Sunday, Oct.6, 1918
(Postmarked October 7th, 1918)
My dear Brother:-
My! But it’s cold tonight. This morning it was so warm that we had the doors open and Florence was running around barefooted. At noon we had a thundershower and since then there has been a decided change. The wind has shifted to the north and blowing forty knots an hour. Ransom is starting a fire in the furnace so WE will be all right. I wonder if you are having cold we weather and if you still have a fireplace and if you can have a fire in it. I hope so. One thing I’m hoping this cold weather will put a check on the Spanish Influenza that is sweeping the country. The camps are still full of it and it is getting pretty well distributed through the civilian population. Glens Falls and Hudson Falls is full of it and there is ever quite a few cases in Hartford although few of them are serious. Dr. Lee is down with it also Millie Gibson and three of her children. Well so far we have been very well and I surely am thankful. We have been cutting corn and filling silo Friday and yesterday and expect to finish tomorrow — for this time. We won’t have near all of the corn in but will refill after Ransom finishes filling at other places.
Bert’s folks went to Bachelorsville yesterday to see Milton. He is home on a ten day furlough recovering from Influenza and pneumonia. Grace says he is dreadfully weak yet but she thinks he is going to gain. They told him that after the ten days were up he could telegraph for an extension.
Ransom was just telling me that Martin Wiles folks are going to sell out. They have rented their farm and are selling off their things. I don’t know what they are going to do or where they are going but know they will be missed in the neighborhood.
I was just talking with John, and Edith and Marjorie are both sick with the “grip” (he calls it). I guess they are not seriously ill, and hope it isn’t Influenza, but Marjorie has been in bed since Tue. or Wed. John said the Hudson Falls schools are to be closed and also the moving pictures and churches.
I suppose Grace McDougall was home today. She was expecting to come home yesterday afternoon and would have to go back this afternoon. The nurses don’t get very long leaves of absence as they are needed badly. The government is advertising in the newspapers for nurses and nurses’ aides to go to Camp Devens.
Well, I’m afraid you must think this a very cheerful letter and I must write to Aunt Jennie so I better close.
Lots of love as ever
Minnie
O, by the way! Ransom got us three new records the other night. Two violin pieces — one by Maud Powell, which is FINE, and one by the Mischa Elman quartet, which is also good. The other is two songs “Somewhere in France is the Lily” by Charles Hart and “My Sweetheart is Somewhere in France” by Elizabeth Spencer. – Both good.
Harold Lane, Gordon Loan, Claude Whittemore, Robert Austin and Bernard Guernsey leave today for Canton to resume their studies in the St. Lawrence University. Horace Denton will also go to take a course at the agricultural school at Canton.
Harold Lane, Claude Whittemore and Gordon Loan will make the trip by automobile with Beecher Howe, who is going to Canton to make arrangements for completing his course at school there.