Viewing page 142 of 186

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

20 Chestnut Street, Stoneham, Mass.
November 17, 1933

Dear Folks,
        This week I have addressed and stamped your envelope the first thing, so that I won't make the mistake I did last week of putting on only a two-cent stamp. I was so disappointed when the letter was returned to me Saturday morning, for I had planned for you to have it then. Of course, as it was, you did not get it before Monday.

        I am wondering how you are feeling this cold weather, and whether you are keeping comfortably warm. I hope that you are wearing heavy clothing and keeping wrapped up well when you sit down. How is Mrs. Osborne? Does Mr. Holmes's turning the heat down disturb her, or does she merely turn it up again when he is gone? I hope that she will not mind. He himself would be the first one to discourage any such actions if he were himself.

        I have not got entirely settled yet, nor do I really expect to until the weather comes warm enough to allow me to go in to the other rooms to work. I am "Homey" looking, however, and have been from the first. I bought most of my things second-hand,- practically everything, in fact, except my mattress and rugs. I bought a new innerspring mattress, which is very comfortable in-deed; and I bought two Oriental rugs that I consider a good investment and which I shall enjoy besides. I tried sending them back and substituting domestics in their place, but felt sick when I saw my room with the others in their place; so I decided to keep them and do without some other things if necessary. I had some money put away that I had had given to me, and I expect that my sister will send me the ten dollars that she usually does, so all told, they may not cost me so very much. I also got some domestics,- one large and seven small ones which I have in my other rooms.

        I happened to get an overstuffed set secon-hand, an exceedingly good bedstead and spring,-originally bought at Paine's, a bureau, library table, sewing table with three drawers on one end (This I have in my kitchen and use for a desk) Then I got a commode for my toilet, a number of small tables, a bookcase and about eight small chairs, and a kitchen stool. I bought two pairs of curtains new, three pairs second-hand, had three pairs of sash curtains out here, and have still others in Stoughton. I also bought a candlewick bedspread, some trays, mats, a teaset, some other dishes, loads of towels, etc. So now I am very well equipped and my place looks as though I had been living in it for years. Miss Garland gave me a lot of old dishes and such things, and she and Mrs. Pettengill gave me a floor lamp. I thought it best to get the things while I had the chance, so that I could be having the good of them. I plan that if I break up again in the spring or later, I can get as much for the second-hand stuff as I paid for it, and the rugs I can take with me wherever I go, or send on to Bernice, if I don't get the full price for them, but the probability is that they (the Orientals) will increase in value, while the others I got at a price so low that