Templeton, Mass
Dec. 18, 1902.Dear Lucy:-
Your letter received and read while I was makeing [sic] cream-puff filling. Prehaps [sic] your letter accounts for the filling not thickening as it ought to.
I suppose you will do wonderful X-mas shopping. Well, I have made some of my presents. For an aunt a large star doiley made of dark green silk with red baby ribbon and balls for trimming. Another aunt a needle-box. An adopted grandmother a stocking-bag Florence Sanderson an opera-glass bag of grey velvet lined with pink silk and for Corinne a black [...] wool shawl. That is all I have made so far but have plans for quite a number of other things yet.
Corinne sent me a very handsome sachet pad of old rose satin. It is about six inches long and has a big bow at the end.
Fred Winch has bought out Mr. Parker who ran the hull-corn cart. Papa says he don't believe he will stick to it very long.
It hardly seems possible Ned Sargent is dead. The funeral was yesterday in the Methodist Church in East Templeton. Mr. Pratt officiated. There were a great many flowers and the engine house was draped, while Rand's Store and the Post-Office were closed.
Enclosed is a rather long clipping [no longer with the letter] which you might like to read. Do you think Annie will enjoy some parts of the business. Prehaps she does not intend being a hospital nurse. But whats the use of being just a common nurse. There is so much competition in every kind of work that I think it pays in the long run to study or work for the exceptional.
Blodgett's store have there [sic] usual wonderful display of holiday goods. Some of there goods dateing [sic] from the year 1.
Papa has killed two pigs, one calf and in be-tween Andrew has killed chickens. Mama thinks that there has been considerable blood shed.
Amber will not wash himself. So mama and I butter his paw every Friday. That is; place a little pinch of butter on his foot-pad. That sets him washing for an hour or more and also for the rest of the week. He objected to my washing him with soap and water, and so we have tried the butter plan.
My letter has not reposed in Papa's pocket. We have all been sick and for the last week it was all mama and I could do to keep the work done. Pa was sick enough with a cold to be in bed. Mama had the grip and I had neuralgia in my face. So we all felt like sixty cents. Besides I am not well anyhow. Firstly my nerves are haveing [sic] a few highland flings and secondly, from all appearances I
hshall receive a visit from the stork sometime in April I guess. I should have told you before, but I thought prehaps you might worry, and so left it until now. For that reason prehaps I had better not come to your house. But if you could come up and see me I should be so glad. If you let me know I will see that some body came for you. I feel very comfortable now, although I was unusually sick in the beginning giving mama a little scare, and disturbing Dr. Greenwood very much for the reason that what ever medicine he gave me didn't seem to help me any. Please mention to no one as they will know it soon enough.Besides all this I have entered a sea of trouble whch seems very hard some-times to bear. Prehaps I will tell you what it is but not now.
Well, I left the most important news for the end. You will come and see me won't you, Lucy, as I do not go any where now.
Your loving friend
Edie.