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FL-8 February 14, 1939 Madge Wetherbee (white Route 1 Avon Park, Florida Poultry Farmer Barbara Berry Darsey, writer Veronica E. Huss, reviser
VIRGINIA SUFFOLK
A velvet lawn sloping to the waters of the clear little lake, sur rounded the clean white cottage of Virginia Suffolk. Beds of bright flowers fused their colors with the green of the lawn, and oaks added their shade to this transplanted English country scene. White-washed poultry houses were spread out behind the house. Ducks and geese floating lazily on the lake, looked up quizzically as I approached.
My knock on the vestibule door was answered by the stately, silverhaired Mrs. Suffolk.
"Come in," she invited graciously.
I stepped inside and followed her through the hall to the living room.
"I'm so glad you came," she continued, "I am just ready to sit down to a spot of tea, and being a sociable soul I prefer having someone to share it with me. Will you?"
While she retired to the kitchen to bring the tea things, I seated myself in a large comfortable chair near the front windows. The room was decidedly English even to the leaded windows, although it was comfortable and homelike in appearance. There ware several overstuffed chairs combined with a wicker suite and an attractive desk tucked into an alcove. Pictures hung about the walls, and books and magazines were in evidence everywhere.
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Mrs. Suffolk returned with our tea and cakes, and I made known the purpose of my visit. She accepted my explanation in the same gracious manner she had invited me into her home, adding that she would be glad to furnish any information I needed.
"My husband, John, had some work to do in town today," she proffered apologetically, "so he won't be home until nightfall. He was going to do this work after he made his egg deliveries. He wouldn't be much help anyway, because he doesn't like to talk, but I do!"
The latter broke the preciseness of her speech, and she smiled:
"I often tell John that he is fortunate having such a sociable wife, else we would be hermits and live off in the woods somewhere, instead of on this lovely lake here in Avon Park. But he is growing old now and seems to care less for the world and other people all the time. However, he's just as kind and good hearted as anyone can be and never objects to me having all the friends I want. He also lets me bring people here for help and assistance."
Striking chimes arrested my attention. Looking up I beheld a fine old Seth Thomas clock above the desk; It was sounding the quarter hour.
"John is proud of that clock," remarked Mrs. Suffolk, "it is very old and sometimes refuses to work. The chimes are always stopping suddenly, then without warning they start up again. If they fail to chime in the night though, we both wake up immediately, otherwise we sleep soundly.
Thoughtfulness filled her eyes as she paused to glance through the windows toward the shining lake; hoping by chance to turn back the years and find the past reflected in the calm waters.
Seated sedately on a straight-back chair, I saw Virginia Suffolk as
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a part of her English livingroom. Her silvered hair rising above the plainness of her neat house dress, the healthy glow of her clear skin, her work roughened hand folded in her lap, and the plain brown oxfords that encased her feet.
"That old Seth Thomas has been a fine friend," she added without turning, "it use to sooth John so after he was hurt in a car wreck. Yes, John was seriously injured, when a young girl in a high-powered car came rushing out from a side street and crashed into our old Ford."
Turning around she took up her teacup and resumed her story.
"As I just mentioned, John is so kind hearted, and when he was able to leave the hospital after that accident there was another man there who didn't have anyone to help him. He had been struck by a hit and run driver and the culprit, who was the son of wealthy parents, refused to do a thing. So when John came home I brought Mr. Wills too. We have plenty of room in this large house, as you can see, and I always enjoy nursing people anyway. We kept Mr. Wills here for about five months, I had to teach him to walk all over again.
"Our means were terribly limited at that time, but friends came in and helped, and one man who is a poultry farmer just took charge, so we didn't suffer too badly.
"Finally though, the man whom Mr. Wills had been working for before he got hurt, started giving me seven dollars a week for his upkeep. How- ever, I didn't feel that the money belonged to me, so I put every bit of it away for him. Anyway his wages had stopped when he got hurt and he didn't have anything. More than that, we weren't sure he'd ever get well enough again to make his way. So I put it away for safe keeping. There was a
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right tidy amount awaiting his when he did get well.
"But what do you suppose he did!?" she exclaimed as she waved her teacup about. "He took that money and bought a car. There he was, so old and poor that he couldn't ever make a thing, and he took the money I'd saved him, and bought a car."
After insisting that I have some more tea, she started her life story.
"I was born in Bradford in the north of England some 58 years ago. My maiden name was Norwalk, I had five brothers and three sisters. My father was the only son of wealthy parents, and he was a doctor. I never knew him to practice medicine, if he ever did. He liked to experiment and engage in medical research. He often stated that he studied medicine for its science alone."
As Mrs. Suffolk talked she toyed with the cup in her hand, and I noticed the fragile richness of the china. Looking down at the littered tea tray I also observed the fine old silver and the odd earthenware teapot.
"From childhood," she hurried on, "I too loved the bottles and instruments in his study, and I expect I spent more time browsing among his medical books than I did with my own lessons. I never thought of being a doctor however. Anyway those ideas for women were practically unheard of then, but I did grow up filled with a strong desire to be of some help to my people.
"After I completed my literary education, I finally persuaded my father to let me go in training for a nurse. How many years I spent at my early learning I do not know, for the schools were very different in those times, and then my education was mostly by private instruction under
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a governess.
"In starting my training to be a nurse, I entered the Blackburn Infirmary in Lanchashire. I suppose my father little dreamed that I would persevere and finish the rigorous course, but I did and graduated as I was nearing 22. With this completed I nursed in England for several years, and made a specialty of children's cases."
Mrs. Suffolk left her chair and walked over to the antique mahogany highboy in one corner of the room; removing seveml portraits from its top, she brought them to me.
"People always seem interested in pictures of England; these are my parents and my girlhood home."
Taking a quick glance at her mother and father I observed a slight resemblance to both.
"Though I had plenty of work in England," she went on, "I was filled with a strong desire to come to the United States. I had always felt a great interest in this land of yours; and would read and study all that I could about it. I always enjoyed meeting Americans and questioned them unduly about their homeland.
"This country always seemed such a land of opportunity for youth. In England we were somewhat limited, especially the middle classes, whereas the United States seemed to offer an unlimited chance for self expression and advancement.
"As my training progressed, so did my determination to come to this country. I bided my time and worked for several years in London. During that time, my father who was violently opposed to my coming here, passed away. My mother had never made such objections, and, as she had other children with her, I was free to leave about 1904 or 'o5; I do not know
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