[No envelope, no date]
P. A1
My darling little Nondas
A few days ago I answered the letter of your dear Mama, but as there is no Boat leaving till March 20th I have waited till today write an answer to your dear letter. My what a Beautiful Surprise for Nondas you had such a lovely doll or rather I should more befitingly [sic] say daughter, I hope she is very good and sleeps, for did not mention wether [sic] she closes her eyes or not it so bad for the health to keep awake all the time beside it develops a habit of being inquisitive you want to be very carefull [sic] how you look after a big girl like that, is she also inclined towards dancing? About the name if you have not had her Babtised [sic] yet I might say that I never heard being (very ignorant about Opera artist) of this Lady I I only know the names of the Dancers, I was suprised [sic] secretly I soppose [sic] you will think I am going to extreme but with your love for dancing I thought you would give her the name of a Dancer but I see your taste has changed to Opera I thought you might have named her “Pavlova” or “Pavlovlua” ([illegible] in a caring manner is Russian). as also that great lady has dark hair and eyes althought [sic] curly and how do you know that perhaps Mme. Amelito wear a wig when Pavlova wears her curly wigs like in Bachannal [sic] or other dances I am sure she must
P. A2
resemble you doll. I am so sorry I could not send you a little gift to brighten up your Xmas but I [illegible] your dear Mama told you my cercumstances [sic] in Rio de Janairo [sic] neither could I get any Xmas cards so I had to manufacture one which I hope reeaceh [sic] you without being torn or [illegible] it is not the card that counts the its my wishes & thoughts. This is the first letter I have received from you and Mama since last Jully [sic] so you see I had no idea what had become of you and I hated to be without news. You must always write to me no matter what happens althought [sic] I am no good so far away and in a very bad fix myself, If I were in the states I might be of more us [sic] to you. My darling little kiddie about the dancing you need not be discouraged, here I tell you frankly with the increasing expenses and all of toe dancing it is becoming besides very painfull [sic] very expensive for the shoes, also with you inablly [sic] of having the proper instruction, But do not lose heart for Toe Dancing is not the only think [sic] in the world, do you remember Stasia Kheen from Pavlova’s Co. the Chacter [sic] Sololiest [sic]? a Dark eyes & Haired girl, well she never danced on the Toes in fact she was unable to it caused her to [sic] much pain so she went in for chacter [sic] dancing and in the Co. achieved a bigger success than some times the Toe Dancers She was greatly liked by the Public and her work beautiful
P. A3
And there are very many more pretty dresses to be worn in Chacter [sic], like Egyptian, Bachanal [sic], Russian Chardas [sic] Polish, Hungarian, Gibsy [sic] Fantasies etc, Oriental whilst a Poor Toe Dancer weres [sic] the same costumes merely decorated a little here and there & changed but always the same foundations, Then there are very pretty Toe numbers like Mendelsohn’s Springsong Done in a Crinoline costume with a basket of flowers and very quiled [???] mostly posing and a little receiving on the toes hope you can understand my marvelous designs [see figure in margin] This is very simple but very effective as a solo but the music is long and must be cut. Then femme [???] there are dozens of chacter [sic] numbers but thoes [sic] you have to be taught you are still very young and chacter [sic] dancing can be learn up till 20 & 22 I know girls who were older & learnt but in the mean time [sic] I advise you to put your heart & soul into milnery & dressmaking even if you do not use it as a proffession [sic] for let me tell you no matter how rich or poor or what a great artist if you understand a little bit about it you will be able to origenate [sic] and use your own ideas for costumes & all the other way you have to depend on others and that is very hard in the theatrical live [sic] especialy [sic] and very expensive Who use your ideas &
Page 3, including sketches.
[Margin of P. A3]
[Top: Sketched figure of a dancer in costume]
This dress made in a Sox [???] blue Tafeta [sic] with three ruffellss [sic] and a little lace collar like [illegible] Flowers in the hair
[Bottom: Sketched figure of flower basket]
Pardon me me [sic] Nondas but do not make a mistake This is no coal shuttele [sic] but a Basket with flowers
Page 4, including sketches.
P. A4
[Margins of P. A4]
Chief colors yelolows [sic] greens blues reds & gold.
