Auburndale
Mar. 20, 1885Precious Herbert
A cold March day. Mama & I have been hurrying to & fro. here & in Boston, cleaning house & packing, buying things to get ready for Turkey &c. Aunt Martha has made us a visit & left us Tues. Mama & I went to Boston & saw her on board the cars. She stopped at Newmarket, where Dwight lived, for one night, then was to go on to Stetson. She is going to live in her house on the farm. Walter dont wish to go to live on the farm. She hardly knows what to do. Edward came from Andover last Friday. He enjoys staying here with us I think. Will came last eve'g. Susie is having hard time with a bad tooth & swollen face.
I wish your vacation could have been at the same time, but yours is now near. We shall be glad to see you once more. Annie has vacation about the same time. Then I hope we shall be able to be together for a time in the Summer. I think we shall be here for the most part until we go.
I have sent most of the furniture to Boston & it has been sold at quite a sacrifice, but I am glad to be rid of it.
Our breaking up housekeeping now is much better in every respect than in the summer. We shall have much more leisure to visit with you. Haritune is now in Boston , is looking out for Hagof's business while Hagof has gone to Turkey. He will come back in the summer I think. I saw the eclipse the other day, last Monday. heard Joseph Cook lecture also. Anthony Comstock spoke 5 minutes on what has been done to stop the circulation of obscene literature among the young.
I went with Edward to West Newton last Sabbath. Mr. Cowan of Wellesley preached a very excellent sermon. I am to give a missionary address at West Newton Sab. after next.
The April Herald is out with a picture of Harpoot, a very poor picture. I would rather have had none. Letters came from Harpoot on Mon. No special news. Miss Wright will go to Marsoon in the Spring. Mr Browne & family come to the U.S. The College will not be interrupted by the gov't apparently. Gen. Wallace, our minister to Const. [Constantinople] has resigned.
Well, Herbert, this isn't much of a letter, but perhaps you will be glad to get it to see that we have not forgotten our dear boy. Dont get discouraged. We have to live in the present only one day at a time.
With a great deal of love from us both,
O. P. Allen