Letter 2020.102.49

Columbus, Ohio December 31st. 1903 638 North High St. Flat #9

My dear Dede:

Are you thinking that Peggie is going to pay you back in your own way. Well, that is not the case. I ment to have answered your nice long letter long, long ago, but, some how or other, I did not get at it. I had some company from Md. It was not anyone that you know. They lived in Frostburgh at the time that you visited me. Do you remember that day Will went with us. He left us at the hotel and went to look for someone. Well, that is the family. They moved to Cumberland the begining of that next year. I got to know them very well, and Will has had quite a lot of business dealings with the head of the house. They have two grown daughters just as nice as they can be. I was so sorry that we did not know them when you was in Md.

The lady had been sick for some time. Her husband had to come to Columbus on business, and as the doctors wanted his wife to have a change, he brought her along, and left her with me. I think that it did her good.

Well, Dede dear, I hope that you are feeling better. I know from your letter that you are far from well. How I wish that I was good and rich so that I could take all you nice folks that I like and just have a nice time. I guess, though, that we will never be rich for I cannot hang on the money and Will is worse than I am. When we see things we want, we get them if we can, and, therefore, the $. will slip away, I think that some of us are made rong when we cannot have all the money we want to gratify our tastes. We should not have the tastes, should we? I know that Dede is on the same list with us?

Well, I have one page filled and have not said anything yet.

I hope, dear, that you liked your new room and have enjoyed the sunshine. It would be better for us all if we could and would look on the sunny side of life, but, alas, it is not nature to do so.

Edith, I wish that you would get married, but to advise you to do so when I don't know the man. You know that that is something that I should not do. But, Dede dear, I think that you better give that Pittsburgh fellow up entirely. I know, Edith, that you liked him (now don't be ashamed to own it to yourself) and I think would have married him if he had insisted upon it. I really thought that he asked you to marry him, and, Dede dear, if he had thought enugh of you he would have insisted upon you giving up your work and taking him for better or for worse two years ago.

I am glad, dear, that you did not take the jealous man for that is something that no woman can have and be happy.

About the others, I don't know what to say, only that I think it best to marry a man a few yers older than one's self. For this reason, a woman breaks and begins to go down hill sooner than a man, and so many men, no matter how well they meen, do get tired or a little ashamed of an old broken down woman. But, Edith dear, as far as being short or tall, dark or light, never let that influence you, for the heart is the only thing that counts, even if a man has no money. If he is well and strong and a man, he will make you happy, and, after you are married, you love them a lot more than you did before, but we need the love to begin with as well, for so many things come up that we never think of beforehand, and love is the only thing that can blind us to their faults, for men as well

as women have lots of them.

Dede, this is the last night of the year and I am alone. I had a letter from my Billy today. He said a Happy, Happy New Year to my Peggy and lots of love from her Billy. He will not be home for New Years nor for this first Sunday. I do get lonely when he is away, but such is life.

I hope Santa was good to you. As usual, he was very good to me. Will wanted to get me a mahognay sewing table but, I told him that I would take the money and buy the table when I got settled. He brought me some lovely books, six, bound in padded leather, a box of candy and several little things. From home, I got a pair of beautiful blankets from my mother and, from my sisters, a dozen cut glass tumblers.

Mrs. Speelman sent me a box. It had a lovely little picture, an ash tray for Will, five cakes of fancy soap, some fruit, a thimble in a nice little case, and, among the rest, was four little packages done up in pretty paper. I opened them, and low and behold you, there was two potatoes and two onions. I know that Howard did it. They always laughed at Will having to have onions and potatoes three times a day.

I have not heard from Pittsburgh since I wrote you. Mrs. Millard sent word with Mrs. Mc Cutcheon that she wanted me to come Christmas but, I did not go. Mrs.Mc. bought her son off from the Army the other time, but you see, he has gone back again.

My Polly says Peggie winds the clock and goes to bed. Sometimes, he will say Peter winds the clock but, a little while ago, he got mixed up and got it. Peter winds the cat. He don't sweare (?).

Now Dede, I guess I will quit and I hope that you will write soon. I send you a big lot of love and the best of wishes for a Happy, Happy New Year. Write soon. Lovingly your friend. I wish I had you here, Peggie.