Autograph letter signed. May [a hired helper?] returned from her day off a changed person, not mentioning anything about leaving. Tuesday Kitten was ill, coughing and with a temperature of 104 ½ which frightened Howe. The doctor came the next day and gave Kitten penicillin and aureomycin and said she had a virus. She was sick all day and evening. There was a very heavy rain and the lights went out at 10:30 for about 3 hours. When the lights went out, the furnace went out and Howe was unable to restart it. She called Timmy Ferris to help her and he came right away. The rain had changed to snow and Ferris got stuck and had to walk part of the way. He found 2 ½ feet of water that would have to be pumped out of the basement before the furnace could be repaired. By the time her husband came back, late the next day, the water was pumped out, the furnace was working, the house was warm, and Kitten was better. Howe learned from her father who had had a letter from Virginia [Elizabeth’s sister] that Dorr would be in Texas until the 23rd [no month given] and that Christy’s [probably Virginia’s son Christopher who was a photographer] picture would be in Life [magazine] this week. Sends love to Dorr and Babs and family [so Dorr is probably staying with them].

Nell Dorr Papers, Amon Carter Museum of American Art Archives, Fort Worth, Texas

Nell Dorr Papers, Amon Carter Museum of American Art Archives, Fort Worth, Texas.