A Letter Written on Feb 25, 1903

Templeton, Mass.
Feb. 25, 1903.

Dear Lucy:-

Such a shocking letter! Such frivolity! And a man! I was an expclamation point from beginning to end of your letter. I have hardly recovered.

Yes, I suppose Miss Gray is to be married. She was my teacher at one time and I didn't like her. As far as the teaching part went she was fine, but personnaly [sic] there was too much soft soap. I hate it. Affection has always been to[o] sacred a thing to me to have it brought down to the everyday things. A warm hand clasp a kiss or kind word spoken in time of sorrow or trouble are more to me, than the (your [sic] the only person in the world to me way Miss Gray puts on when asking a simple question.

I do wish I could have heard the Glee Club Concert. I should have just revelled in it. It must have been fine. I have never heard a violin with piano and organ. I should hardly think that everything could be played in that manner. As soon as I get well and things get straightened around I am going to take up my banjo again. The medleys were certainly quite unique.

Were the men at Vespers? If so I am not surprised at it being so much better than usual. How convenient it is that Mr. Henshaw is at Amherst College instead of being for instance at The Mich. State University.

Miss Florence French went to the masquerade at the Union and broke the sore open. That's just what I expected. Then she went over to Howlands' w[h]ere Warren Seaver is quite ill meas with the measles and was exposed to them. So she expects to come down with them. I saw her yesterday after-noon and she said she has got her supporter. She is expected to wear it a year, but I think she doesn't intend to, from what she said. She cannot wear corsets with it which disturbs her greatly. She says. she feels as if she was tumbling to pieces. I think she has laced quite a little. She wears her hair done up now. Just the braid turned up onto to her head with a black bow on top and one at the bottom.

After a great deal of nming and ahing between mama and I we have changed the name to Percy Wilfred instead of Percy Elwin. I have got almost all of the things ready now. Just one or two finishing touches here and there.

The fire-men have decided to have a ball either the twenty-fifth of April or the first of May. A month earlier than they had it last year.

I am reading "Pilgrim's Progress." I suppose you have read it?

Ma-ma is finishing a handkerchief corset cover which she has been working on. It is so pretty. I am going to run light blue baby ribbon through it.

They are going to have the Wellington Club at Mrs. Morse's[.] The subject is to be Longfellow.

Howe and Gordon or rather P. F. Gordon is going to re-model the store have it extent [sic] back further, also to take in all the floor space up to the barber-shop and including that, also. A millinery and infants department are also to be added and a room where garments can be fitted and re-modeled if necessary. It will make it quite like a city store, and will be quite an improvement. Miss Vaughn who has been the manager of the Francais is to be manager of the millinery dep'tment.

Well, the news are about exhausted, and so I must close unless I write some nonsense, which of course you would not care to read. Lectures, I suppose are the only thing for you with deep wisdom as a sauce[.] Nonsense is only for such common mortals as I, who that has not walked in classic-halls, and attended lectures by noted men. I don't hear but very little about the women lectureres. [sic]

Your Sincere Friend,
Edith N. Sargent.

[Fred was a member of the class of 1904 at Massachusetts Agricultural College in Amherst. Edie must have confused MAC with Amherst College.

And all this planning exclusively for a boy! I searched for Andrew and Edith's child in FamilySearch, and they had a little girl named Delphine, who unfortunately died at age 7 in 1910 of diabetes.]