Entry in serial letter to Henry from his mother November 6, 1907

Nov. 6 – Dear, dear Henry – We thought maybe you might get another letter off before you left Trinidad, but we have received nothing yet.  I wrote to the Navy Department at Wash. about sending a Christmas box, and they tell me to send anything via San Francisco to Callao.  But the Postmaster at N. Y. said differently so as soon as we can hear from N. Y. about the mail we will start our Christmas things.  I do hope you will get them all right. 

Now for some news, Aunt Doll is going to Texas, Uncle Ed has accepted the position of Assistant pastor at a large Presbyterian church there at Ft. Worth.  Uncle Ed expects to be at Fort Worth the 18^th of Nov., and Aunt Doll & the girls will be up to spend several weeks until their goods reach there.  Uncle Ed is to have charge of a Young Men’s club something like the Y. M. C. A. that meets every week and then to do D. School work.  He will get $125 per month and $300 for his expenses down.  It may be good for them but I don’t see how Aunt Doll will get on, for she gets so homesick even in Phila where she gets to see some of us and to be so far away will be dreadful.  I don’t believe you know about it but they were all at the Station to see you and stayed until 11 o’clock they were looking for you coming up & your being late getting in caused the miss they were all sorry.  Uncle George and Aunt Lizzie are going to take Aunt Doll’s house & that will be nice for they will take good care of it, and tend to the different payments as they come.

I want to get Uncle Ralph to make a checker board for Christmas I thought that would be nice.

Fred got 100 in Algebra, history, and Latin tests.  98 Monday in Latin.  He goes to Prof. Hull for history and likes him very much – Albert was here the day your letter came from Trin. and I let him read it.  He is trying to get in the Electric Light works on Fourth St.

Try a bit of something every day that you can send it will be so much to us.  I am hungry for every little bit from you & I should like something in diary form & I can keep it.  Of course I have all your letters but I will need plenty you know. 

I trust you will find the young man Cork a true man, clean & upright.  Tell me if you have had any time with Mr. Stiffel, you thought he seemed like a nice boy.  That was so nice in your officers to think of the men, we were indeed glad to hear they were so thoughtful.  Do make a friend of your chaplain he seems kindly and will be your friend I am sure, you can get much information from him, & he will give you good advice.  Papa and I are going to see the Bishop.  When I read that I was glad to remember you had seen him and heard him pray when Roosevelt was here.  You remember it was a beautiful prayer.

Papa’s trouble was just where the leg joins the body at the hip you know – he could not work for two weeks and cannot use that leg when he [unclear] and feels it when he stoops but otherwise it is doing well.