Blackwell Family Alice Stone Blackwell Kitty Barry September-December 1920Chilmark, Mass. Sept. 13. 1920. Dear Kittykin: Almost everybody has flitted from Chilmark except us and the Huntingtons, and we go in a few days. The Huntington boys all want to be sailors. Gale sought to go to Annapolis, but could not be accepted for the Navy because of his eyes. He wears glasses; I supposehe is near-sighted. I am told that they all hate Florida. Nevertheless, they have built a house there, and expect to stay, for the benefit of [Elou?'s] health. Florence is a good deal better, and probably will not need the sanitarium. She seems quite like her jolly self again. She has had a week's visit from "Brother Johnson", the former Methodist minister here whom she and Elliot liked so much, and she had Robina that week to do her housework. Robina cleared things up in doors, and Brother Johnson cleared them up outside, and fixed up her car, and ran it, and they went on excursions over the island, and he attended to the various things about the house and barn which need a man's hand, and which she had not been able to get done. He left her much cheered and fortified. I am enclosing a letter from Anna and one from Howard. The plan that I had suggested about Florence was that she might make her headquarters with me and go over two or three days in the week to help Anna with her housework, as Lizzie Rogers used to. Perhaps Anna is right. The small Charles Hastings has certainly reduced Lovina to a state of adoring serfdom; but I don't think his father and mother are much better! Even Elizabeth adores him. As Howard's handwriting may be too small for your eyes, I copy one paragraph: "I am sorry Kitty wants $2000. now, as her request comes at the peak of de- mands in East Orange. However, I hope to comply soon." He expects to send the guaranty next week. Florence has made us a present of several squashes, including the dark and damp Scotch winter comes on. You affectionate cousin, Alice. one big one that looks like the pictures of Hercules's club. We have had a few wet days, and now the weather is glorious again. I wish you could have a whiff of this fine air and smell the delicious Vineyard smells. My friends say that I am looking a lot better. The swamps are growing brown, and taking on their autumn colors, and the goldenrod is growing yellower every day. Robina Look is planning to make a trip to Scotland this winter with her husband. She comes from Lochee. I hope you will go Southward before Contributing Editors Mary Johnston Stephen S. Wise Josephine Peabody Marks Zona Gale Florence Kelley Witter Bynner THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL and SUFFRAGE NEWS 585 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts Telephone: Back Bay 4717 Contributing Editors Ben B. Lindsey Caroline Bartlett Crane Ellis Meredith Mabel Craft Deering Eliza Calvert Hall Reginald Wright Kauffman Assistant Editor Henry Bailey Stevens Editor-in-Chief Alice Stone Blackwell Managing Editor Agnes E. Ryan 3 Monadnock St. Boston 25 Mass. Sept. 26, 1920 Dear Kittykin: Tom and Agnes have had the top part of their house at [E?l] Mora burned off. The plumbers were doing something on the roof, and 15 minutes after they left, the garret was discovered to be on fire. It must have started hot for me! either from their fire-pot or a pipe, for there was no fire in that part of the house. Four strong streams of water were turned into the attic, and the water flowed down and burst all the ceilings. The damage was so great that they will not be able to live in the house for several months. In the garret they had 9 trunks, containing all their winter clothes, their fur coats, etc. Those that were not reduced to ashes were reduced to pulp. Ethel affectionate cousin, Alice. Kind remembrances to Mrs. Parker, and give Jack a Contributing Editors Mary Johnston Stephen S. Wise Josephine Peabody Marks Zona Gale Florence Kelley Witter Bynner THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL and SUFFRAGE NEWS 585 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts Telephone: Back Bay 4717 Contributing Editors Ben B. Lindsey Caroline Bartlett Crane Ellis Meredith Mabel Craft Deering Eliza Calvert Hall Reginald Wright Kauffman Assistant Editor Henry Bailey Stevens Editor-in-Chief Alice Stone Blackwell Managing Editor Agnes E. Ryan Jones kept as cool as possible. She behaved finely. Agnes told Aunt Nettie that their opposite neighbor wanted to see her, and she was taken across, and was not allowed to know that there was a fire. She had been much concerned about the great explosion in Wall St., and had been afraid to have Tom go to the bank, or Ethel go to Vassar. Ethel Robinson came next day with Brookes's car it is very hot, and it would be pleasant to be back at Chilmark. "It is impossible to imagine the suffrage movement without the Woman's Journal."--Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt. and took her to their house, where she still remains. The neighbors have taken in the other members of the family. All the portfolios of old Vineyard sketches were destroyed. It is too bad. I think I wrote you that my landlord had raised my rent to $65. per month. I thought of moving and asked Mrs. Boyer to look at flats in Cambridge, near Howard. He was delighted, and showed her four, within five minutes' walk of his house--all of them beautiful ones, but much too expensive for us. However, we think that in the spring, if he can find [*I have written to Howard and reminded him about your matter. Your*] Contributing Editors Mary Johnston Stephen S. Wise Josephine Peabody Marks Zona Gale Florence Kelley Witter Bynner THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL and SUFFRAGE NEWS 585 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts Telephone: Back Bay 4717 Contributing Editors Ben B. Lindsey Caroline Bartlett Crane Ellis Meredith Mabel Craft Deering Eliza Calvert Hall Reginald Wright Kauffman Assistant Editor Henry Bailey Stevens Editor-in-Chief Alice Stone Blackwell Managing Editor Agnes E. Ryan something suitable, we may sublet our present flat, and move over to Cambridge. We will see first how you like it here. This flat has the advantage of being very light and sunny. It has the sunshine all day long, and it is well warmed in winter, and has many other good points. But if you and Jack are not suited, we shall look elsewhere. I mean [that] [*in New Jersey, or else at Rockport. There is now special news. Today*]to make you comfortable, of we are able to do it - if not in one way, then in another. Lovina has had an ache in her side, and sent for the doctor to see if it was pleurisy. He said she had caught cold in the place where she got bruised. A few weeks ago she was standing at the top of the stairs, and Charles Hastings threw himself upon her, and upset her down the stairs. I have not seen Howard since I got home nor [* succeeded in getting him upon the telephone. I suppose he has been] Monadnock St. Boston 25, Mass. Oct. 3, 1920 Dear Kitty Kin: Your letters of Sept. 12, 13 & 18 came all within a few days of one another. I am so glad that Jock was found! Now, in regard to the $2000. I find that [* it hard to draw from it when you want it. Undoubtedly he meant all right, but it was thoughtless of him. Now before long I hope you will write to me from the neighborhood of the Simmons. Your affectionate cousin Alice*] Howard has not the money, and that there is no telling just when he will have it. I cannot bear that you should be kept waiting for it, under the circumstances; and upon investigating what I have in the bank, and in the savings bank, I find that I can do it myself; so I shall cable it to you tomorrow, and I hope that it will arrive Oct. 5. Pray do not go without eau de cologne, or and been paid, and that Howard has re-invested the money. But I am vexed with him for investing it in some shape which makes THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL and SUFFRAGE NEWS 585 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts Telephone: Back Bay 4717 Contributing Editors Mary Johnson Stephen S. Wise Josephine Peabody Marks Zena Gale Florence Kelley Witter Bynner Ben P. Lindsey Caroline Bartlett Crane Ellis Meredith Mabel Craft Deering Eliza Calvert Hall Reginald Wright Kauffman Assistant Editor Henry Bailey Stevens Editor-in-Chief Alice Stone Blackwell Managing Editor Agnes E. Ryan anything else that will relieve that accursed neu- ralgia. Anna is going to send the next remittance to France Titterton. She has been prodding Howard on the subject, and he hoped that some money would be paid in to him two days ago- he is always hopeful= but it was not paid, and I do not know it is pretty sure to be safe, only it is