Ellen Axson Wilson to Woodrow Wilson

Title

Ellen Axson Wilson to Woodrow Wilson

Creator

Wilson, Ellen Axson

Identifier

WWP14959

Date

1902 July 15

Description

Ellen Axson Wilson writes to her husband, Woodrow Wilson, during a trip with her daughters to Massachusetts.

Source

Library of Congress

Publisher

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum

Subject

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924--Correspondence

Language

English

Spatial Coverage

Clifton, MA

Text

My own darling

The letters came at last this morning,—two of them Sundays and yesterdays; I cant say how glad I was to get them and dear little Margaret's too. It was rather hard to wait so long to hear even of her safe arrival,— thanks to leaving so soon after she did.

We have just been through such a startling experience, that I can hardly compose my mind to write. Dear little Annie Beatty had a frightful attack of something like heart failure as the result of her bath in the surf. She and Madge went in together; I was writing to Margaret here at the window and Frances & I decided they had been in long enough so they were called and came up to the house feeling pretty well. But all at once, while taking off her shoes she became rigid, and perfectly purple, and practically unconscious, though all the time uttering the most distressing cries in her effort to get her breath. Agnes was in the third story with a sempstress, but I called for the whiskey bottle and poured it down her, the maids carried her bodily upstairs & with great difficulty we got off her wet things, rubbed her with whiskey and rolled her in blankets and hot water bags. She came too fairly soon as and seems quite herself again now. Agnes thinks it was caused by her going in too soon after being unwell. She went down to the station and telephoned to the doctor in Boston. He says the danger is over and that we did all we should except that we ought to keep up the whiskey at intervals for some hours.

But I don't know why I should write you so many details, except of course that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. It is very satisfactory indeed about the side-board. I am glad you ordered it. It seems from your description to be practically the same as Bowkers, and $15.00 cheaper (besides the saving on freight. Suppose you don't order the serving table at all until we get possession of the house, can measure the wall spaces between “openings,” and see what size will look best. I am glad it is all right about the table too; everything is entirely satisfactory including the prices. Of course you will send back the drawings to the Boston men.

I am delighted that the chimneys are to be done; how I shall enjoy the sight of them! Mr. Tedcastle says we ought to sell our house & invest the money! We would save some three hundred a year & lots of trouble. Tell me what Mr. Feilder hears from his letters.

I am so glad the inaugural promises to take shape easily, dearest.

We are both as well as well can be, and I love you passionately and am always and altogether,Will you send me the funny editorial from the Santa Cruz paper? It is in the pasteboard box on my chest of drawers. The letter from Phila. was from Mr. Henry enclosing the “barber” letter.

The doctor has just been here and says Annie's heart action is still very bad and that she must stay in bed an indefinite time. Agnes says he thinks it may be a permanent injury, but she is so rattled that I cannot help hoping she misunderstood. It all makes me nervous about the children though. One trouble was their eating (popcorn) just before going in. But Madge was & is “perfectly all right.”

Your own, Eileen

Original Format

Letter

To

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Files

http://resources.presidentwilson.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/WWP14959.pdf

Citation

Wilson, Ellen Axson, “Ellen Axson Wilson to Woodrow Wilson,” 1902 July 15, WWP14959, Ellen Axson Wilson Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.