Eva. She wanted to know all about your school.
Mary Hadley asked after you to-day. Auntie says to tell you that about everybody she has seen since you went away has asked how you were getting on, how you liked the place etc. To-day Auntie & I went to Gardner & walked around in Crystal Lake Cemetery. We walked just about every where in it. It was lovely there. The lake comes clear up to it & the grounds look fine. THere are some beautiful monuments. I sat with Elsa in church to-day. She wanted me to as she has to sit alone. Bessie came up to sit with me so I passed her over to Auntie. Miss Dudley's funeral was at 10 o'clock in the church. They got rather late so it was eleven before they started away. The carriages didn't get back until seven o'clock. They carried the body to Petersam. [sic] The organ gave out in church. Mrs. Hill warbled or wobbled which every way you want to express it. She sung "Face to Face", & didn't do it half so well as the man did it over at the dedication of the organ. There were no services at either church last Sunday.
We have some new neighbors. As there was no tenement for them they built a shelter for themselves. The Dagos who are working on the foundation for the addition at the inn had constructed a small shanty on Mr. Roundy's land. It is near his barn & in sight of our house. I suppose you heard that our men won third prize at the muster. Julia French made a short dooryard call Tuesday. She said that she was going to visit some friends in New Salem so perhaps she has called on you, is calling, or will call. It is nearly nine & I haven't been sent to bed so I guess I shall have to go without being sent. Don't be particular about answering my letters as I can read Mama's & I know you will be busy but I should be pleased to get a letter all my own self sometimes. Mama says to tell you that if Julia has called, is calling or will call that you had a pleasant time, are having a pleasant time or will have a pleasant time. Auntie says that she hopes that she hasn't called, isn't calling or won't call. The whole family, Amber included, send their love.
X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X With love, X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X X Molly. X X X X X X