probably mixed up with his other papers, which are all in a clutter, like mine. Anna says her understanding of the case about your property is that the mortgages had run out. where it will be. Florence had a very pleasant week in Vt. with her friend Mrs. Bidwell. She came back much impressed with the abundance of apples and food of all kinds that the Vermonters raise for themselves; and she brought back a large jar of maple syrup and took it home to Chilmark with her. She feels so well and so jolly not that she has sold a small piece of land and is not quite so hard up. She is now very cheerful, and she laughed at Mrs. Boyer's jokes till tears stood in her eyes. I am sorry to say that Howard's little John, a particularly bright and lovable child, has been ailing for a good while, and we are all anxious about him. If you sent Aunt B's will to Howard, THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL and SUFFRAGE NEWS 585 Boylston Street. Boston, Massachusetts Telephone: Back Bay 4717 Contributing Editors Mary Johnston Stephen S. Wise Josephine Peabody Marks Zona Gale Florence Kelley Witter Bynner Ben P. Lindsey Caroline Bartlett Crane Ellis Meredith Mable Craft Deering Eliza Calvert Hall Reginald Wright Kauffman Assistant Editors Henry Bailey Stevens Editor-in-Chief Alice Stone Blackwell Managing Editor Agnes R. Ryan 54 P.S. Oct. 4, 1920. Today I cabled you the $2000. I found at Brown Bros. that it would come to $570. That is all the better. The extra $170. will enable you to pay the freight on the books and furniture, the insurance, etc. I advise you to go ahead and pay it without waiting longer for Howard, if you have not yet heard from him. Let him refund the freight charges to you later, if he is able. No doubt he means to pay them I have not been able to get him by telephone, thought I have tried several times. THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL and SUFFRAGE NEWS 585 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts Telephone: Back Bay 4717 Contributing Editors Mary Johnston Stephen S. Wise Josephine Peabody Marks Zona Gale Florence Kelley Witter Bynner Ben B. Lindsey Caroline Barlett Crane Ellis Meredith Mable Calvert Hall Reginald Wright Kauffman Assistant Editor Henry Bailey Stevens Editor-in-Chief Alice Stone Blackwell Managing Editor Agnes E. Ryan 54 Oct. 24, 1920. Dear Kittykin: We are having glorious October weather, though it has suddenly turned rather cold. The chief family news is the death of Leonard L. Beeman, Phebe Stone's widower. It was very sudden- a happy way to go. He had got up 2 and gone into the kitchen to help get breakfast. His second wife heard a sound, and went into the kitchen, where she found him fallen on the floor, and gone. It is a sorrow, but not a surfrise(?), as his health has for some time been precarious. Oct. 31, 1920 This letter did not get finished. I am sorry. But every day I seemed to have more to do than I could possibly get through. Meanwhile yours of Oct. 12 and 3 THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL and SUFFRAGE NEWS 585 Boylston Street, Boston , Massachusetts Telephone: Back Bay 4717 Contributing Editors Mary Johnston Stephen S. Wise Josephine Peabody Marks Zona Gale Florence Kelley Witter Bynner Ben B. Lindsey Caroline Bartlett Crane Ellis Meredith Mabel Craft Deering Eliza Calvert Hall Reginald Wright Kauffman Assistant Editor Henry Bailey Stevens Editor-in-Chief Alice Stone Blackwell Managing Editor Agnes E, Ryan the one of Oct. 16 (dictated to Mr. Scott) have come. It looks now as if the coal strike would be settled; but I think you should leave Kilmun as soon as you can, and not risk getting tired up there for a good part of the winter. I find myself thinking of you now in connection with all sorts of thing in our flat; whether you will prefer a carpet or rugs on the floor of your room (you can and she had a good sea-bath! Your affectionate cousin, Alice. 