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From A Maine Woman Goes South, letters transcribed by Jean F. Hankins in 2003. This installment contains 4 letters. Historical dates appear with each letter; the article retains the original collection’s publication date.
Nellie Pottle to Estelle Pottle, December 6, 1926
Source: PDF page 159; printed page 153.
Postmark: Atlanta, Dec. 6, 1926. Heading: Spelman, Sunday
Dear Sweetness,
I didn't write to you last Sunday because I thought that you had flunked psychology. If it had been a respectable course, I wouldn't have minded, but to flunk anything as low down as that put you rather below my notice. Sorry as I feel for Fannie, I'm rather glad that it came out as it did.
I've been thinking about fixing up a room for myself at home and now I have another idea. I thought that I'd get a narrow bed and take the little room downstairs. Mother suggested that the partition between those two rooms be torn out and that we fix up the whole room for the two of us. We could get two little white iron three-quarters width beds and a bureau and perhaps a couple of chairs. We could have them painted white to make the room lighter. I don't know about the color but rose lightens up the room. Rose and lavender is cute for a girls' room. We could have the window draperies lavender and the spreads rose. Wouldn't we be swell? Maybe we can start doing some of it this summer.
I guess that you needn't worry too much about the minister [Jeff], I've had several messages from him but I haven't been down to the Zimmermans for a long time and so I haven't seen him. He certainly is nice. Perhaps I will see him some more sometime. Pudge may get down South this winter, she wrote. If she does I shall have to show her Atlanta.
I imagine that I should like what you have planned to give me for Christmas as well as anything. If you can't get it though I should like just a little plain coin purse to go in my bag. I lost the one which Winifred gave me.
We've had only one letter from you this week - Bum. Love, Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Estelle Pottle, December 13, 1926
Source: PDF page 160; printed page 154.
Postmark: Atlanta, Dec. 13, 1926 Spelman, Sunday.
Dear Runt,
Here I sit, robed in my most beautiful new gown, composing to you this epistle. My dress is a peach, you should see it before Atlanta nastiness ruins it. I got a fifty-cent flower for thirty-nine cents to go with it.
I went to a dinner last night, which was really a banquet. Josephine Harreld, in my class, gave this party on her birthday for all of her teachers. Kemper Harreld, her father, is quite a remarkable musician. He studied in Germany and Mrs. Herrald studied German there and has taught it. They have a beautiful new home. This is our cats. It was a Christmas party, the table set for a formal dinner with tall red candles and little red candles with wreaths about them. First we had fruit cocktail, made with oranges and grape-fruit and pinapple [sic] with a green cherry and a red cherry in each glass. Next we had turkey, and mashed potatoes, and tiny little peas, and scollaped oysters and jelly and pickled pears and chopped pickles, and slam gorgeous hot rolls; after we had satisfied ourselves with that, tomato salad, and then ice cream and the birthday cake, and nuts and mints. We stayed a while in the evening and then Mr. Harreld brought us home.
I've had an invitation-Mother and I both-out to dinner for the Christmas dinner. It's the family that has the nice Georgia Tech son. I guess that mother and I will go on shifts. I want her to go for dinner and I out there in the afternoon.
Here's to a grand and glorious vacation to you! I'm sleepy.
Lots of love, Sambo.
Nellie Pottle to Estelle Pottle, December 17, 1926
Source: PDF page 161; printed page 155.
Postmark: Atlanta, Dec. 17, 1926
Dear Stelle,
This is a great day I suppose, seeing that tomorrow you start for home. This is the proper night for the D3 tree. Do you have anyone to go up on the train with?
Yesterday was hot, 79 degrees above most of the time. Is there any snow left at home.
I hope that you got all of your nasty clothes picked up. Don't let Sade do your work.
I don't believe that you could wear my green silk dress now. I washed it before I turned it, and it is only about half its natural size. I could send my pink one, but that is light. If I had a little more money I'd get you one, but I haven't any money just now.
We will put your name on the presents that we send Auntie [Bet] and Uncles F[red] and S[idney Kemp], We are sending Auntie a spiritual record and the men folks a subscription to the Adventure Magazine. I'll try to find something for Ted [probably cousin Ted Pottle]. I don't know what. I'm going to send our packages day after tomorrow.
I have some propaganda for John. Marion Davis, our teacher who just died, has her mother and an invalid aunt who depended upon her for support. There was no money left to pay her doctor's bills etc. and we are helping with that. Of course we are glad to do it, but think what a wonderful thing a Phoenix Policy would have been! She had no life insurance.
Write often to us while you're at home and tell us all of the news.
Love to all, Sambo.
Nellie Pottle to Estelle Pottle, Waterville, Maine, December 29, 1926
Source: PDF page 161; printed page 155.
Heading: December 29, 1926.
Dear Sweet Mince meat.
I've just been downstreet for your birthday present. I hope that you like it. If you don't, send it back to me because I do. I will give you more instruction after you find out what it is.
You did get quite a supply of Christmas presents. I guess that my friends must still be hoping because Marion gave me a lovely embroidered linen towel. I had another one with a beautiful yellow border. Vina gave me a buffet set (real pretty), Ig some owl salt and pepper shakers, Marjorie some curtain tie-backs, a new compact from Ig, an owl book mark from Pudge [Alice McDonald], a little perfume bottle from Mell, perfume to go in it, a pen from Fred, step-ins and a workbox from Moult and Winifred, a windmill picture (we'll hang it in our room when we fix it up), two photographs, two handkerchiefs, money and a box of grub from Winifred.
I had a wonderful time at Christmas. The Tituses invited three of us teachers out for dinner. We had dinneer at three. And it was a grand old turkey New England Christmas dinner. Since you are always mentioning your men, I must insert the fact that I had the honor of sitting beside Howard, the Georgia Tech son of the family. He's a wonder, about your age, good looking, has been spoiled ever since he was a baby but he's still nice. He had "Tony" a cute little classmate of his there. Tony is Italian-from New York. Real good looking and quite a genius. Mrs. Titus' two sisters were there, some friends and their son and daughter. In the evening the whole bunch of us went over to Mr. and Mrs. Myers, who were entertaining Marjorie and Leota.
Monday the Zimmermans took Marjorie and me on an all day ride and picnic. We went down to Newman where there are some lovely old colonial homes. We stopped at Dixie Lake for our lunch. It was a little chilly but we ate out of doors, cooked hot dogs. Mrs. Zimmerman took a cute little girl out of one of the homes for Christmas.
You asked about "Jeff-his whole name is Jefferson, I've discovered. He's home in North "Callin-a" now. He called up the night before he left.
We were pretty tickled with your pictures. You aren't so bad looking after all. Of course you can't tell very much about a picture, but it's fairly decent looking. Your hair looks sort of nifty that way.
Love to the whole family, Nellie Sam
Thanks for the coin purse. It was just what I wanted.
Source and transcription
Original complete PDF, transcribed by Jean F. Hankins, 2003. Original spelling, bracketed notes, and omissions marked with dots are retained. This web edition was extracted from the scanned transcription; consult the PDF when an exact reading is important.