~AUDIO~---images---comment---transcript---notes---links---site navigation
audio---images---~COMMENT~---transcript---notes---links---site navigation
Mama Margaret is in San Jose, California, where her motherless granddaughter Maggie is staying because that's where the wet nurse is.
audio---images---comment---~TRANSCRIPT~---notes---links---site navigation
Thursday Mar 6
Dear Eva,
What is this you are up to now? Have just had a letter from Alma saying you were on the sick list again but was better. I do hope you are quite well by this time. How did you get Erysipelas? I thought that was something very contagious. I believe there are two kinds.
Margaret is getting to be quite a big baby. Today she weighted 7 pounds 6 ½ oz. She made a big jump on Tuesday gained 3 oz. That surprised us as her usual gain is an once or a half ounce for a while. Will sent down a lovely carriage for her last week. It is a wicker one. And high. That was the kind Margaret liked. She didn’t like the low ones, and he tries to get things just as she would have had them. We all went out walking Sunday and Margaret was very good. Seemed to enjoy it. We went again today and she attracted attention. She has a beautiful hood shawl that Will bought I think for Christmas. It is white woolen goods - very fine - lined with white silk and beautifully embroidered in white and pale blue silk. She looks very sweet in it with her big blue eyes. Will took pictures of her last Sunday also of both houses. I hope they will turn out all right.
It was quite warm here today but cool mornings and evenings. If it keeps on getting warm I think I can take care of Margaret and not have Miss McKenzie much longer. I will see what Will says about it when he comes this week. As long as I felt the cold so much and no heat in Mrs. Allaris’s house I was afraid to undertake it and I know Will did not want me to. He is afraid it would be too much for me but I want to try it. This is a very pretty place. The more I see of it the better I like it. It is called “The Garden City” I mailed some candy to you today. Will brought some of Margaret’s favorite kind last Sat. I sent five pieces of it. He brings some every time he comes down. I sent hankies to laundry - poor work. I will enclose the other in this. I did it myself. Have not ironed mine. Write soon am anxious to hear from you.
With love to both
Mother
Friday A M
Have you heard from Laura since I came out here. I have not and I am afraid she is sick. She was working hard and then tormented the way she was by papa I am just worried about her. If I don’t soon hear from her I will write to Aunt Sallie. It is clear and cool this morning. We have had no rain yet.
I am going out some day soon to see the orchards in blossom. They have “Blossom Day” when they have a big time.
I wish I could hear from you this morning. It takes letters so long to come and the carrier here or some body is not doing good work. Mrs. Elisch and I both had a letter on the way long time. Alma’s was mailed 23rd and not received until 4th, she blames the carrier. Well must now go to breakfast. The cooking suits me better than it did.
I am looking forward to Will’s coming tomorrow. Hope you are quite well again. Be sure and go up to Alma for vacation.
Goodby
With much love
Mother
Dear Eva,
What is this you are up to now? Have just had a letter from Alma saying you were on the sick list again but was better. I do hope you are quite well by this time. How did you get Erysipelas? I thought that was something very contagious. I believe there are two kinds.
Margaret is getting to be quite a big baby. Today she weighted 7 pounds 6 ½ oz. She made a big jump on Tuesday gained 3 oz. That surprised us as her usual gain is an once or a half ounce for a while. Will sent down a lovely carriage for her last week. It is a wicker one. And high. That was the kind Margaret liked. She didn’t like the low ones, and he tries to get things just as she would have had them. We all went out walking Sunday and Margaret was very good. Seemed to enjoy it. We went again today and she attracted attention. She has a beautiful hood shawl that Will bought I think for Christmas. It is white woolen goods - very fine - lined with white silk and beautifully embroidered in white and pale blue silk. She looks very sweet in it with her big blue eyes. Will took pictures of her last Sunday also of both houses. I hope they will turn out all right.
It was quite warm here today but cool mornings and evenings. If it keeps on getting warm I think I can take care of Margaret and not have Miss McKenzie much longer. I will see what Will says about it when he comes this week. As long as I felt the cold so much and no heat in Mrs. Allaris’s house I was afraid to undertake it and I know Will did not want me to. He is afraid it would be too much for me but I want to try it. This is a very pretty place. The more I see of it the better I like it. It is called “The Garden City” I mailed some candy to you today. Will brought some of Margaret’s favorite kind last Sat. I sent five pieces of it. He brings some every time he comes down. I sent hankies to laundry - poor work. I will enclose the other in this. I did it myself. Have not ironed mine. Write soon am anxious to hear from you.
With love to both
Mother
Friday A M
Have you heard from Laura since I came out here. I have not and I am afraid she is sick. She was working hard and then tormented the way she was by papa I am just worried about her. If I don’t soon hear from her I will write to Aunt Sallie. It is clear and cool this morning. We have had no rain yet.
I am going out some day soon to see the orchards in blossom. They have “Blossom Day” when they have a big time.
I wish I could hear from you this morning. It takes letters so long to come and the carrier here or some body is not doing good work. Mrs. Elisch and I both had a letter on the way long time. Alma’s was mailed 23rd and not received until 4th, she blames the carrier. Well must now go to breakfast. The cooking suits me better than it did.
I am looking forward to Will’s coming tomorrow. Hope you are quite well again. Be sure and go up to Alma for vacation.
Goodby
With much love
Mother
audio---images---comment---transcript---~NOTES~---links---site navigation
.1.
The enveloped is addressed to "Mrs. Frank Evans". So Frank and Eva were not yet divorced.
2.
