Eleanor Randolph Wilson McAdoo to Jessie Woodrow Wilson Sayre

Title

Eleanor Randolph Wilson McAdoo to Jessie Woodrow Wilson Sayre

Creator

McAdoo, Eleanor Wilson, 1889-1967

Identifier

WWP17526

Date

1915 December 4

Description

Eleanor Wilson McAdoo writes Jessie Wilson Sayre on the latter's pregnancy, and on their father's upcoming wedding to Edith Bolling Wilson.

Source

Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton University

Language

English

Text

Sweetest Sister

I have been in bed ever since I got back from the Army-Navy game, because I got my feet wet and caught a beastly cold. It's in the same old ear now that always gets gay when it has a chance, but I'm almost recovered now. This is why I haven't written to you for such ages. Your two darling letters I have loved. I'm glad you've told the family because they're so happy for you and I knew they would be and it's so much nicer, for you, to have them know, isn't it? Besides it was a terrific strain on me to keep such a bully secret! Just think I never even told Mac. Not a human soul knew it from me. But after you told me in your last letter that the family knew, I told him. That was all right, wasn't it? He thinks it's lovely.

I'm so glad you're so well blessed angel. Oh, how I wish I could be with you—have you down here with me all the time, darling, darlingsister. I'm getting so excited thinking about seeing you so soon—for the wedding. It is to be on the eighteenth, I think. No-one has told me but Father asked Mac to see about getting some an apartment for them at—I'll tell you when you come, if I can—on the nineteenth, so we have drawn our own conclusions. I think the lovely rose dress will be most appropriate—it looks sweet for either afternoon or evening and was always heavenly on you. I'm planning to wear a white afternoon dress, but I don't think it matters very much for I no-one will be there except ourselves and her (awful) family. Don't worry about how you'll look because I know you'll look lovely—December isn't very far along—only four months isn't it? And it's only two weeks off now—the wedding, I mean. (Heavens, what a mixed up sentence!)

Think of Frankie kneeling and crawling and doing gymnastics like that! Isn't he the enterprising young man! I'm so glad he's over his cold,—aren't they beastly things, tho? And I'm thrilled over all his teeth. Did you know that Maitlands boy hasn't a tooth, yet. She has had a bad time with him, poor dear. She weaned him and the food didn't agree and finally he go very sick indeed. For a few days they didn't know whether or not he would pull thro'. Wasn't that awful for her? But he's out of the woods now and gaining again after losing about four pounds!

Ellen is wonderful and has two teeth, already! The first one came on the day after her six months birthday and the second a week later. She now weighs fifteen pounds, 12 ounces and is the prettiest, sweetest, jolliest thing you ever saw, except of course your own. She is as good as gold all day long, except at night when she is put to bed and doesn't happen to feel sleepy. Then the lady gives evidences of a McAdoo-Wilson temper that makes my blood run cold! Such shrieks. Last night the fight lasted an hour and she won and was picked up! Sounds like the tales they tell of me, doesn't it? I always won. She sits up now propped up with pillows and laughs aloud with the joy of it. She carries on a most elaborate and mysterious conversation all by herself, with a squeal of rapture whenever she thinks she has been particularly clever. I am raving, am I not, but she is absolutely the joy of my life—how did I ever live without her. I have had some delicious pictures taken of her—you'll have one, when you come. I will pass your Xmas list on to the others. Thank you for it—it's an enormous help. Oh, I'm so sick of being stuck up in the house like this with all my Christmas shopping yet to do!

Give Ellen's dearest love to her darling and beautiful cousin and mine to him, too, and to you, you blessed Jetty all my love. In fact we all send ours to you all as always—

Your adoring sister
Nell—

Original Format

Letter

To

Sayre, Jessie Woodrow Wilson, 1887-1933

Files

http://resources.presidentwilson.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NWMtoJWS19151204.pdf

Citation

McAdoo, Eleanor Wilson, 1889-1967, “Eleanor Randolph Wilson McAdoo to Jessie Woodrow Wilson Sayre,” 1915 December 4, WWP17526, Jessie Wilson Sayre Correspondence, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.