4 take your choice; we have both) whether it will amuse you or annoy you to be able to smell the next neighbor's dinner cooking-etc. (You remember in Hans Andersen there is a princess who gives a kiss to a swineherd in order to secure a magic pot that would enable her to smell what everybody has for dinner!) You aske where your $570 came. It is the $2000 that you asked for from your principal. As Howard could not send it just at this time. I advanced says they have had fine weather at Chil- mark- thermometer at 70 degress, with no fire, 5 THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL and SUFFRAGE NEWS 585 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts Telephone: Back Bay 4717 Consulting Editors Mary Johnston Stephen S. Wise Josephine Peabody Marks Zona Gale Florence Kelley Witter Bynner Ben B. Lindsey Caroline Bartlett Crane Ellis Meredith Mabel Craft Deering Eliza Calvert Hall Reginald Wright Kauffman Assistant Editor Henry Bailey Stevens Editor-in-Chief Alice Stone Blackwell Managing Editor Agnes E. Ryan the money, and he is to repay it to me. Anna ad- vanced him the money for Frances's remittance. It was sent ahead of time; Frances ought to have received it before now. Howard says the American Express Co. wanted him to deposit $500. for your freight, and he had not the $500. He thinks the best way will be for you to prepay it. With the $2000., I hope songs that you like in the night here. Nobody will object. I am glad 6 you will be able to do so. I do not myself believe that Howard will be able to send you your interest for some time. It will take every cent he can rake and scrape to pay his taxes, i. e. the taxes on the estate. I remember what a hard time he and Emma had to pay them last year. They were no able to get together the money to do it until long after the taxes were due, and they had to pay interest on the overdue taxes. Howard is sure to be in the same difficulty now. Taxes are due at this time of year, and it is a hard time for the average citizen. You must plan to make the f570 cover your expenses till you get here, if possible. Howard has not told me that he is THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL and SUFFRAGE NEWS 585 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts Telephone Black Bay 4717 Assistant Editor Editor-in-chief Managing Editor Henry Bailey Stevens Alice Stone Blackwell Agnes E. Ryan Contributing Editors Mary Johnston Stephen S. Wise Josephine Peabody Marks Zona Gale Florence Kelley Witter Bynner Contributing Editors Ben E. Lindsey Caroline Bartlett Crane Ellis Meredith Mabel Craft Deering Eliza Calvert Hall Reginald Wright Kauffman not going to be able to pay your interest - probably he hopes that he can - but that is my opinion of his financial situation. There were great Halloween doings in his cellar last night. His children, and Anna's children, and 20 children belonging to the neighbors, had a glorious time. The small Blackwells, and Elizabeth, had got themselves up as ghosts and devils. George was his Satanic Majesty, in a black jersey and black stockings, I nurse, to do shopping, &. you will be welcome to sing all the Scotch with a red devil-mask, and the rubber tube of a syringe for a tail. An owl hooted and screeched, and the drafts of the furnace were opened and shut repeatedly, making weird sounds. Elizabeth worked the owl and the furnace, and also was a ghost. The small Charles Hastings was scared, but all the other children had a great time. The El Mora insurance covered everything. Tom and Agnes will get practically a [ne] new house, and on the whole the fire was a blessing in disguise. Grace is so much better that she [*is almost persuaded to go to New Bedford for a week, with her*] Nov. 14, 1920 Dear Kitty: Yours of Oct. 28 came yesterday. It has been read by Florence (who is here attending the meetings of the National Grange), and has been read over the telephone to Howard (here for the Sunday and Monday), and will be read to Anna. Howard remorsefully confessed it was true that you had not heard from him for a year. The bank which has made him a large loan towards the work of completing [* Glad you are having such dry weather. This is a lovely bright Sunday, but cold. Your affectionate Cousin Alice.]completing the apartment house takes all the rents; and other bill that are still coming in on the construction have made necessary the sale of the houses that Howard's contractor [was building] had built on Burnett St., and in addition Howard is trying to sell or mortgage Lenox Manor (the former White Elephant), but has not yet succeeded. So he is of course very short of funds. Viny thinks him looking worn and haggard, but he says things in N.J. are going as well as could be expected. He is lucky in having a hopeful and buoyant disposition, and I hope this time of