Templeton, Mass.
Mar. 18 1904.Dear Lucy:-
I did not write to you last week because I had unexpected company and consequently the house was in an uproar.
Last week Friday the Wellington Club met at Mrs. Batchellor's. and we had Current Events and Historial [sic] Prems Under the hand Current Events Mrs. Batchellor amused us very much. She read description of the personnel of different senators. She kept us laughing for a good half hour. Senator Hoar is considered the dandy of the Senate. And one of the senators from the West pronounces Panama so that it rhymes with pajama[.] This same man also is heard to speak of Korea [with a line over the e and the a]. After Mrs. B- finished. Mrs. Parker who knows she is a good reader commenced The Courtship of Miles Standish. She read and read and read until I fairly began to be nervous and I was not the only one. Finally the ladies from E. Templeton said they must catch the car, at which Mrs. Parker was so sorry as she would so have liked to have finished.
Saterday [sic] after-noon the Woman's Club of Athol entertained our club and the Baldwinsville Woman's Club. We had a fine time. The Club took the cars for Athol at quarter-past one. It was the first through car. We met at three on Unity Hall at the rear of Unity Church. It is a very nice large hall with a fine stage in the rear. Very nicely gowned ushers escorted us to our seats. The entertainment was an after-noon with Eugene Field. A young lady read an essay written by two members of the Athol Club who were personally acquainted with Eugene Field. At different times Other ladies gave readings from his works. A lady also sang Winken, Blinken & Nod and Little Boy Blue. After the entertainment a chafing-dish tea was served. It commenced with Chicken Patties, and wound up with Stuffed Dates and Olives[,] Cake and Russian Tea. These were about three hundred present and some of the ladies were very handsomely gowned.
Last Tuesday was the masquerade. I dressed as an English-maid and Andrew went as an old farmer. Eva Farnon Brown telephoned to Mrs. Brooks that she was comeing [sic] up to see me. So Mrs. B- notified me. Of course it was very inconvenient as I did not know anything about it until the day before she came. The upper part of the house had been closed all winter. Mama was about sick with a cold and company was comeing. She went to the maskquerade [sic] with us and dressed as a College Student. She is head and shoulders taller than I and is very slim. They had a nice crowd of maskers. Mr. Hunting who lead the march in the capacity of a negro lady was just splendid. His dress was made of custom silk with insertions of lace. He carried a fan and made a splendid lady. Elsie Maynard wore some of her mother's wedding clothes. Mrs. J. Taylor and Mrs. Tufts went as Night. Ralph Hawkes as a sailor. We had wretched ice-cream at intermission and that didn't go half way round. Florence French as secretary was not present because she went to a ball in Winchendon.
To-morrow I am going with mama to a performance of the Gardnerites. It is a matinee. There are about 560 Gardner people in it. I expect to have a fine time. To-day the Wellington Club meet with Mrs. J Winch. Dr. Page of Baldwinsville is going to speak on Physical Culture. Mama is going.
Yesterday baby pulled herself up onto her feet for the first time.
Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Bourn have a little daughter.
Mary Wier was up on the fourth day after her baby was born and at the end of the week was down-town.
Mr. Beals is married. He married the McCluse girl. who kept house for him. Ethel is working in Baldwinsville.
There hasn't been much excitement in town this week. and I guess I have told you all the news.
Your letters don't bore me a bit and please keep right on sending them. Don't think that they are not interesting for they are.
I will close now as I cannot think of anything more to write about.
I believe Annie Scollay has the measles. Some-where where she is visiting. Mrs. S- is takeing care of her.
With love,
Edie.