Seattle, Wash.
December 10, 1918
My dear old friends,
You have learned about our boy ere this, so I am going to write you a long letter about myself and boy. As the Kaiser would say "Mineself and Gott." I may add some about the rest of the family and probably mention the whole Donaldon family too.
I have just had a nice bath, clean sheets and gown and a real good breakfast; so I feel real good and refreshed. I am sitting up in bed which is a rest after lying on my back so many days.
Well, dear Mrs Peebles, I am one of the happiest mothers in Seattle -- a very proud and thankful mother indeed. To think God has given me three such lovely children. What a fine big boy we have. I have been like a faded rose for several months. I have had an attack of flue which resulted in an awful cough and pleurisy in my side. A few nights after mother came I had she and Ed up working with me, and when I got relief I said "now I think I have half earned my boy." Mother said, "yes my girl, I wish I saw you better." Bella surely doctored us up, she made a fine nurse, doing everything she could to keep down the flue. Anyhow I revived and was feeling fine for some time before baby came.
I felt so good Saturday morning. It was a lovely morning; I was out beating rugs and wished I had a rake to rake the back yard. Then in the afternoon I took a good bath; 0, how nice it is to get into a big bath tub with plenty of hot water. It is hard to decide to get out after one gets in. Then, I washed out my underwear and stockings after I was thru. Ed came in and tried to upset me in the tub. Saturday night all the folk went to town so Bella Beach, Ed, children and myself took a long walk.
Sunday morning got up au usual to put the children off to Sunday School. I was a little uncomfortable in the afternoon but ate a hearty dinner about 3:30. Bambers were there. They are the couple that came from Crosby to Seattle with us.
Mother and all thot it would be nice to take a walk to Aunt Kate 's. They asked me if I thot I would try to go, but I felt a little afraid to tackle it as my back had a little different feeling then usual. They all got ready and I let the children go with them. I told than I that I thot I had too long a walk on Saturday evening so did not feel like going.
They were disappointed. Myrtle and Thelma said, "Mama, I thot you were going to. I called Myrtle aside and explained that I had a little back ache from my walk the night before and for she and Thelma to go with Grandma and be good girls, and if Grandma didn't take care of them for them to take good care of her. So they went away quite pleased. Ed and I were then left alone with symptoms of something doing before morning.
They got home just as we left and they did not know how to take it. Mary said they are sure gone for the traveling bag is not here. I had it packed a month ahead. Mother said they then had a cup of tea and waited for Ed to call up. So about ten o'clock they called up Agnes Clark and told her what had happened, and had found Lizzie gone when they got home. (Mary was quite peeved), but I told her since not to let those kind of things bother her. I felt the quicker I got away the better, and then the children not being there I Lad no excuses to make as to where we were going and what for. They were much relieved when Ed phoned at twelve midnight and told than we have a nine pound boy. Lizzie and baby both all right.
You cannot guess what a thankful, happy mother I was. I did not leave the maternity room until I thanked God for His blessing and told Him how happy I was. I am still full of joy I just overflow. Then they brought me into my room where the best husband in all the world greeted me. And I kept repeating the little poetry Myrtle had at school lest year. “I am so happy, so happy”. She said it so nicely that it made an impression on me that it came to my mind at that time.
I did not see my boy until the next morning about ten thirty. Ed had not seen him except as they took him away from me, so they brought him in while Ed was here the next day. We admired him together. He is the same baby I saw in my dreams or visions two nights previous. Wasn't it strange, Mrs. Peebles, I said to mother, "If my baby is anything like I dreamed about last night, he certainly will be a lovely baby.
Friday night I dreamed of a baby boy laying on the table in a soft white dress kicking up his feet, still I had an unborn baby yet. I thot I was standing by the glass door doing something in the kitchen, and saw Jimmie and Louise go in the house next door, and I wondered if they were going, to call on us. So I never said anything to mother or the rest but pretty soon Jimmie came and knocked at the door, but no Louise. It seemed like Jimmie could not speak. Mother came into the :room and tears rolled down their faces, and last I remember was me with one arm around my Jimmie’s neck, and Jimmie’s arm around us both. All three of us wept bitterly and still it seemed such a happy moment without one word. I did not tell mother this part of it but I cannot help but think of it
and wonder if my boy is going to be the means of bringing them together.
