Author: Other author

To Bertha from Beth Cary –

(Date is approximate)

[Note:

St. Cloud, Minnesota
1007 4th Avenue S.

Dearest Bobby,

Wonder where you are spending this Christmas. Wrote you several months ago but naturally I am suspicious of Army movements and you may not have received it.

The Christmas season rolls around with increasing speed as the years pass by but the last week of suspense seems as long as ever. Our tree this year reminds me of the one we ploughed thru the drifts to get the Christmas we spent in school. Really appreciated that tree as much as any we ever had. I think Leigh felt the same about the tree we had in Menahga. Being situated _____ …of Minnesota it was up to him to go out the trees. This years was quite _____ purchased but probably a little singing of the tips will give the proper odor to the day.

The children are quite enthusiastic as usual. Even the baby thought the Christmas bells very attractive when I took him to a church sale last week. Of course, he is two so should be a little observing.

Wonder if you got an announcement of Dorothy _____ wedding last month. She is a very poor correspondent so I don’t know anything about him. A good wedding announcement should have a picture of the unknown party, short prospects, etcetera, if it is such a pest to get the bare statement of fact. He gets a grand girl. She is even tempered and capable.

You can think of me as getting a goose dinner for about twelve on Christmas. My folks and Leigh’s mother and brother will be a very busy child for the next week. One can do a great deal toward making a day easier by proper planning and preparations.

Wonder if we are to have a “black” Christmas. Would be my first in Minnesota. There was enough in Lynchburg that year.

A friend here has a dad who is Vice President of the _____…Washington. The paper here was sort of bragging about it. Guess they had never been passengers on the road.

Love and hearty wishes for a Merry Christmas and may the New Year bring your heart’s desire.

Love,

Beth

Miss Bertha Ballou
C/O Col. C.R. Ballou
Please forward.

To Bertha from Beth Cary – October 19, 1918

Dearest Bobby-Kins,

Just wrote my oldest friend Helen Currie of whom you’ve probably heard me speak. Gave her your address and she will probably call you sometime. She is a university graduate and P.G. of Simmons College on business. She is taking a government position of some sort soon. Really think you girls would like each other if you have time. Know how busy you both will be, though, so merely hope for the best. Honie is square, sensible and awfully jolly. She is Scotch to the backbone which makes for depth and grit. Here’s to your friendship – May it flourish as ours has done.

Wonder if Reba has her expected yet? [Note: If this refers to Bertha’s Sister Reba Ballou (1888-1918), she would have died of Spanish Influenza by the time this letter was received.] I’ve forgotten whether I told you we were in line again. “Peter” will probably arrive before you get this latter. He is due tomorrow, although my children have never proved punctual in the past. Mother is coming up to take care of the present incumbents and I go to the hospital. Guess poor Fred will get his little nose broken nearly as badly as Reba’s hopeful. He thinks there is no one like mother and I’m awfully sharp for him. He is such a good _____ strong clean looking little lad. Daddy and “Unckey Bud” are all for their girl Alice, so Fred has been my boy more than usual. Guess that is what mothers are for, to stick up for the one that needs it most. When I visit at White Bear, most of them are for Fred so I have Alice there – but all the Cary women like Alice best as she is the first little girl in over twenty years.

Got to hustle, here came callers and I may never get a chance for ore tomorrow. Wish you’d take your pen in hand (_____) oftener – but can’t kick _____ _____ do these results in a real letter and I write just a seldom and then _____ _____ _____ _____.

Guess old Minnesota has been in the limelight the past week. Fire has been near enough for all purposes. Was good and smokey for a while but guess dancer is well past now. At least they’re watching. Had a good rain this morning which helped some.

Am always watching the papers for any news of your father – Dad said he had seen his name several times. My brother continues to write regularly but the news is so old when we get it. Being at headquarters he is more fortunate in mail line than many of others in the lines and hunches.

Wonder how your mother is now. Just got done nursing my husband through the sp. _____. He has been out a week and feels OK again so guess the rest of us have escaped. Was awfully careful and still have our fingers crossed. Guess this glorious Indian summer saved the day. Kept the kids out and doors and windows open. Too bad you’re not fond of…
…is wished on you. It does get tiresome sometimes but along famously. There is one piece where health and speed are useful – and when a little system and practical experience are added, it needn’t require much time or energy.

Remember you told of reading Frank’s travels. I’ve never had a chance at the one you mentioned reading but The Vagabond Journey Around the World some years ago. Read it twice in fact. I enjoyed it so much. He is a charming writer. I don’t see anything but magazines of course and…

…I get – take – post, Literary Digest, Everybodies, American, Good Housekeeping, McClures, Proximal Review, Ladies Home Journal and Colliers. “_____” in Good Housekeeping is as _____ us any serial Kathleen Norris is to blame for it.

Really must get supper as kids are whining and it’s after six.

Lots of love,

Beth

Katie Mc______ sailed for France October 14 for a year’s kid cross work – sent by…

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

To Bertha from Emma –

(Date is approximate, year is 1919)

309 West 72 Street
New York

My dear Bertha,

Your good letter reached me while I was yet in Mobile where I went to recuperate after a very serious illness. I believe that I am now thoroughly well as you see I have returned to New York, came with my father and Mrs. Mann and am staying here a short time before going to the farm.

My father spoke so pleasantly of his visit with you all and I so regret that I could not have stopped in Washington on my way home _____ but I might have seen you and some other dead friends there also if all places, I have ever been, I like Washing the best and sincerely hope that I may work _____ make my house there.

When you write your father, give him my kindness, regards, and tell him that I really long to hear of his experiences abroad and that I quite forgive him for not sending me just a _____ while he was over there.

I am more than glad that your dear mother is so much better, my father thought her very charming.

I still have a money interest in the _____ you wrote of, but I do not work on it, and have not or a long time.

I am so glad that you are doing so well with your painting. I too am having trouble to get servants to go to the _____ with me. I had a man and his wife last summer but the wife died of the flu. This winter so I have to get both cook and housemaid if I can. Of course I can do housework but I do not like it and a not strong enough for heavy work.

Today, my father is in bed with a heavy cold. We went out to the farm yesterday and were caught in a snow storm and both took cold I dared myself last night am alright today, but am keeping quiet as at my age, it does not pay to take chances with my health.

Do write me again soon and I will try to _____ prove that I should be here for two weeks yet but always mail reaches my address _____ C/O Your Yopies, 2 West 24 Street.

With love to all.

Devotedly your Emma Mann _____