To Cora Hendricks from Bertha – March 20, 1913
[Note: Bertha’s father C.C. Ballou is stationed in Batangas, Philippines]
Mrs. C. C. Ballou
Camp McGarth
Batangas,
Philippine Islands
Dear Mamma:
I received a money order for thirty-four dollars and fifty cents from Mr. Green yesterday and as it was a very bright sunny day – our first real Spring Day, I set out forthright with Evelyn Hope who also had some money sent her by her mother for a present. We went to McCutchen’s and bought a most lovely and beautiful tablecloth for Reba. I must confess that I went over your limit because it was so much nicer and paid $17.50 but I also went and bought me what I wanted – a card case at $12.50 so it averages up to the amount I had permission to spend – and it was a most beautiful tablecloth to my way of thinking – plain linen in the middle and a lovely pattern around the outside – with scrolls and a conventional design of roses. I had it sent right on from the store so I saved postage and registering which also helps to reconcile my conscience. My present is very pretty indeed. It is a good sized silver card case with a plain but substantial chain. The sides are pretty with a conventional design and two round places, on on each side the monogram. Inside there is a place for money and a place for cards – also a small mirror. Altogether it is very satisfactory and I’m waiting impatiently to get it back from the markers.
Evelyn Hope got a lovely Rembrandt print. I decided that something less bulky would be better for me at the present time. I wrote you I was thinking of staying longer here. I’m half regretting my decision now so I guess I won’t stay long. I guess a month will be long enough.
Yesterday, I decided to go down to interview the doctor about a bit of rheumatism and Sally [Note: Her sister] went with me. As I said before, it was a perfectly glorious day and this was right after breakfast so we put on our suits and took the subway down to Bowling Green and found our way without the slightest difficulty to the Army Building – found an accommodating elevator man and went up to the Doctor’s. He wasn’t there but the steward told me we could have any medicine we wanted. We didn’t want any just then so we left.
Outside, it looked so nice that, not having anything else pressing, we decided to look around. First we started up the street and then we changed our minds and decided to go down to the ferries and look around. Just then I thought about the Governor’s Island boat. Se we hunted it out – found that it was leaving in just seven minutes and decided to go for a sail. Our ocean voyage was all too short. We arrived at Governor’s Island and looked the whole place over as far as my experienced eye suggested that it would be desirable. We went into the little chapel and saw it even and we saw the Statue of Liberty on one side and the Point of Manhattan on the other. As it was a cloudless Spring day, we were quite please with our adventure and took the boat back to New York, quite determined to come again and bring Evelyn Hope.
I object to loafers and picnickers on a government reservation but I felt that there was a distinction where we were concerned because I knew where we could go and we went very quietly and without leaving any banana peels or paper bags in our wake, although, it was strictly a sightseeing expedition. After we landed, we caught one of the new hobble-skirt surface cars, the first we’d ever been on, and rode slowly up Broadway – I pointing out the places of interest that Papa had previously shown me with such effect that Sally was moved to say that my father must be a very interesting man to go around with.
Altogether, we had an awfully good time because we just followed our impulses and did the things that suggested themselves. It was a lot more fun that it would have been if we had planned things out ahead. Someday, if we can, we all want to go up to West Point by boat. I hope we can for it’s so pretty and I’d like the boat trip and I think too the other girls would have a better time if they went with me because they wouldn’t have the fear of going where they weren’t sure they were allowed. Anyway, we are planning a trip and I hope the boats will stay before Sally has to go away.
I’m rather sorry to see our family break up as it will in about five weeks more for we have been very congenial. We all have good times together and we all have a thorough respect for each other so we could live together a long time without regretting it. Evelyn Hope and Sally are from North Carolina and Virginia so they are likely to meet again especially as they both expect to be back next year but as for me, my wanderings are so uncertain of course that it is hard to guess whether I will ever meet them again or not. At any rate, we’ve had a pretty good time.
Today it is raining so hard it is hardly possible to see how it was clear yesterday. I see that there is mail coming in on Saturday. I’m going out to Mrs. May’s so I will not get it until Sunday night – if I return at that time as I hope. This is probably my last trip out to Mrs. May’s as I am going to be too busy from now on to be able to go. It the rain lets up at all, I’m going to make a call in Brooklyn this afternoon and I ought to go to Nell’s this evening. I am in hopes it will clear off.
I’m wondering how large a town Batangas is. I had no idea there would be any stores where you could get much of anything but you spoke of something as if there might be a dry goods place of some description. That surprised me greatly.
Reba seems farther off than you do. I hear from her so seldom. I wonder what she does with herself all the time for she certainly is not a good correspondent. [Note: In fact, no letters from Reba have been preserved. She would die five years later of the Spanish flu.]
I had a note from Col. Newcomer the other day. Mrs. Newcomer is improving slowly and they hope soon to be able to go home. Both send regards to you.
Now it is clearing up so I must finish this and a letter I started to Reba and write a note to Mrs. May and then take them all out and mail them as they are all rather pressing and must be sent immediately.
Bertha