FELICITY’S LETTER

“DEAR PETER:—­Aunt Olivia says for us all to write a compound letter to cheer you up.  We are all awful glad you are getting better.  It gave us an awful scare when we heard you were going to die.  But you will soon be all right and able to get out again.  Be careful you don’t catch cold.  I am going to bake some nice things for you and send them over, now that the doctor says you can eat them.  And I’ll send you my rosebud plate to eat off of.  I’m only lending it, you know, not giving it.  I let very few people use it because it is my greatest treasure.  Mind you don’t break it.  Aunt Olivia must always wash it, not your mother.

“I do hope the rest of us won’t catch the measles.  It must look horrid to have red spots all over your face.  We all feel pretty well yet.  The Story Girl says as many queer things as ever.  Felix thinks he is getting thin, but he is fatter than ever, and no wonder, with all the apples he eats.  He has give up trying to eat the bitter apples at last.  Beverley has grown half an inch since July, by the mark on the hall door, and he is awful pleased about it.  I told him I guessed the magic seed was taking effect at last, and he got mad.  He never gets mad at anything the Story Girl says, and yet she is so sarkastic by times.  Dan is pretty hard to get along with as usul, but I try to bear pashently with him.  Cecily is well and says she isn’t going to curl her hair any more.  She is so conscienshus.  I am glad my hair curls of itself, ain’t you?

“We haven’t seen Sara Ray since you got sick.  She is awful lonesome, and Judy says she cries nearly all the time but that is nothing new.  I’m awful sorry for Sara but I’m glad I’m not her.  She is going to write you a letter too.  You’ll let me see what she puts in it, won’t you?  You’d better take some Mexican Tea now.  It’s a great blood purifyer.

“I am going to get a lovely dark blue dress for the winter.  It is ever so much prettier than Sara Ray’s brown one.  Sara Ray’s mother has no taste.  The Story Girl’s father is sending her a new red dress, and a red velvet cap from Paris.  She is so fond of red.  I can’t bear it, it looks so common.  Mother says I can get a velvet hood too.  Cecily says she doesn’t believe it’s right to wear velvet when it’s so expensive and the heathen are crying for the gospel.  She got that idea from a Sunday School paper but I am going to get my hood all the same.

“Well, Peter, I have no more news so I will close for this time.

“hoping you will soon be quite well, I remain
                                   “yours sincerely,
                                         “FELICITY KING.

“P.S.  The Story Girl peeked over my shoulder and says I ought to have signed it ‘yours affeckshunately,’ but I know better, because the Family Guide has told lots of times how you should sign yourself when you are writing to a young man who is only a friend.  F. K.”