Dear, Dear Boy,
I have certainly put in a busy day today. I went to church this morning and S.S. and after I got nicely settled in the church, Mrs. Terry asked me over for dinner. You know it is always late there, and it was four before we got up from the table. Just then Lorrie, Riley, Minnie and Sadie came along on their way to see me, so I went home. They were nicely seated when in came Mr. Finch to see if I was ready for church tonight. They all stayed until after five. There I settled down to study and started to church expecting to study on the way up, but Mr. Terry was waiting at their wrack for Swuhnell an I and I didn’t have very much of a chance all day to think about tonight, when I preached on Missions and took charge of the church service for Mr. Finch. When I got home I was so tired I just laid down on the couch and took a nap and now it is midnight.
Forgive me, I have been leading a rather strenuous life the last two days, and I am afraid that if you were here I should actually get spanked and be put to bed. But I wouldn’t mind that for in between the scolds, I know I should get my share of kisses, you old Dear Boy. And I am merely starved of some, I can tell you.
Friday A.M. I got up early and washed all my linen, house clothes and everything for our house. Then I ironed all of the afternoon until five, baking a cake in the meantime. I proceeded to help fix it for the Halloween party for the young ones that night. I went to Whitney’s for supper and back to the church at 7 and played games and waited on tables until 10.
I was actually too tired to see straight and the only thing that made me was the pictures you sent and that carried around with me holding them tonight.
Yesterday morning I got up and finished my big ironing and in the afternoon Sadie D. and Fanny came down and goodwin for supper. Mrs. Terry sent for all of us to come over in the afternoon and had coffee and fresh baked ginger snaps. Before we left Duggy came home from the football game (which after all I could not attend) with the news that a large threshing engine had done thru the big bridge at the creek. Sadie and I innately walked out.
It seems as though the engine was going across alone and was going to pull the separator by a cable so as not to have too much weight on it at once. But as the engine got exactly in the middle space of the bridge the wood gave way, the back wheels being heavy went down fast enough to cause the whole engine to turn turtle, so instead of facing town, it faced north and rested in the water bottom side up. Mr. Walter, the foreman, jumped and only one heel was injured, but Mr. Miller, the engineer from Iowa was pinned under the engine and before they pulled him out he was suffering from bruises and a few broken bones, but is expected to live.
It just made me sick really to look at it. The whole bottom part of the bridge in the middle was gone entirely.
Last night, Halloween night, we went to the movies and when we got back Terry were here with Sammy who had a big jack-o-lantern, and Goodwin and Fanny were still here.
It seemed this morning as tho I just couldn’t get up and go to Church, but Papa isn’t very well and Mama wanted me to go with her. So you can probably well imagine Dearest, that I am tired to begin my weeks work. And I must finish my last sheets and pillow cases. Because Dear if you rent rooms the next week and wish to go there to stay, I can send the bedding to you. And really Dear I would like it lots better it we could spend the first night alone in our own home.
I received the skirt and coat in good condition and wore the coat tonight. Thanks awfully, Dearest. I’ll thank you personally in the near future.
Dearest D_Boy aren’t you just wild for Thanksgiving to come? I can scarcely wait the next three weeks.
Of course, I expect that I should cherish these last 24 days of my single blessedness (?) for they do tell me you don’t really know a man until after marriage. I really act as though I was really afraid to marry you, don’t I? Aw, I am not a bit nervous about it, for I feel sure that my manie is going to be the ideal husband.
And now as to the Wedding. Papa put his foot firmly on the ground and said that we had to invite everyone or no one to the wedding. That is no one but relatives. So outside of Finches and Sadie and Jessie, and your relatives and a few of mine you and I will make up the number of the wedding guests.
So all you have to worry your dear head about is the minister, wedding ring and the bridal banquet, and to get yourself here for the ceremony at 7:30. Now I will see Mr. Finch is you would like to have me, for that ought to be done in another week. And make out and send me a list of the people to who you wish me to send announcements. For they will have to be finished and all addressed before the wedding.
Won’t you ask pretty soon, Boykins, find out just when you can get away. You see if you can’t get away until the day before, I shan’t cook (if you can’t possibly) but I shall see that everything is packed and sent properly myself. But if you get our rooms I thought perhaps I should send more of my stuff and it would go right there and save lots of confusion in the end. I will see if I can find someone going to the city a few days before I could get them to check my trunk on their ticket and you could meet them, get the check and see about the baggage.
It must be one o’clock and I am so sleepy. I love you, love you, and wish you were here now to comb my hair and kiss me and hug me. Oh, I shall demand a lot of that. Just wait. I have given you time to back out and now you will have to take the consequences. Goodnight my lover Mannie for the rest of the night and I will talk to you again in the morning.
Love to my Lover,
Harriet McAllister
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