Easter morning - 1906.
Dear Mary -
Not a bright, sunny morning but wet and rainy, I am much more sorry because of you and Kane [?] than for the multitude of doomed hats and gowns, but the robins are singing cheerily and the doves calling loudly from their perch, they dearly love the time they are allowed the freedom of the room - and you remember my selfish enjoyment always of a rainy Sunday - but even I rejoice in a bright Easter day, I think nothing but trouble or a very great sorrow could prevent a peculiar happiness hovering over the day a kind of sweet holiness an almost overwhelming sense of God's love and great tender heart for His children and my breakfast verse "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings being made comformable unto His death" Phil-3.10- I wish you might read this wonderful chapter at this Easter time. Do you remember the early morning service we attended last year in the Episcopal Church that day was an ideal one.
I am anticipating a treat at our own morning service we are to have Dr. Cordo [?] he has grown old in the service and is always so good.
I have not heard you mention the scap [sic] book I am anxious to hear just what you thought about it, isn't Miss Smith dear and at the same time a little difficult to understand yet I know of no young girl for whom I have a greater respect and liking she sent Ruth a postal yesterday and Miss Ware from the Post Office sent her another. I have the most beautiful Easter lily and the most perfect purple hyacinth I have ever seen how even a florist's cut could make every tiny blossom into such a perfect whole. the two white ones we have are beautiful but the perfect one I wish I could send you. Papa said if he only had a box of arbutus and wild flowers to send you he would be happy and I am not sure if this rain had not come Dobbs's woods would have been searched, the ferns are coming up thick I can not find any pansy plants but a bushel of golden glow.
Poor Gladys she does enjoy a morning nap which that very much alive Ruth will not allow. I hear a racket above so think Ruth has won her point and Gladys is up. Gladys has a little surprise for her I have not seen it and they each have a big Easter egg.
We have not heard that you actually went to White's so have had a little fear lest Katherine was not able to go[.] Ned came up Friday evening to know if we had heard and Harriet yesterday so you see our girlies are never very far away from us.
I am expecting a visitation of the measles they are prevalent and Elva Kean has been here two days and took Mrs. Kean and Mattie [?] had them.
Isn't Gladys great I missed her yesterday afternoon and though she must be resting and in the evening she came down to supper with her green plaid skirt on she had ripped off the waist (the one trimmed with red) and put a belt on the skirt and it was ready for shirtwaist. I am afraid I scolded a little at first for the dress was good yet but afterwards I just laughed and didn't care at all when I realized how capable of taking care of herself she is likely to be if she was not quite so headstrong but she is a dear good girl and don't tell her I told you.
We did need this rain so much our grass did not come up very well and everything is so dry.
I shall stop for a while now and finish this afternoon
Sunday evening
It is well I had a chat with you early this morning - Gladys Wayne and I went to church the music was very good Mr. Ross sang a solo and the anthems were very pretty but the sermon as usual with Dr. Cordo was an unusual one his subject being the Guardianship of the Lamb - he dwelt upon the watch kept by the Roman soldiers because they did not want to believe in the resurrection and of the scientists rationalists etc of to-day sealing the tomb for the same reason he wove the whole into a beautiful story. Wayne had a little piece this afternoon each child received a pansy plant the little folks an egg. Ruth has had a full day Gladys gave her the realest little gosling - indeed I think it must have been alive once it is so real - Papa a little rabbit hugging its baby and a little hen with three chickens - After Sunday school we all went to National Park and had a nice walk it has been cleaned up the old monument enclosed in an iron railing - a bear cage Ruth said and the foundation for the new one is laid - Ned went with us - the children have said good night - Wayne was going to write to-day but what little time he has this past week he reads The Deerslayer - I am hoping Katherine is very much better that is the worst of being away it is very hard to think of either of you being sick. I will send your report - I am so anxious to get your next letter, I condemn myself every time for I know you have been very, very good I am afraid you have had to neglect some lessons at times.
How about the cake, was it good? I wanted to get Aunt Maggie's receipt but she was too busy to be bothered so I tried this it looked eatable so I sent it along -
Miss Clement is over to Jennie's to-day. Emma is well pleased with school now and Miss Clement says she is a good student.
I had a letter from Grandma she seems to like it very much over there and they are expecting the measles I am almost afraid she will get them herself you remember she took those German ones.
I really think you will be tired before you have finished this epistle - and will say
Good night
Mamma -
Papa brought this stamp book before -
What is the "Annual"? What kind of a contest is this all absorbing one to be?
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