| Title: | O'Donnell, Annie to Phelan, James, 1902 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6258 |
| Collection | Your Fondest Annie: Letters from Annie O'Donnel to James P.Phelan [A. O'Donnell] |
| File | fondestan/21 |
| Year | 1902 |
| 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 | 689 |
| Genre | weather, holiday, disappointment |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Windmere Spring Lake, N.J. June 12, 1902 My dear Jim, As I was sitting this morning on the beach my thought strayed back to some days gone by and I cannot but have a kindly feeling for Spring Lake, (bleak and lonely as it now appears), for it was here that your first letter found me. We got here all right on Saturday last. Have had perfect weather since, ocean perfectly beautiful but the boardwalk and beach very deserted looking and only a few cottages occupied. The season has not yet commenced. None of the big hotels are yet open and till then, which will be towards the end of this month, this will be quite lovely. Well, on returning from our morning outing, I found your letter waiting for me. Glad I was when I saw it, but when I read it, my thoughts took a different turn, for I so anxiously looked for a cheering letter from you, as there is nothing it seems will cheer me those days. Ellen has told me time and time again to look at the sunny side of things, but even she has failed, so I read her part of your letter today, and her consoling words were, 'true love never did run smooth'. But I might feel a little happier by cheering up and asking you to still have hope. We are not so terribly far apart when you come to think of it, so in the fall if you could then get off for some time, we will make up for all. You see, I didn't get a vacation which was due meowing to Ellen's sickness, but come what may I will get one when we get home which will be probably in September owing to our getting away so early. I guess by then we will be tanned enough. I am three shades browner since I came here and the children are almost black. Ellen wishes me to impress it on you not to take any days off till then. She is very anxious to see you and would be more than delighted to see my one wish gratified, and if she had anything to do with it, she would have paved a way long ago for us to see each other once again. She would do anything to see me happy even at her own expense. I only wish you could spend some time with us on this delightful beach. Then indeed would our happiness be complete. It is too bad to chink such cannot be. Well, Jim, one sentence in your letter made up for a good deal, 'proof of my fidelity: I am glad to know you think that I am true, for when I cannot say that which I often would wish to, you can still judge for yourself that in my case 'actions would speak louder than words'. Even with Ellen, whom I dearly love, my words on the subject are but few. Still she knows that she is one of those very few dear ones, and though I have changed in looks quite a good deal since you saw me, I think I still am that same old Annie. I got the proofs of my picture. They are not so bad but could be a little better. They may be finished soon, and of course you shall have one. Since I started writing this note, Mrs. Mellon called me to say she had raised all our wages, a little recompense for the inconvenience that we had to suffer from coming away so quickly from home. Now it is quite late as usual and must hurry, and I ask you especially to write me soon. Just even a few lines will satisfy if you will but write soon and help me forget the gloomy past which will come too often before me in this beautiful but sad spot alone by the wave-washed shore. And don't forget me who was the very best of Chat little group on the Adria so that will say a fond Good Night And will remain, with love Annie |
