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Mama Margaret loves to talk about food.
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San José
Monday Feb 17
Dear Eva,
I wonder what you think of me for not writing oftener. It was so cold here until the last of the week that I was too uncomfortable to write. There was so much fog and the cold dampness so penetrating. We all have colds here except Miss McKenzie (the nurse). Little Margaret’s began a day or two ago and she is better today. She weighed 6 pounds 18 ½ oz today. She is not gaining as fast as she ought but seems well, and is very good. Will came down and spent Lincoln’s birthday and then Saturday afternoon he came and staid until last night he leaves on the 7:35 train just after dinner Sat. night we went out to see the illuminated tower. It is quite a sight. It is illuminated every Saturday night. There were a lot of masqueraders on the streets. We went to an ice cream parlor and had some very good ice cream. The first I have had but I have not been to out before and was surprised to find out we were so near the main streets. It looked so pretty after night that as soon as I am well of my cold I will see it by day light. There are so many pretty little bungalows here. Most of the houses are of that kind in this section. Very few have two stories.
Margaret is out in the yard she is out whenever the weather is warm enough. Miss McKenzie is going up home tomorrow AM and I will have charge of Margaret all day. She has not been home since she brought Margaret down the last day of Dec. She has always lived in San Francisco. She is doing Margaret’s laundry this afternoon. She takes it over to our boarding house so she can have hot water there.
We did not have breakfast until 9:00 this a.m. so I did not go over for lunch. I told Mrs. Billig this morning I would not go. I must tell you what we had yesterday. I always have ham and eggs for breakfast, good bread coffee and some kind of canned fruit. Dinner we had Raviola an Italian meat pie, a conglomeration I can’t eat, chicken, spinage, cold meat and baked apples. In the evening we had roast duck, chicken, sausage with carrots brains with brussels sprouts. Roquefort cheeze and sweitzer cheeze fruit bread and coffee. Everything is so rich. Will and Miss McKenzie like Italian cooking. Will only partook of the duck and brains. He wanted me to try the brains, but I only wanted fruit bread and coffee.
Will tried to make whey for little Margaret yesterday but it did not turn out well. He likes to be doing things just as well as ever. He is going to send down his chafing dish with Miss McKenzie tomorrow so she can make it. He thinks Margaret is not getting as much as she needs. She is not a fat baby. It is hard for me to get used to the two hours feeding. I really hate to see her wakened out of a good sleep to feed but I suppose it is the best way. Will thinks it is all right as Margaret has thrived on it.
I have had two letters from Alma and two cards from Grace Bacon but nothing from you. You can either address me at 307 W. St. James St San Jose or to the Grant Hotel in care of Will. If you send to Will he can read and send on to me.
Will is so thoughtful about every thing, just as nice as can be, and he brings me something every time he comes. He will be promoted next Feb. to Major.
I am so glad he can come every Sunday. As next Sat is a holiday he may come Friday evening.
I have not written any but family letters and not many of them. If you are writing to Alma send this. I hope to do better later. With much love to all
Mother
Monday Feb 17
Dear Eva,
I wonder what you think of me for not writing oftener. It was so cold here until the last of the week that I was too uncomfortable to write. There was so much fog and the cold dampness so penetrating. We all have colds here except Miss McKenzie (the nurse). Little Margaret’s began a day or two ago and she is better today. She weighed 6 pounds 18 ½ oz today. She is not gaining as fast as she ought but seems well, and is very good. Will came down and spent Lincoln’s birthday and then Saturday afternoon he came and staid until last night he leaves on the 7:35 train just after dinner Sat. night we went out to see the illuminated tower. It is quite a sight. It is illuminated every Saturday night. There were a lot of masqueraders on the streets. We went to an ice cream parlor and had some very good ice cream. The first I have had but I have not been to out before and was surprised to find out we were so near the main streets. It looked so pretty after night that as soon as I am well of my cold I will see it by day light. There are so many pretty little bungalows here. Most of the houses are of that kind in this section. Very few have two stories.