stringency is only temporary. But it is tight while it lasts, and you must not feel that it was any lack of affection that kept Howard from guaranteeing your freight. He would have been glad to, I am sure, but he really is not in a position to. Anne borrowed from Charles the money for Frances's remittance. Charles tells me that he is down to his last $600. He says he and Anna and Emma were living in a style quite beyond what he could afford on his salary alone, and that if now money is to come in from Emma's estate for a good while, [* is still obstinate. The outlook of public affairs is bad. We have a "yellow dog" for President of the U.S.]They must alter their way of living. It is not showy at all, but they have a whole house, in a good neighborhood, and with a big yard. Anna has no steady help but Lovina, however, and an "accommodator" who comes three days in the week ; and she (Anna) is looking tired and worn. Charles has quite a good salary - &6000. a year - but things cost tremendously, and he has an impecunious cousin with a wife and family, whom he has been helping. It is a pleasure to see Florence looking so well, and she is her old jolly self again. Mrs. Boyer is full of jokes, and makes Florence laugh till she almost cries. Ethel Jones writes that in the intervals of [*her studies and "biking", she is kept busy painting portraits, at $15 apiece. Helen and the children are better, though Lane's eruptiou*] Nov. 23. 1920 Dear Kitty: We are getting ready for the Thanksgiving Day party at Anna's. Florence has gone to spend a few days with her friend Mrs. Haversham in Connecticut, but is expected back tomorrow. Elizabeth is doing finely at school, and for two weeks has worn a pin which is a reward for excellence in scholarship. Howard [* an [in] invitation to come back. You must not try to cross the Atlantic alone. Lizzie Rogers does not know yet just when she will come back, but says she shall be glad to escort you if the time fits. Jerry and Robina look expect to return in April. Your affectionate cousin, Alice]has broken his rule of allowing no dogs in his big apartment house. After turning away several would-be tenants because they had dogs, he got such a pathetic leter from a childless woman who wanted to bring her lap dog that he finally consented. He said she "promised about 17 things" if she might only be allowed t keep the wee beastie with her; that she would take him up and down the back stairs, etc. etc. Howard says he shall now have to give the same permission to others, as he must treat all his tenants alike. He is calling in mortgages, and exerting himself to sell of his houses, in order to meet the bills on the apartment house, which seems to me the biggest "white elephant" he has ever had anything to do with. Helen is better, though still [* But Anne thinks that in a month after leaving she will be so homesick for the children that she will be open to] [* winter with them, instead. but Viny does not approve. She says she needs a change.] troubled by her lame back. Love's obstinate eruption is much better. When I called up Howard the other day, he said he had just had a delicious breakfast, including doughnuts which his cook Nancy had learned to make after Lovina's receipt. Lovina thinks she must give up, after Thanksgiving, and go back to Gardner to stay with her sister Mary. She is anxious about Mary's health. [Ann] Anna is rather dismayed at the prospect of losing her, and wants asked, "Go where, dear?" and she answered, "To heaven." Howard says that all the children help to take care of her. Lovina lately sent Anna a clipping from an old "Youth's Companion" about Aunt B. It said she had wonderful physical strength, and that once, when some gentleman declared no woman could lift him, she picked him up from his chair and carried him 3 times around the room! Anna and I doubt this. Did you ever hear about it? It sounds to me [like] as if it might be one of Aunt Anna's stories. her to get Mary to come and spend theevery day! Anna has at last got a colored girl, and I hope she will prove satisfactory. Lovina hope to return to her when the cold weather is over. Aunt Nettie has had a bad cold - a sort of grippe - and is reported to be actually getting over it - at 95! When she was coughing and uncomfortable, she said "Oh, why can't I go!" Ethel Robinson what Aunt B's nickname was - she recalled