Blogger Note: Happy Independence Day U.S.A! And for others outside of the country, hope this day is a happy one for you as well! I’ve already been to one parade this morning and will be with family this afternoon and then the fireworks and campfire. The weather is again beautiful today, so a great day to put up another letter. Thank you to all the readers and followers who continue to read this blog from around the world. It means so much to me and gives me the motivation to continue this story. Again, more great things to follow in July so stay tuned!
A couple more notes before we get to the letter. One, Rhonda will be sending me the additional letters she found so that I can incorporate them into the blog! I’m so grateful to her for her generosity and willingness to keep the letters together. She was so wonderful to talk to via phone as she has read her letters and was able to provide even more to Daisy’s story. Rhonda, if you are reading – a big THANK YOU!! On another note, I will be out of the country for the next two weeks, so I will be pushing to post 3 (yes 3!) letters before I go to tide you over until I return. I’m heading to London and Ireland – two places on the bucket list! I’m so excited! I do have some readers from both places, so if you are from either place, send me some suggestions on where to go! Who knows what random pub I’ll end up at. Okay, enough with the long blogger note.
Happy Reading!
October 26, 1907
Dear Graffins,
Well finally we received each others’ letters. Yes, I received your postal of the Y.M.C.A. I suppose you heard enough of me this week a postal and two letters. Well, just do not read them. I did not know that you had been given the name Jack in Nebraska. But I do like John. I do not know why and yet in a vague way, i do. About ten years ago, I read the book “John Halifax Gentleman” and I was so impressed with his strong personality, purity and goodness that John has always since been a favorite name.
Mamma took me driving after school today and we were almost killed. I do not see how we escaped. We were going west and the train was going south, both at full speed. It was only the horse sense of our Pet that saved us. My mother is one of the best drivers I know and on that account she gets reckless that is she is so daring. Every time I go with her I expect to get killed (I suppose that is a little exaggerated). But she makes some very narrow escapes. I do not go to any more circuses. One is enough for a long long time.
Do you like living at the Y.M.C.A? I hope you do not need it to make you be good. It must be quite nice to work only every other day but no doubt you must work very hard when you do work. You will have some time now for reading. I like to read and I like to read best in the morning. How long are you going to make me wait for that scolding? Not that I like scolding so well that I want them but since I can remember whenever I know I was going to get one I wanted it right at once. If you save it too long it might spoil. What is it? I am sorry for Winnifred. It must be terrible to be disappointed in any person. Does she really care? It seems to me that the majority of men are like Roy Porter. I sincerely hope not all.
I certainly would like to see St. Paul and would enjoy seeing it with you but when I will ever get so far north and west I cannot tell. I expect to go to Niagra Falls this summer but that is not near St. Paul. See what the summer brings.
Institute last Saturday was fine. Prof. Monroe talked to us about Russia. The condition of those poor people must be terrible. Mr. Stetson of Maine talked to us on fads and isms. He too was good. He told so many jokes. He said “you know Boston is not a place at all. It is simply a state of mind.”
Friday evening – Well tomorrow is Saturday and I think a very busy one. I am tempted to work only in the morning and call on one of my friends in the afternoon. I just finished reading “With Juliet in England” in the Ladies Home Journal. The home life as described in that story is ideal.
Since it takes my letters so long to reach you I thought I had better answer at once. I wrote to Nora. When she gets strong enough to read it will help a little to make her forget her condition, I hope.
I am anxious to get that scolding.
With best wishes I remain.
Sincerely,
Daisy Holzwarth
Blogger Note: I have been trying to research on why Daisy would use John’s middle name as a greeting. If that was a way for letters to be less informal? I have not found much on the subject yet, so if anyone out there knows any more, please enlighten us.
I thought the reference to Ladies Home Journal was great. It is an American magazine that was first published in 1883 and became a leading magazine. It is still published today, but as a quarterly magazine instead of monthly.
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