[Some paragraph marks added for ease of reading.]Templeton, Dec. 7, 1902.
Dear Lucy,
It does not seem as if there was much to write about this week, but there is always the weather. Has it been cold, and stormy there? Did you keep warm day and night? It did not seem yesterday as if I was warm but once all day, and that was while I was cooking steak for dinner. I got so hot a fire then that I had to move my spider back a little and the flame reached up and set the fat in the spider on fire.
I expected to find it very cold this morning but instead it was snowing and has snowed most all day. No one went to church from here and I am afraid Mr. Pratt would not have a large congregation - the Parkers went, so he would have two. They (the Parkers) got home sometime Wednesday. Jerry Mossey is taking down Charles's house, but has worked inside mostly so it looks the same yet. I have seen nothing of Charles since last Sunday. I hope these storms will not throw him out of a job, if he is able to work.
Mary was quite dissipated last week as I presume she has written you - she was to come home from the union at nine when the entertainment was over, but when it was nine she pleaded so hard to stay to have a dance with the girls, that her aunt stayed and it was ten before they came. Carrie said Mr. & Mrs. Braithwaite, Andrew & Edith were there, but she said Edit did not dance. Andrew danced with someone else. Carrie went to Mrs. King's to play whist for Mrs. Park, last Tuesday, and seemed to enjoy it very well: she did not have to vote that day. Margaret and Mrs. Batchelder called Tuesday afternoon while Carrie was away. They inquired for you. Mary went into the market one night, and she said Mr. Drury inquired all about your coming home, how long you stayed &c. I thought you would like to know.
Mrs. Kambour has another little daughter - she was at the vesper service Sun. night and the baby was born either Mon. or Tues. morning. I heard of it Tues. afternoon: she does not stay at home long for such trifles.
Mary went to the L.A.H. yesterday afternoon, and Linnie mentioned Mrs. Chadwick as one who needs help, and they talk of sending a box to her at Christmas. I hope they will if it will not hurt her feelings, and Linnie thinks she will take it all right. Joel Dudley holds a mortgage on her place and the interest was due last spring but she has not been able to pay any of it till quite lately and then only $5. I wish they could raise $25 or $50 for her - it would be a good place for Mr. Roundy to use some of his spare money.
I have just stopped to get lunch and eat it, and will try to finish this. I have been trying to make over Mary's brown dress, but get alond [sic] very slowly. There are only two or three hours of daylight that I can get to sew. I suppose Carrie is planning to go to Phil. soon after the holidays, and she intends to spend two or three days in Worcester, next week: she also expects to go to Boston for a few days: that looks as if I must 'paddle my own canoe,' doesn't it?
We have made some inquiries about your hat, and find it will not cost much over a dollar more to buy you a new beaver hat, which would look much nicer than mine for mine has been pressed over once - if we can find old trimming, that would look all right, I think we better do that way. Did Helen have her mother's pressed? Why didn't Helen give her rubbers to me at Athol and let me send them to her Mother by Mary?
Why are they rushing you so in your studies? Are they going to keep it up all the year? How did your "pervisions" go? Did the fudge melt? I suppose you have heard nothing from Alice, whether she went away or not? We have quite an interesting Recorder this week, and I will try to remember to send it to you. Margaret told me Mrs. Pratt has been very poorly ever since she spent a week in Worcester several weeks ago - she came home the day I went to H-n to visit Aunt C-. If you think of anything for Christmas presents that you want Carrie to get at Worcester, when she goes, you must let her know this week as she plans to go sometime next week - she is not going to Boston till after Christmas. Perhaps you can do better at Holyoke, if you can get time.
We had some more new cider last week and have gone to drinking it with renewed vigor. I must finish this for I think I have written all there was to write and some more. O, Fred Winch has got through with Mr. Nichols and bought out the hulled corn business, so Mr. Nichols told me. Only a little over two weeks and you will be here again. Take good care of yourself, and don't get sick. Carrie sends love.
Much love from
Mama.Did Helen go to the dance with Burton?