Letters of two great aunts: Aida Austin, Charlotte Leavenworth

27 Orchard St., Port Jervis, NY
May 14th, 1913
Mr. A A Austin
Eldred, NY

Dear Mr. Austin,
After thinking the matter over, I have decided to take the principal room of the Eldred school this coming year, providing I pass the coming examinations which I fully intend to do.

I presume Miss Mills will have the primary department again—I hope so, but in case she shouldn’t be intending to teach in that room, there is a Miss Mary Twichell in the Teacher’s Training Class at present, a daughter of Mr. John Z. Twichell, who will want a school next year and who in my judgment would be just the person for the position.
I expect to be home May 29th for a few days and will make the contract, if you wish, during that time.

Yours truly,
Charlotte Leavenworth

—————
June 30, 1914
Neew York State Education Department
County of Sullivan
This is to certify that William Austin, a pupil in district no. 4, town of Highland, has satisfactorily passed the examination fo the 2nd term of the fifth grade, based on the State elementary course of study for the public schools, and is qualified to pursue the course prescribed for the following term.
Charlotte Leavenworth, Teacher
Frederick J. Lewis, District Superintendent.

June 6, 1923, Aida goes to France
Dear Lon,
I did not stop for my check, but wrote to Mrs. Quick to send it to you. You see you can endorse my name on it and send it to the bank. We just called Dr. Austin’s folks on the phone and they are coming to the dock to see me off.

Mrs. Luzza and Nettie are going to the boat with me, too. It is after eight and we are going to start soon.
I will write as soon as I reach France.

Yours, Aida

June 12, 1923
Tuesday
Dear Lon,
We are near Plymouth England. They will send this from there. We reach Havre tonight and leave for Paris eleven o’clock tomorrow,
Yours, Aida
[post card with photo of 2nd class dining room.]

Paris, France
June 16, 1923
Dear Lon,
I was up to the American Bank yesterday and deposited what money I don’t need for the present. Then I went to the depot and hunted up my trunk. Of course, I took a cab because I didn’t know how to find the places, but today I took quite a little walk. I think I could soon find my way anywhere around Paris, but I am too tired to do much of anything. I will have to stay here a week anyway. I think before I start on.

I was terribly sick all the way over. I have certainly struck a good hotel. I shall hate to leave it although I feel anxious to get out to where I am going. But I don’t dare to start on until I feel like myself again. I will write to you when I leave here and just where I am going to stop. I don’t know just yet. I will have to find out all about it and I will write when I get more.

I haven’t been disappointed in my opinion of the French people, and have got along fine so far. I don’t think you would have regretted it if you had come.

I was so glad I was able to be on deck when we were at Plymouth. The English coast along there was beautiful. But I didn’t catch a glimpse of poor old Ireland. Tell Mr. Scott I was so sorry about that. And tell Mrs. Barth I am going to write to her soon.

I don’t know but that I left my key in my door. I wish you would see and if I did, I wish you would put the key where I told you I was going to put it. If you see Emma Stevens, tell her I forgot about my Post Office Box, but I don’t need it anyway. Will write soon again.
With love, Aida

Paris France
Sunday afternoon
June 24, 1923
Dear Lon,
I expect to leave Paris for Durr-Sur-Meuse tomorrow evening. I would have gone sooner, but had to go to the United States Lines Office to change my order for my return ticket, and another day I went to the American Passport Office, and yesterday I went down to the American consulate Genreral to report as an American Citizen.

So you see I have had quite a little to attend to since I got over feeling the effects of my voyage, and I didn’t want to hurry and get tired before starting on. I take the ten o’clock train tomorrow night and will reach Verdun early Tuesday morning and will have to wait there a little while for the train to Dun sur meuse. The man at the United States LInes who told me how to go, said I would be at Verdun long enough to get breakfast. Then I will go on to Dun-sur-meuse, and will have to look up a hotel there. I saw by the paper you were having such hot weather over there. It has been very cool here.

We haven’t had on ereal hot day since I came. But it has been a little warmer yesterday and today. I am so thankful that it has kept ool. I met a lady and gentleman from Boston at the Consulate yesterday and they said when it was warm over here, that Paris was a terrible hot place. I am feeling good and hope all are well at Eldred.

Remember me to Mrs. Barth and family. I have been so busy I haven’t written yet—but will try to write as soon as I get on to Dun-sur-meuse.

Give my kind regards to Mrs. Rothman and household.

With love,
Aida

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