Templeton, Mass.
Nov. 4, 1903.Dear Lucy:-
Your letter was rather late in comeing [sic], but never mind, better late than never.
It seems to me, that although you are a college. girl, your thoughts are very dense in regard to reconciling the facts concerning your fortune. If you will turn to your astronomy you will learn that on some of the worlds that whirl through infinite space, a year averages from a few months to hundreds of years. You are simply going to be removed to a higher sphere very shortly there your age computed by their time will make you sixty, and doubtless your Prince Charming will be waiting for you at the gate-way of the planet.
I suppose you remember Mr. David Towle who used to play at the Union. Yesterday morning he dropped to the floor dead at the breakfast table of the South Gardner Hotel. The cause was heart failure. That same evening he was to have enter-tained the Union with his graphophone.
We went to the Union last night. There was a very small crowd. For entertainment Mr. Thomas of E. Templeton gave some graphophone selections. The next meeting is to be the night before Thanksgiving. Flossie French is sec[r]etary for the the [sic] Union this year and she makes a poor one. Her reading is so rapid that it is almost impossible to understand a word that she says.
Mary Wier is married for "keeps" this time. She has married the son of Mr. T. Leamy of the police force of Gardner. Mr. L-. Junior has worked in Godfrey's harness shop, but he thought he could secure better pay some where else so he went to Concord Junction, but the work turned out to be a "puke" and so he is looking for work in Leominster. When he gets work they are going to [be] keeping house. Mary is at present at home with her mother.
Mrs. Prescott French is going to New York to the city of Rhocester. [sic]to be gone for quite a long time. I think she won't come back until X-mas.
Mr. & Mrs. Howland have come back and, of course, Warren with them. I have not seen him to speak to.
I saw Walter Hadley at the Union. I wonder if he was home to vote.
Of course I went to the Wellington Club at Mrs. Miss Lord's talk was quite interesting. But O! the spread that Mrs. Wright had. When we have speakers it is customary to have tea and fancy cookies. This the club furnishes. But Mrs. Wright furnishes the lunch on her own hook. A big platter of sandwiches. About a hundred I should say, cold meat garnished with eggs, beets and parsley (carrots tops) celery, salmon, lobster and potatoe [sic] salads, many varieties of cakes and It seems to me that was rather to[o] much of a good thing but of course if the club let her do it, it was alright. But I think they ought not to, as everybody can't afford it and, you know, what one does the other thinks he ought to. The next meeting is to be with Mrs Giffin and Prof. Townsend of Athol is to speak on the Philipines Mama is going to that.
Papa and Andrew killed a skunk this week right out in the wood-shed. The ordor [sic] was of Persian gardens! Pa smiled serenely and decided he would skin him and try out some of the fat. Skunk oil was beautiful for all the aches and pains a body was heir to, so Mr. Coy told him. So he tried the fat out, and he feels much better now. But Mama and I hope the skunks will stay away from the Braithwaite mansion.
With love.
Edie.