Editor's Notes
Raymond, whom at Betty is taking to the dance, is the man she will eventually marry after being engaged to Bob and breaking off the engagement.
With this installment, we have completed transcribing the Briggs letters of 1921. It is Christmas time, and as the family migrates home to Earlville, the letters cease and the family time begins in person. I know how important celebrating Christmas is to the Briggs family and Im so glad they will all be together for this holiday.
I will be taking a break before beginning to transcribe the letters of 1922. I know this year will be different as Marion will meet the man she will eventually marry and Frank will be off to Dartmouth College. Stay tuned.
Wednesday a.m.
[December 14, 1921]
Dearest Mother:
I've just had a fiendishly long quiz in soc. and am now in English class listening to a Christmas lecture. I was somewhat overwhelmed by my mail yesterday morning. You are an old peach to say I can have a new evening dress, but I am not sure I really need one, ought to have one or deserve one, even if it is a Christmas present and even if there is nothing I want for Christmas. I would love some shade of rose velvet, but I am not getting my heart set on it until I see how my dress looks after Saturday night. Find out how much velvet costs a yard, etc. Where you might be interested in knowing that Raymond is the one I'm taking to our dance. He was going to be here this weekend and so I thought it would be nice to do it. Bob is at the Sigma Kappa house that night. The other overwhelming news was a check from Marion. I feel like a thief, but she positively mustn't spend any more money on me for Christmas.
As for my financial standing just now, it is better!
I have the $20 check not cashed and Marion’s $10 and my $5 leftover from Rochester's check.
My expenses will be:
Car fare $1.68
Marcell $.75
Mrs. Caldwell $.40 present
Dance $2.00
X’mas presents? Grace and Helen
Dress not over $15 I hope
X’mas presents for Frnk and Louise and anyone else
$1.00 M. Brant
What are we going to get for Alice and Laura? I'm very sure will not come home till Wednesday AM i.e. if there is someone staying at the house. The simple reason is because I am not going to have a chance to do any shopping until Tuesday and doubt if I could get it done between 1:00 and 4:00, but maybe I could.
It sounds as if you were getting along pretty well. It's a good thing we are to be at the Burches instead of there being at our house. Don't get in a hurry.
Anything you want me to get send up and I'll try to do it. I'll be so glad when Saturday gets here and quizzes are over and “gladder”” when Tuesday 11:00 o'clock comes and “all” is over.
Love,
Bets
If you're new to this project, please consider going to our site and catching up with a few letters from the 1900-1910 era. The letters only take 3-5 minutes to read and you'll find the characters more fully develop if you read the letters chronologically.
John has excellent handwriting. However, in some instances, I cant decipher it. If I can't, I simply mark the spot with "xxx"s to signify thank the word isn't decipherable.
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