some of the names - "Dumplin Snub", "Lymphatic Carrot" and "Sacred Awe" - but I told her I thought those were Aunt Ellen, Aunt Emily & Uncle Sam; anyway, they were not Aunt B. I could only recall that one of her brothers described her once as "a desperate and energetic biped." I think Ethel will make a telling address; she is a sweet creature, very intelligent, kind and lovable, only apt to let her [*back to New York tonight. He says that his real estate matters "drag their]enthusiasm run away with her judgement. By the way, you have several times spoken of engaging your passage and then calling me. You seem to think a passage can be seeward at short notice. My impression is that it generally has to be engaged a good while in advance, there is such a demand at present. As soon as Lizzie decides, you had better apply for your passage. Pope's Hill is about a mile and a half from here. The Rev. Mr. Pixler and his wife, who occupy our old house, are very nice people, [*cook, Nancy, because she does not like the second girl. He is home for the weekend, and goes]ASB to KBB Nov 28/20 re trip to Boston family mattersContributing Editors Mary Johnston Stephen S. Wise Josephine Peabody Marks Zona Gale Florence Kelley Witter Bynner The Woman's Journal and Suffrage News 585 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts Telephone: Back Bay 4717 Contributing Editors Ben B. Lindsey Caroline Bartlett Crane Ellis Meredith Mabel Craft Deering Eliza Calvert Hall Reginald Wright Kauffman Assistant Editor Henry Bailey Stevens Editor-in-Chief Alice Stone Blackwell Managing Editor Agnes E. Ryan 3 Monaduock St. Boston 25, Mass. Nov. 28, 1920. Dear Kitty: Your last letter sounds as if you were really getting ready to come. Howard was pleased when I read it to him over the phone. He proposes to go down [*feel rather sore over the contrast. Your affectionate cousin, Alice*] the harbor to meet you! He is in New York fully half the time; so that if you find the steamers run more conveniently to N.Y. he could meet you there about as well as at Boston, and come on with you. But you will see what is best about that when you study the steamer time tables, and find what ships are available. It is very natural that you should want to see your friends in the South of England first, and I hope that you will have a pleasant visit with them all - Frances, Ethel Simmons et al. We had our Thanksgiving dinner (Florence and I) at Anna's. The other guests were Brookes Robinson and Blackwell Jones, fresh from Exeter Academy, to which they [* work; and Howard has not let her know of the need for economizing. but - between ourselves - I think Anna & Charles] [* has three servants at present; but she is so frail that she can't do the] returned the same night; and Charles's cousin Frank King, with his wife's sister. The wife was kept away by illness. We had just a glimpse of Howard, and of John, whom he had brought over to have a little visit with the Belden children in the morning. John is a dear little boy; everybody likes him. At Howard's house they had Helen's mother and aunt, and two of her cousins, and an instructor at the Laboratory, from S.C. Helen had got up a wonderful centre-piece for the table, representing a barn yard. There were pumpkins cut out of the inside of a carrot, a basket of cranberries representing apples, and a turkey and other creatures, all home made, which the children thought very lovely. I had my [* I do hope Anne wont try to do the cooking herself - partly through economy, ] [* partly because she so hates to take a strange servant into the house. Helen] first sight of Howard's little second-hand Ford car, standing outside the window, when he came to take John home. They had no general family Thanks giving party in New Jersey this year. Aunt Nettie spent her Thanksgiving with the Robinsons, and Agnes & Tom dined with friends. There seems to be nothing new to report about Howard's real estate - at least, nothing that I have heard. I am rather discouraged about my own health, but I hope it [*will pick up in time. Lovina, I suppose, will go back to Gardner soon; and] Dec. 19, 1920 Dear Kitty Kin: Viny has gone back to Gardner, - was anxious to get there before a cold spell came, or before she herself caught cold - and Anna is now doing the cooking herself. Did I tell you that my namesake, [* credit for advancing that