Letter to 'Mummie darling' — page 2, signed 'Dee'
Book 2, Page 143 ·ca. 1934
Transcription
[Continued from page 142.]
…an anxious, hollow voice — “grades are out!” — and then, with an anxious shriek: “my God — I passed everything!” Screams of “Oh — oh Lordy!” When I saw that B, those B’s & C’s, I nearly had hysterics. The relief nearly killed me! But — I surely was glad. Maybe I can have my soph. standing next year anyway. Won’t that be sweet — elegant!
And Mummie guess what! It’s been snowing for two days. Martie and I have been out playing in it! You don’t know what a thrill my first snow ball and snow man gave me! More fun!! After slushin’ in the snow though, I decided to go swimming — so — there I/Jeff went in. Miss Chevreux was along with us — and — she’s teaching us all about it. We’ve decided to go in 'most every day so we’ll know something 'bout it.
Then The Dramatic Club has started classes on Saturday night from 7 to 8 on make-up, lighting, costuming, staging and directing. I really believe they’re going to be good. Martie and I are kind 'a messing 'round as much as possible. Just wait! Your little daughter is going to be a “champion” athlete and actress and student if this keeps up anyway! She is a “champion” in loving her mother and — in having the best mother in the world — Happy birthday, dearest mummie — I love you —
Dee —
[Sideways along the left margin, in three lines:]
P.S. tell Daa thanks for the check & he owes me a letter! Give him my love for me, will you! tell C.B. I’m goin’ to write to thank her for the cookies! and — Martie sends her own love & wishes for happy birthday! Yours always — me. —
AI Notes
Second page of a handwritten birthday letter from ‘Dee’ (Emma Dee Walker, later Mrs. Robert Lawrence Corbell Jr.; b. 1915) to her mother ‘Mummie’ (Amy FitzSimons / Mrs. James Pickens Walker). Continues from page 142, in flowing blue-ink cursive on the verso, with a three-line postscript written sideways along the left margin. Dee describes a moment of academic relief when first-semester grades came out — she had feared the worst and instead got B’s and C’s, enough to keep her sophomore standing. She then tells her mother about her first snow (a snowball and a snowman with her friend Martie), about taking up swimming under a Miss Chevreux, and about the dramatic club’s Saturday-night rehearsals on make-up, lighting, costuming, staging and directing. She closes with birthday wishes. The mention of first-snow and sophomore standing places her at a northern college (Sweet Briar / Sophie Newcomb / etc.), most likely in early 1934.