Margaret W. Mellette, Watertown, Dakota to Mrs. Louisa M. Boisen, Bloomington, Monroe Co., Indiana
Title
Margaret W. Mellette, Watertown, Dakota to Mrs. Louisa M. Boisen, Bloomington, Monroe Co., Indiana
Description
Letter from Margaret W. Mellette to her sister, Louisa W. Boisen about daily life, family, and Christmas.
Creator
Margaret Wylie Mellette
Date
January 5, 1889
Language
English
Type
Letter
Text
Jan. 5, 1889
My dear Lou, My first letter this year shall be to you. I must hear from home and if you will not answer Father and Mother’s letters I must commence and direct to you though understand the letter is to all. I wish you could see our country, we have had no winter yet. There is not an inch of snow on the ground and not that, the ground was not even white until the day before Christmas. The sun shines and I have not had over shoes on this fall. It’s warm and lovely. My flowers are nice and I have had no trouble in keeping them. You speak of having some geraniums in bloom. I have six in bloom, a primrose that Mrs. Crane gave me, a daisy and a good many in bud. Tell Mother my smilax is doing nicely. Is Childs, N.Y., a good man to send to for seeds or where shall I send? I have his catalogue.
I expected Charlie to go East [to West Point] this week but I have not much hope of his getting in as his eyes are worse than we thought. He has none himself but think he had better make the trial. Anton was his alternate for a while, but there was some misunderstanding and Anton lost it. It does not grieve him any. Charlie expected to stop at Bloomington on his way and I expect if he goes he will do so yet. I think Mother said if I put in my quilt and pieces she would finish it for me as I can’t see. Well I put that in his trunk. If I am mistaken it can just as well stay at home till I am able to sew on it, as here I can find no silk that I like as well as yours. I thought I would write to Fan about it and maybe she can find some for me. I got a black broad cloth dress that I think will be nice. I want to send it to Miss Farris but will wait till I see what Chas is going to do.
I wish you could hear Mr. Wolfe. I think it is wonderful, his sermons grow better. I do not think any one loses a word he says. The church will not hold all the people so we will have to go to the opera house. We have not had what you would call a poor sermon yet, but he sometimes says things I had rather he had left unsaid. This week (the week of prayer) we have a sermon every night. In speaking of the chapters of Names in the Bible that I always thought so tiresome he said it was a comfort to some to know that God knew us by name in ages past and we have no reason to think he has changed. He brings out a great many new thoughts. Not a day has past but I have been home sick to see you all.
We got a letter from Leola. John is no better. I want to write to him today. I gave no Christmas gifts. The pictures of your children was the nicest gift you could have sent and I thank you very much. They are very good though I do miss the smile on Mary’s face. We had some of our family. Will send one when I get them. Mrs. Drake sent me two steel engravings. Aunt Susan a little book, Maggie a match safe, Mrs. Foster of Frankford a work basket, Mrs. Crane a work basket or card basket, Bunn a card case, Florence a lamp shade. I gave none. I do not want to feel that way another Christmas. I was too blue to care this one.
The Telephone wires are all covered with frost today and they look so nice I think or fear the weather is going to change. We have been having vacation and school commences tomorrow. I am much obliged for the receipts you sent. It was too late for my pies but I will have to make mince meat again soon. Dick said mine was not so good as Mother’s. I must stop or there will be no time to write to John. Love to all. All of Fees, Mrs. Murphy, McCalla’s and all friends, of course to Aunt Em and Aunt L. Did Aunt Em hurt her back before I left? I knew she fell but thought she was not hurt.
M.W. Mellette
My dear Lou, My first letter this year shall be to you. I must hear from home and if you will not answer Father and Mother’s letters I must commence and direct to you though understand the letter is to all. I wish you could see our country, we have had no winter yet. There is not an inch of snow on the ground and not that, the ground was not even white until the day before Christmas. The sun shines and I have not had over shoes on this fall. It’s warm and lovely. My flowers are nice and I have had no trouble in keeping them. You speak of having some geraniums in bloom. I have six in bloom, a primrose that Mrs. Crane gave me, a daisy and a good many in bud. Tell Mother my smilax is doing nicely. Is Childs, N.Y., a good man to send to for seeds or where shall I send? I have his catalogue.
I expected Charlie to go East [to West Point] this week but I have not much hope of his getting in as his eyes are worse than we thought. He has none himself but think he had better make the trial. Anton was his alternate for a while, but there was some misunderstanding and Anton lost it. It does not grieve him any. Charlie expected to stop at Bloomington on his way and I expect if he goes he will do so yet. I think Mother said if I put in my quilt and pieces she would finish it for me as I can’t see. Well I put that in his trunk. If I am mistaken it can just as well stay at home till I am able to sew on it, as here I can find no silk that I like as well as yours. I thought I would write to Fan about it and maybe she can find some for me. I got a black broad cloth dress that I think will be nice. I want to send it to Miss Farris but will wait till I see what Chas is going to do.
I wish you could hear Mr. Wolfe. I think it is wonderful, his sermons grow better. I do not think any one loses a word he says. The church will not hold all the people so we will have to go to the opera house. We have not had what you would call a poor sermon yet, but he sometimes says things I had rather he had left unsaid. This week (the week of prayer) we have a sermon every night. In speaking of the chapters of Names in the Bible that I always thought so tiresome he said it was a comfort to some to know that God knew us by name in ages past and we have no reason to think he has changed. He brings out a great many new thoughts. Not a day has past but I have been home sick to see you all.
We got a letter from Leola. John is no better. I want to write to him today. I gave no Christmas gifts. The pictures of your children was the nicest gift you could have sent and I thank you very much. They are very good though I do miss the smile on Mary’s face. We had some of our family. Will send one when I get them. Mrs. Drake sent me two steel engravings. Aunt Susan a little book, Maggie a match safe, Mrs. Foster of Frankford a work basket, Mrs. Crane a work basket or card basket, Bunn a card case, Florence a lamp shade. I gave none. I do not want to feel that way another Christmas. I was too blue to care this one.
The Telephone wires are all covered with frost today and they look so nice I think or fear the weather is going to change. We have been having vacation and school commences tomorrow. I am much obliged for the receipts you sent. It was too late for my pies but I will have to make mince meat again soon. Dick said mine was not so good as Mother’s. I must stop or there will be no time to write to John. Love to all. All of Fees, Mrs. Murphy, McCalla’s and all friends, of course to Aunt Em and Aunt L. Did Aunt Em hurt her back before I left? I knew she fell but thought she was not hurt.
M.W. Mellette
Original Format
Letter
Files
Citation
Margaret Wylie Mellette, “Margaret W. Mellette, Watertown, Dakota to Mrs. Louisa M. Boisen, Bloomington, Monroe Co., Indiana,” Wylie House Exhibits, accessed May 5, 2024, https://collections.libraries.indiana.edu/wyliehouse/items/show/646.