Emma's Letters

Maple Lane Farm Hampton 3d July '23 My Dear Joe, You'll wonder what's happened to me and I am sure I don't know myself how it come to be this day and date and such a long time since I wrote to you. The last ten days is easily accounted for - we've been having a visit from Aunt Ida with Uncle Anson here both Sundays. They were going to Newburgh this afternoon. The week before they came was "spoiled" by house-cleaning - "Newt" Edgar and two men came out and papered the parlour - len [?] and hall and grained the dining-room woodwork (wh still has to be varnished) it all looks very nice.  Stanley's exam is over at last. Much to her delight and she thinks she is safe for a pass but hasn't much hopes of "honors" (on account of Arithmetic). Miss Middleton has resigned and the board (i.e. "Papa" the secty) is in the throes of hiring a new school-marm.  The measles are around this community. Camerons have had th...

Maple Lane Farm Hampton 4th Feby 1923 My Dear Joe, Here it is Sunday again, my day to talk to you and I've been most all day busy trying to keep warm. We are having one of our frequent but brief cold snaps (It will probably rain before tomorrow this hour.)  There is a lot of sickness around "Grippe", I guess. Doris is trying it yesterday and today. I hope it does not get the whole bunch going! Any way not all at once. "Papa" and Ted (and I may as well admit, me too) are having the time of their lives teasing [testing?] the radio. Did I tell you Emerson was fixing us up one? He was out last week with it but it didn't work so he took it back and we got it again yesterday. He heard concerts all week over it but we can't seem to get it tuned up quite right for though we catch scraps of speeches, music, sermons, etc. we can't get anything plain. It's about as aggravating as a Ford engine. You'll think I'm long on promises if yo...

  Maple Lane Farm Hampton 24th Jan 1923 My Dear Joe, Your "dandy" letter of a week ago got here today. Before the mail came I decided if no letter came today, I would write to you tonight, so now I will anyway.  We are all well at present though there is a lot of sickness (called "flu") around and in Oshawa.  Ted got home on Wednesday last. The coldest day so far this Winter arrived in about ten minutes too late to catch Mr Stainton who went in with the milk. The 'phone was out of order that day so he couldn't raise any body on this line - nor we couldn't get Oshawa to find if he was there. He came walking in just tea time having "chanced it" and   walked a good part of the way. He reports a fine trip - no one in Webbwood knew him - several took him for you. (Mrs B got him in the paper as visiting "his brother at Espanola near North Bay!) This afternoon he is at a wood-bee at Fred Langmaid's. He and their saw and engine a...

Maple Lane Farm Sunday evening 26th Nov '22 My Dear Son, You certainly have put us all in your debt now! Doris got those dandy pictures (and, I guess, two letters) and I've had two fine letters since I wrote two weeks ago, and last night about 8 o'clock some one 'phoned us via Runnells that a deer was at Solina station for us. It was soon hanging in our woodshed. Tomorrow we'll divide "tastes" of him around the neighborhood and your stock will go up about 25%. Your ears will probably burn considerably this next week. Any way it's a fine buck and we are very thankful for it. You should see the "chesty" way your Dad marches every body that comes around to see it!  Now listen, we would have shipped you more apples before this but for two reasons, one being scarcity of sound bbls. I am sorry that it's been left till it's so much [illegible word] but when they reach you have the top on and throw some blanket or something over t...

Maple Lane 8th May 1919 My Dear Joe, This is being written Thursday forenoon in the hope of it reaching you so you can answer Sunday - though possibly a Sunday in North Bay is not so long a day for you as a Sunday in Camp. Anyway, I hope you'll write. Well! I have had quite a spell of "Gadding" since I wrote last. I was at Newburgh over Sunday week before last (the day you arrived in N. Bay.) We had to drive to and from Oshawa station to catch the train Saturday morning when we went it was cold enough for March and we drove through snow drifts - down our "side-line" and in other spots - as deep as any we've had all Winter. Tuesday evening returning it was mild and balmy - birds singing, grass growing, etc., made it seem I'd been away quite awhile. Wednesday afternoon was Ladies Aid at Mrs Wes Glaspell's (Tracy's mother, south of Taunton) I went picking Mrs Bert Glaspell up on the way - Then Friday afternoon Beulah and I drove in to...

Maple Lane Hampton R.R. 1 Easter Sunday My Dear Joe, Every since your last letter arrived I've been going to write but the evenings are growing shorter and the days seem pretty busy right along.  We are following the fashion of our neighbors this year and sticking to "sun-time" and last Sunday Mr Brown put it to a vote at church when service should be and they wouldn't have it changed i.e. it is at 11:30 new time. It was raining this morning but there were over 40 out - 3 from here and twice as many at S.S. Did it blow up there Good Friday? It did here. All day and from the North East at that. We've had a lot of rain and very little sunshine this spring - but the grass is getting green - onions and rhubarb are growing and seeding is commencing. "Ted" is home from school for the season.  Charles comes for a day or two (when he can't see anything else to do.) and for evenings rather oftener - He and Beulah went to Hampton church tonight...