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#1428: Willa Cather to Lydia Lambrecht, December 14, 1938

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My dear Lydia1:

The Christmas box addressed to your mother3 will start on its way tomorrow, I hope. I was sick for a good while after Douglass'4 sudden death and got badly behind in everything, especially in my work. I do certainly hope, however, that the box will not be late. I would not like to disappoint your mother.

I have long wanted to send your mother a nice dress, but I knew that she would never wear the modern fashions, so it was impossible to get a ready-made dress for her. I bought today an all wool imported cloth, something like the old time cashmere; 4 1/2 yards, double width, at $2.25 a yard - I remember, you see, that your mother always likes to know the price of things. I am sending you purple buttons for it, enough for a row down the front and two or three for the cuff of the sleeve. You and Pauline5 must help me out and crochet a nice white collar for the neck.

The old-fashioned hoods have come back at last; the town2 is full of them because everybody is crazy about “winter ports”. So I am sending hoods for both you and Pauline — nice ones that you can wear to church. Also I am sending you a pair of woolen gloves, which I think very pretty, for each of you. But you must decide which are for you and which for Pauline. I am sending a scarf for each of you, which I hope will be warm. Also some little trinkets.

But the important thing in the box is the dress for your mother, and I must depend on you two daughters to make it up for her, because I know she would never wear the ready-made dresses of this period.

Thank you for your nice letter. And wishing you all a Happy Christmas,

From your old and true friend, WILLA CATHER