[Sketched figure of a dancer in costume]
Heardress [sic] is [inset figure of headdress] a pice [sic] of gold Braid two inch wide studed [sic] with green red & blue stones with [illegible] the sides studed [sic] with stones & Beads handing [sic] down Dress is of a pice [sic] of onusual [sic] material with two press Plates made all of the gold Braid stulled [sic] with stones & stones [illegible] on the costume they a belt & of gold braid studed [sic] with stones and the skirt (2) is Pices [sic] of all coullors [sic] of chiffon shredded from the arms come two pices [sic] of greenish blue chiffon and Gold snake ornaments and on the feet & hands [inset figure of foot with shoe] also gold braid made into Brsaelets [sic] and rings on the toes & fingers & collored [sic] beads around the neck.
design no matter how bad you draw but gradualy [sic] you will developpe [sic] & to design & originate your own costumes is very nice The above costume is a musical costume good for the musice [sic] of Grieg’s Arietra [sic] Dance which is very easy to arrange music to [sic] If you have in any way a little knack in making things you could make this costume [see figure in margin]. So do not get discouraged but learn well all your dear mama let you learn as far as she is possible to afford the different tuition above all do not do like I did waste your mamas good money & energie [sic] & give her no returns for what she has work so hard to let you have the benifit [sic] off [sic]. That Bare foot dancing in the snow I call riducalus [sic] I will look you up some stamps and enclose them although I have not had any new ones lately and not traveling I get no chase [sic] to collet [sic] any beside I have been to [sic] busy working hard to bother with stams [sic] but it is a very [illegible] onccupation [sic] Do you go in for painting you ought to get a box of watter [sic] collors [sic] & try your taste in colloring [sic] take [illegible] pictures or anything & put your ideas of collars [sic] on the dresses & costumes
P. A5
In pasting in your stamps you want to be carefull [sic] & use certain paper so the [sic] are able to be taken out again also examine [???] each stamp carefully as every line I or corner counts for instance one stam [sic] is just the same as the other only perhaps & corner or hock is differen [sic] get a little magnifying glass [sketched figures of stamps] then some times [sic] the printing is thicker on one stam [sic] than another and the paper & the color all thes [sic] details you must study for the [sic] make a great difference in the stam [sic] I will enclose you few examples to show you what I mean. Oh by the way do you know I still have my big doll from when I was 7 years old and she has travelled with me all over the continent Europe England & all & is back in the States and if Baby has not smached [sic] her she is still alive (Pavlova makes & prittiest [sic] doll & Papper [sic] Feet a Dark Doll in Copelia [sic]). My doll has beautifull [sic] natural fair brown hair and sleeps & eats but being rather old now is is [sic] a bit loose in the legs & arms and head you see feebleness from having been knocked about so much poor dear I call her like everything else “Mascot” It is terrible [sic] conceated [sic] of me but I love my name “Mascot” and to be [sic] it sounds so nice that you see my doll when I was little got the name and now my real big natural Baby also has the name if I have another Baby I will
P. A6
Mascotte for I am at loss for any other name than that I [illegible] you will say my how conceted [sic] she is. When I came to look at your letter I think really at Amelita does sound very nice it is more warm and sympathetic [???] than Pavlova. The weather here is beginning to cool off and we are having Automn [sic] wether [sic] but Oh I cannot imagine such weather & you say but sure I would enjoy having a snow ball fight with you in a Big fur [illegible] and a Eskimo suit but no thank you for the Greek Costume of Barefoot dancing in the snow I must refuse the invatation [sic] as I have a bad toes for such occasions. Well darly darling Nondas I must finish they are bothering me for the last hour to come and have my dinner so with Heaps Big Kisses (as the Injun [sic] says) and Heap much Hug to Both your adorable Mama like my mama one of the Best on the world, when there are so few really sensible & good ones) I remain with miles of love
Your sincere friend
Mascot
Moskovina
[Margin P. A6]
Mind you write me another long letter or else I I I [sic] dont [sic] know what I wont [sic] do to you I’ll come all the way by wishes & kiss you to death
P. B1
[Top margin of P. B1]
P.C.
