Letter from Louisiana Strentzel to Alice and Mary

My Dear Nieces Alice & Mary Yesterday afternoon Louie & I had been on a visit in town, returning home late we found the lamp already lighted and our evenings mail lying on the table. Among the rest was a package of Honeygrove papers. Louie at once tore off the envelope and commenced looking them over. I had gone into the dining for something when after a few moments she called to me “Mother. Come, this is news for you” I ran in, almost frightened lest it should be some bad news, when she slowly read over the announcement of the double wedding. The news was so sudden & unexpected that I did not know whether to cry or to laugh. I did neither, but sat down on a chair, buried my face in my hands and [tried] to think. Why, these children both were born after I left home, yes and how grown up to be women and now are married, can it be possible I have been away so long, am I indeed so old? I do not know how to realize it. It all seems [to me] so like a dream and then have my heart went out in a prayer to God that your pathway may be strewn with the [cheeriest] blessings, and that you and your husbands may live long, happy and useful lives. But my dear children, do you not know that we are all dying to hear something about those husbands of yours? We had never even heard their names before, and of course we want to ask a thousand questions about them. Are they large or small, young or old, dark or fair, handsome or—well it would be useless to ask either of you this last questions for of course you imagine them to be angels just descended from heaven. Your [