I must stop now and rest awhile, but don’t think for a moment I am thru talking.
Well, dear friends, I have had a nice long rest. My boy has been in again and his mother has done justice to a real good dinner. I am not going to sit up again till supper time and I am laying writing now.
The children can hardly wait for me to get home. They have been down twice to see me. We thought we would get home in ten days so they have been counting them. Bella says they were all sitting waiting for Mary and the men to come for supper, and Thelma sat all curled up in a chair her thots far away. Della said to her, "What are you thinking about Thelma?" Thelma said, "Just three days after Sunday till Mama comes home, isn't it Aunt Bella?" She sure is a darling. It seems to me she has been a sunbeam ever since she was born. Everybody loves her; I cannot begin to tell you the many cute things she says.
When I started to make baby clothes the children were very anxious to know who they were for, I felt it would be wrong to story to them, so one evening after they were ready for bed I was feather-stitching a little Gown with pink of course (because it was for a boy, I have everything in pink). I went and sat down beside them and told them God had sent Mama word to get clothes ready because he was going to send us a baby, but we would not know whether it would be a boy or girl until it got here. I wish you could have seen those big eyes sparkle. I said to them this is our secret, you must not tell any children about it, only talk to Mama about it. They both promised.
Just them Ed came into the room and Thelma said "Mama, does daddy know?" and I said, "yes". Then she said, "Won't that be nice, daddy?" How gently they handled the little garments and admired them, Myrtle is a very nice little girl, takes life a little more seriously than Thelma. They think it fine to get sleeping with their dad these nights. Ed says it is pretty nice when he gets home from here after the long cold car ride to crawl in between them and hug them up to him. He sure is fond of them.
How is wee Dorothy? Mother says she is a cute child. Give our best wishes to all. We so often think of you all. Agnes and Aunt Kate keep up well after parting with Uncle John. Aunt Kate is a lovely Christian woman, very much in earnest. She said when Mary phoned on Sunday night saying we had gone she did not know what to say at first; then she went into the bedroom and waved her hands and said "Hurrah for Lizzie, didn't she do that fine?” I felt sure as soon as I was better that Agnes and she were doing all they could for me thru prayer.
Agnes has been the most comforting to me, she brought me two lots of flowers, she says only those who have experienced sickness in the Hospital know how tiresome it is to lay and look at the bare wall.
I did not sleep at all the night after the baby was born, my mind seemed in a whirl; and I was so happy. Just at daybreak I heard the loveliest music and singing, I wondered where it could be. Then I began to think I was coming out of the influence of the ether. The song was "Holy, holy, holy". I asked the nurse where the singing was this morning? Was there a church near by? She told me that it was the day nurses, they have prayer and singing every morning before they take up their duties for the day. I was telling Agnes about it and she said she had the same experience when she was here. She had no hope of getting
better from her operation and was praying for her father and mother when the music broke out. The girls sang "Hiding in Thee". She says it is a beautiful hymn, and she felt it was just for her they sang it. She cried, not because she was sad, but with happiness, and the comfort it brought her. It helped her by giving her courage and strength to go thru the
operation without fear.
I thot I would draw to a close right here, but I have changed my mind, as I have so much more to tell you.
Thursday morning - 6 a.m. Listening for the singing.
Dear friend, I won't ask you to read all this at once, but read it when you are sitting resting after your ironing or baking.
Ed came down last evening with clothes for the baby and my clothes for me to go home in. He asked me if I had gotten my letter written, I told him it wasn’t a letter, but a book, and so it will be before I am thru. When he saw so many pages to my letter, he suggested I read it to him, so I did, and he was very much pleased.. So he thot he had better bring me another tablet.
Just had a fine cup of cocoa, also my face washed and my hair combed, so I feel quite refreshed.
