[Some paragraph marks added for ease of reading]
My dear Susie-
The Doctor has gone off with some other girl so I shall pour out my woes to you. Before I begin on the woes however I want to tell you what we have been doing lately. We have not been very frivolous as there has been nothing of interest going on here. We have done some reading. The Choir Invisible we read aloud and found very interesting although I did not like it so well as The Kentucky Cardinal and Aftermath. At present we are reading Phra the Phoenician and Social Evolution - a combination of light and of medium heavy literature.
We had a picnic out on the river - or rather on a rock, by the side of the river - about two weeks ago and it was a perfect success. There were seven of us - all members of the bridal party but one. Dr. Bell brought down with him a young man who played the guitar and sang very well, so we had a delightful time.
Last night Mother and the lady who has been with us this summer, the Doctor and I, took tea at my cousin's, across the garden. The old ladies spent the evening playing cars while Cousin Lillie the Doctor and I spent all our energy trying to solve charades. Cousin L. guessed one, the Doctor two, and your humble servant - none. Have you seen Bellamy's books of charades? They are published in two volumes - one hundred in each book. They are very good and have afforded us a great deal of amusement.
I am beginning to think of Christmas presents and am trying to plan a few that I can make in between my spells of necessary sewing. I find that I have plenty to do each day and find enough work to keep me out of mischief.
The Doctor and Mr. Moulton have been around making themselves agreeable to people in order to get money out of them to pay for a new furnace for the Congregational Church. George puts a rose in his button hole and considers himself irresistible. I don't know what arts Mr. M. employs. The combination has proved most successful and I believe they have money enough for the furnace.
Speaking of money, George wants me to say he will send you the check for your tuition before the fifteenth of October. I am so glad it was possible for you to go back to College and I hope you can finish the course without any more interruptions.
The country looks very much like fall and we are now enjoying ideal fall weather. I hope it will last. For a few days last week we had very cold weather and we shivered about for a while.
George has just gotten a coin catalogue, and I suppose he will do nothing but study coins from now on. You know Harvey gave him quite a number, and they were enough to start him off.
We have a fine collection of worms that are beginning to wind up for their winter nap. We watched one roll itself up a few days ago. I suggested to the Doctor that he build on an addition to the house and call it "The Wormery." He followed out my suggestion so far as to build a wire cage to keep the creatures in while they were getting ready to wind up.
Do write when you have a chance -
Yours affectionately
Ida -M. H. Sept. 26- 1897.
[Whenever Ida speaks of "the Doctor" she is referring to her husband, George Newton Lawson (Susie's brother). George graduated from Yale Medical School in 1892.]