Dear Girls of 1903,

Most of my letter will be found in the picture envelope for two reasons. First, I'm just getting up a short time a day, since a young son - yes, though my friends here would scarcely believe it, after my 5 daughters, a son arrived ten days ago. Second, I have given up many of my outside activities in favor of a country home and my children, as they would be the chief topic of my conversation. I wonder if many of you who have written of the wonderful work during the war, didn't feel as I did (though I did much less) most thankful to have peace and quiet for home and family, I still keep up my work in our free library, we were opening about the time I last wrote, and in the church societies. But my girls are beginning to want 'clubs' and 'luncheons' etc.

This town we live in is center of a coal region, and might make you feel as some expressed about where Nancy Catching lives. I had always discouraged her from buying a home, hoping we might move, but last year we had a chance to get a summer home on 100 acre farm 2 1/2 miles from town (and dirt, smoke, and fog) but on excellent state road. So here we are about nine months and would stay a year if not afraid snowdrifts would keep the children and Dr. from getting to town for school and business. I have a 'Ford' sedan I can run, so go and come as often as I like. I wonder if Molly Collum has the lovely rose gardens she wrote of once? I envied her, and now have my own lovely roses, overbearing ramblers with dozen of other flowers, so something blossoms from tulip time till hard freezes. If I could keep good help, I would love to spend my days just with my children and flowers, but alas, most of the maids say 'too lonesome' so I often have poor ones or none.

My big girls are getting lots of help to me, and can both cook and sew if need be. They are with my sister Louise now, and how I miss them. Dorothy (13) just finished her 1st year in H.S. and Frances (10) finished 7th grade way up in class standing, tho we kept her in all last year, to drop her back with younger children. She is very active out of doors, but when she works at either books or music, applies herself so well that her studies seem no effort at all. I seem to have no good picture of Helen (8) whom they say looks as I did except she has curls!

There are such dozens of interesting things in the letters but I mustn't begin on those, but rest again, and hope to see Robin very soon again, Lovingly, Edith Powell Pringle