To Bertha from Evelyn Hope –
April 6, 1919
107 East Palm Avenue
Tampa, Florida
Dear Bertha,
As you see by the above address, I am in Florida and cursing my luck for being here. Your letter finally reached me after it had been in New York, Minneapolis, back to New York and then here. Needless to say, I was most happy to hear from you once _____ but very much grieved to hear of Reba’s death and you know you have my heartfelt sympathy for I realized what I terrible blow it is to you. I have been so miserable and unhappy myself all winter _____ if you can undoubtedly applicate your feelings. We came down here for C.C.’s health and I can’t say it has helped him much. I have “sweat so much blood” over that long. I haven’t much left of his summer. I am going to get entirely away from here I hope for I really do need a change and a _____ to keep my own health from going, too. At present, I am planning on going to Paris to visit one of my girl chums who is annoying and _____ over there. She has _____ over in the Y.M.C.A. _____ and is marrying in June and expect to have a villa just outside of Paris and wants me to spend the summer with her there. Of course I will be delighted and only hope I can manage to go for I would severely enjoy the trip and change from this doleful winter. However, I have been disappointed so many times lately in the things _____ plan to do. I am trying not to _____ much about it. You spoke of going over yourself and if I go and you do too next fall perhaps we could _____ over there. Let us pray for it anyways and keep up with each other a little better.
I came here right after Christmas and can’t say I care much aloud. This part of _____ ______ is my own fault and that the country _____ but believe me, I never have been homesick and lonesome before but this winter has made me know what that feeling is much to my sorrow. I haven’t done a bit of work since last summer in the way of painting or designing. All I do is try to amuse C.C. and help with the house _____. We are staying until a ______ have and she has been lovely and good to us and kept us _____ “______ the _____” entirely. When I came, I had no idea of staying more than a month but found I couldn’t leave C.C. without some young person to help make life bearable. Don’t know how much longer we will be here but hope not more than this month. I have been so wild to get ____ to New York and do some of the things I like once more, something I feel just ____ a man in prison laughing to break the bards. However, if I can go to Paris this summer, I will forget all these bad times I hope always we all get there if not at one time another. I sent your letter to Sally as I knew she would be glad to hear from you. I saw her in New York. Christmas just a few minutes. She was there visiting “Cousin George.” We _____ died and left Sally his money yet. She is teaching at Wesly College in _____ and I planned to sop and see her on my way home but don’t know whether I can or not.
I know you are glad your father is back in this country again. Have you any idea where you will be stations next? I _____ surely you would see Bill Clay feel when you saw him again and am surprised to hear you are still crazy about him when you let yourself _____ about it. Being in love is not always a _____ I am somewhat in your fix of caring an awful lot for someone that isn’t so wild about me. You remember I told you about him last summer will be _____ here for a week soon after I came down and I don’t believe he really cares about me this and may be mistaken and it as for me _____ _____ is gone entirely _____ _____. Oh, well. I guess I will recover _____. I must say I am pretty hard hit. He is in New York, now and that is one big reasly why I am so crazy to be back there again. Well nothing can last forever so perhaps I will escape from this prison cell some day.
This is a gloomy letter to write you when you already feel sad enough I should be _____ to add any more gloom to yours. Wish I could see you again sometime and as I said who _____ but what we will meet in Paris at some ___ to far distant date.
Much love for you and remember me to your mother. If you write soon, send often to 345 E 70 St., New York. Let’s not wait too long next time about _____.
Evelyn Hope