Holly Hotel April 23rd Monday Evening
Dear Mother,
Just received your nice long letter written last Wednesday. Hope Margaret has recovered from her cold. Perhaps it is due to the dust. Do hope you receive rain. It poured here all Saturday night and most of yesterday.
In the morning we five St. Barnabas girls attended the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Heard a very good sermon by the Dean. It is going to be magnificent when completed. The nave so far is only temporary, but the other part is nearing completion. Miss Samuelson went up to Cornwall on the Hudson to visit friends. I spent the afternoon with the Sunday Times and sleeping. In the evening went with Miss Dunglas of Duluth to Grace Church just a few blocks from here on 10th and Broadway. It is a perfect gem of a church and has a men's choir.
This morning we all went over to Hoboken to get the papers we use in place of passports. On them are our photos and fingerprints. After lunch I took a Broadway car up to Central Park then walked home down 5th Ave. doing a bit of shopping. Think we now have everything we need. Some of our things are beginning to come in. My shoes and rubber boots were delivered this afternoon.
Uncle said nothing about his plans for summer. Perhaps he will economize and stay home.
We haven't had a piece of white bread since reaching NY. Last night the minister read a government order asking people to refrain from using wheat bread for 4 months.
I had plenty of room in my trunk for James' box and offered to bring it. We can carry one suitcase and the roll they gave us.
Tuesday morning April 24th
We went to the theatre last night and saw "Tiger Rose" a very good play, scene laid in western Alberta. Lord and Lady Aberdeen were there and made short patriotic speeches. Then $50,000 worth of Liberty bonds were sold. When $17,500 was reached a man in the audience offered to double it of they reached $25,000, which they quickly did. Bonds are sold at the theatres every night.
Don't know how the report that we would stay in New Jersey got started. Lakewood is a mobilization point for nurses. There were five units there but I fancy most of them are now in NY. Our orders when we left Minneapolis were "enroute for Europe."
Glad Mae is able to leave the hospital and hope she will soon be strong.
This is a beautiful morning. I think that this afternoon I will ride up 5th Ave. and Riverside Drive on the top of the bus. Miss Samuelson is not good at sightseeing, so I meander around alone and enjoy doing so.
Received a letter yesterday from Mrs. Hodgens. She is at home and getting along nicely.
I think I have told you everything and will now proceed to write a line to Floss.
Affectionately, Jane