(to Robert from Elizabeth)

                                                                                                                Saturday evening

                                                                                                                April 20   1918

Good evening – sir!   It’s a nasty raw windy night and I wish that you were here.   We’d have a big blazing fire in the living room, and you’d throw yourself down on the davenport, and I’d curl up beside you with my “head tucked under your wing.”   N’est-ce pas vrai?   I hope you’ll like the pictures.   Somehow or other I give a very portly impression where I’m standing by myself, but the truth of the matter is that I too have lost 4 pounds since March 9.   Do you like my new dress?   It’s my other new dress, bought strictly for service, half of it paid for by money given me by W. H. K. and the other half from the R. E. Miller exchequer.   It does not show the dirt and I wear it on all occasions.   It’s a nice group the other picture, is not it?

              Last night there were great goings on down town.   A big parade for the Third Liberty Loan and it really was a splendid one.   I was awfully thrilled.   Mother, Oliver and I watched it from the library at the office and saw everybody we knew.   The whole thing was headed by Mrs. Hugh North, Mrs. John Nauman and Mrs. Foltz who were head of the Women’s Liberty Loan Committee, and the whole town stepped out in fine style.   Martha marched with the Shippen School girls – they all looked so pretty dressed in white from top to toe.   The Armstrong people really had a wonderful turnout.   Two signs flanking their whole procession   “91 in the Service” and “$60, 150 bought today.”   Mr. Armstrong himself was here and marched in line with Mrs. Evans.   Papa had spoken out at the plant in the afternoon – they’ve asked him to come speak for every one of the Loans.   I looked in vain for the Hamilton Watch, but it was not represented at all, and I just bet my bottom dollar that if someone I know had been home it would have been.   I’m sending you newspaper accounts of the whole thing, but please don’t feel duty bound to read it.

              Well, Grandma is actually home, looks perfectly splendid, and seems in fine spirits.   However has not yet seen “The Great Event of the East” as Father terms Charles.   He, poor kiddy, has been upset again.   Today, a regular little gas pipe, but he’ll soon get over that.   She says that she met all the Culbertsons out there, and that that bungalow of the Misses Culbertson has just been sold for [$1oo,ooo].   Also that the Rhones are still Pro German – which makes Father boil, audibly.   Also that the coast is all agog over this Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford scandal.   It does seem like a great pity I think.

              My, but I’m gossipy this evening!   Do you feel as if you’d gotten an extra edition of the News Journal?   I must keep you well informed you know.   Last night I was mad as a hatter.   Went to bed at 10 to get a good night’s rest and then did n’t get asleep until 3 – and no Bobby to disturb either.   I had to do all my fussing to myself.   Terrible calamity.

(incomplete)