As mail only reches [sic] each other every 2 months why not write Books to keep me reading till the next mail arrives. I am affraid [sic] you & I will become unpopular with the Censor if we write like this but please write lots I love to read your letters they are so interesting
Mascot
March 14th 1918
My dearest friend Billie (Permit me the liberty)
A few days ago received both yours and Nondas’s darling letters dated Jan 18th. It is the first since last Jully [sic], I soppose [sic] like Mama you wrote to the Co’s address and all those letters have been lost. Yes mail takes a terrible long time if the letter catches a freight Boat it takes 2 months and if it gets a passenger Boat only one month. The next boat leaves here on the 20th which I think will only take 30 to 32 days I am so pleased to hear that you and my Mama are corresponding together. As I wrote you before you know all the particulars of how I got here and how I worked etc. But since December I have not worked but have been rehearsing & working up new programs for the season which has started and up to this time and still I have had all my expenses paid and pocket money so that I should not go and work any where [sic] else. I did not refuse as I have very good prospect [sic] with Ms. Jacoveleff [sic] who is a wonderfull [sic] artist, and has a big reputation as being the finest Russian Dancer (chacher [sic]) and does wonderfull [sic] Pirouettes.
P. B2
At present we have not quite settled what where we are going to work at. I get up every morning at 6.30 at 7.30 I am already practising [sic] till 9 o’c Then I have rehearsal with the penano [sic] till 10. I am getting a very fein [sic] repertoire aranged [sic]. I am very sorry to have to say it but my husband unluckely [sic] is rotten like all men for he proves to be more of a hindrance than a help and up till now has been unable to find any work. And were it not for him I would be at home but perhaps this is as you say for the best for it affords me a wonderfull [sic] obertunity [sic] to get a little reputation and give me confidence to work on my own which one never gets in the “X”s Co. You are quite right no one helps you when in trouble but this time I think I have had marvelous luck for really the way our possition [sic] was in Rio de Janairo [sic] was to [sic] despairing. When I gave you Mama’s address in my letter from Rio it was the old address to c/o Mrs. Frank at 2nd Street I forget it now my self [sic] But since of course I have receaved [sic] letters telling me that Mama has moved and the new address which you have 187 W. 80th. I told Mama of course some of my case but the real details of how I suffered in Rio and my dissapointment [sic]
P. B3
and how my husband has been I did not tell for I do not want to worry her any more than sh I can help for poor darling is terrible distressed that I cannot come home, but now she needs not worry anymore for I think so I said before with the cauche [sic] like I have now to work so well she not worry for in the States I would not have the partners neither the Money packing like here and no matter haw [sic] good or bad at the profession one is one cannot make a success unless on [sic] has someone interested in one. For This Mr. Barel is spending lots of money on our act. Of course My Mama thinks the world of me and all I do right or wrong is wonderfull [sic]. Music is a dear mother and she is one of the great Stars among Mothers we my Mama and I are pleased by not only being Mother and daughter but we are the greatest and thickest of friends. You may say I am writting [sic] something exterordinary [sic] that of course all mothers and daughters are friends but you are wrong there are really very few mothers who are good friends with their daughters because of their narrow mindedness the [sic] make their daughters be affraid [sic] to tell them the real truth and then it is a parent and no more friendship
P. B4
The successfull [sic] mother is a mother and at the same time a great pal and friend to her daughter real chums and a true and open understanding Riligion [sic] I am sorry to say is many times the cause of unhappiness in familys [sic]. For example a [sic] English Girl I knew her mother was very rilgious [sic] and morning noon and night this mother made this poor girl pray and Sundays three times church well that girl is totally against her mother for she had no freedom what soever [sic] and now prayer & worship is to her like a mechanical affair and she is an Atheist, a mother can be riligious [sic] but she has to be very carefull [sic] how she give a riligious [sic] education to her children for as this woman did instead of respect she bread [sic] disrespect to riligion [sic]. I know another girl prehaps [sic] you have heard of her Fredova formerly in Pavlova’s Co well her people were very riligious [sic] and because Freado went on the stage the whole familly [sic] turned their back on her & her parents disowned her. Mind you Freado had done no wrong except go on the stage and these fools instead of being friends & parents to the girl and giving her their protection whilst in the profession, turn their backs on her and
P. B5
