A Letter Written on Mar 23, 1904

Templeton, Mass.
Mar. 23, 1904.

Dear Lucy:-

I hope I shall be able to see you this vacation. It hardly seems possible that it is so near. I am looking forward to it and I suppose that you are.

Your description of the basket-ball game was very exciteing. [sic]I could feel my hair rise at each exciteing point. I have never seen a basket-ball game and should like to see one very much.

That does seem a great deal of money to raise for the new library. But I suppose it is really not as hard as it looks. Of course such a large college must have a good many people who are interested in it, and whose pocket-books is are large and whose purse-strings are loose.

A very, very sad thing has occurred here. (Little Katherine Sargent) Sanborn) Gilbert Sandborn daughter was accidently shot by herself or her brother I do not know which in her father's barn. She died this morning at five o'clock from the great loss of blood. It seems terrible. Nobody seems to know any of the particulars.

Mrs. Ernest Bourn has named her little girl Elsie Evelyn. Elsie after his mother and Evelyn was is Mrs. E. Bourn's middle name. I think it quite a pretty combination.

Last night I went to the Union. The entertainment consisted of solos by Messrs. Hawkes, Meals and Cobleigh. Miss Blodgett played for them. After that dancing was indulged in[.] The next Union is to be a farce.

The dancing fever has struck the town and everybody has got it hard. Robert and Bertie Cobleigh have commenced a dancing school in Grange hall and old and young attend. Some of those who go are Arthur Hawkes Ralph Hawkes, Willie Hawkes "Rusty Clark, Charlie Fisher, Florence French, Warren Seaver and Mr. & Mrs. James Taylor. A good many others go also. Arthur Hawkes is a perfect slick. I think that is a great help to the young people.

Mrs. P. French hasn't come back yet. Flossie is mad as can be. She told pa this morning that if her mother did not come back there would be war. Now I am going to tell you what Mrs. Griffith told mama and I. She was very friendly with Mrs. French. Of course you know it is common talk that Mrs. F-'s said she was never comeing. [sic] back. The reason she went away was that Flossie kicked her and other-wise abused her. One day Flossie came into the kitchen and asked her mother if the water was hot. Mrs. French said, "Yes. Hot enough to scald a pig.["] At this Flossie pulled her hair and threw her down and kicked as hard that it raised a bruise as large as the palm of one's hand. Mrs. French then told Prescott, but he said Flossie was only fooling. So she decided she would go away. She also told Mrs. Griffith that it wasn't the first time she had done it. She had come up there a good many times and cried and cried. If we did not believe her (Mrs. Griffith) we could ask her husband. I am astonished, but can't but beleive [sic] it as I know the woman doesn't lie or make up stories either.

Last Saturday I went to the matinee of the Gardenerites. There were 560 in the cast, and the oldest wasn't over twenty. The old grandmothers of Gardner accompanied by the Grandfathers are picnicking at Dunn's park when by the magic of Satan & his imps they are changed to young people. So they visit the St. Louis Exposition and see different drills by different nations. It was very, very pretty.

Here are the musical numbers of the program.

Overture - The Gardnerites.

1. "We are Gardner Grandmas"
        (Old Grandmothers fine)
2. "I'm the Best Girl on Woodland Ave."
        Recitative.
3. Mrs. Brown, Biddy Mc.Gee & Mrs. Smith
        Solos.
4. "Oh Come to the Dunn's Park Feast.["]
        Mrs. Burket & Chorus.
5. Old Grandfather's March & Handkerchief Flirtation Drill. Fine.
6. He tumbled on the Lake.
        Mrs. Cruthers & Chorus.
7. I am a Man of Mystery.
        Wizard & Chorus. Fine.
8. Grandpa
        Inez Burns & Chorus Fine.
9. We Make You Young Again.
        Drill of Witches.
10. If You Want a Recipe for a Gardner
    Man. Old Grandfathers & Chorus.
11. Incantation Scene & Finale. fine

Act. II.

12 Now We're Young Gardnerites
        Young Grandmothers
13. Good Morning Dear Old Gardner
        Old Miss Burns & Chorus.
14. Two Little Fitchburg Maids.
        Duet & Dance. Fine.
15. A Right Bright Man from Harvard
        Professor & Chorus. Fine.
16. De Middleton Coon is De Coon Dat
        I Adore. Sambo & Cho. Fine
17. Dance of the Young Grandmothers.
        Fine.
18. Goode-bye to Dear Old Gardner.
        Old Grandmothers & Fathers.

Act. III.

19. We Sailors of the Iowa Drill Sailors
        fine
20. Navajo        Drill of Indians.
21. We Spell Our Name with a
    Capitol C. Drill of British Cavalry
22. Banjo Girl Serenade.
        Drill of Banjo Girls. Fine
23. We're Roman Braves
        Drill of Roman Soldiers.
24. Fi-Fi
        "  "  Japanese Maidens. Fine
25. He Died on the Fighting Line fine
Drill of 7th A Portion of G.H.S. Cadets.
26. Oh Sailor Lad
        Drill of Red Cross Nurses.
27. Grand Finale. fine.

With love,
Edie.