Cursive letter from Minnie, 'Friday night' — Dearest Sister, page 1 (Christmas plans)
Book 1, Page 355 ·1900–1933
Transcription
A letter on a single folded sheet of pale buff paper, dated only by day of the week. Written in soft pencil cursive, much faded; numerous passages remain only partially legible.
Friday night
Dearest Sister,
My, but you just left yesterday afternoon, + had the morning to get things together again. I think the negros did the nicest thing — I gave them their Christmas dinner today, and each a little present. + Bessie + I had a [ride] and we went for apples this A.M. — when I got back I had a sick [swimmy] headache, so [went] up to Cary Bruner’s and asked them to bring my [things] up. They brought a lovely tray and I [ate]. They came up and with each [serving/saying] [a thing] my Christmas carols for me — it was all I could do to [keep] from [crying] — me [crying]. Corinne and Emma and Annabelle came before they left, and said to send for them if I was sick and needed them. I thought [Bess] [was] offering [herself] to be willing to give up Christmas — but is better. But Donald is getting it, so called Bess + told him we might not come, didn’t want [to be] around them, and of course it would be unreasonable to go to Camp — He and Sis both insisted on our coming there, said if we didn’t they would [come] get us up, so I guess we will go in A.M. — will come back Monday A.M. — as have people coming on Christmas Tuesday —
Did I tell you Mrs. Welch left me $5.00 — bless her — never will be another like her —
Donald’s package came, and I hid it as I knew he would [be in fit] [might] off — am dreadful + [ours wouldn’t] do anything this year —
Now that Christmas is over, please go down to Sandy for awhile, [it] has been so long since you have been down —
Monday p.m.
We’ve had quite a wonderful Christmas, started with Bo and Sis and we all had dinner at Amy’s Christmas — got your note — it was the nicest [thing] you could have sent me, tried to call
AI Notes
A single sheet of pale buff letter paper covered front and back in faded pencil cursive. The first page is dated only ‘Friday night’ at the upper right and begins ‘Dearest Sister.’ The continuation on p356 is signed ‘Minnie’ (the lowercase m-i-n-n-i-e is clearly visible). The writer is therefore a ‘Minnie’ addressing her sister; same hand and same recipient as the related ‘Thursday A.M.’ letter on pp. 358–360 (also signed ‘Minnie’ on p360). Whether this is Mary Anne Perry FitzSimons (‘Minnie,’ the compiler’s mother, d. Jan 1934) or another family Minnie is not certain. The letter recounts Christmas Eve preparations: a holiday dinner for her domestic staff with small gifts (the writer uses the period word ‘negros’), an apple-picking outing with Bessie, a ‘swimmy headache’ that sent the writer to ‘Cary Bruner’s’ for help, a visit from neighbors (Corinne, Emma, and Annabelle), worry over Bess’s and Donald’s illnesses, plans to drive to ‘Camp’ for the holiday despite the cold, a $5 Christmas gift from Mrs. Welch, and a hidden package from Donald. The letter resumes ‘Monday A.M.’ with news of the family’s Christmas at Amy’s. Christmas Day fell on a Tuesday in 1900, 1906, 1917, 1923, 1928, 1934, 1945, 1951, 1956, 1962, 1973, and 1979. If the writer is Minnie Perry FitzSimons (d. 1934), the latest possible year is 1928; the c. 1928 date is consistent with the wedding-era references to Amy (m. 1908). Many passages remain only partially decipherable; uncertain words are bracketed.
The letter continues onto page 356.