Letter: Jennie Pinch to Minnie Stilwell, June 1882

This letter, written to Mary Elva Stilwell in June 1882, confirms my suspicions that the writer of the previous letter was indeed Jennie Pinch.  

Transcription:

Letter to Miss M.E. Stilwell, Ripon, Wisconsin

From Jennie Pinch

Postmarked: Rockford, Ill  June 2, 10 AM

                                                            Rockford, Ill., June 1, 1882

Dear Love:

            You are longing for a letter from me and this I know but my but my young gentlemen cousins - don’t be jealous now – have taken up so much of my attention that I have for a moment at a time perhaps, ceased to think of you.  Well what shall I tell you of first.  Possibly I may be somewhat egotistical but tell me truly would you not rather hear of me than all besides?  I love to tease, though, as you well know my dear one, so I shall write only of my extensive journey and the friends I have met since I came here.   It was with a downcast heart that I seated myself in the car at F.D.L. which was to carry me out of my native state, but once under headway my drooping spirits revived and I managed to scrape acquaintance with a gentleman so had a pleasant time as a matter of course.  At Harvard I had to wait four mortal hours with only my own thoughts and a not over interesting novel for company.

            Nevertheless I managed to live through it all and when I arrived in R. there were only eleven of my numerous relatives at the depot to meet me.  It brought back recollections of “Pinafore” with its uncles and cousins.  The aunts were minus.  Those that I had seen before all looked natural but those that I had not seen were entirely different from what I expected to find them.  I wonder if any one ever did picture out their unseen friends rightly.  I think I shall have a very pleasant visit.  Have not seen much of the city yet as the weather has not been very favorable for drives or walks thus far.  I tell you my cousins are simply immense.  George, the one you have heard me speak of so often, is a “irresistible duck.”  I do believe after all that I will fall in love with him and give some other folks the grand bounce.  Pardon the slang but nature will out once in a while.  Oh yes, then there is a certain Horace Wellington here who is one of the finest tenor singers in the city, a cousin of my cousins.  So you see I have a good chance of getting well acquainted with him.

            Well Minnie, dear, I have fooled my cousin completely.  Told him that I was writing to my fellow and that he could read the letter and now I will finish it in another strain.  I am having a perfectly delightful time.  My uncle lives in a grand house.  I feel almost lost.  I don’t know whether I shall be home in time for commencement or not.  If the girls decide to go home with me, I shall have to wait until after their school closes.  I am going East in the fall so my visit here will have to be much shorter than I intended it to be.  Be sure and answer this as soon as you receive it and I will tell you all about the place in my next.  The first of this is rather sentimental but I wrote it so just to fool George.  He read it and actually thinks I have written to the One.    Love to all the folks.

                                                            Your loving,

                                                            Jennie

How is J.R.  Do not fall in too deep.

Is Warren home from Minn.  Effie said she thought she saw him in church.  Did he get tired of the place?   Again, Jen.

Address Jennie Pinch

              Rockford, Ill                   Box 1050.    

  

I have made no attempt to do additional research on the Pinch family.  From this letter, Jennie clearly had relatives in Rockford, Illinois, but it is unclear whether they are her mother or her father's family.  

The only other people mentioned are someone named Effie who I cannot identify from the letter's information; Warren, who is Minnie's brother, Warren Stilwell; and J.R. who must be Minnie's future husband, John R. Jones.  From the comment "How is J.R.  Do not fall in too deep." it seems that Minnie has confided to Jennie that she is interested in John R.  It should be noted that John R. left Ripon College (where he and Minnie met) in 1882.  In 1886, he married Victoria Hamilton.  He and Minnie Stilwell did not marry until 1892, ten years after this letter was written.

Letter: Jennie P. to Minnie Stilwell, 22 January 1882

This letter from Jennie P. does not give a surname.  She seems to be another college friend of Minnie's.

After looking further, I believe Jennie P. is Mary Jane "Jennie" Pinch, daughter of William and Jane (Hambley) Pinch and sister of Pearse Pinch, whose wife, Mary M. Pinch wrote another of the letters I have posted here.   I cannot yet prove this, but based on my research into Pearse & Mary Pinch and their family, and based on the contents of the letter below, I think I am probably correct.

Jennie Pinch was born 20 April 1858 in Rosendale, Fond du Lac Co., Wisconsin.  She died 7 September 1922 in Chicago, Illinois.  She was single and working as a music teacher.  She is buried with her parents. 