I must tell you how my boy looks. He has black hair -- not as much as Myrtle had -- dark blue eyes as they say all babies have at first, but I think his will be brown or black, a Donaldson nose -- that is it tries to cover his whole face. But his mother is trying to pinch it out a little more pointed. Has quite small round features, more like Thelma than anyone. The Dr. says he has a fine shaped head. He likes that notch on the back, that is quite a compliment for Ed.
He is like Ed in many other respects, also the Husband cowlick -- dear little pink toes and two plump legs with a piece of cloth pasted on one with the words "Husband Room 423". This is how they do so the babies won't get mixed.
Mother and Bella were very much worried about not getting the right baby. Doctor told me about two weeks before that I could not have anything but a boy now. I was eight days late. So many would call up every day and before they would answer the phone they would say, "yes, she is still here." It sure was a joke with them, so I told them it took longer to get a boy than a girl.
I teased brother a good deal, I told him I wouldn't have a boy for anything, then he said to his mama "Yes, all we heard in Crosby from Aunt Lizzie was boy, boy, boy and now she doesn't like them. So when he learned about our boy, he said., "Yes, Aunt Lizzie won't like him when he gets big like me,." I told them not to tease him any more for I want brother to love baby.
Well, the nurses are just coming on duty after singing "Sent from Glory into Glory till in heaven we take our place". I had to stop and hum with them.
Did you know that John is back in Crosby? The work is sure good there and I know we all would have done well there this winter, would have been better in money but that is all. I sure hope we will be able to make ends meet here, as I would not like to leave. There are lots of dark rainy days but they are not dark to those who have a sunny disposition. I am sure I will get home sick for the snow-- we had such lovely snow storms in Wyoming. But what a big worry is off my mind having the children in school. The awful things they used to come home from school and tell me. I an glad they told me, I then could warn them how wrong it was, and tried to plant something different in their little minds.
Here they come with their minds full of happy little thoughts and so pleased to tell what they did in school. Brother tries to take care of Thelma. They came home one day and said a lady passed them and said, "Isn't-that cute". Brother had hold of Thelma’s hand and Edwin (Bella Beach's boy) had hold of the other. Bella says she has seen them on their way home when she would be going to town on the car, and they did look cute. Money does not always make us happy. I think we can learn to live on less an still enjoy life more.
We thought Tommie and Florence would be at the Springs for Thanksgiving, but he does not know when he will get home. Lena and Bob would like so much to have them go there and live awhile. Lena said that Bob feels it so much not to have any of us beside him. Aren’t we a great family for one another? I just thought if mother had not come how homesick I would have been for her to see my boy.
Bob is doing real well in the Springs. You did not get up to see them, did you? What a nice time you would have had because it surely is lovely there. Mrs. Cowperwaite and you would have enjoyed the scenery. Ed gets homesick at times to see his folks and I do not blame him. We were saying how nice it would be for them to come here for a visit. Maybe next summer we can arrange things that way if we get into a little house of our own and they feel like undertaking the trip. It must be lonesome for them being all alone. I am glad Allie lives near them. Will is in France, we had a letter from him some time ago. Although he is a wayward boy he is liked for being witty. There is always some good in the most wayward. Arthur is in Arizona I suppose you now. He is very much disappointed in not getting over.
Mary is still in Fredericks & Nelson in the button section. Seems to like her work very much as she has a cheery nature. Tommy writes such nice letters home I wish I could have some of them printed. He is mothers pride,- how all the family sit and listen while one of us read his letters, and then the others reaching for their handkerchiefs to wipe way the tears that have filled their eyes.
Last week each of the four children received a nice letter along with mothers--I say mother because they are addressed to her, When we hear from any of the boys or their wives it is always a family letter and is read aloud to all who are in the house.
Well, Mrs. Peebles, the nurse has just brought me a tempting cup of cocoa.. Of course I do not take all the drinks for myself. The first half is for wee Donald and then I get what is left. They have just brought in a man on the elevator. He must have gotten hurt, so many get hurt in the Ship yards. It seems awful to hear their strong cries. What a blessing ether is to suffering people. They have quietened him in a minute. How I recall telling the nurse how I loved that ether. She said most people do at this stage of the game.
