Letters written by AP Holly between 1921-1923

The following letters were probably sent from Indianapolis, Indiana to Bristol, Indiana the home of Grandmother Barbour. It appears Mabel was visiting her Mother with Lance (Bud), Mary, Forrest and Alice, between 1921 – 1923.

Dear Bud,-

Received your letter and I am glad you arrived in good order and that they all seemed glad to see you. The caddies at the course ask about where you are and why you don't show up. We hired no caddy yesterday and did not lode a ball either. I bought a couple of fifty cent balls. We may try a game of tennis this afternoon.

You may be learning that is has taken most of us years to find out that the real way in which to get happiness is to give it to others. Unselfishness is always followed by its sister called “happiness” and there are many ways in which you now have the chance to be unselfish; there is Grandma who lives alone and whose children are all gone away from her and she is a very unselfish woman herself and she would do anything for you and for your folks; there is your Mother who has done more for you than all other folks in the world combined and to whom you more than to all others; there is Mary, your sister, who needs a big brother and his kindness; there is Forrest who looks to his big brother for a great deal and Alice who needs your love and care.

I know you will have a nice time.

You Dad.


Dear Mary,-

The roses are blossoming now and look very pretty indeed; but they cannot look quite so pretty to your Dad with you away.

I think that your playmates miss you. Guess that Nonnie wishes you were home. Nonnie shot off a big firecracker this morning and woke up her big sister.

You are probably very thankful because you have been able to take such a fine trip. You see that you are being rewarded for being such a faithful baby tender.

Your Dad.


Dear Forrest,-

How you spect your Dad is going to get along without his curly head to run down the street after him when he is coming home?

The little bicycle is asleep on the front veranda and every once in a while when he wakes up he asks me “Where is my little brown faced playmate, I do miss him so. He just runs me over bumps in the sidewalk and makes my back tire come of and leaves me out on the front steps all night too, but I do like him and wish he would come home.”

Ester plays in the sand all alone, now that you have gone.

Your Dad.


Dear Alice,-

Every evening the fairies come and peep in at your bed room window and when they see that you are not there they fly around to my window and call to me and say “Where is our little Fairy Alice Janette?” I tell them that you have gone way off to the land of your Mother's Fairy days, there where she lives again her childhood dreams by the side of the beautiful old St Joe. One little Fairy stole in at the window last night and sat right on my old bald head close up to my left ear and he put his little fingers up on the edge of it and whispered and said that really there could be no use in their returning until their little Fairy Alice had come home again. They promised to send a little Fairy-messenger once in a while to find out when you are coming home.

Tell Grandma that when she looks at you she may know that even though there have been pretty hard burdens for her to carry at times through life, she is well paid for is she not your Ma's Ma?

Your Dad.