Eve's Wedding, Letter by Lulan Royle

There's a "cast of characters" at the bottom of the page in case you get confused as to who is whom. The letter has MINOR editing for paragraphs, punctuation, spelling, and sentences so it isn't quite such a struggle to read as the originals were.

Dec 10, 1899

Dearest Lolly:

I got your letter last night and was very glad indeed to get it. I intended to write to you anyway and tell you all about Eve's wedding. Now that's the keyword of this letter: Eve's wedding.

It took place last Wednesday evening 6 o' clock. I dressed Eve myself. Her dress was cream nuns veiling with cream lace and satin ribbon and she wore white lilacs (a whole wreath of them) in her hair and looked just lovely. There wasn't a big party only a few of our nearest neighbors. They were married by an English Church minister. I was bridesmaid and wore a pink dress. After they were married we had a nice supper and after that everybody laughed and talked and danced if they felt like it. We even made Jimmy (who is so bashful) dance. About 12 o' clock the party broke up and everyone said they had had a lovely time and I'm sure I had.

Well I've lost your letter and I can't think whether you asked any questions or not. I think your hair is lovely if it curls like that but it is much darker than I thought it was. Yes I do write to a fellow but not to the old one they tease me about I wouldn't waste paper to write to him. I wrote today, "I did it I did it and I didn't think it wrong" as Ally sings. Do you?

But my goodness don't fall into the dreadful mistake of thinking me a good girl. Everyone else thinks I'm a terror. They have revival meeting here and I do nothing but make fun of them. And they are ridiculas they hollar so and make such an awful racket.

That piece of poetry is comical. Of course I understand it is just the way Ally talks half the time, all backwards.

Dec 11

Eve and Ally are living by themselves now in one part of the house. They had supper by themselves tonight for the first time and Rhea thinks it great fun. She says she is going to live with Aunt Eve all the time. She is, as always, Eve's girl anyhow. I'm not so very fond of her she is such a little rowdy. I don't like rowdy girls nor girlish boys. I like Jo's baby better than I liked any of Mag's. He is such a cute manly little fellow. It seems funny to call such a little baby manly but anyway he is an awfully boyish boy. You would never mistake him for a girl if he were dressed ever so girlish. And he hardly ever cries, except when he's sick he never gets mad and screams like Dallas and Rhea used to (and do now for all that).

I am going to work out this winter. Am going in a day or two. When you write again address your letter to Miss Lily Royle Kutana Assa Canada and tell Dill she's a lazy old thing if she don't make that bonnet. I need it badly now as the weather is nearly 40 degrees below zero. Its too bad you can't have a silk dress but maybe you will get it yet. I've got a new one besides the pink one. It is dark blue and I will show you how its made on front page.

[WRITTEN IN MARGIN] Say I will send you that needle case as soon as I get money enough to pay the postage. The 1.25 I prided myself on is all gone now and this is the result.

[WRITTEN UPSIDE DOWN UNDER THE DATE] Tell Dill to write to me.

[WRITTEN SIDEWAYS ACROSS TOP OF FIRST PAGE] [DRAWING OF DRESS] I wear that pink tie you and Dill sent me last Xmas with this dress. I'm going to use it for a riding habit next summer. I've got a little red cap to go with it like this. [DRAWING OF CAP] Well ma says I mustn't use up all the paper so goodbye for this time with love for Ally and Walt and lots for yourself

Lil

Cast of characters:

Lil, Lily, Lillie, or Lulan - Lulan Royle, later Lulan Royle Chisholm. She's the one who wrote the letter. Age 19.

Lolly aka Laura - Laura Smith, Lil's niece born on the same day that she was (by a half sister from her mother's former marriage) She was 19 at this time. Laura is the daughter of Allie (Alwilda) Smith of Seattle.

Jimmy - Jimmy Chisholm, Alex's younger brother. (Eventually Lil's husband. This is probably when they met.)

Minister - Rev. Gilbert Cook. He was the father of Sybil Cook, who later married Otis Royle who was the brother to Lil & Eve.

Ally & Walt - Alwilda "Allie" or "Ally" who is half sister to Lil. Walt Smith is her husband. Lolly or Laura is her daughter. They lived in Seattle at this time.

ma --Margaret Lewis Young Royle -- mother to Maggie, Jo, Dill, Eve, Otis & Lulan