Tuesday nightDear Mamma:-
I'll write you a little before I go to bed, though it is quite uncertain when the mail will start. You know Miss Gates is rather irregular about the mail, and there is no rural delivery - so mail goes and comes as it used to, when it happens. But I guess it usually gets off and in once a day. Don't worry if you don't hear, however.
It is very nice here. The man who was with Miss Gates when I was here last met me at Gorham - the man who was with Miss Smith and me when we got so awfully wet. The train was about an hour late so it was dark driving over, but we had no trouble. There is a new bridge at Lead Mine instead of the old suspension, and some of the bad hills have been graded. I liked the ride much, and we had a good supper here about 8:30. Miss Gates looks well. She asked for you.
There are a few here whom we knew, though some whom I met the other time I was here. Mr. and Mrs. Dewey are in their house and come down for dinners. She has had sciatica badly. Miss Sackett is not here. The Stones are here, at their house, but come for meals and Grace and I sit with them and like them so much. A brother of Mr. Stone bought the Whitney place and one of them owns the Burbank place down the other way, where the woman lives who used to do my washing. It is nicely fixed up and a trail cut from that side up Crag. Grace and I went up Crag from this side this morning and sat quite a while. We could see Washington very dimly and the clouds came in more thickly. All afternoon there have been nice showers, very much needed. The clouds have been lovely, tucked in around Winthrop and up in the pasture. I've written those long letters I had to, and slept some.
Mrs. Dillon is here, but I think she and also the Angells and Wrights were here the second summer I was here. There is also a miss Flanders who walked with Miss Smith and who seems nice. A family with two lively boys adds to the group. The father is quite elderly and has done something to his hand, but I don't know what. The people are doing a lot of Red Cross work. The Stones have boxes of stuff sent up from Newton to work on and the rest are knitting hard. Mrs. Dillon picks the flowers, and also makes dresses by hand!
Grace has the room next the dining room and I have the parlor, with its haircloth furniture! It is a good room except that people talk on the piazza. This lot will not keep me awake nights I'm sure, and they'll not be there afternoons on pleasant days for it is sunny. The big Balm of Gilead tree blew down three years ago - almost as big as the black walnut. It was right in front of the house, you know.
I hope you are feeling stronger, and as well as usual by now. I'm sure Mrs. Woodruff and Miss Safford will be good to you. Let me know if there is anything you want that I can get for you. A letter from Miss Smith says she is having a fine time at Pemaquid. A storm we did not have at all made wonderful surf.
Good night, and lots of love to you -
Abby