| Title: | O'Donnell, Annie to Phelan, James, 1901 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6239 |
| Collection | Your Fondest Annie: Letters from Annie O'Donnel to James P.Phelan [A. O'Donnell] |
| File | fondestan/2 |
| Year | 1901 |
| Sender | O'Donnell, Annie |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | children's maid |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Spring Lake, New Jersey, USA |
| Destination | Indianapolis, Indiana, USA |
| Recipient | Phelan, James |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | friends |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 551 |
| Genre | work, settling in, friends |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Spring Lake, N.J. August 13th 1901 Dear Jim, I am awfully glad to see by your last letter that you are happy and that you have your sister with you. I can imagine how lonely you must have felt before she came, for I assure you it is anything but pleasant to be a stranger m a strange land knowing little or nothing of its customs. But Jim, friends are not always the ones who help you along, and if you take notice, this is the very country they help you least in. I very soon found that out, for I was only a few days in Pittsburgh when I became as independent as U. Sam himself even if I didn't have one dollar to my name. Still I held my head up, became very reserved and kept my own affairs to myself and for a time was considered very proud but finally came out all right, so that today, I can take my place with the very best of them. People think all the more of me because I am reserved and don't pick up with everybody that comes along. I am very poor for making friends but those I do make are very sincere. I have met one such friend. She is working with me, and in fact has been in this family for years.' We have travelled together and she has almost taken the place of mother to me. I wish you could see her Jim, for I know you would like her as I certainly do. I told her about you and how, after almost three years, you wrote your first letter when I had almost forgotten you. If we ever have a chance of going anyway near your place, we will certainly try to see you, but I don't think there is any such luck. Still we go every winter to Florida, and who knows but we would stop off there on our way. Well, let us hope that way any how. My last recollection of you, and it was a jolly one, was when you were coming along the deck with the tea things and holding on for dear life to the rope!! But never mind if we don't meet here. Perhaps we would on another Adria. I still hold on to that tittle cross. My vaccination turned out all right after giving me a painful arm for a few weeks. I had my pictures taken about eighteen months ago, haven't any with me but will send you one when I get home to Pittsburgh which will not be before the end of September. This is such a quiet place. I will be glad when we get home. There is nothing in the line of enjoyment for us except surf bathing and bicycling in which I take great delight especially in cycling. I learned to ride here two years ago. Isn't this summer a scorcher? My! but it was hot in Pittsburgh, but here it is perfectly lovely. We are only a square from the ocean and enjoy its breezes to the full extent.' Well, Jim, I think now that I have told all the nonsense I could glean. I must finish hoping to hear from you very soon again. And remain as ever, Annie |
