Anna And Rosie: 14 - Anna And Rosie
...Mrs. (as we call her behind her back) got dinner. We had quite a feed too, roast ham and gravy, mashed potatoes, corn pickles, swell bread, salad and lemon pie. The kids said they wished Easter could come oftener...
Anna writes a longing letter to her sister Rosie.
Jean Day, through and exchange of letters between Rosie and Anna brings the flavour of the Mid West in America in the early decades of the 20th Century.
Easter 1919
My own Rosie,
I am so lonesome for you, I must just relieve myself and gab with you awhile. You should see me, lazy did you say? Sprawled all over the bed and just more than comfortable. Pa, Jack, Eddie, Gertie, Ernest and I were at church today.
Mrs. (as we call her behind her back) got dinner. We had quite a feed too, roast ham and gravy, mashed potatoes, corn pickles, swell bread, salad and lemon pie. The kids said they wished Easter could come oftener.
Our Easter vacation came Wednesday noon. I took the train from the Academy in Jamestown and Pa came to Pingree to get me. Jack is going to take me to Fried and I will go back with the mailman. That is what I plan on anyway.
Ceal, Jack’s girlfriend, is bound and determined that I go to the dance at Clementsville with them tomorrow and go back the next day but the nun told us when left that if we didn’t get back in time we’d forfeit all privileges until June so if I stay (much against my will of course, ha ha) I will have to get busy and make up an excuse of some sort.
You know honestly, Ag, Alec’s wife, makes me so darn sore sometimes I could croak and yet she’s good to me but I can’t help but have the idea she talks about me behind my back just like she does everybody else.
One time, not long ago when I was over there she started to talk about Jack. Just ran him down to a fare-thee-well, said he was two faced and everything else and when she got through I said, “Oh, I don’t care. Jack may have his faults same as everybody else but in spite of it,” I said, “in many ways I like him much better than I do Andrew.”
And if the woman didn’t turn aright around and say, “Well, yes, I do too. You know one always does like somebody with pep in them.” Gosh it kind of tickled me the way she suddenly changed her views.
But woman alive, if I was to dare breathe half of the darn gas she’s told me, about half of the people around would die in disgrace. She says horrid junk about everyone to me and she hates the Mrs. as much as ever and when she talks about them to me I’d just like to let loose and tell her to dry up.
Just before Phil left he asked me how my sister was managing married life or something like that. I said, “Oh, I hear from Rose occasionally. She seems to be happy and enjoying life.” Ha Ha. Phil with the purple suit and tobacco bespattered face was in Fried today too. Guess life didn’t make him any better looking or his ears any smaller.
Oh Rosie, why do you think you can’t come for our play because it’s too early? Bet you could if you just wanted too. Really I think it would be almost more worthwhile coming for it than for graduation if you wanted to come to either.
Did I tell you I am valedictorian of our class? I have to give a little speech and I am scared spitless thinking about it. Land o’Liberty only two more months of school. Too good to be true.
Almost forgot to tell you Miches’ dog was here today and Dad called up and told the Mrs. to tell old man Miche if he didn’t keep his dog at home he was liable to lose another one. Oh, I can just hear them rave.
Ag thinks it positively criminal Clara’s baby coming too soon. She certainly delights in talking about something like that. Clara was in church today. She had on a shaggy winter coat and hat and gee you would never think a few months would make so much difference in a woman’s appearance.
Just simply must quit. My feet ache tonight. It’s after 12 and I’m darn tired too. Goodnight.
Love you, Anna.