Thursday Mar 6
The date looks more like Nov 6 to me, but it must be March 6, because they are very clearly in California, with Miss McKenzie still taking care of baby Maggie. The postmark on the envelope is for March as well, although the envelope happened to be separate from the letter, so the envelope is not watertight proof.
3.
How did you get Erysipelas?
Wikipedia says:
Erysipelas is a relatively common bacterial infection of the superficial layer of the skin (upper dermis), extending to the superficial lymphatic vessels within the skin, characterized by a raised, well-defined, tender, bright red rash, typically on the face or legs, but which can occur anywhere on the skin. It is a form of cellulitis and is potentially serious.
It sounds as though Eva has not yet converted to Christian Science, but who knows what goes on in Eva's head?
Eva's health gets a mention in the next letter we have from Mama Margaret to her:
1913-04-05 LETTER FROM MAMA MARGARET TO EVA
4.
Will sent down a lovely carriage for her last week. It is a wicker one. And high. That was the kind Margaret liked.
Clearly this is Will's late wife Margaret that Mama Margaret is talking about, not Will's baby daughter Maggie. Too many Margarets.
5.
She has a beautiful hood shawl that Will bought I think for Christmas. It is white woolen goods - very fine - lined with white silk and beautifully embroidered in white and pale blue silk.
This must be the hood shawl thatWill told Eva about in a Christmas letter:
1912-12-25 LETTER FROM WILL TO EVA
I forgot that I got your niece a hood-shawl that is said to be very pretty.
6.
I mailed some candy to you today. Will brought some of Margaret’s favorite kind last Sat.
Again, Mama Margaret must be talking about Will's wife Margaret, not Will's baby daughter Maggie. Did Will sentimentally feel as though he was buying the candy for Margaret every time he bought it for his mother?
7.
Have you heard from Laura since I came out here. I have not and I am afraid she is sick. She was working hard and then tormented the way she was by papa I am just worried about her.
This is so tantalizing. How did Papa Charles torment her?
8.
If I don’t soon hear from her I will write to Aunt Sallie.
This must be Sallie Provines Ballard, a much younger sister of Mama Margaret's. She's in the Provineses & Graceys section.
The enveloped is addressed to "Mrs. Frank Evans". So Frank and Eva were not yet divorced.
2.
Thursday Mar 6
The date looks more like Nov 6 to me, but it must be March 6, because they are very clearly in California, with Miss McKenzie still taking care of baby Maggie. The postmark on the envelope is for March as well, although the envelope happened to be separate from the letter, so the envelope is not watertight proof.
3.
How did you get Erysipelas?
Wikipedia says:
Erysipelas is a relatively common bacterial infection of the superficial layer of the skin (upper dermis), extending to the superficial lymphatic vessels within the skin, characterized by a raised, well-defined, tender, bright red rash, typically on the face or legs, but which can occur anywhere on the skin. It is a form of cellulitis and is potentially serious.
It sounds as though Eva has not yet converted to Christian Science, but who knows what goes on in Eva's head?
Eva's health gets a mention in the next letter we have from Mama Margaret to her:
1913-04-05 LETTER FROM MAMA MARGARET TO EVA
4.
Will sent down a lovely carriage for her last week. It is a wicker one. And high. That was the kind Margaret liked.
Clearly this is Will's late wife Margaret that Mama Margaret is talking about, not Will's baby daughter Maggie. Too many Margarets.
5.
She has a beautiful hood shawl that Will bought I think for Christmas. It is white woolen goods - very fine - lined with white silk and beautifully embroidered in white and pale blue silk.
This must be the hood shawl thatWill told Eva about in a Christmas letter:
1912-12-25 LETTER FROM WILL TO EVA
I forgot that I got your niece a hood-shawl that is said to be very pretty.
6.
I mailed some candy to you today. Will brought some of Margaret’s favorite kind last Sat.
Again, Mama Margaret must be talking about Will's wife Margaret, not Will's baby daughter Maggie. Did Will sentimentally feel as though he was buying the candy for Margaret every time he bought it for his mother?
7.
Have you heard from Laura since I came out here. I have not and I am afraid she is sick. She was working hard and then tormented the way she was by papa I am just worried about her.
This is so tantalizing. How did Papa Charles torment her?
8.
If I don’t soon hear from her I will write to Aunt Sallie.
This must be Sallie Provines Ballard, a much younger sister of Mama Margaret's. She's in the Provineses & Graceys section.
audio---images---comment---transcript---notes---~LINKS~---site navigation
LINKS TO OTHER RELEVANT PAGES IN THIS WEBSITE
DOCUMENT LISTS FOR PEOPLE:
- WILL: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- ALMA: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- LAURA: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- EVA: DOCUMENTS ----- Incoming
- MAMA MARGARET: DOCUMENTS ----- Outgoing
- PAPA CHARLES: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- MARGARET: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- THE NEXT GENERATION: DOCUMENTS ----- Maggie
- PROVINESES & GRACEYS: DOCUMENTS ----- Sallie
RELATED DOCUMENTS/PAGES:
audio---images---comment---transcript---notes---links---~SITE NAVIGATION~-
WHERE AM I?
WHAT ARE THE PREVIOUS PAGE AND THE NEXT PAGE?
WHERE CAN I FIND THIS DOCUMENT IN OTHER LISTS?
- COMPLETE DOCUMENT LIST BY DATE
- DOCUMENTS BY WHERE THEY WERE WRITTEN ----- California
- DOCUMENTS BY SOURCE ----- Barbara
- AUDIO READINGS OF THE DOCUMENTS