[Some paragraph marks added for ease of reading]Templeton, Mass.,
Feb. 16, 1904.Dear Lucy:-
I rather think that I could write volumes upon volumes to you this week. I am supposed to be sick and am staying out of school for a couple of days. I think that if I wanted I could have the grip but I am fighting it so I don't think that I shall succeed. Well I went to both parties as you probably know. As I did not dare to go into the Hawkes' house alone I went down to Helen's. (Bessie was there and she spent the night with Helen). It was only about quarter of eight when I got there so we thought that we would be very proper and get there just at the appointed time so we sat down and waited for a few minutes.
Bessie had just said that Eddie was going down after us if he got there in time when in to the yard he drove. He had Linnie with him so there were five of us to go in a single sleigh. At the Hawkes' we stayed up stairs and prinked as long as we dared and then went down. Then we found that it was going to be a whist party. Woe for me!!!! When we were all there Ralph brought his mother in and introduced her. Those present were: - Arthur, Lucius, James Hawks, Arthur Willowby, Warren & Dwight Seaver, George Hunting, Flossie French, Marion, Linnie, Louise a Miss Brooks, Helen, Bessie and I. I told Mr. Hawks that I couldn't play but he said that it didn't matter so he was my partner for some time. I got along pretty well for whoever was my partner would tell me what to play.
About the middle of the evening we had ice cream and cake. Auntie came for me about half past ten for I wasn't feeling well Friday for my cold had begun. I had an elegant time Helen, Bessie and I went skating Tuesday night so I had a chance to try my new skates. It was fearlfully [sic] cold and the ice was rough so we didn't have as good a time as we might and we nearly froze. Mama thinks that perhaps my cold started then but I think that it is a distemper for everyone has one, I saw Burton Kendall at school. He was there part of a day. I just barely spoke with him. He wanted to know "how Lucy was". He was pretty well.
This morning Auntie and I took a little soft brush and tried to brush some of the dirt off of kit. It took some off but it didn't improve him much. He looks dreadfully. Did I tell you that Elmer has a new coat and looks so fine we hardly know him? As I was looking at him Sat. it seemed as if he has a new hat too! I had a very mysterious valentine come Sat. It was mailed at Gardner and looked just
aslike one I saw at Garlands. The writing looks ever so much like Auntie's. She doesn't say that she didn't send it. The joke of it is that she forgot to rub the price off. I send your collar and cuffs, done at last (though Auntie put the bindings on) as a valentine.Now about my second party. I arrived at Carrie's a little after five. I didn't know till I got there what kind of a place I was getting into. It is a new house, all furnished up in the latest fashion. I felt almost afraid to move. I helped Carrie do the last things which were a great many. Then about ten minutes of eight Roger, Dwight, Paul and Lizzie Meriam appeared. Carrie pinned the name of some familiar person real or unreal on our backs and we were to guess by asking questions who we were. Paul was Cupid!!! He couldn't guess who it was. About that time Grace Hubbard, Leota Byrant, Jennie Wyman and Arnold Bent came so then there was all the more fun guessing who we went. [sic] Roger was Ivanhoe, Dwight Admiral Dewy, Grace Calpurnia, Carrie Romeo, Lizzie Lady of the Lake, I was Portia. Then we wrote a telegram having the words beginning with these letters in this order. V i h z n b o p r c. (Each one gave a letter) Then we threw some hearts made out of wire over
somea little stick on the table. There were three tables. Bent go[t] the first prize, a box of candy and I got the booby, a comic valentine.Then we played consequences. At the last the[re] was white cheese cloth up in front of a door with two hearts on it one for the lads and one for the lassies, with a slit on each. Carrie and Mr. Burnham were behind scenes to work things. One at a time we had an arrow given to us and we went up and stuck our arrow into the slit and pulled our our fortune.
X X X X X With love, X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X Mary X X X XHere is my fortune.
"May your nose grow long and your cheeks grow thin,
And your hair grow grey and your eyes grow dim.
Before you ever, for mischief again,
For a certain dear teacher have to stay in."That last is because Miss Barron kept Grace and I half an hour for whispering
I forgot to tell you that I suppose that Miss Allen has gone. Our new teacher Miss Bailey, came Friday and I suppose the Miss Allen is to have a better position. Miss Bailey is just back from France and Germany. I can warn you now that I am afraid you won't have any more letters from me for I have used up one of my blocks! I suppose there is a letter from you at the office now.