Margaret is out in the yard she is out whenever the weather is warm enough. Miss McKenzie is going up home tomorrow AM and I will have charge of Margaret all day. She has not been home since she brought Margaret down the last day of Dec. She has always lived in San Francisco. She is doing Margaret’s laundry this afternoon. She takes it over to our boarding house so she can have hot water there.
We did not have breakfast until 9:00 this a.m. so I did not go over for lunch. I told Mrs. Billig this morning I would not go. I must tell you what we had yesterday. I always have ham and eggs for breakfast, good bread coffee and some kind of canned fruit. Dinner we had Raviola an Italian meat pie, a conglomeration I can’t eat, chicken, spinage, cold meat and baked apples. In the evening we had roast duck, chicken, sausage with carrots brains with brussels sprouts. Roquefort cheeze and sweitzer cheeze fruit bread and coffee. Everything is so rich. Will and Miss McKenzie like Italian cooking. Will only partook of the duck and brains. He wanted me to try the brains, but I only wanted fruit bread and coffee.
Will tried to make whey for little Margaret yesterday but it did not turn out well. He likes to be doing things just as well as ever. He is going to send down his chafing dish with Miss McKenzie tomorrow so she can make it. He thinks Margaret is not getting as much as she needs. She is not a fat baby. It is hard for me to get used to the two hours feeding. I really hate to see her wakened out of a good sleep to feed but I suppose it is the best way. Will thinks it is all right as Margaret has thrived on it.
I have had two letters from Alma and two cards from Grace Bacon but nothing from you. You can either address me at 307 W. St. James St San Jose or to the Grant Hotel in care of Will. If you send to Will he can read and send on to me.
Will is so thoughtful about every thing, just as nice as can be, and he brings me something every time he comes. He will be promoted next Feb. to Major.
I am so glad he can come every Sunday. As next Sat is a holiday he may come Friday evening.
I have not written any but family letters and not many of them. If you are writing to Alma send this. I hope to do better later. With much love to all
Mother
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1.
Sat. night we went out to see the illuminated tower.
Wikipedia says:
The San Jose electric light tower, also known as Owen's Electric Tower after its creator and chief booster, was constructed in 1881 at an intersection in downtown San Jose, California, as a "high light" or moonlight tower to light the city using arc lights. A pioneer use of electricity for municipal lighting, it was later strung with incandescent bulbs and was destroyed in a storm in December 1915. A half-size replica stands at History Park at Kelley Park.
2.
Roquefort cheeze and sweitzer cheeze fruit bread and coffee.
Sweitzer cheeze.seems to be a form of Swiss cheese
3.
I have had two letters from Alma and two cards from Grace Bacon but nothing from you.
There's a Grace from a few years later that I've been trying to nail down. I don't think it's this Grace, but I don't know. So I'm making a note of it here in case I need to check on it later.
4.
I am so glad he can come every Sunday. As next Sat is a holiday he may come Friday evening.
The next Saturday would be February 22, Washington's birthday.
Sat. night we went out to see the illuminated tower.
Wikipedia says:
The San Jose electric light tower, also known as Owen's Electric Tower after its creator and chief booster, was constructed in 1881 at an intersection in downtown San Jose, California, as a "high light" or moonlight tower to light the city using arc lights. A pioneer use of electricity for municipal lighting, it was later strung with incandescent bulbs and was destroyed in a storm in December 1915. A half-size replica stands at History Park at Kelley Park.
2.
Roquefort cheeze and sweitzer cheeze fruit bread and coffee.
Sweitzer cheeze.seems to be a form of Swiss cheese
3.
I have had two letters from Alma and two cards from Grace Bacon but nothing from you.
There's a Grace from a few years later that I've been trying to nail down. I don't think it's this Grace, but I don't know. So I'm making a note of it here in case I need to check on it later.
4.
I am so glad he can come every Sunday. As next Sat is a holiday he may come Friday evening.
The next Saturday would be February 22, Washington's birthday.
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DOCUMENT LISTS FOR PEOPLE:
- WILL: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- ALMA: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- EVA: DOCUMENTS ----- Incoming
- MAMA MARGARET: DOCUMENTS ----- Outgoing
- THE NEXT GENERATION: DOCUMENTS ----- Maggie
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