It is postmarked West Rosendale, Wis., Jan. 24, 1882 and addressed to Miss Minnie Stilwell, Ripon, Wisconsin.

Here is my transcription:

                             "West Rosendale, Jan 22, 1882

Dear Minnie,
     You have remarked a dozen times ere this that I am a complete fraud, or something very similar, but now you must take it all back you darling girlie.  I have been miserably sick for a long time or - but there, I will not make any apologies or promises.  I am going to take a skip before long and make you that promised visit, just as soon as I get something decent to wear.  I have not had any new duds this winter excepting a pair of shoes and some red flannel for combination suits, the latter I find very comfortable.  I believe most women are foolishly prejudiced against woolen garments.  I have not experienced any unpleasant feelings from them, rather the oposite (sic), and certainly I have felt much better since putting them on.  I am going to make over my cashmere dress, ripped it up last September and there it has lain in the drawer ever since.  Have done some knitting and crocheting though if (sic) I have been awfully lazy.  My dainty fingers have very slowly gotten into shape five pair of fancy mittens and four thread tidies.
     Mrs. Hargrave and Alice were over here not long since, told me that you were in rather poor health.  I am so sorry and hope you are much better by this time.  You must not work to (sic) hard  I rather suspect you do.  I expect a very gay time next summer am thinking pretty strongly of going to the beautiful city of Rockford.  Uncle has been writing for me this winter but I did not feel equal to it.  Possibly I may go back to school instead.  You see I am sort of astride the fence.  I should like to sit on both sides but I can't very well be in both places at once.  How is that big brother of yours?  What a pity it is that he met his fate before seeing your humble servant.  I know you would like me for a relative.  I came very near going to Milwaukee this winter, should if it had not been for my lame back.  Had a position offered me in the Industrial School or almost.  It nearly took the breath of me away to learn that Mrs. Tracy had given me a recommend.  I never fancied myself a special favorite of hers.  Did you know that Edith Blackman was not in school this term?  Emma Perkins wrote me to that effect - said also that she, Edith, had had her lovely hair cut.  I hope she will enjoy it.  Fortunately my eyes do not require a shade if they did my locks would be a very good substitute for pasteboard.  As it is I twist them in curl papers thereby keeping them at a comfortable distance from my brown orbs.  Rec'd a letter from Sadie last week.  She is scolding.  Thinks you and I are mighty poor correspondents.  S. is learning to skate as she had a fine pair of skates given her Christmas.  I got a thimble and a paper knife.  Was old Santa good to you.  I tell you some of my cousins in R. had lovely presents.  One of them a gold watch, another a fur lined satin dolmen.  I wish I had lots of money, don't you.  Haven't written you since Pearses folks were here have I?  Minnie looks younger and healthier than she did before she was married.  The babies, Ruth and Esther are as pretty as pinks, but ugly like all young ones.  No, I'll take that part back.  Esther is good, but Ruth is a little vixen but she is very cute.  Why can't you come over to see me Minnie.  I wish you would and stay a week.  You must before the winter is over.  Mary Swift - I suppose never writes you.  Am thinking up lots of mean things to say to her.  She lives only a short distance from Baraboo so there is a chance of my seeing her sometime in the future.  Well I must write a letter to my Coz George the dearest old fellow in the whole world.  My love to your people and do not cut me off as unworthy even if I do deserve it.
                                  Lovingly, your old chum,
                                                                            Jennie P."


I did a little looking for the people mentioned, but only found Edith Blackman, who was a student in Ripon, Wisconsin per the 1880 census.  I suspect most of the people mentioned are school friends of Jennie P. and Minnie Stilwell.

"That big brother of yours" is either Minnie's brother, Lucien Stilwell, who married Julia Bristol in 1873 or Warren Stilwell, Minnie's other brother, who was not married in 1882 (as far as I can tell).

The Mrs. Tracy is probably Clarissa T. Tracy, instructor at Ripon College.

"Pearses folk" - I am pretty sure this is Pearse Pinch and his wife, Mary.  They had daughters Ruth and Esther.  Here is a link to a letter from Mary Pinch to Minnie Stilwell.



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Anyway, scans of the letter follow.

Letter: Edith (no surname) to Mary Elva Stilwell, Aug. 31, 1881

The author of this letter, Edith, did not include her surname.

UPDATE: Based on another letter to Mary Elva Stilwell (found HERE),  I suspect that the Edith who wrote this letter was Edith Blackman, a friend of Mary Elva's who attended Ripon College during the time Mary Elva was there.  

