Summing up Christmas 101 years ago in Mason City, Nebraska

For the sake of efficiency, a mother and daughter used both sides of a single piece of paper to write their respective post-Christmas notes 101 years ago.

Here are the two sides of the letter, followed in each instance by a faithful transcription.

Mason City, Nebr.
Dec 29 1912

Dear Cousin
I was up to grandpapa Christmas. I got a glass and three book and doll and a ribbon and a handkerchief and two postcards and a pencilbox and a string of beads and piece of goods for a white apron and a box of candy.

We had a week of vacation and are school is going to start tomorrow.

We like are teacher and her name is Martha Whitehead.¹

We are all well except cold.

Hope you are all well.

From your cousin
Blanche

Dear niece
We recieved our box and many thanks
mine is just fine
how did you know I did not have any thing like it Ha Ha
The children think theirs is fine too.
I am in a hurry this morning trying to get the girls off to school and they are bothering me too
Write soon
Emma Hammer

Footnote
1. I found a reference to Martha Whitehead in the NEGenWeb Resource Center. She was one of seven graduates at the Mason City (Nebraska) high school commencement in Custer County on May 21, 1897.