You will have to do som tall figureury if you find out just how this letter reads but every page is numbered. Ogden Utah Feb 9th 1913. My dear Bro Laurie:- I read a nice long letter from you to mama yesterday and was glad to hear you were all right and having a nice time. Mama was very pleased to get it though it was a day late. She had concluded she would send you a night letter last night if she didn't hear from you. You must be real punctual in writing to her for she worries so when she doesn't hear from you every Thursday. I tell you, you had a very close call when mama was sick of not having a
Pg 2 mother to write to. Maude, Florence and I were just about in the air we were so frightened it is a long time since I have worried so over any one. But now praise mercy she seems real well, but mama is growing older so noticably lately that when I look at here I feel real bad. I suppose that that is one of the many things in this world though that we can not get away from. I said the other day that I have wrinkles for the first time in my life since Edith's escape and mama's sickness But I suppose if it wasn't for that it would be from some other cause as I am really
Pg 3 beginning in years not in feelings, to get older than I was some twenty years ago. We are having one of the finest days to day you could imagine all the roads are dry and so warm and sunny and so many people out riding and walking. Elizabeth and I have been to Sunday School. I was thinking of you as I was going and wishing you would take a little interest in the church work. papa would be so glad and proud of you for it not that we are not proud now but that would be a little more to be proud of. When you come home I want you to go with
Pg 4 mama to church and be with her more than you have been in the past. There is one thing you don't think of and that is as events naturally or usually go Helen will out live mama many years so you will have her when mama no longer needs you. We saw Helen yesterday. she is real disappointed that she hasnt a school yet but as I understand it there is no hope for here only as a sub. A girl next to us here wanted a position as a teacher and because she had not had four years high school and two years normal or University she could not get it although she had taught in Neb. twelve years in the same school with
Pg 5 out one day off. She had had three years high school and 1 normal. It is against the State Laws to hire under that qualification. Well, Laurie you dear friend the Royal Gunner is still alive and seems to be prospering all right some people say he can see a little but he I think knows what it means if he does and doesn't say much about it. I have had no direct word so can not say for sure what is right. Mama got a letter from Edith yesterday she says she don't fell as if she could ever be happy again but never is a long time. I hope to live to see the day when she can find a
Pg 6 good man- morally and mentally and marry him and live with a little comfort around her for Edith is as good a girl as ever was and has had more than her share to bear. If you could only hear mama and Maude tell the things she told them those days she was at mama's you would wonder how any one ever lived through them. We will have any amount of immutable things to tell you when you come home. Little Dee will not go near his pa if he can get away from it. I asked him why and he said "A thousand reasons." I said what are they He said "O you know" so I guessed and
Pg 7 left the poor kid alone. He has woke up in the night frightened twice and when Maude asked him what was the matter he told the same old story of the affair. Did the folks tell you Edith and I found some Chloriform in his drawer that he had purchased on the 20th of Dec. It made me sick but I never said much to Edith, but when she was gone home I took no time telling Maude. Ediths house is almost complete and sure looks lovely inside the heat is just about finished but the paper was some of it wrong we are waiting for it to com home they each then we are going at it again. Yesterday they put
Pg 8 all the blinds down stairs and I suppose will finish them tomorrow Louise is coming tomorrow and she and I will place the things then the house will begin to look like home and a lovely one too. Have you heard from the girls in Cal.? We get very little mail from them lately. I guess they are too busy visiting. Edith thinks if I would only come down then she is sure she can get mama and Maude down and then we would all be happy. But so far I have had no time for to think of going and I wouldn't like to take Elizabeth out of school any way
Pg 9 Elizabeth is such a big girl you have no idea how fast she is growing she is doing fine in school and is well all the time I am so glad her appendix is out for now she seems to be so much stronger and if she can only keep so I am just perfectly satisfied There never was any thing that I considered such a blessing as for her to be well. Well Laurie dear this is a rambly old epistle- when I started it was only to be a note but I never can quit once I start talking as no doubt you know. I am going down town at five
Pg 10 minutes of four and take alee and Elizabeth and meet Maude then we are going to the Library and look around a little. Well good by for the time my dear old brother. be a good boy and be sure to write to mama so as she gets her letter on Thursday every week. With best of love to you from us all E. D. Shaw. This will have to be you Valentine as I won't be able to get one started soon enough to reach you. as I haven't one today.