left her drift where she would. There are millions of cases similar in many ways I but tire you to speak of them. Dear folks your friendship is very valuable to me, and true really true friend rich or poor is worth their weith [sic] in gold for they are very very few. I cannot express myself how sorry I am for your situation and the utter hopelessness of it, and your ill health, pardon me for being personal but have you not been able to locate your husband and compel [sic] to at least pay you a little money put your pride in your pocket and do this at least for Nondas’s sake if it is possible. You write my fortune so gloriously I wish it could be so but I am afraid that really I have an unlucky life I have a darling mother and yet willfully this uncontrollable passion for travling [sic] drags me away from her & my Baby and I am now unable to return for lord knows how many years till the [illegible] stops all because I did one wrong thing. I have received a very charming letter from Mr. Dandre saying I & the other could not return to the Co as we could not join the Co in Brazil where the main part of the Tournée is to be made but he never mentions that he would at beast [sic] give
P. B6
us our return fare so that if chance should come we would have money to return all who saw the letter written as it was in a most effectionate [sic] manner and ending up with their deep regrets that they could not have us back in the Co say that they are Rotten with no character I wrote him a good answer just as sweet & diplomatic as he wrote to me and asked him to at least as he had stranded & fooled us etc to give us our return fare from here to New Your from where he took us. The Co is allready [sic] in Brazil now, this girl from Russia was only a [illegible] but the [sic] took a girl from New York a Bohemian girl who’s stage name is Massalova and who worked with Theadore [sic] Kosloff at the Palace well she is to alternate with Pavlova as Pavlova is only going to dance about 2 or 3 times a week. Mama wrote me that in New York they suffer terrible too her landlord had given out with coal and like every one else was unable to get any and so they had no steam heat and Mama wraped [sic] the Baby herself & the dogs in shaells [???] it was a funny sight she says but with 16 below zero I think it was tragic and a disgrace to the management
P. B7
of New York City and to such a modern and up to date place the model of the world U.S.A. for if America acts like that when it has only entered the war it is pretty bad England was two years in the war before prices went up and the war was felt and England has to get everything from outside food an [sic] all as it own resorse [sic] is not sufficiant [sic] But the States has coal iron crops [illegible] a year California and the Eastern and to have such high prices and shortage is a disgrace to the country and shows bad management, I guess those officials like here sit and smoke big cigars and dont [sic] do anything till the last moment when to [sic] lat [sic] then that terrible graft & capitalists. Well from Nonda’s letter I see she certainly had a fine Xmas and is crazy about the doll which is fine for her as you say she can put her ideas in millneray [sic] and dressmaking and if she is very fancifull [sic] and cand [sic] design a little it would be fine for costumer designse [sic] is paid for very heavely [sic] at least in England I know. I am sorry you were not able to make any arrangement with Oukrainsky but really shows
P. B8
are terrible expensive and if Baby is growing tall it is far better for her to be a chacter [sic] dancer, she need not be disappointed for a good expressive chacter [sic] dancer is better than a toe dancer and also wears beautifull [sic] costumes. Pardon me if I bring up the painfull [sic] subject as I have not received your former letter I do not know what is wrong with the little dancer and could such wrongs not be remedied through estitics [sic] I mean arm movement or what ever [sic] may be at fault. Yes the world is hard some fool a brainless unartistic child has thousands sepent [sic] on her education in art & other things and turns out no good and the more she learns the less she knows whilst other who are poor have a real artistic temperment [sic] and a gift for art in many forms and were the same money spent on them they would have their points developed and become genious [sic]. Dear Billie I really am unable to say positively weather [sic] Baby could learn french [sic] easily but I would say that if I judge her as I knew her that time in Chicago, a very quick and sensible & intelligent child who is serious and puts her mind to things for that child it would have been an easy matter and if Nondas has not
P. B9
changed it should not be difficult about the accent well unless taught by a Prarisean [sic] she would never aquire [sic] the pure french [sic] accent which of course is very rare for a foreigner unless he has been to Paris or has lived amongst french [sic] people I speak read and write french [sic] fluently but I have a Belgium accent & expressions as I was 2 1/2 years at Ghent in a Bording [sic] School. My advice would be if it were anyway possible if she could be taught by a French person, and if possible if you have any conection [sic] or could live in with a French family so that the ear would get trained to the sound I am living here in a French Boarding house. But I really think it a waste of good money to be taught by a foreigner & only grammar as the aberage [sic] teacher in schools do. A native of France cant [sic] converse and put 5 lessons to one of the others beside the benefit of the real accent By no means waste your money on a American or English person who teaches French it is a fraud and no one can ever learn anything else but a few declinations & a bit of grammar but no real conversation for these people no no [sic] more than a bit of grammar themselves and their accent is a horror.
