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Browse Items (31 total)

  • Tags: humor

March 30, 1892

Mary Leslie Newton writes a two-part letter to her father detailing the weather, her attendance at a Presbyterian club with her brother Don, Halley's health, and problems with the typewriter. She signs the letter "Dorothy."


March 6, 1892

Mary Leslie Newton provides an ongoing account of the moving process, focusing particularly and humorously on the family's large number of books. She summarizes a letter received from an uncle, notes attendance at church, and mentions the pension…


March 8, Undated

This undated letter describes the usual lack of news, housecleaning, and Mary Leslie Newton's ongoing issues with a couple of her teeth. A humorous postscript describes an interaction with her grandmother about her height.


May 24, 1892

Mary Leslie Newton describes an interaction between a buffalo from the circus and a local cow. The letter is signed "Dorothy"


November 17, 1891

Mary Leslie Newton notes her upcoming birthday, the recovery of her family members, a recent funeral, and the possibility of a visit to her father in Ooltewah. A humorous aside written down the page describes a new member of the community.


November 18, 1891

Mary Leslie Newton recounts her birthday gifts, including a cloak and a subscription to Harper's; she notes but rejects her aunt's suggestion that, at 17, she is old enough to begin putting her hair up. She recounts some humorous mishaps, including…


October 14, Undated

This undated letter is likely from 1891 or later, 1891 being the year the Newton family got a typewriter. Mary Leslie Newton describes hunting for nuts with her siblings, includes a humorous introduction regarding the drawing at the top of the first…


October 23, Undated

In this undated letter, Mary Leslie Newton describes visiting the school building and sitting in on a variety of lessons, as well as receiving a photograph from a previous teacher. She mentions a social call and her music student. The letter shifts…


October 7, 1891

Mary Leslie Newton included newspaper clippings for a Lal Bagh event, describes her music teaching and various social calls, along with church. The typewritten letter includes a handwritten postscript celebrating the announcement of upcoming literary…


September 6, 1891

Mary Leslie Newton provides a thorough account of her day of examinations in both handwritten and typewritten form. She humorously mentions a fall down the cellar stairs, and goes on to describe her exams in arithmetic, grammar, geography, theory and…