[Some paragraph marks added for ease of reading]Templeton, Feb. 2, 1906.
Dear Lucy,
It is Candlemas day and I advise you to keep all your wood: even if you have burned only a cord and the winter half gone, I think it is very possible that we shall need more fuel this half than the first half - we shall probably have cold windy weather the next two and perhaps three months and if you have got the wood and got it cut, I would advise you to keep it all, or at any rate not sell any for a while. Do you have any of it under cover? There will be days when you will like a bit of fire till June unless this year is different from others.
I suppose I ought to be at the Wellington Club at Mrs. Henry Wright's but I did not feel much like going, so stayed at home: but I might as well have gone as far as any work I have done. Mrs. Parker called for me but I was not ready. Mrs. Coleman of Baldwinville, the teacher, was to speak on art - I don't know any thing about art now, and I did not think I should when she got through - my fault, not hers - Mrs. Parker says she is a very nice speaker.
I have not seen or heard from your Aunt Ada for a long time, and that was the only reason I wanted to go today. Carrie has gone to Leominster - she went yesterday and I expect her home tomorrow noon. The L.A.H. Club meet here tomorrow afternoon. Mrs. Greenwood had a surgical operation performed Wed. so they have to be provided
forwith another place. I don't know what the operation was - she told Carrie that she had not known of it only two weeks, though I think she expected it might come some time - said she had not been right since Lucius was born. I have not heard today but think she is all right - has got to stay in bed for two weeks. Mrs. Laura Seaver is there to do the work, and her cousin, a trained nurse, takes care of her, and with the Dr. to look after her, she is better off than many. She told Carrie they were to have two doctors besides Dr. G. Dr. Simson was one.It is so cold I am afraid we cannot warm the parlor for the L.A.H., but maybe it will do them good to be frozen a little. I went to Hubbardston Wed. and the things were appraised - it was not so bad as I feared it would be - they did not look over things at all - hardly enough, it seemed to me. Mary and Alice were there. Uncle Isaac did not go - he has not been feeling very well lately and he could not help any. I got Ben to carry me down as I was afraid I should miss the train if I went that way. I came home on the train - Mr. Wheeler's lawyer, Mr. Blackmer was on the coach. Mr. W- introduced him to me, and he talked with me all the way to the station and while I was waiting. He wants me to buy the whole at the appraisal - says the law provides no way but to sell the things but thinks that we could take them at the appraisal. I don't know what to do - I am afraid the rest would be mad even if they had a chance to have the things just the same. I don't quite like the way Mary is doing - she acts as if she thought it all right for two or three of us to take what we want and then let the others come and take what is left, but maybe she does not mean as much as it sounds.
Well, I have run on a lot and have not said any thing. Mary went to E- T-n last night with Ruth to the band fair - Ben had a ticket, but he had to go to prayer meeting, so he offered it to Mary. She enjoyed it very much. I have been trying to make Mary new waist for more than a week and it is not done yet - I have not been very ambitious. I got terribly tired the day I went to H-n. I can't think of any news. How are you getting along? I don't know whether I can meet you at Athol next Sat. or not. Carrie is going to Boston the last of next week and if she should go Sat. I could not go to Athol: perhaps I could not any way - if I think I can I will write next week soon enough for you to let me know if you can meet me. I shall be pleased to meet Mrs. C. I must stop for the whistles are blowing for six and I want this to go. Take good care of yourself.
Much love,
Mama.