money to Frances. She did advance it, but Howard had some money come in and repaid it to Anna almost immediately. Your aff. cousin Alice.] little Alison, a very sweet child, has developed heart trouble, and the doctor thinks she will not be strong till she grows up. Dec. 21. Florence went back to Chilmark yesterday. Anna wants her to come and stay with her and help her, and Florence is considering it. The chief obstacle is that Florence has engaged Hanna Tilton for the winter, and Hanna is counting on the work. Howard has ordered North Carolina turkeys to be sent by parcels post to himself, Anna, Florence and Mrs. Boyer. Both he and Anna have invited me to Xmas dinner. I shall go to Cambridge, for I think it would be an imposition on Anna. She [* the same automobile with a fine old lady of 99. She was the belle of the occasion! Anna says she ought not to be given too much] [* Sunday in celebration Mary A. Livermore's 100th birthday, and went over to Melrose in ] has no servant, while Helen has three. Florence expects to have the minister and his family to dinner on Xmas, besides Walter, Doris and the children. I suppose you will stay in Kilman over Xmas, and I hope you will have a pleasant day. I know you will help to make it pleasant for some of your friends, and for Jock. Howard says he is satisfied with the way things are going in N.J. Oh, by the way, you wondered how Aunt Nettie could vote when she is blind. [* Blind people are allowed the help of an election officer in marking their ballot. I took part] Dec. 26, 1920 Dear Kitty kin: I wonder how you spent your Xmas Day? Howard and [Helen An] Anna had both invited me. I accepted Howard's invitation, because Anna is at present without help. Howard was t come over in his car [*I believe a picture was painted from it; anyway it was considered most interesting & curious. Xmas here was bright and very cold. I wonder what it was like in Scotland. I hope the neuralgia let up. Your aff. cousin Alice.] and get me; but as the time approached he telephoned that the car was out of order & he was fixing it, so he should be late. I told him I would come by the street cars; and when [he] arrived, he was still laboring over his automobile. To save Anna trouble, it had been arranged that he & Helen would send her over a turkey, ready stuffed and cooked, Howard had meant to take it himself, but the car proved so [int] intractable that he had to call up an automobile he often used to hire, and send the man over with it. It was all complete, with gravy and cranberry sauce. Anna had only one guest, Charles's cousin Frank. Howard & Helen had Mrs. Thomas, "Aunt Gertie," Marguerite and two of Helen's Hanna [* has been taking pains to unearth Revolutionary relics in the towns along the Hudson.] [* among a group of men belonging to the N.Y. Historical belonging to the N.Y. Historical Society, among them one of Helen's many cousins, who]cousins, a gray haired Mr. Hanna, an artist, who rents a room in Concord, Mass., and get his own meals; and a Miss Hanna, the eldest of the 8 feminine Hanna cousins who live in Cambridge, there are 6 sisters and two nieces. They are pleasant people. Howard's children had awakened early, but they would not explore their stockings till their mother could be with them, and investigate hers at the same time. That is characteristic. I heard Mr. Hanna questioning John (8 years old) about his reading. John said he liked "Robinson Crusoe," and he did not like "Treasure Island" equally well, because it had in it "so many thieves and thievish doings." Lane was dressed all in green and looked like a little gnome. He had fallen and hurt his nose and upper lip, so that [?] he was not quite as pretty as usual, but [* Uncle Charles's sword & military coat. The coat has aroused a great deal of interest] [* which she is perfectly delighted. Aunt Eliza's grand niece presented Howard with] he was very dear. They are three remarkably well-behaved little boys. We had a good dinner, and Santa Claus and his reindeer were suspended in the air over the table. About 3.30 Helen got so worn out that she had to be excused and go and lie down. Florence had asked the minister and his wife to Xmas dinner, and Walter and Doris & the children, and Mrs. Bidwell. I expect to hear from her in a day or two. Alison [*had an Xmas present of a doll's house made out of a packing case, with]