From Nora Snell, 1417
Guerrero St., San Francisco, CA
Letter addressed to
John A. Snell, Cayton,
Shasta Ca.
October 3, 1905
Dear Folks at Home,
We are doing pretty well here and learning the ways of the city a little,
but we are neither of us able to carry baby so we can't walk anywhere together.
We went down town yesterday and Ma had her teeth pulled. She is going
to get a new set. Her mouth was very sore and she was tired out but it
did not make here sick and her mouth is better today. Mrs Moore was there
having her teeth fixed. I have tried to hire a gocart to push baby
in so we could exercize a little, but I can't find one near here. I think I will buy a new one. They don't cost much and I can use
it next summer. Baby (Muriel born February 4, 1905) can sit alone
now and is getting as fat as a pig. I wish you could see her sitting
up. She raised her little head up and said "Papa" the morning after
you left, but she could not find you. I think she misses you. She is real well. I hope you are all well. Tell me how all
the sick folks are when you write. I am feeling about like I did
when I came down. The Dr. thinks I am improving. I never saw
so many children as one sees here of an evening. They get out on
the streets and play and make a noise until after nine. They made
more noise last night than the street cars and kept us awake a long time. The wagons run all night but generally we can sleep fine. A funeral
street car runs past here sometimes it goes five or six times a day. Today it went once. It had a white coffin covered with flowers. It
is real warm here in the daytime and just pleasant at night. We havent
needed out heater yet. We are getting so we can cook fine on our
little stoves but we both have to so careful of our eating we dont cook
much. We bought .05 cents worth of soup today. It was chicken and
was fine. When we buy soup we don't cook any other dinner for we
have lots else to eat with it. I havnt got a letter from home yet and hope
to get one pretty soon.
With Best Love to all
Nora
(Nora added to edges of
letter later)
I haven’t got used to
the water yet and am still thirsty. Ma don’t mind the water at all.
The lady in this house is real nice when you get acquainted with her. Did you get the other letter I wrote.
From 1417 Guerrero St.,
San Francisco
To John A Snell, Cayton
Shasta Co, California
October 16 1905
I received your letter this morning and was so glad to get it. I
was getting so lonesome and wanted a letter from you so much. I am
getting lots stronger and want to eat all the time so I think I am getting
well. I do so want to be well again and be with you and the children. I wish you hadnt went up to Bosworths's to set up. I'm so afraid
you will get sick, you must be so careful Dear and not work to hard. I had rather have you well and glad to see me when I come home than all
the money. Don't worry and fret if things dont go right. The
Dr. says its my worrying and not being satisfied that has helped weaken
me so. He says I can never get well unless I stop worrying. I guess
you know how I mean, but somehow I thought you never seemed to understand
me. You dont know how our trip down here worried me and weakened
me when we might have had such a happy time. We had to make the trip
anyhow, happy or unhappy just as we made it and you have all the power
of making me happy or other wise. But Dearest I know you have never
understood how I felt or how I worried for I had it all I could. We will try to do better when I come home again wont we sweet heart. I want to see you and the children so much, tell them to write to me, all
of them and real often. Baby is still cross and has a diarriah yet.
But not so bad as it was, but it keeps me busy washing for her, for we
haven’t any way to wash or dry anything here very well. Kenneth was
over to see us yesterday, he is a fine big boy now. Lucy B. has her
baby with her now. They have him in a plaster cast and in two weeks
will tell her what is the matter with him and when she can go home. Poor
girl, it is hard on her and all of them. I'm so sorry about Mr. Ed,
Poor fellow, wonder if he was ready to go and if he knew he was going to
die before he died. It seeems so aweful to die and not be looking
for or expecting it at all. How is Mrs. Ed standing it".. I hope
the children are over their colds all right. They must be careful.
Tell Leila to get some more note paper and write often. Ma says I have
written you as much as she wrote to Ed., Bob and Elta Schults all together.
Will you have to roll the butter or sell it in the cans? How can
you roll it without me to help you?
N.S.
To: John
A. Snell, Cayton, Shasta County Calf.
From: Nora Snell, 1417 Guerrero St, San Francisco
October 24 1905
The doctor says I will have to stay two weeks longer.
He says I am getting along fine but am not well enough to leave yet. He says If I leave now everything might go back again and be as bad as
ever. My stomach is not as tender and sore as it was, but is pretty
sore yet. The belt helps me too. I do not have that dragging
down feeling so bad that I had before. It seems a long while to stay
but Ma thinks I had better. She says I would be foolish to rush off
before I was cured. She is so anxious to get home too but will stay
with me until I can go. She is just beginning to get over the effects
of having her teeth pulled. She will get her teeth tomorrow and see
if they fit all right.
Sunday the 22 was Ma's birthday. We went out to
the Shults. Lucy and Mrs. Mc Millen went with us, but we wont go
anywhere else on Sunday. The crowds are too thick. We could hardly
get a car to come home on at all had to stand part of the way. Lucy
and Mrs. Mc Millen had to walk part of the way and carry that big boy could
get on the car at all. Tomorrow is my birthday. The first I've spent
in San Francisco, and the first away from you for long while. Baby's
bowels are all right now and she is not so cross but she is cutting her
upper teeth and that bothers her some. I went over to Mildred's and
ironed her three little white dresses and now I'm so tired I can hardly
write but is costs so much to have them done at the laundry from 15 to
25 cents more than the dress cost at first. I wish I had brought
my tan silk dress with me. It would have been a change from he brown
suit I have. I bought a black silk shirt waist for $1.75 something
that wont need washing. I think Mrs. Greer owed us for 5 rolls of
butter, 56 lbs of potatoes and half gallon of berries. Is her baby
well now? How are the children getting along? Dear you must
go to bed and sleep and not worry. Just think I am getting well and
will be all right when I get home. I didn't think I could stay here at
all. Wont it be nice when I get home to be well again. I had
my eyes examined by a specialist and he said they were all right, did not
cause my headaches. I was so glad to hear that. You ought to
have Gerald come down and sleep in that little bed in your room, or with
you would be better. You would not be so lonesome then Dearest. (small
section unreadable). Ribbon is in the work basket and the hair pins in
a black box on the (?). (this section of the letter very hard to read as
it is smeared even though it is in pencil). Does Grandma growl and nag
at you and the children as much now as when I'm at home? How does
she and Leila get along with the work? How is Buryl doing? Does he mind you? You must make him and not let him talk back at
you so much.. Spank him when he needs it. It will be the making of
him if you do.. But don't let him know I told you to. Burn this part
of the letter. A man is coming this afternoon to measure me for a
belt to support my stomach my stomach is 3 or four inches to low and presses
on the other organs and keeps them sore. The Dr. says the belt will
help keep it in place. Ma's mouth is getting better now. But
was real sore. The cocaine made her sick for nearly a week. Write
often to your own.
Nora.
(written on the edges)... I will have to stop now and wash out some
things for baby. We get 1 quart of milk a day and baby drinks it
nearly all. The Dr. Said for me to drink egg nog but eggs are 50
cents a dozen now. I guess I'll wait until I get home for it. I can't eat all I want yet with getting sick. I think I must have
a tape worm for I'm hungry all the time
Nora.
Transcribed and donated by:
"Michelle Jorgenson"
<Blondencrazee@comcast.net> 1-2006