Dear ones, I did not think of making this when I started, but now since I have gone so far I don't think I could very well call it a letter. So I may ask Cousin Agnes to write it on her typewriter for me. Cousin Agnes always does what she can for other people anyhow. I have the same room #423 as Aunt Kates Lizzie had a year ago last April when her son was born, it seems strange when there are so many rooms on this floor. -- All for mothers of new born babes. There are twenty babies in the nursery just now.
You will be wondering by this time what we are going to make of our boy, but as I do not know I cannot say. All I can say is that I hope he turns out to be as good a man as his dad, and I know this expecting a good deal of him. He will be something between a ship yard worker and president of the U. S. Or he may fill McAdees place. As Doctor said if
he kept on we would soon have a full grown man. Oh how wonderful it all seems to me. When I said Aunt Kates' Lizzie I meant to tell you the joke. In Uncle John's and Uncle Davies' family there are Agnes, Lizzie and Bella as well as in our family. Of course in Aunt Maggies' family there is a Maggie called after her mother and we have a Mary called after an Aunt. So when we call one another up on the phone we say, this is Aunt Lizzie’s Lizzie, or Aunt Lizzie’s Bella and they likewise by saying this is Aunt Kate's Bella, or Aunt Maggie’s Agnes, so it is quite a joke with us all, but it is the best way of explaining who we are.
I are so glad Mother got here before the death of Uncle John, and that he knew her well enough to squeeze her hand and look up at her and smile while tears filled his eyes. You know the muscles of his throat were paralyzed so he could not speak for some time before he died, which I think broke his heart as well as that of the family's. Mother was with him when he died. They had prayed for him to pass away so that he would be out of his suffering. When Mother came home she stood by my bed and told me all about his death. And she said that death is like a birth in a way--we must wait our time to be delivered although we sometimes- think it long, and the same with death, we must go when we are called. Sometime we think life lingers too long and again we are called when we least expect it. It is not ours to say when these things will be. I have not been to Aunt Kate’s since the week before Uncle John died, it seems a long time. I kept the children the day of the funeral. Little Forest was as good as he could be, as the five older children did all they could for his amusement, and were more than pleased to have him stay with them.
Then we had all the folks stop at our house for supper which mother and Della mostly prepared before going to the funeral. Poor Agnes was almost exhausted but after a few minutes of sobbing and a little rest was able to come to the dining room and force herself to eat a little. There were Aunt Kate, Lizzie and her husband, John Clark and wife, Bella Beach and husband, and then you know there is some family of our own. Aunt Kate kept up so well and Agnes did her best. They all did but how hard it must have been for them. How we all loved him as an Uncle. I shall miss him so much when I am able to visit their home again.
Well dear, the Doctor was just in asking me how I felt. I told him I thought I ought to get up and he said I could when ever I felt like it, and as soon as I felt strong enough I could go home. I told him I felt strong enough to go this afternoon. Yes, he said, you have your mother there to take care of you. I told him I did not think I would hurt myself as I had played the lady so long. He said he had been in to see my boy and he is gaining and then he shook hands with me and said I had been a good scout and also told me to be sure and get a taxi to take me home, also to bring the boy to see him when he is six weeks old.
Baby has just had his lunch, and I have a hunch from the rattling of the dishes that I am going to have something to eat, too. Have had dinner, it did not look nearly so good as it did a week ago, although I did enjoy the soup and ice cream. The thoughts of going home filled me up I think. I am having the nurse phone home for some of them to come for me. Can you picture mother carrying that fine boy up two long flights of stairs to our front door, and can you picture the children when they come home from school and find us home. I am sure you can picture us all. But I do not think you can picture it as wonderful as it all seems to me. I see a lady walking up and down the hall, I think she is waiting to take my place, she is welcome to it now, and I wish her the best of luck and hope she will be as happy as myself. Now for my stocking and slippers nurse, so I can see how I feel on my feet. I am a little shaky, yet I don't think I could give in to stay another day.
