July 31, 1921
Dear Folks: - I know I’ll not finish but perhaps can make a beginning before Guy comes home or Marjorie wakes for a late lunch as she usually does about 11 PM. She is so good we scarcely know we have a baby in the house. Mrs. Thomas will help me wash and general clean up Tuesday otherwise I find the work no great drag. Am so strong again. I’ve had lots of company ever since baby came which has taken some time but has been a great joy to me too. I don’t see how any one has pep to go out this hot weather. Did I tell you that the club gave me chain and locket for baby. They have usually sent flowers etc., but we like the other better. Every one has been so lovely to me. Oh, you asked so many questions. Marjorie was born July 16th, length 24 inches, weight a little more than 7 lbs after subtracting clothes. She looks a lot more like her daddy than either of the others. Has quite a lot of dark hair, quite the usual number of features generally. A few more than average dimples and a heavenly disposition. Both her sisters think she is the most wonderful. Yesterday after I washed Frances for her nap, she climbed up by baby and went to sleep. Margaret will sit and hold her till the busy little muscles must ache but it’s her baby
Monday night – another few minutes before bed time. We had such a very lovely letter from you today. We do enjoy your letters. So sorry you had to wait for our letters. IT seems simply impossible to write when the children are awake. They always discover me and want to help till I give it up. You spoke of scarcity of fruit. Some kinds have not been plentiful here but I never do put up small fruits. “Did” a bushel of berries. The canning fever has not struck me. When Mrs. Davis mentioned apple jelly I hated the idea. Believe I’m getting soft. This summer I did not seem able to care whether or not we raised any garden if we got a few flowers. Guy has done everything outside. And inside I didn’t even want to bother to think what we should eat when I did not have to cook. Worst of it is, it’s pure laziness for I’m so well in every way. When doctor was here he spoke of my being in such good flesh and everyone nearly speaks of how well I look. Won’t it be awful if I get fat and lazy with the years. Horrors! I’ll lose a perfectly good husband if I act like that.
Friday, Aug 5th. Guy went to Provo to make proof on the 480 A [acres]. You see we did not have to live on it, just put 1.25 per A improvements on it. At present prices the fencing quickly ate up the required $600. Things surely have changed the past year. Why a year ago it was almost impossible to hire a man to do anything now there are hundreds of idle men everywhere. Things seem to be picking up in the camps tho – mines are running 5 days a week for the first time in months. I’ve seen George only once since baby came. She was only a few days old when he came up for some things. He was then working for a ranchman near Woodside and told us to forward mail there. We have done so – but he does not favor us with any remarks. He seems to think no one need worry if they don’t hear of his “taking off.”
Honestly, I’m happier about George this summer than I’ve been at any time since he came out here. While he never did anything to worry us, in common with so many of the young men of the day, both those who had been in the army and those who had been making a great deal in industries, he found it very hard to get his poise again. He realized it and talked of it and even when he had filed on the land he did not at first seem to have that nerve to take a long chance and win in spite of odds. But that trip to Pueblo helped him. He says he feels more like himself again, that in some way conditions there were quite as horrible as anything he saw in Europe. The counter shock of that – meeting different people and realizing more how much the mass of people are up against to begin to succeed – etc., has done worlds of good. We older people had gotten ours in the world of hard knocks and were seasoned to bear the unbalancing effects of the past 7 or 8 years. We can’t blame the younger ones if it hits them harder.
Well I must close. Nearly bed time – Love to “you all” from “us all.”
As ever, Dora
Don’t forget to give our love to the Glendale family.
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3 comments:
Wow! Thank you so very much! I can't begin to tell you how exciting it is to read those letters! I called my Mom to read it to her tonight and she enjoyed it too! The letter says that my Grandma was born on the 6th, but her birth certificate says the 16th. Is this a typo or was Dora just tired when she wrote? (What new Mom wouldn't be?) It is so wonderful to get glimpses into their lives - Thank you!!!
Barb
Mikybarb,
I went back and looked at the original letter again and found the 1 written over by the tail of another letter. I had Marjorie's birthdate in the family tree as the 16th and had wondered myself about the 6th, but hadn't taken a magnifying glass to it which I have now done. So Aunt Dora (Grandma Dora to you) had not made a mistake!
Enjoy the new letter. It's fun to have someone to send these to that can really appreciate them!!!
Oh, I really, really do appreciate them! And thank you for letting me know about the date. (And for taking the time with your magnifying glass!) It's good to know she had gotten it right.
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