“DEAR PETER:—Aunt Olivia says for
us all to write a compound letter to cheer you up.
We are all awful glad you are getting better.
It gave us an awful scare when we heard you were going
to die. But you will soon be all right and able
to get out again. Be careful you don’t
catch cold. I am going to bake some nice things
for you and send them over, now that the doctor says
you can eat them. And I’ll send you my
rosebud plate to eat off of. I’m only
lending it, you know, not giving it. I let very
few people use it because it is my greatest treasure.
Mind you don’t break it. Aunt Olivia
must always wash it, not your mother.
“I do hope the rest of us won’t catch
the measles. It must look horrid to have red
spots all over your face. We all feel pretty
well yet. The Story Girl says as many queer things
as ever. Felix thinks he is getting thin, but
he is fatter than ever, and no wonder, with all the
apples he eats. He has give up trying to eat
the bitter apples at last. Beverley has grown
half an inch since July, by the mark on the hall door,
and he is awful pleased about it. I told him
I guessed the magic seed was taking effect at last,
and he got mad. He never gets mad at anything
the Story Girl says, and yet she is so sarkastic by
times. Dan is pretty hard to get along with
as usul, but I try to bear pashently with him.
Cecily is well and says she isn’t going to curl
her hair any more. She is so conscienshus.
I am glad my hair curls of itself, ain’t you?
“We haven’t seen Sara Ray since you got
sick. She is awful lonesome, and Judy says she
cries nearly all the time but that is nothing new.
I’m awful sorry for Sara but I’m glad
I’m not her. She is going to write you
a letter too. You’ll let me see what she
puts in it, won’t you? You’d better
take some Mexican Tea now. It’s a great
blood purifyer.
“I am going to get a lovely dark blue dress
for the winter. It is ever so much prettier
than Sara Ray’s brown one. Sara Ray’s
mother has no taste. The Story Girl’s father
is sending her a new red dress, and a red velvet cap
from Paris. She is so fond of red. I can’t
bear it, it looks so common. Mother says I can
get a velvet hood too. Cecily says she doesn’t
believe it’s right to wear velvet when it’s
so expensive and the heathen are crying for the gospel.
She got that idea from a Sunday School paper but
I am going to get my hood all the same.
“Well, Peter, I have no more news so I will
close for this time.
“hoping you will soon be quite well, I remain
“yours
sincerely,
“FELICITY
KING.
“P.S. The Story Girl peeked over my shoulder
and says I ought to have signed it ‘yours affeckshunately,’
but I know better, because the Family Guide
has told lots of times how you should sign yourself
when you are writing to a young man who is only a
friend.
F. K.”
