Letter from Ellen to Aunt Ellen on Virginia Rugheimer succeeding her at the Library, 13 July 1948 (page 2)

Second page of the handwritten letter begun on page 530, dated 13 July 1948 to Aunt Ellen (Ellen M. FitzSimons). The writer (named only as ‘Ellen’ on p530) reflects on the professional respect and personal affection between Aunt Ellen and Virginia Rugheimer, mentions a letter from ‘Louisa’ enclosing a discerning article from the News and Courier, and another letter from ‘The Old Man’ confirming the news of Virginia’s appointment. She then recounts a hot summer dinner with Emily O’Reilly while Tom was in Philadelphia covering the political convention (the 1948 Republican National Convention met at Philadelphia 21–25 June and the Democratic National Convention also met there 12–14 July — Tom O’Reilly was likely covering one or both for a couple of newspapers). The letter breaks off at the foot of the page (‘I took off my dress and shoes’) and the continuation sheet is not in the album. The word ‘most’ in ‘most satisfying’ is heavily underscored in the original (italicized in this transcription per the style guide). ‘The Old Man’ is the writer’s nickname for an older male family member who corresponds with Aunt Ellen — possibly Frank L. FitzSimons Sr. of Hendersonville (cf. p532), who in his own letter to Aunt Ellen refers to ‘the Old Man keeping you informed’ — the nickname appears to attach to a Hendersonville uncle. Louisa is plausibly Louisa Stoney (Mrs. Theodore D. Jervey) or another Charleston Louisa among Ellen M. FitzSimons’s circle — not yet identified.

Letter continues on a sheet not preserved in the album.