Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Beautiful Lady

I love this portrait from the past. I see traces of the little girl with whom I am so intrigued. Perhaps this is she, all grown up.

My sister Clytie and I are in the process of scanning and preserving the many cards and letters my Grandmother left behind.

I want to share an excerpt from a letter to Grammie from her older sister Tilly. I laughed and laughed over her words. Perhaps we are more alike than I know--except for the saintly sick part. (grin) I remember Great Aunt Tilly. She was always full of the dickens. She died at 101 years of age.

Aunt Tilly is very young when she writes of her participation in the suffragette demonstrations for women's rights in the early 1900's:  

"Have you been to the Walkathon? I finally weakened and went last Saturday! I had been holding out for over a month. Albert has wanted to go all the time. Of course, I think a contest of that nature is wrong and it is wrong for anyone to contribute to the support of it.

But I get tired of being good all the time and just have to do something wicked every so often. It seems like something dries up inside of me when I am just righteous and good all the time. I just have to bust loose and do something "bad" once in awhile. Then I feel better and can settle down and be real saintly and sick looking again for quite a spell."

As an older lady, she became quite acrid.  This wonderful note made me like her a lot--I wish I could have known her when she was young.

10 comments:

Evelyn Yvonne Theriault said...

Hi Beth, you've caught me just before I leave for a weekly vacation.
I knew about your parents and I'm still praying for them.
Good luck to everyone,
Evelyn in Montreal

Bella Foxx said...

Hi Beth, I didn't know about your parents accident. I sincerely hope their recovery is complete.

In the midst of all that it was sweet of you to stop by my blog. Now that you have done something sweet you can do something 'naughty'. (LOL)

Lois said...

What a dreamy looking picture!

Akeith Walters said...

So much then is so much the same as now...just different faces. I'm glad I read this.

Unknown said...

Lovely piece . . .I almost feel like I know her (a bit) already and look forward to following your posts.

JANN said...

lol THIS LETTER WAS FUNNY, MUCH THE SAME WITH PEOPLE AT ANY ERA. THANX FOR SHARING......
COOL IMAGE, LOVE WOMEN IN VEILS

Clytie said...

Beautiful photo, what a dreamy look on her face. And thanks for sharing the Aunt Tillie letter. I hope you find some of the other funny things she wrote. I read some to mom and they were hysterical, and brutally honest. She really was a character.

Margo said...

what an amazing piece of family history to have from Aunt Tilly. I love it! Hope your parents are getting along better :)

Debby said...

Love this photo, Beth...
debby

Carole said...

What a gorgeous photograph. Another one that would be fabulous for altered art.

I notice you live in Oregon too. :-)