Bertie County NcArchives History - Letters .....Urquhart, Richard Ltrs To Sisters 1903-04 1903-04 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Mollie Urquhart murquhar@bellsouth.net January 9, 2010, 4:36 pm Letters from Richard Alexander Urquhart (1889-1947) to his sisters. Alex’s Early Letters [Alex wrote these letters to his two sisters while he was at Trinity School in Chocowinity, North Carolina in 1903-04, shortly after his father had died.] To: Pattie T. Urquhart Chocowinity October 21, 1903 My dear Pat, I got the package Monday and was most agreeably surprised when I saw that box for I knew what it meant. The cake was just fine, it was a lot better than any I ever tasted at Aunt Jennie’s or home either. The chinquapins and biscuits were fine too, the biscuits were the only ones I have seen yet that could be called biscuits, the ones they have here are about as big as your hand and when you break one often you can smell the old rancid chemical lard or milk. My uniforms came on Monday and the boys made all the new boys sleep in them that night, but as it was pretty cold I didn’t mind it much. I am sorry the new teacher is so strict. I know you wish Armistead was going to school to her instead of you – then you would not wear out so many thimbles. Tell Birdie not to kill Ocra and Ducky with his rifle. Send me a box Thanksgiving, tell old Sal I say put in some brandy peaches and pear pickles. Write to me soon. I am your loving brother, Alex Urquhart P.S. Kiss Mrs. Lodge for me the next time you see her. To: Margaret (Mog) Urquhart Friday Night My dear Mog, I have been wanting to answer your letter for the last three weeks but since Lent I have done nothing but pray. We have prayers in the morning and evening service every evening and have to go to school an hour sooner two mornings out of every week to hear old man Hughes lecture on religion. I have worn out all of my shoes and stockings and haven’t gotten a bit better. Mama sent me the account of Pollacks marriage the other day, the bride seems to be very rich. You will surely have to go to work and catch the old “Grippe” we used to talk about. I have been sick more since Xmas than I ever was before. I had the Grippe the whole last part of January and have just gotten off the sick list now. I reckon it is on account of the food I get. We have not had a thing to eat but fish for the last two months and I just cannot eat them. But you may bet I fill up when I go home Easter. Mama wrote me that Mr. Baker was going to be married and Birdie was going to be a waiter – wouldn’t you like to see him? Edgar N. is down here now, he is rooming with Joe Pugh and me. All of the boys like him but he is too stingy and particular for me. Haven’t things changed since last year? Who would have thought our family would have been like it is now? It seems like the two red heads are the ones to be away from home. I am trying to study hard to please Mama, for were she not alive I would not care what happened to me. I am afraid Mama will not live much longer and am trying to finish school as soon as possible to go home to her. The bell is ringing for the lights to go out so I will have to stop. Do write soon. I am your loving brother, Alex To: Margaret (Mog) Urquhart Stamford Hospital Chocowinity, N. C. Monday Night My dear Mog, As most all of the boys have just left for Washington and I am here alone I decided to try to answer your letter. The boys have gone over to the Opera but as my pocketbook was empty I couldn’t go. I know you will see some fine Operas this winter and I certainly wish I was with you to see some Negro Minstrels. I believe I will get my arm or finger broken playing football and come up and spend a while with you in the Hospital. Last week Mrs. Wood sent Julian a whole bushel of James Grapes and I ate so many that I thought I would have to go to a Hospital for the stomach ache. I guess you have heard of Eleanor Griffin’s marriage to Mr. Olive the engineer. Wasn’t it something great? I would like to have been at the wedding. I know you were sorry when you heard of Mr. Drew Bazemore’s death – wonder what Georgia will do. Birdie writes that Ocre is one of the finest coon dogs in Bertie. In your letter you talked like you would not be at home Christmas – for gracious sakes change you mind and give up trained nursing. Well I am getting sleepy so Good Night. Write to me soon. I am your loving brother, Alex Urquhart To: Margaret (Mog) Urquhart Stamford Hospital Chocowinity, N. C. Saturday Night My dear Mog, I was so surprised the other day when I got a letter from Pat saying that Lou had come home but you had decided to stay. I hope you will change your mind and also go home before Christmas, if you don’t I am going to eat every one of your turkeys. I feel right now like I could eat two, guts and all. I wrote to Lou that I had only two requests to make of her, to be done by the time I came home at Christmas. One was to raise a plenty of chickens, the other was to practice her art of washing on Alice. The eating here is the most awful thing I ever saw, I eat stuff here that a hog would turn up his nose at. My uniform came Monday and the old boys made we new ones sleep in them that night but it was so cold that I did not mind it much. Ain’t you glad that there has not been a freshet? Mama writes that they will start ginning this week so most of the danger is over I hope. I guess you see Cousin Jim about every week and that makes is pleasanter for you. Well it is about bedtime now so good night. I am your loving brother, Alex Urquhart Write soon. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/bertie/history/letters/urquhart233gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 6.1 Kb