No. 16
Mrs. Quinn to Mrs. Lafayette (Keep Moving)
Laura Lafayette
3245 N Southport Ave
Chicago, Illinois
July 20, 1940
Dear Mrs. Lafayette,
I am enjoying your letters and will continue to write back about this interesting time for you, and this woman friend, Win, what an interesting name, for I can tell she is on her way to “winning” you to our Lord and Savior, for sure she is, in her sweet ways. You must tell me her age. I imagine she is my age. Is that so? I’m 73.
I could not write earlier because my decision to move out of this old house and into a place where there is constant care and attention for my rheumatism and cravings for more socialization. The trouble is going to be getting to Mass, but I am working with some of the religious sisters as to my options, should I give them what little savings I have available to me now, then we might be able to arrange for a gentleman who works on their grounds to come and help me in the car.
One of the former girls that I once took in, Theresa, says she can find me a better place than the grounds near the convent, but I’m nervous about that for it seems too fancy, if you really want to know the truth, and I dress simply and would be depressed to be surrounded by those who don’t understand our Blessed Mother, even though I do wear pearls, but I have nothing else in the way of style, as I’ve boxed up my hats and scarves, minus one or two. I don’t care anymore about those things now that my husband is gone.
Theresa teases me that perhaps I could go with her to Lexington, or near there, maybe near Versailles, where her husband’s family has property they want to develop and, with other elders in her family that they are parking there, with some nurses, she says I can come, too, out of respect, she says, for how I took her in and helped convert her to Christ.
Since she is coming to check on my progress this afternoon, to see how I progress to eliminate my things, or mostly, my husband’s papers and tools. Theresa tells me, so patiently, “Keep going!” and now I say the same to you, dear Laura, “Keep going!”
I am signing off not for not one more minute now can I be distracted from my own assignment but please do write about yours, as I save your letters for my evening indulge!
Mrs. Quinn
2025 Copyright Christine Friesel
