Mrs. Anna Hay with grandson George Austin Hay.
Below is Mrs. Clara R. Austin the letter writer and also the proud grandmother of Austin and Mariana Hay which are mentioned in this letter.
Johnstown, Pa., Dec. 21. 1919 - (Clara is currently living in Johnstown with her daughter Mary - wife of George Hay - son of Mrs. Anna Hay).
My dear Mrs. Hay,
I think I promised to write to you occasionally without waiting for a reply: so here. I am again acting as the family (unreadable). We have had solid wintry weather continuously for over a week with everything covered with snow. The thermometer has not been very far above zero. The most unfortunate thing about it was the weak flow of (natural ) gas which gave out entirely several times and you know what that means.
We have had colds, but nothing serious, so we think we are very fortunate as there has been and still is quite an epidemic of measles. "Uncle Charlie" Austin stopped off to see us a couple of weeks ago on his way east from visiting his son in Ohio. He enquired for you and left his regards. He baptized the children while he was here: he seemed to be the most suitable one to do it (he was a minister). He talks of going to California this winter in instead of Florida.
Mrs. Suppes—next door—left for California last Monday, with her sisters I believe. I met her downtown the week before & she said she had been sick with grippe (flu). I have been having trouble with my teeth necessitating frequent trips to the dentist and now have comparative relief.
We learned by cable of the arrival of a little son in Madrid on the 29th of November, but no letter has come to give us details. We received a letter yesterday written on the 25th. You will probably see in the paper the sad news of the death of Frank Rosensteel . George (Anna's son and Clara's son) has learned no particulars except that he was seen on the street about eleven o'clock and at four was found dead in his apartment.
The most engrossing entertainment to us is the life of the children. Baby sister (Mariana Hay Caldwell 1918-2018 - died at 99 years old) weighted 19 ½ lbs a week ago, probably is 20 lbs now. She has four teeth with more coming, by the way she bites her fingers. She does not walk but stands pretty steadily. It is not safe to leave her alone anywhere but in the cariole (I looked it up and it says it is some kind of small cart). She sleeps at night in the little bed, but Mary (daughter of Mrs. Calara R. Austin) has found her in the morning reaching for things on the bureau so she can not be trusted there in the daytime. She stands up in her coach and the nursery chair and can only be in them by using the safety strap.
She can "pat-a-cake", "so big" and wave her hand—when so disposed and laughs uproariously sometimes to see her brother play. When asked his name he says George Austin Hay (Modern note - 1915 - 2018 - he lived to be 102 years old and adding to that - their dad Dr. George Hay 1880-1970 lived to be 90 years old and their mother Mary lived to be 94 years old) very plainly but in speaking about himself he always says "boy". He says "grandmother" very plainly; in fact has no trouble with any letter but "S" which he still lisps. Mary took him downtown the other day and he enjoyed seeing all the toys. He did not ask for them but wanted "just to touch them". He does not want to go near any "Santas".
All "funny faces" seem to terrify him, although he likes to see the pictures of Santa in the papers. He still carries around the basket of tracks & trains though he does not play with them quite as he used to do. As the cariole is a safe place for the baby, he plays in that room more than any other. His games of birds and animals (with separate heads) are still favorites & he insists on including them in his evening prayer!
I was at the Bazar & Bake Sale held on Thursday in the Franklin Cafeteria. Mrs. Entwisle (Hay relation) & others enquired for you. Mrs. Kuhn (Hay relation) was there for her luncheon. We are still suffering a shortage of sugar. Penn Traffic, Thomas' & Cupp's seldom have any. Mary has been going to the A & P Tea Store in Moxham & they told her the days they were likely to have it. Then later she signed a card by which they promised to save one or two pounds of sugar everytime they get a supply & they save it for her till she goes for it.
I can not think of any special news. I keep my membership in all the things I was interested in in Oak Lane and hear occasionally from my friends there. Mrs. Roberts is still a shut-in, so I try write to her pretty regularly. Give my love and hearty Christmas greetings to each member of the family and accept this as a Xmas letter from your loving friend
Clara R. Austin
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