[Some paragraph marks added for ease of reading]Templeton, Mass
Dec. 7, 1902.Dear Lucy:-
What is the climate out your way? We have had a little snow. There was no school Friday. Helen, Beulah[,] Arthur, Lucius and I got as far as East Templeton. The Junior reception was Thursday night and Linnie staid at Bertha's over night. Bessie is sick with bronchitis[.] We stayed in the store and post-office to wait for the car and got hungry on the way home and Helen & Arthur ate part of his lunch and Beulah and I each had an apple. Arthur had a big piece of mince pie "such as his mother used to make" so he said.
Tell me I can't go out evenings when I am going to school! I was out three evenings last week. Cousin Margaret and Miss Farnsworth came down and got Auntie and I to go to Vesper. It was lovely! Mr. Pratt & Mr. Kambour made little speeches. The choirs united & there was a male quartet from Gardner. The quartet sang without the organ, Tuesday night was the Union which Auntie & I attended. We expected that there were going to be tableaux but every body backed out. Ethel Henshaw's sister died so she couldn't come, so the time was spent in dancing. Linnie, Helen, and I took turns in two-stepping to a galop. Then Helen & Florence Rena & Mildred Cook, Beulah & Douglass, Linnie and I had a quadrille and got generally mixed up. Coffee and doughnuts were seved [sic] free. Linnie got a doughnut & a cup of coffee and divided between she, Helen and I.
Then Beulah was to have a nut party Friday but it snowed so she didn't have it until Sat. We had a sweet time. We had an adjective story had our fortunes told in walnuts and had a peanut hunt. Then George and Willie went over to the store and that "busted up" everything[.] We had refreshments of cake with walnuts on top, fudge and walnut creams Then we played P.O. George and Grace sat on the sofa. Florence and Sandy to-gether in a chair and (sweetest of all) Beulah in Douglas' lap, her head on his shoulder, his arm around her, and a sofa-pillow up so we couldn't see their faces. Wasn't that "stunning?"
I must close.
With love,
Mary