I found an Edith Blackman, born about 1862, in Whitewater, Wisconsin (where this letter originated).  Her parents were Charles & Mary Blackman.  She married Frank Knight Sanders in Walworth, Wisconsin on June 28, 1888.  She died 21 March 1939.

Edith seems to be a friend from Ripon College where Mary Elva went to school from about 1879-1881.  The others mentioned are probably also friends from Ripon.

In August 1881, Mary Elva Stilwell was 18 years old.


The letter is postmarked White Water, Wisc., Sep. 2, 1881.  The envelope is addressed "Miss Elva Stilwell, Ripon, Wisconsin."

Here is my transcription:

                                                     Hillock Home
                                                     Whitewater, Aug. 31, 1881

My dear, dear girl -
                                Dont you think you have been shamefully treated?  I do.  'Twas such a long time ago that I received you dear letter, together with your picture, which I like very much, though I do not think it as good as the original girl.  The first few weeks after coming from Ripon I did not feel very enthusiastic about doing anything.  I was so very tired, and the weather, as you perhaps remember, was somewhat warm.  Our family numbered six of a party of thirty which went to Lake Geneva for a week.  We had a very pleasant time, doing the many thins which you think of in connection with a beautiful body of water.  Since then (more than four weeks ago) we have had no help whatever and have had company all the time, so you can imagine I have kept busy.  Adding to this statement the fact that for a part of the time we have had two serving girls, you can see about how we have been situated.  I have fairly lain awake nights, trying to invent some time, and planning how I could make way with the work with greater rapidity.  Lill and Nelle have both visited us, and of course it was lovely to have them here.  We so enjoy having company.  Maude Murrell is visiting Jessie now - will go back with me next week.  It doesn't seem possible that school is to begin again so soon.  The time has passed so rapidly.  It has been lovely to have Dot so near.  You know always before she has lived six miles in the country.  She has been taking German become (?) this summer.  Poor child, she will be obliged to have four studies for two or three terms.  I don't see how she is going to do it.  The young people of our church have a club, the Y.P.B.C., organized to help raise money for our new church and Dot and I both joined.  They have their meetings once in two weeks and then sometimes extra meetings, and we have lots of fun.  They are going to meet here tonight.  They have had only three entertainments and have cleared over three hundred dollars.
     Everything in this part of the country is suffering for rain.  It has been cloudy all day, but no rain has put in an appearance.  When it does come I hope that it will cool off this weather some.
     How our poor President has suffered these long, hot months!  It seems as though he must get well.  If nothing else avails, it almost seems as if Mr. Garfield's faith would save him.  If he recovers, his administration must certainly be a very popular one.
    I wanted so much to write an essay this vacation, but I haven't gone farther than to get a subject.  I have read only four books - "The Manliness of Christ," "Little Dorrit," "Jane Eyre," and "A Noble Life."  Truly, books very unlike, yet I have enjoyed all exceedingly, though in so different ways.
     Have you seen much of Jean this vacation?   Dear old girl, I meant to write to her this vacation, but she would probably tell you that she hadn't received any word from me.  I hope that she has decided to be at the college this next year.  You are coming back aren't you?  I hope that there will be a good many new students and I understand that there have been a good many applications.  I know of five, four girls and a boy.  I hope that we will like the new matron.  Mrs. Kendall says that she has four children.  I don't see where she will put them.  I suppose that Mrs. K. has been very happy this summer with her son and daughter.     What a fine trip Mrs. Tracy and Allie have had!  They must have enjoyed it so much.  This letter isn't written remarkably straight, but tis accounted for for two reasons - I haven't any lines, and my hand shakes a little.  I forgot to say that my handkerchief came in good shape, and I am much obliged to you and to the unknown gentleman for the care that was taken of it.
Now, dear, forgive the past:
   With ever so much love
        Ever your friend
                                      Edith

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Letter: Frankie Cook to Minnie Stilwell, Feb. 6, 1874

The year on this letter from Frankie Cook to Mary Elva Stilwell ("Minnie") is difficult to read.  At first, I thought the year was 1879.  However, based on the way the letter is written and the fact that Frankie got married in 1878, I believe the correct date is 1874, when Frankie was about 15 years old.