Well, here I am at home and feeling real well, but sure felt weak on my feet yesterday and quite faintish after getting up. After getting a drink I felt better and I came on home. And just as I mentioned it would be--mother was watching for us and came down those steps in a hurry with a shawl over her shoulder, and took that boy from Bella Beach and up those steps as fast as she could. And questions like these, "How do you feel" etc. Get off your wraps for I will take care of baby so there he was put between the blankets while she hurried to wait on me. No don't go into the cold rooms, keep out of the draft. Then there were two pillows on two chairs for the baby, as mother thought the room too cold for him. He used the chairs until we got a buggy for him. He slept fine the first night, and I sure was glad he did. I surprised Ed when he got home, he has been working overtime. They are always glad to take the chance as they get double pay. It made it hard on him to have to come down and see me as it is over a half hour's ride each way to and from the work an to and from the house. He sure was pleased to see us home. Brother is sure the most pleased over the baby, and is looking forward to him wearing overalls, and watching he and Edwin Beach play mine in the back yard. He says and we will have to watch him too, won't we Edwin? He and Edwin are the same age and are the greatest chums. It was raining this morning when the children went to school. The girls wore their rain capes and bonnets, and the boys their overcoats and they all took a paper bag with their lunch. All five go together every morning. I was wishing we could have had their pictures taken but it being a dark day could not get it. Ed says we must get a picture of our boy as soon an we can.
Well dear, the mail man just left a letter, I was quite sure who it was from. I knew you would be pleased to learn of our boy, he sure is a dandy. We were very glad to hear from you. Mother and Della Beach were washing the lunch dishes and I was holding the baby as he was a little fussy. So I told Mother to walk the floor with the boy until I read your
letter. She was perfectly willing, but of course we are not going to spoil him, so have called her down several times for walking with him. Belle Beach is here, I mean Uncle Tom's Bella, so between the two Bella’s and mother and myself we are finding plenty to laugh at, you know how things strike people funny sometimes.
I have been wanting a good laugh just like you want a good cry sometimes, you know. I was telling them how I wanted to sing in the hospital but I was afraid I would disturb the patients. I thought I had better wait till I got home, so the folks will have to stand it. I think I'll put off till Sunday, then they all will get the benefit of my singing.
It won't be long till Christmas. We have already received ours. I am afraid we will have to overlook our old friends and relations this time to a certain extent. But we can always send the old time wish from the old time friends, so we wish you a very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year. I think we are all going to be at Lizzie Ogilvy's for Dinner--all go in together for it, and then Aunt Kate has the piano and I feel sure we will have a very merry time. There probably will be Bella Beach and family, Annie Mair & family (Annie is mother's niece), and then all the folks down there so there will be quite a crowd. This has been suggested anyway.
My deer friends, this is not a red backed novel as one night think, but a real true story from a real true mother. Would love to hear from you soon again, and would like if you will hand this to some of my many friends, such as Mrs. Cowperwaite, Anna, Agnes, and I would love Mrs. Salmon to know how happy I am. I know I have made lots of mistakes, but as I could not write a letter like this every week. I sure have enjoyed having such a long chat with you. Bella says I should have been named Agnes, an the Agnes’s are teased for being great talkers, that is, Uncle John's and Uncle Davie's Agnes‘s.
I must now close my little book. Sonny has had such a nice long sleep. I think he will be able to tell us a great big story when he wakes. Love to everybody, I am still your true friend.
Lizzie & Ed
P.S. I intended mentioning the old country chest, and how we would enjoy a cup of tea sitting on it, and would not need to be told where to get in at either. I am a young happy mother.
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Note added maybe 1995 - Linda recorded here Myrtle (Husband) Anunson’s comments on this letter. -- Myrtle’s mother wrote this letter to Mrs Peebles, an old Scottish midwife friend who used to live near Lizzie Husband in Cole Creek, Colorado. It was written when Myrtle’s brother Don was born.
Note added - I, Jim Anunson typed this letter into the computer from an earlier typed letter where most of the e’s, a’s o’s and s’s looked the same. Some of the spelling I left in the old style to keep the flavor the same. July 19, 2019 which is 100 years after the original letter was written.
(Lizzie Husband letter to Mrs Peebles 1918.wps)
