CCC Vol. 2 p. 4 Lena Seely Goodrich

Cousin Will Selph has asked me to write a letter to the Cousins this spring and as I have been in Pittsfield with Emily since November, I may be able to tell you more than my Father, but when I am at home, there is nothing I could say that could not be included in his letter.

It has been a great pleasure to me to read the letters from the Cousins and to see their faces.

I was rather wishing that cousin Will would overlook my name but as he did not, I will try to do my share toward making the next collection of letters a success.

I have spent one winter before this in New England but it happened to be the exceptionally warm winter a few years ago.

This winter has been staged especially for my benefit and has given me a glimpse of what the Pilgrims endured in 1620.

In New England, winter comes early and stays late, but I never saw children hav1^{e so good a time as they have had since the snow and
ice came.}

With two boys¹ in the house, I have become very much interested in "Winter Sports" and should like nothing better than to take part in all of them. I have been over on the East hill with my nephews and if I did not risk my life on skis, I surely did ride down hill on a big sled with Marcus and one of his friends.

New England is the place to bring up boys and I hope that Charles, Jr. and Marcus may go to "Dartmouth" and live the outdoor life of the college students.

Emily wishes me to tell you that Mark Twain says "If you don't like New England weather. -- wait a minute."

And Charles says that I should be here in a regular winter, -- that this is a mild one.

That makes me feel as though I have given you a wrong idea of the weather, and to justify myself I will say in the terms of the Nursery Rhyme:

           "When the weather is mild,
            It's very, very cold;
            but when it's cold,
            It's frigid."

The warm days come and one can enjoy automobiling, the Berkshires, of which Pittsfield is the heart, are a constant source of delight of which one never tires.

Emily is an efficient and careful driver and we spend many afternoons riding and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

I do not know when I shall return to Pennsylvania, but not until Father or Mother come or Emily and her family go to Nelson for their vacation².

I nearly forgot to tell you that there isn't a better cook in the world than Emily and I advise all of you to call³ when you are near Pittsfield.

Emily hopes that you will be willing to excuse her from writing this time. She is very busy and says that my letter must do for the whole family.

Sincerely yours,

COUSIN LENA SEELY GOODRICH.

2. Lena would not have taken the train to travel by herself because she was profoundly deaf due to scarlet fever when she was a child - wbt

3. By "call" she didn't mean "make a phone call", she meant "come calling", i.e. Cousins were welcome to visit Emily. - wbt

- Volume #2 - Page #5 -
(Mary Ann Campbell Family)