There is no envelope.  Here is my transcription:

                                 Windom, Feb. 6th, 1874

My Dear Darling Sister Minnie,

     I received your kind welcome letter about the 20th of January.  Was very very glad to hear from you, and as our folk have gone to the Good Templers Lodge, and it is so lonesome here I will try and scribble you a few lines.  You wanted to know what I got Christmas.  I did not get much but never the less will tell you what little I did get.  The first, mother gave me a rushe (sic).  And a Bible.  My Sabbath School teacher, Mrs. Perkins, gave me a large book it was real nice she gave her class all one.  And then somebody else gave a shell box and a string of beads like those of Matie's.  Oh yes the girl that sits with me a school gave me a large book and another school mate gave me a candy apple & pair (sic)  They were perfectly beautiful.  And a cornopia (sic) full of candy & pop corn   Well I believe that is all I got.  Newyears (sic).  I did not get any thing but Newyears (sic) Eve.  I went to a oyster supper and when I got home I had my pockets full of cand and had a good time but I did not see any of you girls there I could not help but miss you.  I am sory (sic) your father's health is so bad I thought that he was getting better but by the letter he wrote to mother, I am afraid he is not, but I hope he is.  Does all of the class meet there every Sunday.  I hope so.  I am ever so much oblige for those papers I got them last night we done some pretty good laughing over that paper of Mr. Bristols & Stilwells.  I go to singing school now  I did not go last Tuesday night for it was such awful walking but I expect to go to morrow (sic) night if it does not storm, but I expect it will for it has stormed every other day this last two weeks, and it was pleasant to day and so to morrow is its day.  It is good sleighing now, and there is no danger but what we will have enough snow before spring.  You spoke in your letter and said that you thought your fathers picture was splendid I think to (sic) and I am sorry that I cannot have mine taken.  Perhaps I will go to Withington (?) and get it taken.  I hope I can.  We have got Jennies I think it is real good   And oh yes Minnie your father said that when you got your picture taken again that you could give me one, but (oh dear) I don't expect it is fair to ask you for one when he gave me one of his and I have not gave him one of mine but it is not my fault.  But oh would take it and keep it, well I will now turn my subject to something else   there was a sociable here last night but I did not go.  Father was to St. James and it stormed and so they did not any of us go.  Well I have wrote all news I can think of.  Oh know (sic) there was a young couple married.  Here the woman was 16 years old and the man was 18 years old  don't you think that is a pretty age to get married   I think that they must be love cracked don't you.  Well I must close now excuse my poor writing and mistakes for my pen is very poor.  Dont let any body see this for it is awfully wrote.  Now write soon and a good long letter.
                                                               To Miss Minnie Stilwell
                                                                From
                                                                Miss Frankie Cook

It seems natural to write Miss Minnie.
P.S.  As this letter has not been sent I will write a few more words and send it.  I received a letter from your father and was very glad to hear from him    I have been counting my letters over and I have got 27 letters since I came away.  I thin, that I have done pretty well don't you   I will stop now excuse my poor writing and write soon give my love to all exspecially (sic) Grandma White.  Good Bye.                                                           Frankie

Allie & Josie has wrote Edith a letter or they call it a letter and want to send it with this I don't believe you can make them out the man that Allie has spoke of was the doc here and every one thought every think of him   He was a splendid man   The only fault with him was that gets drunk and he got on a spree and went to St Paul, then to Chicago and the to Oiho (sic) and died   Every body felt bad and so Allie thought it would be some news to you.

                              *************************************************

Persons mentioned in the letter:
Mother = Elizabeth Jane (Munn) Cook
Mrs. Perkins = unknown
Matie = a friend of Frankie & Minnie
Minnie's Father = Lonson Stilwell
Father = William B. Cook
Allie & Josie = Frankie's younger sisters, Alice and Josephine Cook
Grandma White = probably Betsey (Dennis) White, mother of Mary K White, and Minnie's maternal grandmother

Letter to Minnie Stilwell from Mary M. Pinch, Feb. 1879

The envelope with this letter has no stamp, no postmark, no return address.  Based on the information in the letter, I suspect it was one of five letters sent together.  The writing is very pale and hard to decipher.  The envelope is addressed to Miss Minnie E. Stilwell, Metomen, Wisc.

