Eleanor Randolph Wilson McAdoo to Margaret Woodrow Wilson

Title

Eleanor Randolph Wilson McAdoo to Margaret Woodrow Wilson

Creator

McAdoo, Eleanor Wilson, 1889-1967

Identifier

WWP19630

Date

1927 February 28

Description

Eleanor Wilson McAdoo writes Margaret A. Wilson, and is quite angry at Edith Bolling Wilson's suggestion that Margaret change her name.

Source

Eleanor Wilson McAdoo Papers, University of California, Santa Barbara

Publisher

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum

Subject

Wilson family

Language

English

Text

My own darling, wonderful sister

     I wish I knew how to tell you how bully I think you are! I've always known it but every time you prove again what a splendid, plucky, magnificent little dear you are I am filled again with pride in you and wonder that I could have such a sister! Your letters are the finest things that I have ever read - you darling - gosh, Im so proud at you that I have no words to express it!
     You know, darling, I took you so literally last spring, in New York, - as you wanted me to, of course - that when I read the little paragraph tucked away in the newspaper out here, I didn't worry at all - at least, only for a moment. I have such complete faith in you, dearest, that I just said to Mac when he got home and Margaret Elliott and Molly, who were the only ones to notice it, apparently "I dont think its true and, if it is, its alright - she will deal with it in the right way and I know she won't worry." And so, I didn't even write to you, because I thought that if I did you might think that I was agitated and not trusting you. Im sorry now, though, that I didn't because you wouldn't have misunderstood and I wanted awfully to tell you sooner how furious we are at those rotten skunks who have done this. Oh Margie, aren't people utterly and completely abominable! I wish I could get my hands on those two stinking Jews! Excuse my language! Darling, I trust you absolutely - I see just how it happened - its just what I myself might have done - and I'm not worrying about you a minute. You believe all that, dont you?
     I have, still, one great wish, though. As I told you when we talked about it in New York, I wish you had wanted to talk to Mac about it. I know why you didn't and it's adorable of you not to want to trouble him and all the rest of your feeling about it. But he is eager to help and has a wonderful idea which you will be delighted with, darling. He thinks, as I do, that you're bully - he is just as proud as I am of you - You should have seen his face when I read your letters to him - just glowing with pride in his dear little sisters spirit. He doesn't want to lend you money, darling, because we know that you don't want that - but he will be in New York again in April so please, darling, let him talk to you about it. Will you? Its a keen plan, as Ellen says, and I know that you will like it. And it involves no sacrifice or trouble on the part of any of us.
     My fury now, is also directed against Edith, for that utterly contemptible letter of hers to you, of which she sent me a copy. Really Margie, I cant conceive of any right minded person daring to write such a suggestion to you. Is she utterly and completely stupid so that she doesn't realize how contemptible it was, or is she deliberately being nasty? How dare she in the first place imply that there was any reason on earth why you should drop part of your name, or in the second place suggest that she or any one else has the right to ask you to! Its your name carried for years with Father's and Mother's complete approval and she is pressuring inexcusably if she thinks that she has any right to ask you to drop it. I hardly dare trust myself to talk about it - for my anger knows no bounds! The cold-blooded, hard-hearted Pharasee! If you ever drop the Woodrow I'll never forgive you! You've deserved it and have earned it a hundred times over, darling, even if you hadn't had the right to it. And don't you let Edith hurt you or make you think for one moment that anything you've done or will do makes any of the rest of us anything but proud that you wear it.
     Don't mind, Margie dearest, if I'm angry about this - I must be - it deserves righteous anger and indignation and Father himself would resent it, if he were here.
     I am writing this in pencil because I am in the hospital, sitting with Ellen who has had her tonsils out. They were removed this morning at nine o'clock and its now afternoon and she is coming out of it beautifully. They needed to come out badly - there was no doubt of that for they were full of pus and I should have had it done long ago - I've been a coward about it, as usual. I am infinitely relieved to have it all over and done with, but right now am a bit exhausted because I stayed awake most of the night worrying and frightened for fear something would go wrong. I am writing to Helen tomorrow. I am so excited at the prospect that I might actually get her at last that I am perfectly wild. We may - keep this absolutely secret, dearest - we may all go East in April and stay for six months so I am going to talk it all over with her, if thats the case. We'll know in about a week very definitely. Won't that be exciting - I am crazy to go. There are so many useful purposes that darling little Helen can serve if she comes to live with us that I can't enumerate them and Mac and I, needless to say, want her dreadfully. But I don't want her to regret it or to be anything but happy over it so I shall go over all the ground with her very thoroughly.
     I have a thousand more things to say but must stop and read to Ellen - I love you, darling precious, wonderful sister and admire you more than any words can ever, ever say - Mac loved seeing you and sends his best love and admiration to his dear sister. 

Always your adoring

Nell

Feb 287th 1927

Original Format

Letter

To

Wilson, Margaret Woodrow, 1886-1944

Files

http://resources.presidentwilson.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/D70074.pdf

Tags

Citation

McAdoo, Eleanor Wilson, 1889-1967, “Eleanor Randolph Wilson McAdoo to Margaret Woodrow Wilson,” 1927 February 28, WWP19630, Eleanor Wilson McAdoo Collection at the University of California-Santa Barbara, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.