Templeton, Sept. 20, 1905.Dear Lucy,
As tomorrow is your birthday I will try to write you tonight instead of waiting till later in the week. I wish you a happy birthday and many happy returns of the day. I suppose you will begin to feel old but you must feel younger instead of older. I am sorry not to have any thing to send, but I think that you must be feeling that we gave you the right thing, as it rains most of the time. I shall be glad to see a pleasant day and have a chance to get my clothes dry. The sun shone for a few minutes today, just so that we should not forget him. I had a little call from Mrs. Tobeire this afternoon. I did not have my dress changed, but Mary said she would stay with her if I would get into my other dress in five minutes. Mrs. T- was very sweet - she inquired about you, and she knew you would succeed, that the pupils would all love you, (young Page too) and she sent her love to you &c. Fred Matthews had just got out a new catalogue and sent one to Carrie; and Mrs. T- asked so many questions about him and what he was doing when I saw her at the cattle show Friday, that I sent the catalogue to her to look over and see for herself: and she came today to return it. I shall be more careful what I do next time: that was bad for I had quite a pleasant call. It is the height of pear time now and I am struggling to keep them from spoiling - eating, giving them away, and I managed to sell a bushel and a half to the fruit man for $1.50. Mrs. Parker brought me in a little basket of peaches from their tree this afternoon. You ask why I put peaches in boiling water - that is to make them peel easily - after that the skin should come off without having to pare them, or wasting any of the peach - they must not stay in the water long enough to cook or soften them or they will not look so nice - one has to experiment a little to get the right time and it will be different with different kinds of peaches. I should like to go into Dr. Marshall's peach orchard and help myself. I think it is very nice that you like Miss Marshall so well and can see her often and it will make it seem much pleasanter for you.
Have you got the books you wanted yet? You must not spend too much of your time out of school on your pupils - you must take care of yourself as well as of them. If they trouble you about coming in when you practise, you better be very faithful with the scales and finger exercises and hard places in your pieces when they are there. I think you can tire them. Our engine company went to the muster at Westminister [sic] yesterday and took second prize. Westminister engine took first, but our men felt good to think they beat Gardner. They are plastering at the Stanley's new house today - ti will soon be done. I think they have Mrs. Batchelder's house cleared out now. I saw some loads of furniture go Monday - I dread to have
newother people there. Lizzie Lord wishes me to buy that and sell this - but I think I will stay here for the present. Carrie went Friday morning and I had a line yesterday saying she got there all right. Fred is on his vacation. Must stop to get this in the mail. Much love and many good wishes.Mama.