Fort George Wright
November 1st, 1920
Dear Bertha,
I did so enjoy your letter! You have the talent for finding interesting things and people. You also seem to have a talent for finding things to do. Well, it is all right if you do not go beyond your strength. Since you are interested in so many things, you will not have any time hanging heavily on your hands. I should not know what to do if there were not so much dust to clean up.
Of course, it will be sometime before our property gate here. We are going to have the parlor and probably half of the house done over before of bad places on the wall, but the rest is pretty good, not just the color I would prefer in all respects, but too good to be at the trouble of having it changed. Since I wrote you, I have learned that there are quite a number of ladies her, mostly quite young and seemingly very nice people. The _____, who met us is not as young as he at first looks and has a wife and baby, also he has been ordered away and today a _____ has been appointed. The one West Pointer of the 21st stationed here, I believe.
We are having beautiful bright days and frosty nights. I think it is turning colder today.
Do you remember Miss _____ who went to the Philippines with us the first time? Mrs. Duncan’s sister. She lives in Spokane and came out to call yesterday. Quite a middle aged woman now, of course. Well, tomorrow will be a great day! Too bad you are not a _____ in Elks! Which party leads there? I am so curious to know how you succeed with your boy. Of course, one can sympathize with them in feeling that the teacher should do as well as she expects them to do, but the right thing is certainly for them to state their grievance.
I hope you are able to bring it about. Does you special pupil promise to be appreciative of the extra time given to him? Wish I could have seen you and Miss Johnson going to impress the natives. I suspect you did it and not with your clothes, either. Do you find any of the people congenial?
The lady with the four boys and a girl must have her hands more than full to judge from what you say of one boy. I am glad you have the sleeping bag and blankets that the price of canvas will serve you so well. If you ever do go camping, take it along to put on the ground. I do not know that you will care for the _____ but I thought it would do to throw over a trunk or table. I have your stocking finished and would have mailed them but have to find some paper to wrap them in. I had only a little ball of yarn left. I am out of knitting and I think I must get some yarn to have for a pastime. Do you want anything knitted?
We went to the library yesterday and found a few books to read. A large part of the books were the same as some of our own, but there were some others.
All the old ladies in Spokane seem to be after Papa to do something for their particular reforms. It is rather amusing, one called me, dear, half a dozen times in as many sentences over the telephone yesterday. If I had your talent, I am sure I could have sketched her portrait after hearing her talk. Today it was a very fine looking lady and she came in person.
I am anxious to have you see this place. It is very pretty, must be especially so in the summer, and I have found such thickets of wild rose bushes down towards the river.
I want to see it in spring, but then I need the winter to get the house fixed up in.
We have an excellent mess and shall not fret about a cook at present.
Now it is growing dark and I must stop. The light outside is wonderful.
Your loving mother.