Jessie Woodrow Wilson Sayre to Margaret Woodrow Wilson
Title
Jessie Woodrow Wilson Sayre to Margaret Woodrow Wilson
Creator
Sayre, Jessie Woodrow Wilson, 1887-1933
Identifier
WWP19579
Date
c. 1913 December 25
Description
Jessie Wilson Sayre writes Margaret A. Wilson with news from her trip to London.
Source
Eleanor Wilson McAdoo Papers, University of California, Santa Barbara
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
Wilson family
Contributor
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum staff
Language
English
Text
Dearest, sweetest, Margaret
How much I am thinking of you all this Christmas season. It doesnt seem like Christmas time. The pretty soft coal fires in every room are almost superfluous but too pretty to give up. It is lovely to go to sleep every night by fire light. You cant imagine how odd it is to see open fires in every shop and even in public buildings. We went to Downing street to the foreign office and waited in a little room that looked out over the Serpentine while Mr. Page talked with Sir Edward Gray, and in the big hall by the door was an open fire, and all along the corridors. It gave one creeps to think of all the history that had been made in that dingy old solid building. Mr. Page says he understands that every word, even every joke, in his conversation with Sir Edward is recorded by something or some one behind a screen, printed and filed away in the archives. Rather gruesome.
The Embassy office is the shabbiest old place possible. Really it makes one feel that we ought to do better for the sake of our country. Not magnificent but at least comfortable decency! The Pages house is beautiful.
At dinner the other night I saw Sir William and Sady Walter. All her family are married even darling Lois. Do you remember the petted darling? Canon Rawnsby was down, too, and just the same. Dr. Ostler and lots of interesting people were there. The Pages are so nice that their friends are naturally of the same kind. It is surprising how many Americans there are here, most of them cleaning women who have married Englishmen and have become identified almost completely with this country. It is really charming how much these English people love Americans and how nice they are to them.
Dearest Margaret, a merry Xmas and a Happy New Year and love from us both.
Jessie.
How much I am thinking of you all this Christmas season. It doesnt seem like Christmas time. The pretty soft coal fires in every room are almost superfluous but too pretty to give up. It is lovely to go to sleep every night by fire light. You cant imagine how odd it is to see open fires in every shop and even in public buildings. We went to Downing street to the foreign office and waited in a little room that looked out over the Serpentine while Mr. Page talked with Sir Edward Gray, and in the big hall by the door was an open fire, and all along the corridors. It gave one creeps to think of all the history that had been made in that dingy old solid building. Mr. Page says he understands that every word, even every joke, in his conversation with Sir Edward is recorded by something or some one behind a screen, printed and filed away in the archives. Rather gruesome.
The Embassy office is the shabbiest old place possible. Really it makes one feel that we ought to do better for the sake of our country. Not magnificent but at least comfortable decency! The Pages house is beautiful.
At dinner the other night I saw Sir William and Sady Walter. All her family are married even darling Lois. Do you remember the petted darling? Canon Rawnsby was down, too, and just the same. Dr. Ostler and lots of interesting people were there. The Pages are so nice that their friends are naturally of the same kind. It is surprising how many Americans there are here, most of them cleaning women who have married Englishmen and have become identified almost completely with this country. It is really charming how much these English people love Americans and how nice they are to them.
Dearest Margaret, a merry Xmas and a Happy New Year and love from us both.
Jessie.
Original Format
Letter
To
Wilson, Margaret Woodrow, 1886-1944
Files
Citation
Sayre, Jessie Woodrow Wilson, 1887-1933, “Jessie Woodrow Wilson Sayre to Margaret Woodrow Wilson,” c. 1913 December 25, WWP19579, Eleanor Wilson McAdoo Collection at the University of California-Santa Barbara, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.