P. B10
I think that sewing and millinery is a wonderfull [sic] thing for a girl to learn weather [sic] a dancer or going in for the proffession [sic] and Nondas should put her heart and soul in it. How is music is it to [sic] expensive or is it possible either piano or violin for Nondas though the lack of being able to put her artistic temprement [sic] into dancing might put great soul and heart into music and make a success that way. Now you ask me about myself I was educated in England, Germany, & Belgium. I was 6 months in a Private school in England About a year & a half in colledge [sic] at Cologne (Köln on the Rhein so I speak read & write gearman [sic]) Then I was 2 1/2 till nearly 3 years in a colledge [sic] at Ghent Belgium Notre Dame de L’Instruction Chretienne) Dooresele & Saint Pierre colleges. Then I took up Oxford & Cambridge examinations but only did the f as far as the first Session as I left the school The [illegible] the Perlimanay [sic] & Junior I passed with honors in French, German & English [illegible], Grammar, Algrebra [sic], Geomerty [sic], History, Geography, Scripture, Drawing, Painting But since I cannot do any of these as I have very sweetly like so many stupid people do I have
P. B11
forgotten them and I was never serious have missed the most wonderfull [sic] opportunities. Mama had the best professors for me for Piano and I never practiced I studied Violin & threw it up and painting & drawing all no use I did not appreciate & did not want to learn but how I regret now. Then I came home I was 15 years old for my Easter Holidays as every 3 months I came home for a holiday it cost Mama a fortune in Books clothes & traveling expenses & other pleasure I indulged in, I tell you I am a bad egg. Well I came home for a holiday and refused to return to school, But very interested and wanted to go on the stage well I went to a dancing academy & sent Mama & Bill and I was sick and tired as of everything esle [sic] of dancing in 3 weeks for it meant hard work well I was just going to give it up when I receaved [sic] an offer to dance in theree [sic] performances in the Choeur [sic] de Ballet in Tanhauser [sic] Opera at the Covent garden Op. H. London well as I had never been on the stage I was crazy to go, so I went & that started me going I really got interested to work on the stage but would no practice so two weeks
P. B12
later I got an engagement to dance in a quartet you see the managers came to the school & picked me with 3 other girls but & the other had all trained two to theree [sic] years & I only just there 4 weeks to 5. and the mothers kicked and said it was not fair that I a new girl should get such a good engagement But thoes [sic] managers and [sic] taken a fancy to me and insisted on having me I did not say no although I did not know my right leg from my left so off we went on tour for two month with a women [sic] from the dancing school (Stedman when Pavlova took Hilda Butsova, [name illegible], Phyllis Shellton, Madge Abercrombie, Lucida Liudovskia, and then I came from there with no training), to chaperone us. Then when I return I wanted to work again but no practice so I got another engagement with Mr. Zalegslic [???] from Mme P. Co. who engaged 8 girls but the number only worked two week in this Co I met my husband who was doig [sic] pantomime we got see became very good friends Then I returned home again (London) And there Lydia Kyasht [???] a very famous dancer wanted a women [sic] to play the part of mother in the Ballet Javotte, Well Louis knew he had the
P. B13
part of father in the Ballet so brought me to Kyasht I was just a little past 15 with my hair down in curls, and Kyasgt said Oh But I need a women [sic] for pantomime this is only a child, But for fun I’ll see how she does it so she taught me the part and I did all she said the she said to me “I like you I will change this chacter [sic] you shall be my stepmother” and so it was arranged I worked with her for £4 £20 a week. (Big money in England) at the Colicco [???] London with my future husband which I never dreamed of at the time being my husband in the pantomime, well althought [sic] I say it myself or other will tell you they say I was a great success in my part a [sic] Kyasht was crazy about me. Then the war broke out and Count Ragasin Kyasht’s husband left England for Russia, and as she was all alone and we went on tour she had me live with her Louis had in the mean time [sic] left the Co to take an engagement as primier [sic] Dancer in George Edwards’ Musical comedy Gibsy [sic] Lore” Well the tour with Kyasht was wonderfull [sic] she always lived in the Best Hotels had own motor
P. B14
