First Snow & Batch #13 of Augusta's Letters

The world turned white overnight. This was our first real snow of the season - about three inches on the ground.

Here's another batch of Augusta's letters:

22 Sep 1924 - "Such a surprise! Who would have thought that ... the trip from Tampa to West Palm Beach takes almost as long as the trip to Asheville, but it doesn't cost as much ... I am so glad you are to be near us again ... I just wonder how you arranged the Strawberry Hill business ... Walter is getting fatter every day ... looks just like little Walter used to look ... such rosy skin ... he has not had such color in his face since he came home from Ft.Wayne ... Had a letter from Lyddi Saturday ... the first one in months ... the old lady is sick since the first of July and Ossorio had an awful sick spell again too. Poor girl! Well, the time will yet come when she too will be with us again ..."

25 Sep 1924 - "... Walter never complains, but he is getting awful restless. It is no fun for a young person to lie in bed day after day, and month after month ... he reads ... reads all the time, but that doesn't seem to fill the bill any more ..."

14 Oct 1924 - "... Walter sat up for 45 minutes today ... tomorrow, a whole hour ... I hope the biggest part is over now ... we can never thank the dear Lord enough ..."

23 Oct 1924 - "...tomorrow he is going to get his first haircut since going to bed ... his hair is awful long ... he's been down now almost 4 months ..."

30 Oct 1924 - "... good news! The doctor was here today and loosened up some more ... Walter can walk around a little now ... also he can sit up for two hours in the morning and one hour in the afternoon ... today is the first day he's been off of the sleeping porch since the first of July ... his eyes were moist with joy ..."

15 Jan 1925 - "I guess you are anxious to hear about Walter's condition ... Well, it's over ... he will soon be pretty much himself again ... O, I can't tell you how thankful I am it's all over ..."

21 Jan 1925 - "... Walter is doing fine ... goes out every day for his walk ... he is very much interested in the building that is going on in the neighborhood ... that helps to pass his time ... and he gets to see and talk to people ... the other day he went to see Dr. Farrar, the one that operated on him, and I suppose he looked around a little in town and met many old friends for the first time since his sickness ... some did not know him and all had a good time off his figure ... he isn't a bit sensitive about his size ... laughs along with the rest ... it cheered him to meet old friends ..."

1 Feb 1925 - "... getting plenty of fresh eggs now ... eggs are still 65 to 70 cents a dozen here. Guess I got about 2 1/2 dozen last week ... at 65 cents that would be about a dollar and a half ... I don't think that feed costs over a quarter a week ..."

4 Feb 1925 - "... We are expecting Aunt Mary and Aunt Dora tomorrow ..."

24 Feb 1925 - "... Walter is out in his car ... he now takes his car out every day a little ... Allie, can you imagine how I felt when for the first time that car held out at the same old place with the same old Walli again? ... words cannot describe what I felt. I just had to cry ... The mail service to West Palm Beach is almost as bad as to Cuba ..."

4 Mar 1925 - "... Walter intends to go over Gandy Bridge this afternoon. The doctor gives him a long rope now. Last week he lost a pound and a half. The doctor said he could start on his trip to NC mountains soon after Easter ... he wants to go in the car and the doctor seems to sanction it ... I don't like that, though ... it would be useless to try to talk him out of it ..."

16 Mar 1925 - "... How is the real estate business on the East Coast now? Somebody told me the northern money men were taking their money out of the Miami banks ... is that so? ... well, those madhouse doings could not last ... today is Patricia's birthday ... Are you remembering Papa's birthday? ... Lenchen is having a touch of flu. She is working, but feels awful bad ..."

27 Mar 1925 - "... The palm is looking fine ... I'm so proud of those palms. Now I have the two palms that I always was wishing for. They remind me of my 'gold dust' twins ... I'm going to give them the best of care, and someday my real 'gold dust' twins will be reunited again with me ... since I'm master of my own time again, I am going to try a few schemes on the lawn ..."

12 Apr 1925 - "...surprise ... I'm going along with Walter on his trip to NC! ... I hate to leave Lenchen alone, but she'll get some girl to stay with her ... I will be glad to see Theo again after such a long time, and Tillie, and the little darling ... you will have to change your laundry arrangements until I get back ... Walter thinks we can get to Theo's by next Saturday ... Last Thursday, Lenchen's friend was invited here for supper ... how affectionately they talk of Bunny! Yes, she certainly is worth our love and affection, too. I often ask myself where would Martin be if she would be a flapper ..."

Apr 1925 - "... Well, here we are! (in NC) ... we had a real good trip ... Theo, Tillie and the Meinhardts want us to stay here ... but I don't know what Walter wants to do. Papa will come Sunday, then we'll talk it over ... Tillie is as sweet as ever ... O, Allie, you ought to see our darling baby ... she looks like an angel ... great blue eyes ... and the sweetest little mouth! There was never a prettier baby. Theo is crazy about her ..."

10 May 1925 - "... We are still at Theo's. They insist we must stay. Walter thinks his boil is getting better. Don't know what our next move will be, but hope to let you know in my next letter. I all depends on Walter. Papa came yesterday and will stay this week ... How much longer will you stay in West Palm Beach? I am glad you found a way of doing your washing. Next year you can send it again ..."