Search billions of records on Ancestry.com
   

Letter No. 31

The first of the 20th century letters was written August 6, 1908 at Star Lake, N. Y. It was from Minnie Gladwyn Conklin to her husband, Herbert D. Conklin. Minnie, as evidenced by previous letters from earlier years, continued to suffer from lung ailments and was spending some time in the Adirondack community of Star Lake, N. Y., where the climate was considered healthier for those with breathing problems. She was apparently boarding in a private home, that of a Mr. and Mrs. Eager

Herbert and Minnie had adopted a son, William Bell, back in May of 1905 and it is interesting to note that this letter does not inquire about her son’s welfare. He was undoubtedly staying most of the time with Minnie’s father and second wife, William R. and Anna Getman Walts Gladwyn.

Thursday evening


Dear Bert,

It has cleared away lovely and I am feeling good. Was awake some last night but didn’t cough any. Mr. Eager came home yesterday. He is a small man. Kind of a gentleman fisherman and quite smart. He is going to take Mrs. Eager and I (me -- grammatical errors were seldom found in Minnie’s writing, although her earlier writings contain more than those written in much later writings) around the Lake tonight after supper. The hired girl is here. The board is fine.

Mrs. Eager is going to Benson Mines this morning and has just asked me to go and of course I am going. Am getting used to wearing my shoes but I think I will have to have a pair of rubbers.

Haven’t had any fish yet. I wrote to Carrie about your all coming a week from Sunday. How is that? Now, if you want to hear from me, write. If you were here, everything would be complete, but I think a lot about you. Don’t work hard and be sure and have your meals.

I can breathe good this morning. Tell Eva (Eva was Eva Wallace Hall, a niece) I will send her a card soon.

With love and kisses (she wrote this with
x’s - that tradition is older than we think)

Minnie,

Star Lake, N. Y.
c/o Mrs. Eager




Return to Reading Guide (INDEX)

Return to Shirley Farone's Homepage