and went sight seeing & had £4 pocket money as it cost me not a cent Well we toured for 2 months then return to London where Kyasht who is in the Heart of London Sociaty [sic] took me along to all her invitations dinner parties theater luncheons my it was wonder full [sic] she had some of her Beautifull [sic] Paquin gowns made to fit me and always had my hair dressed and it was like living in Fairly [sic] land Then she desided [sic] to make a huge Euripean [sic] tour as no one thought the war would last we we [sic] to start at Paris, Berlin, Viana [sic], Budpest [sic] and return to London discharge the Co and I was to go with her to Russia to her Beautifull [sic] estate Castele [sic] Ragosin [sic] near Petrograd and also see Moscow & other important parts of Russia she would hade [sic] adopted me if she could have. Well she did not practice neither did I so I lost all my training the bit I had had. Well the war became very serious and it was impossible to make the tour and all was called of [sic] So Kyasht advised me to go to Pavlova’s Co as I would get a good training and as she would go to a hous [sic] party at Lord Lonsdales’ [sic] estate Lowther Castele [sic] way up in
P. B15
north of England so I wrote a letter to “X” in French and Mr. Volinin who I knew spoke for me and I receaved [sic] a telegram to come. Well I was privately interviews at Ivy House London Hampstead Heath and Elustine who saw me dance with Pavlova and Mr. Dandre there too said right away rotten no good. ([illegible] had taught me to read wright [sic] & speak Russian which I have forgotten now) Mr. Dandre knew I understood russian [sic] and said nevermind do not take any notice of him, But X said I had possibilities and engaged me and said I must work hard & try & leave the [illegible] of Dancing so I came to Pavlova’s Co and to the states at first I was all ambition but before two months I never went to classes & they said she take no interest and were very dissapointed [sic] and you know that here I was in Chicago. I could barely do the exercises with Nondas, Then Last August, Pavlova came to see me and took me to Albertines and told me to practice and try & be fit for the coming tour well I went theree [sic] weeks and Albertiny really knocked [illegible] & training into
P. B16
me, and when the Co was ready Mr. Dandre said I should be an understudy as I could no [sic] do the work with the other girls but when we started to rehears [sic] they wer [sic] suprised [sic] to find that I had became [sic] at last a dancer and cabable [sic] to do everything with the other girls 3 weeks of Albertiny (to me the most wonderfull [sic] teacher in the world) made me a dancer of no good better than I ever had hope [sic] to be and I was but [sic] into all the work then on tour I got the pantomime parts of mother in Giselle + Magic Flut [sic] I had a very nice write up in the paper last time we worked her [sic] with Pavlova. for the work there, So now I am really for the first time practice [sic] hard and working seriously with heart and soul now after this long and tedious story I think you never will read to here [sic] it will tire you to [sic] much. Yes Mama thinks the wold [sic] of me but such a Good Mama as I have could have deserved a better daughter I am only a lot of trouble & worry & expense and with all training and every thing I only now have brain enought [sic] to be really serious before I was always the lightheaded kid [???] nothing on earth could worry me or bother me & nothing would I do
P. B17
with heart & smile & serious Now I regret but what can one do 20 years of my life waisted [sic] and now to [sic] late to learn what I forgot or pick up although in Dancing I am improving & making big headway You want to know where I was borne [sic] Well. I am this Louise Mascot Osboldeston Born August 9th 1896
Born: Lake Titus, Camp Mascot, twelve miles from the nearest city Malone New York States (Lake Titus) is in the Aderondacks [sic] Mountains near the boarder [sic] of Canada and at the time I was boarn [sic] was a wilderness.
Christened at Trinity Church Wall Street N. Y. City
Father. Edwind Pie Osboldeston M.D. English
Mothe [sic] Louisa White American
Married Louis Vesely Czech Bohemian
Chicago August 2nd 1916
Left New York for South American tour with Pavlova
Feb. 8th 1917.
Baby Born Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Dec. 23rd 1916
Mascot Louise Pavlova Vesely
Such is the sad history of my life weep dear friends & be glad thine is not like wise [sic] and as now my head is tired and weary + you ar [sic]
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dreary of hearing from the [illegible] me I will close up for I must write a line yet to Nondas. What would be a letter if one would not talk about the weather. Here we are having mild autumn wether [sic] as winter is now Starting I bought myself a winter hat. I hope to receive a [illegible] only in letter from you and hope dear friend you are able to get a half holiday so you can read this scribble.
With love and kisses and I do hope your health will improve and there is a chance of something coming better if I am not inquisitive what do you work at. As you are an actress could you not get into [illegible] with a Dancing school in Chicago and teach Mimic [???] there. Please write soon and please keep up corresponding to Mama. She likes you.
Again with sincerest and Best Wishes
Your Friend
Mascot
What a Pity I cant [sic] help with anything else but advise if I were near I might be able to help Nondas on a few things.