Letter - Ethelwyn Wetherald to Frank Page, 2 September 1932

Abstract

A letter from Ethelwyn Wetherald to Mr. Page, 2 September 1932. The letter reads: "Dear Mr. Page, - Thank you so much for these lovely pictures. I take great pleasure in them. It was a disappointment, not seeing you this summer; but I expect to do so before next May. I am coming up to New Dundee next April & expect to celebrate my 76th birthday at your hospitable house. Ellen will show me the lovely Park in your vicinity; & you & Elsie & I will enjoy 'one crowded hour of glorious chat'. Here is a funny experience I had recently. My health had been poor all summer, no pain, nothing organic - just tired all the time. It was partly the heat, partly anxiety about Charlie & Herbert, & fussing about money matters. Nothing coming in (it never does on a farm in April, May & June, & so much going out. But as the summer is nearly over, & my mind is settled about my brothers, & Ken brings home from market $15 to $25 each time & goes twice a week, I felt that I ought to pick up. Dorothy asked Ken to guess how much I weighed & he said 90 & she said 'less', he shouted 'No! Well, she's got to got to the Falls tonight sure.' There is a Belgian herb doctor there who is a wizard with 'yarbs.' The little man (he barely reaches Ken's shoulder) looked me over & said, 'what is the trouble?' 'Bronchial cough. Had it since last winter.' 'Then you are very weak.' I can't wobble across the room without hanging on to chairs & tables & I pull myself upstairs by the use of the stair rail. 'The stomach?' 'n.a. Can't eat anything. Worse when take drugs.' 'Dear lady, why do you take drugs? Now listen. You have eggs?' 'Oceans of them' 'Take one fresh egg & poach it very soft. Butter a square of brown bread toasted, & put the egg on it. You have milk?' 'Barrels of it' 'Good. A large tall glass of new milk. That makes one meal. You have fruit & vegetables?' 'Acres of them' 'And chickens?' 'Hundreds of them' 'Then why do - how can you get sick? Chicken breast or chicken broth with fruit & vegetable for the other two meals no pie, no cake, no sugar, no dessert, no, no, no! Now listen: one table spoonful from this big bottle before meals. 30 drops of the Life Elixr at bedtime. But if you feel tumbly & collapse, then 30 drops at once.' Kenneth said, 'This lady is a writer'. 'Ha!' he struck his breast. 'Me, I am a writer too. I have a $2 book. He brought it. 'The True Story of Hiawatha.' Some book my next will be $3. We smiled. Brother & sister under the skin. That was last Saturday Today I weigh 82. I shall surely go to 90 in a month. Feel fine. Affectionate regards Ethelwyn Wetherald"