3321 N. Street.
Georgetown, D.C.
Aug 30 - '82My dear Mother -
I have been expecting to hear some new directions about where to send my letters & so have not written this week. But will write now & send to Montreal unless something comes before eight o'clk. A few minutes ago Papa's letter from Buffalo came. I can't see why it was detained for more postage for it had three one cent Canadian stamps on it, unless they don't take one cent stamps as letter postage, which seems rather funny. Will has telegraphed to you, three times, Friday, Saturday & yesterday so I have felt that there was little cause for worry, though we have written quite often, every other day at least, till this week. Henry wrote Sunday, which I suppose you have received before this. We all keep well & as a rule are very happy, once in awhile the children have a little squabble but it don't amount to much.
We were quite surprised by Charlie's coming Sunday night. On his postal he said he would be home Monday, but we couldn't read the writing very easily & mistook it for Wednesday. What he wrote was, "will be at home in W. Monday morning or evening" & we recognized the "W-" and "day" & concluded it was Wednesday. But his bed was all ready for him.
&The next morning he surprised us all by being down to breakfast & has been punctually ever since. We still have dinner at five o'clock & Charlie has generally gone up to bed about nine. He brought home several specimens from N.C. & Monday after dinner he showed them to us & I labeled them & put them in the cabinet.Babes staid over to Mrs. Cropley's last night. Auntie Muldaur was up Sunday afternoon & stayed till about ten Monday morning. She said Mrs Muldaur would return to E- the first of next week & that she wanted Dudie to stop there over night on her way home. She, (Auntie) would probably leave W. next Wednesday or Thursday. Mrs M's hired girl, who she expect[s] to come back to her on her return, has disappointed her. Auntie thinks she wants higher wages, & Mrs M. can't afford to give higher.
Sunday & Monday were both rainy, but yesterday & to-day have been delightful. Yesterday I took the children to the city & while down there thought it would be nice to go to the Botanical Gardens & perhaps see the Flower of the Holy Ghost, but it was not in bloom. We saw quite a number of Orchids & they certainly are curious things. We got home between twelve & one & hadn't been home very long before the door bell rang & Julie said Harry was down stairs. I went down & he asked me if I could go out for a little ride. I said I would like it. He spoke of a plant that Jennie had spoken about taking out to Glenwood. Then as I didn't know any thing about the plant, he said perhaps J. would like to take it out after she came home. We had a delightful drive, we have had such hard rains that there was not the least dusty [sic] & the roads were in pretty good condition. Went out new road to the cross roads then out by Tunlaw Farm across to Pierce's Mill road, through another cross road to the turnpike out
tohigh street, then down home. The scenery was just beautiful, I never saw it any prettier.Last evening Will & I went around to Juliet's for a while. Mr White has gone away for his health & only Mrs W & Juliet are at home. J. has been making a patch work for a Missionary box & to-morrow I am invited there to a quilting bee. We are to take lunch there. As tomorrow is Baby Harry's birthday I guess Will & I will go over to 1313 for a little while after dinner. Harry said Charlie Moody had gone home to Bellows Falls he was feeling so miserable. H. & his father were both benefitted by their trip.
I had a nice letter from Jennie this morning also a box of pondlilies. The Lilies came nicely & I hope some [of] them will open, one especially is quite sweet. I also had a letter from Clara Clark. She wrote me about Zella[.] She was very will, went from one convulsion into another & was dangerously ill for about a week, the little one, a boy, didn't live through the birth. Zella is much better now & bears her disappointment bravely. Clara Clark wrote that another member of the class was the mother of a little boy, but didn't say how many weeks old. She was very much disappointed indeed that I didn't visit her this summer, said she had looked forward to it as the treat of the summer.
The birds are getting along finely, the little ones are quite dark, two very dark indeed, they all have their eyes open & show no signs of weekends. I think Goldie might be taken out in a few days now. The children are very good about fixing the cages & washing the dishes. Julia Newman has been sick lately & hasn't been over for more than a week. Nonnie Jones came home Saturday, I believe. She hasn't been down yet. Don't come home on our account for we are getting on very nicely, though we all want to see you, but would rather know you were gaining strength. Write often & don't over do.
Your loving daughter
Alice.