Blackwell Family Pratt, Lucy B. Blackwell, Alice StoneNov. 5, 1933 Dear Miss Blackwell, Thank you for sending on to us Mr. Aschangelsky's letter. It is very touching to think of that brave, beautiful, valiant woman in such weariness of body now after a whole lone, lifetime of persistent struggle for others. I am sure than now at ninety by her very age and its infirmities shut away from the turmoil about as a certain quiet and peace in hers. It is wonderful that you have written every week to her. Mr. Lagaroff writes to us in unfailing acknowledgement of our quarterly sums and always there has been at least a little letter from Babushka until this last time, when the message was not written.To give a little help - just bread & butter to a woman of great power and great spirit who has given her very life always - what a gift that has been to a New England group of school girls. I am always amazed that she - her great spirit - has reached out so far. Thank you again, Yours sincerely, Lucy B. PrattPost office express Middlebury Connecticut R.R Station Telegrams Telephone Waterbury Connecticut Westover School Middlebury Connecticut Miss Mary R Hillard Principal Nov. 9 - 1933 Dear Miss Blackwell, I am returning Mrs. Dietrich's letter which I have been so glad to see. I must not promise that our girls will take over any responsibility for Babushka's schools. Every thing is so uncertain, the needs in our Southern Mountain Schools are so great & with the changes in our own midst I am afraid I can not send the happy word to our dear, old friend. I am sorry. Yours sincerely Lucy B. Pratt Westover Middlebury Connecticut Nov. 19 1933 Dear Miss Blackwell, I had just sent a check when your former letter reached me, so it may be that it will arrive too late to be endorsed by Madame Breshkovsky. It may be returned perhaps but I think if it is not delayed in transit. Mr. Archangelsky will be able to arrange at the bank for its payment. I shall hear soon. Mr.Lazareff Is so prompt in his acknowledgements. Thank you for your letters. Yours sincerely, Lucy B. PrattPost office express Middlebury Connecticut R.R. Station Telegrams Telephone Waterbury Connecticut Westover School Middlebury, Connecticut Miss Louise Bulkley Dillingham, Head Mistress Nov. 19, 1932 Miss Blackwell, I am enclosing check from The Mary Hillard Society for Madame Breshkovsky's students - This check is for 100-. I wish it might be more - but our very slim check book has to keep in mind its January obligations - one of which is Madame Breshkovsky herself. I know she'd much rather have us forget her needs rather than the needs of these young people but at ninety she needs us to think bread and butter thoughts for her and so I find [that] in thinking them - that my pen must stop at one hundred. What a strange and wonderful thing it is that through the years we have had this association with this great and beautiful spiritual force. Yours sincerely Lucy B. PrattLucy B. PrattWestover Middlebury Connecticut Nov. 25. 1913 My dear Miss Blackwell Your letter of this 20th to Miss Hillards has been received. I am this day sending to her. George Loganoff a draft for Madame Breshkovsky. We have undertaken to send her yearly the $240 allowed her. December first of last year. we made our first remittance of 120.00 and in March our second for the remainder of the year to the first. The draftWhich I am finding today is for $120.00. We are so glad to be able to find this, always remembering Mrs. Barrows have, wonderful woman. Everyone of us here is so glad for the visitors we have had from her. Yours sincerely, Lucy B Pratt POST OFFICE EXPRESS MIDDLEBURY CONNECTICUT RR STATION TELEGRAMS TELEPHONE WATERBURY CONNECTICUT WESTOVER SCHOOL MIDDEBURY, CONNECTICUT MISS MARY R. HILLARD, PRINCIPAL Oct. 16 - 1932 Dear Miss Blackwell Your letter has just been handed to me by Miss Dillingham. I was just about to write to Mme. Breshkovsky for it is now within a few days of the date on which our quarterly check should go to her - and the check has been waiting for a long time, ready for the right day. I can not for a moment think we'll ever fail Catherine Breskovsky who has always been dearto this family -- indeed we always count her a member of Westover. Her letters are usually read to the School. I feel that you need feel no trouble about our continuing to do in this matter just as we have done for it is our earnest desire & The Mary Hillard Society loves Catherine Breshkovsky. Thank you for writing Yours sincerely Lucy B. Pratt [*Pruch*] June 4, 1933. E Monadnock St., Boston, Mass. Miss Lucy B. Pratt, Westover School, Middlebury, Conn. Dear Miss Pratt: Catherine Breshkovsky has dictated a letter, in Russian, to the friends with whom she is living, for Mrs. Irene Dietrich, 163 Stratford Road, Brooklyn, New York. They have sent it to me, to be translated by a Russian doctor here, a friend of mine; and I am copying an extract from it for you. As you probably know, Mrs. Dietrich has for years collected toys, and second-hand clothing, shoes, etc., for the children in Madame Breshkovsky's schools, and for her students. She says: "I wish to express my gratitude, that goes from the bottom of my heart, for your incessant care, for the clothes, shoes, and for the joy which the toys sent by you bring to my children. If you could only only see the gratitude, joy and consolation caused by your gifts, it seems to me your soul would be filled with delight, because all of it is the result of your efforts and care. " My health is just the sm same, but I become weaker and weaker, s so that it is difficult for me to walk. I go around the room once, and must sit down to rest. It is difficult for me to get up or to sit down without assistance. It is fortunate that I am staying with my friends who take care of me as of a little child. I see very poorly, but still I can see a little, though I am unable to read. I do not hear well; still I can hear when newspapers or letters are being read to me. " We have had an unpleasant spring. In April it was very warm, and and I began to go out to bask in the sunlight. My nurse, Mrs. Archangelsky, figured out that I did so 11 times. But now it is cold again again, and I am sitting in doors, the room even being heated. The local dwellers say, 'The icy men have come_ three saints, Pncratus, Boniface and Servacius.' Let us hope that in their trail the sun will peep out, and I shall be able to sit down in the garden again, think, and remind myself of all of you. I embrace you strongly. Please give my regards to all your family." In a former letter, Mr. Lazareff gave a graphic description of the joy and noise when the group of boys and girls were measuring the sho shoes and the garments, to see which would fit whom. He said they were particularly delighted with some little hand-satchels_ I suppose to carry books. If any of the Westover girls have clothes to give away away, they might consider sending them to Mrs. Dietrich. She sends Mme. Breshkovsky a box every few months. Yours sincerely, and with warm gratitude for all that you have done for her. [*(ASB)*]