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290 Walnut St
Stoughton Mass.
16 June 1950.

Dear Sid: Your Sat letter didn't reach us this time till Thurs. (prob. you didn't get it mailed till Mon.?) You sound slightly Gallic already,-probably from so much sour wine and the elation of being on a little vacation, - it is good for you and I am very glad you are having this time to spend there with other botanists and change of life from drab Beltsville.

We are in the midst of preparations. Wed. we spent in town getting her 2 dresses & a coat and it was an [[underlined]] awful [[/underlined]] day, but she finally got 2 respectable dresses & a warm cloak and was satisfied. She had a hole in her tooth and had to get a dentists' appt. so stayed in over night and had it tended to the next day, and visited a teachers' agency, - only 2 jobs on the docket, one at Bourne(near Onset) teaching something, the other at Brookville (western part of state) teaching Latin, German and French. She wouldn't consider the Bourne, and I discouraged any teaching of Latin with her inadequate preparation. She had a date with Jim, the Swede, and sent her friend Barbara Sherman out to Stoughton, saying she would come later. So I found this strange young woman about dark at the front door, and took her in. We waited up till 11, no Doris. Ma was wandering about like a lost soul, and couldn't sleep till she got in. I put Barbara on the porch & "slept" upstairs and led Ma back to bed at intervals till 2.30. At 3 I heard a noise down below & found Doris & her Swede on the porch eating my fresh baked cake with Barbara. He stayed till 4.30, and I went to sleep then. Ma was up at 6, and I got up soon after. I rousted the girls out at 8, and they unpacked Doris' soiled clothes and I washed & ironed while D. finished the cutting. I slept all the P.M. - with ma and Barbara leading after, and Doris went over to Mabels to have a "toni" permanent. I don't know how much longer Barbara will stay but tomorrow I get Doris right down to the business of packing her stuff up. She isn't going to class night - no partner for a "formal" dance, and isn't interested in it. Have been over to see Maud .... she had a bad spell earlier in week & isn't at all well now but clung to us, so we stayed some time. She wanted to know when you would be back. Fred sent Doris a lovely pin for graduation, Miss Pitcher a bead necklace, lenaited wool and some soap leaves, Dolores the rain coat, Miss Colcord 2 diaries for "European trip" (one for me). We will go to N.Y. Tues P.M. stay at the Y.W. and have the whole forenoon to get to the boat on time (it is open at 9). That seems best, as I am very tired & can't do without my sleep much longer. Hope to see you in 12 days
Love,
Doris.