%images;]> magbell-03910415 Letter from Mabel Hubbard Bell to Alexander Graham Bell, October 29, 1896, with transcript: a machine-readable transcription. The Alexander Graham Bell Collection. Selected and converted. American Memory, Library of Congress.

Washington, DC, 1998.

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1998/12/19 0004

Letter from Mrs. Alexander Graham Bell to Dr. Alexander Graham Bell. 1331 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, D. C. (Oct. 29, 1896) My dear Alec:

I received a great shock today. I sent to the Bank for a statement of my balance, and they replied it was fifteen hundred dollars to our credit. This is after all our October dividends are in, and before I have paid a single bill. How are we to get on until January? We owe Charlie fifteen hundred from last spring when I borrowed that to help pay my bills then. Papa will give me some money from the Trust for house furnishing, etc., but I am alarmed at the state of our finances. I do try to be careful, and I know I haven't spent a single unnecessary thing. Yet there is eight hundred owing on the vase for Mamma's Golden Wedding, six hundred for us and two hundred for the children. Then I have not paid for Daisy's schooling and Elsie's and my dresses, and all our living expenses between now and Jan. 15, are to be paid. I will not hire the carriage and pair as I intended, but I must get a trap because the carryall Perrin drives is really not respectable. I do wish I could feel happy and free from financial worries this especial year of Elsie's coming out. I do not wish to live any better than we do, but I do wish we could live this way without constant worry.

I am so glad you have got home safely and put in a good days work at last. I will not forget to telegraph you the elections. The Washington Ladies Club have put in a special wire to their rooms and members only have the privlege of going there and getting the returns. I don't know whether to go there or stay at home and 0005 2 listen at the telephone.

We went out to Georgetown this evening and played whist. They are all well. It is as hot as Baddeck in midsummer.

Much love, Your own, Oct. 29th 1896.