Dear James,
I was glad to hear from you but sorry to hear that your mother is ill. If you get a chance to go to West Concord, do so, and tell your mother we are sorry she is not well, and find out if there is anything we can do for her.
The children are both tucked in and I am sitting by the heater writing. The heater is a dandy but it surely eats up this light wood. Yesterday, Mr. Jenson brought us a bushel of potatoes and a load of wood, and in the afternoon Mr. Shaw came over to get the boiler. He asked what you had said about the wood. I told him that you said he could get 10 loads for each of us out of the East end of the woods. He said he would go in and cut it down and take it out when it froze up. He asked what you wanted for that old heater and I said he could have it for hauling it away. But he just wanted the sheet iron to fix a little heater he had and that is all he took.
Ruth came home from school at noon yesterday. She hadn’t felt real well in the morning but thought she’d try it. It seems to be the stomach flu, she had cramps just like John had when you were here. She stayed home today too, but is much better tonight and will be able to go tomorrow. John and I are fine. I have got along fine with the car. It starts easy the way you showed me and I drain the radiator each time I use it as soon as I get home. We called for John yesterday afternoon and drove on around by the new road on the west line. It’s a fair road but narrow and hilly as they all are around here.
As for the money, I suggest that you pay Ted, get them to reduce the rent to $8.00 and pay that, let the insurance go until the next check, keep enough money on hand to go to West Concord if you are called, keep out what you need for yourself and send the rest to us as I haven’t much to go on.
I gave the window frames a first coat of white inside today and finished the first coat of green outside. I also carried up enough sand from the basement to bank the west end. The temp was 34 at 6:30 this morning and it is just 32 now but there was a strong west wind that made it seem colder.
Well, 6 o’clock comes early so goodnight. The children will send their letters soon.
Love from us all, Martha
Wed. morning. Temp. was 25 at 6:30