Date: March 4, 1919
Context: Calvin, Jr., asks his father if he can have an air rifle, reminding him that he will soon turn eleven years old and “that would be old enough.”
Dear Papa,
Are you having a nice time I hope I am going to Vermont to see Grampa this summer I have to help him in his haying. I wish awful much you would buy me an air rifle. I will be eleven years old that would be old enough. I could shoot some chipmuncks and squirles all right I wouldn’t hurt any body there like I would here. How is mamma? I hope she is all right. I am going to school all right now. I bothered the girls some but nobody touched us. I went to school with my best clothes on Tuesday afternoon after I got home. Mrs. Woods has not come back. Mrs Bacher said Mrs Woods most likey would not come to school this week. She and her baby had the flu you know. You ought to right to her and tell her you hope she will be all right soon. The sun is shining and it is a nice day. Saturday we had the bigest rain storm you ever saw. The water flooded way up to Mina Wood’s house. It went way over to Dewhursts walnut tree. It went way up to anybody’s body. We built a real large raft and one could realy sail on it way out. They took a pole and pushed it. I went on it and so did everybody. I only had on my overshoes. Frank Lucier went out on it with only rubers on and so did lots of others and they would not get wet at all. We all had a lot of fun except the people who got wet. Kimble got wet and Charles C and Paul Reynolds. But Paul got wet when it was early and nobody was there so he was out again. Charles came out again but most all of the water was gone. I see Mr. Richardson eating now.
With love
Calvin Coolidge
Citation: Vermont Historical Society
View the original document
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges Craig Eyermann, who prepared this document for digital publication