Here is a transcription:

                                                 "So. Natick, Mass, Feb. 1st     1879

My Dear Girls,
     When I awoke this morning my first thought was of the letters I had promised to write to you on the 1st of Feb. 1879 and I have been thinking all day of your dear selves.  If I only had the time I would be glad to write to each of you, but I am very busy these days and I must condense my five letters into one big one, which I hope to hear from you at once.  I shall be very glad to hear from each of you and heal all "The Plans and Prospects" was that the way the contract read?  I was sorry not to have seen you all once more before starting for my new home, but you know I had Mrs. Mattice's company by starting when I did.  I went with her to Buffalo N.Y. and then branched off on the "Erie R.R." to visit my friends in Southern N.Y.  The whole Journey to Walton was as pleasant as a long tiresome journey could well be, for I had no care at all having had my trunk checked from Milwaukee to Boston and so with only myself and the usual big box, little box, band box and bundle, to care for I was quite comfortable.  I spent four or five pleasant days in Walton and then moved on for Home.  The last days ride was almost as long as all the others put together.  On the principle that "heat expands" I was nearly suffocated all the way from Albany to Boston and to add to my trials, Mr. Pinch did not meet me in Boston as I had expected for he attempted to meet me in Floringham and failed, owing to a change in car time, when it was too late to go into Boston.  So all forlorn I found my way to a hotel where I spent a most miserable night.  The heat was so oppressive I was obliged to sit up by the window all night long.  In the morning, I sent a telegram to Mr. Pinch and that noon (?) I had the pleasure of meeting him and some of my new friends.  I can assure you I felt immensely relieved to be through all my journeyings and at home, too.  How good it seemed.
     All the way out from Boston I reveled in the beautiful sights which were constantly presented to my eye.  I suppose there is a part of New England more beautiful than that between Boston and South Natrick.  There is so much wealth that has been poured out upon the country that in the summer it seems a very Eden.  As I rode from Wellesley to So. Natrick in the coach for we are two miles from the R.R. I had a chance to see still more of the power that money holds over nature.  I could only think of the stories my father had told me of the nobility of Ireland.  This was true not only of one residence but of some half dozen.  I wish I could take you all with me over those grounds for they are open to all who wish to visit them.  We would go to Wellesley College too, and you would feel as I did the other night that it was like being educated in a palace for one to attend school there.  Well I must stop or I won't get to the parsonage at all, our gay summer birds are flown away to Boston now that the snow has come and spread its mantle of equality over pleasure grounds and potato patches.  I like our people in So. Natrick very much.  I liked them from the first.  They were very cordial and made me feel at home among them at once.  Of course they are not unlike western people in many ways.  They speak the same language both of heart and tongue and I have no doubt that I shall be a full fledged Yankee if I live here many years.  the town itself is very old.  It was originally the Indian village where John Elliott labored among the red-skins and an old oak occupies the center of the road near our church under which tradition saith that Elliott taught the Indians.  He has a monument in a little park here and a number of headstones mark the resting place of noted Indians.  Harriet B. Stowe too has written a story about the place "Old Town Folks" is the title;  her husband Prof. S. lived here in his boyhood in an old brown house where we often visit.  Cousins of his live in the old place.  The Charles River too about which Longfellow has written a pretty little poem, affords us much pleasure in its beautiful curves as it winds its 72 miles to Boston out of the straight fifteen by R.R.  We boat a great deal.  All the young ladies row.  We came to our parsonage house in Aug. and have been house-keeping since.  I like it very much.  The house is about twice too large for us and our two cats.
     Feb 4th.  You see my dear girls that I didn't get through on the 1st.  I was too tired or too busy I've forgotten which now, but my intentions were good, my second purpose to write to you according to agreement was all right.  Mr. Pinch is away to a ministers association today so I have the time all to myself.  I don't particularly enjoy such days for it is lonely enough for two folks in this big house.  We have near neighbors however who have five nice children.  Sometimes we borrow them to charm away the silence.  I have a mission  band of children who meet at the parsonage very two weeks on Sat. aft.  They are going to have a tea party by and by and a fair.  they sew and knit and do fancy work besides studying about missions; we are studying up Turkey now; the children are quite interested in it too.
     I wish you might all come to see me.  You must all write to me and tell me about your home life and your plans for the year.  We hope to visit Wis. one year from next summer then I hope we may all meet once more.  My health has been very good indeed since I have lived here except through the very hot weather "Dog Days" they have named them.  I have thought much and often of you all with the kindliest feelings.  I am glad that you were "My Girls" for those four months, though another might have done more for you than I was able to do.  Give my love to my other boys and girls and to your parents.
     With very much love to you - Addie, Cora, Edie, Minnie and Louise.
                                                   I am as ever your friend,
                                                               Mary M. Pinch"

So I did a little research on Mary Pinch.  Here is what I found:

