Letter 2020.102.48

Dearest Edith:

No doubt you think you are forgotten, but indeed, that isn't the case. I did neglect writing for so long, then took sick very suddenly and am just able to be up. What do you suppose was the nature of my sickness? Well, when you address me hereafter, please call me "Mamma Sample." Now, don't drop dead dear, but it is true. Two weeks ago, last Friday, March 4th, a "little Sample" came to live with us, and he is a little dandy. Oh, but he is sweet. He weighed about 8 pounds

He didn't seem to do very well, at first, but he is growing so nicely now. He has light hair, dark blue eyes, (and oh, such big ones) and is very fair. He will be a wonder in the, [Slaback, Alaback ?], family, won't he? Best of all, he is so good. You would scarcely know there is a baby around, sleeps four and five hours at a time and is awake only once or twice all night long, then it is just long enough to get his dinner and goes right to sleep again. His Papa is nearly crazy over him. You just ought to see him. Walter is so quiet, you know, and it seems so funny to see him fussing over the baby. I came home five weeks ago

last Thursday and intended going home the Sunday following, but Saturday I got a letter from Walter telling me to stay a few days and visit around as he tho't it would do me good. You know, we live upstairs and he tho't I would get more exercise and fresh air if I would stay here awhile, and then he didn't want me to stay alone. Maude had been with me and she went to Pitts, to be gone a week or two and was to stay home till she got back so she could go to Columbiana with me. We were going back and clean the house and bring every thing down that I needed. Well here and behold, I was sick just three weeks ahead

of time. I had been so well all during the period, wasn't sick a day, and I didn't look bad at all, lots and lots of people didn't know it and the fear that did said they thot I had 3 months yet. Any how, I wore all my clothes right up to the time and didn't have to change a stitch. So you see, I could go out so much. Thursday night, (the night before the baby was born), I was at Ellen Brown's for supper. Came home about 8 o' clock and the next morning, the baby was bor.n Just think of that. I told the folks I thot it was a good thing I took sick before I got up Friday A.M. or I might have been out some place. I had been having

a little trouble trying to keep my bowels moved, so the evening I was at Ella's,she gave me 1/2 cup of castor oil in orange juice and I think that helped hustle the work. The joke of it was I awoken about four o' clock and oh, such a pain. I hopped out of bed and told Mama to get everything in the house ready for my bowels were going to move, and we joked about it and had lots of fun. I was sleeping in white bed in Mama's room. Well, I kept getting up and down but, no go. So it went on til 6' o' clock and the pains in my back was terrible. Mama was up getting breakfast by that time and I guess she was a little