Relatively Speaking

1918
Mountain Grove House
C M Austin Proprietor
Eldred, Sullivan County, NY
September 25, 1918

To: Mr. C M Austin
c/o Mrs. Fowler
Monticello, New York

Tuesday night
Dear Mort
Received your letter tonight and will write a few lines. You have been away two days and it seems about that many weeks. You got another nice letter from Raymond. I will send it with this. He has been moved to Balboa. I think that is on the Pacific coast. Wasn’t Balboa the one who discovered the Pacific Ocean? I only wish we could feel as easy over Mac as we do him. I paid Raymond’s Red Cross money over today. They was after it.

Elizabeth still gets along well in school. LIttle Anthony made me a short call after school today. He is a bright kid. We are feeling fine, but only wish you were here. Still it is a good rest for you and likely you will have to work hard all winter.

Willie is feeling alright again so don’t worry about him or us. I will certainly be good for I have no chance to be bad. Take good care of yourself with lots of love,
Jennie
———-
Mountain Grove House
C M Austin Proprietor
Eldred, Sullivan County, NY
October 2, 1918

To: Mr. C M Austin
c/o Mrs. Fowler
Monticello, New York

Wednesday noon
My dear Mortimer
Just received your letter and was glad to hear you were well. We all feel fine, but this damp weather I keep the children in the house. Verna told me she heard there were a lot of cases of diphtheria in Barryville, but I doubt it. Our phone don’t work right, so I can not find out, but I am careful here.

I got a letter from Ray. I will send it to you. Tonight I am going to get Mac’s letters and the pictures together and send to him.
If Willie don’t feel well any morning, I won’t let him go to work. Mr. Scheuneman is home sick today and beside, he got a sliver in his eye putting on the roof of his building.

I will be glad when you get thourgh “courting” for it is certainly lonesome without anyone to scold.

Well, Elizabeth is ready to go back to school so I must close with love from all, Jennie

X Arthur’s kiss, X Elizabeth’s kiss, X Robbie’s kiss, X mine, X Willie’s
—————–
Barre, Massachusetts
December 18, 1918
Dear brother Mort,
Your letter dated Dec 17 at hand. I was very sorry to hear that McKinley was killed and feel his untimely death with you all. There is a great comfort in knowing he died in action in a good cause. It is with pride I think of your boys, not only of those that got in the army, but of Will for the ? and grit in the willingness he showed when I was at your house to get in the fight.

I am sorry to hear Jennie and the children were sick and hope they are well now.

I received a letter form Lillie last week. She said they are all well.

John Parmenter’s youngest daughter died in Chicago a short time ago from influenza.

Is Tom and Emma Collins in Eldred this winter or did they go to the city.

I don’t know of anything here that would interest you so will close with love to all. Eldred [James Eldred Austin, Grandpa Mort's brother.]

—-
1935
Ossining, NY, June 9, 1935
Dear Brother Mort
I was very sorry to read in the paper your house was burned. I hope you was well insured. Even if you were insured, it is a terrible loss and especially to one as old as you and Jennie and you have spent so many years of hard labor to get a home and then lose it by fire is mighty tough to hear. When you get time and fell like it, I hope you will write and tell me about it and what you are going to do. How is Jennie and the boys coming on? I hope they are all well and the boys have got work.

Where is Raymond living? How much of a family has he? Is Will married?

I suppose Lon and Ida are on the old place.

It is so cold we have a fire tonight.

Just after FDR was elected, Lon wrote me he was glad we had a Roosevelt to lead us out of the wilderness. Well, I think FDR has led us out of the wilderness into the jungle or the mire into the quagmire. I believe we will go down in the slough of despair until the people repent and call to God for help. Love to all, Ell [James Eldred Austin, Grandpa Mort's brother.]

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