She was born Mary Ann McAssey or McCasey in May 1847 in New York.  On 27 October 1877, she married Pearse Pinch in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.  By the 1880 census, they are living in So. Natick, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.  Mr. Pinch was a minister and the family seems to have moved around a lot.  In 1895, they were in Emporia, Lyon Co., Kansas.  In 1900, they were in Greene Co., Missouri.  In 1910, they were in Huron, South Dakota.  They had seven children: Ruth, Esther, Anna, Thomas, Alice, William, and Margaret.  When Mary died, they were living in Glendale, Maryland and Pearse was the pastor of the Congregational Church in Herndon, Virginia.  She died 14 July 1919 "after a short illness."  She was 72 years old.  I have not found her burial location.  Her husband, Pearse, died Dec. 22, 1929, after being hit by a taxi in New York City.  He was 78 years old.  He is buried at Holy Trinity Cemetery in Prince George's County, Maryland.  Several of his children are also buried there, so it is possible that Mary is there but without a tombstone.



 

Letter: Blanche Stilwell to Mary Elva Stilwell, September 1878

The following letter was written by Blanche (Stilwell) Munn to her sister, Mary Elva Stilwell, called "Minnie" by her family.  It is dated Sunday Sept. 18?8.  I am guessing 1878, but it could be earlier.  In 1878, Blanche was 32 and married; Minnie was 17, unmarried, and still living at home.  If it was written in 1868, Blanche would have been 22 and married about a year;  Minnie would have been 7.  Given the other people mentioned, I am guessing 1878 is the best date.

Others mentioned in the letter are:
     Nettie:  Annette (Stilwell) Osborne, sister of Blanche and Mary Elva.
     Mr. Hanchett:  John J. Hanchett
     Mother:  Mary K. (White) Stilwell
     Father: Lonson Stilwell
     Charlie:  Charles Osborne, husband of Annette "Nettie" Stilwell
     Jennie:  Jennie (Bent) Hanchett, wife of John J. Hanchett, and sister of Clarence Bent, who was
                  married to Hannah (Stilwell) Bent, another sister of Blanche and Mary Elva.
     Fannie: Frances Hanchett, daughter of John & Jennie Hanchett
     Eva: not sure who this is
     Edie: Edith Stilwell, sister of Blanche and Mary Elva
     Warren: Warren Stilwell, brother of Blanche and Mary Elva

I would love to find a copy of the photograph Blanche describes.  

The letter is addressed to: Miss Minnie Stilwell, Ripon, Wisconsin and postmarked Sheyboygan, Sept. (the rest of the postmark is not legible).   A transcription follows:

"Sunday Sept. 18(?)8

Dear Little Min
     Perhaps you are wondering why I have not written since I left home & perhaps you have not given the matter a thought.  I should have done so long ago if Nettie had not come & gone to tell all there was to be told.  They have persuaded me to stay here all this week & I think by doing so I can save the expense of going part way in the cars.  Mr. Hanchett thinks he can go to F.D.Lac by next week.  I will only stay two nights there I think.  I expect you all will be impatient to have me home to make the new dresses by that time.  I have done but little besides starting (?) on my night dress yoke.  Their machine will not work at all.  Mr. H took it to pieces yesterday but it is worse now than ever.  To tell the truth I have not felt much disposition to sew.  I guess I must be kind of tired out.  By the time I get home I shall be rested.  & can begin the battle with new energy.  I think the vacation is doing me good.  I didn't know how tired I was.  I will make my underclothes evenings while I am sewing on the dresses.  Tell Mother not to scold.  I will make it all up in time.  We went to Sheboygan the day Nettie and Charlie left & sat for some pictures, Jennie & I.  Mine is splendid they all say.  We have only seen the proof.  I have ordered a dozen.  I wore my Japenere (?) silk black lace collar & had a black lace shawl over my shoulders like Fannie's (unreadable) has.  My hair looks pretty & eyes the best I ever had.  I am glad I as I don't expect to have anymore taken in a good while.  I am having a nice time.  We all went to Sheboygan yesterday for a ride.  Eva's husband came yesterday & they stayed here last night & are here today.  I do not like him a bit.  They start for home tomorrow.  Fannie got Edie's letter yesterday saying Father & Mother were thinking of coming here.  Mr. & Mrs. H both say "Be sure & come."  No matter if we have all been here.  I wish you would come while I am here.  Can't you.  If you don't come soon I am afraid you will miss coming at all.  I know they would be glad to have you.  I will write again before I go home so you will know when to write (?).  Love & kisses to all.  Hope to see Father & Mother this week.  Tell Warren Fannie is true to him.
                                                                                                      Sister Blanche"