ENPages
CEHBates022
Billings Aug 9th, 1908.
My dear Edward
A very happy birthday to you and a great many of them!
When I think that it is two years since we saw you and that you are actually fourteen it is plain that you are much taller.
Perhaps you are as tall as Dick was when we were there. And Jocelyn nearly twelve! It is hard to realize. Do you swim a great deal still? I suppose you surely no more stay out of the water than so many fish. And how did you enjoy your outing at [Linly?]
CEHBates023a
It must have been delightful.
Norman is quite a successful hunter is he not?
He must be having a hurried time now poor boy and it is well he he had the outing. I wish he could have secured a position on a survey before he started college life, but he must not over-study and must not neglect athletics They are essential.
Do you still collect post cards Edward? I am sending you a little album to place some of them in. Fred has an album full and another nearly full – Anna sent us some very pretty ones from Niagara a few days ago.
A couple have Brock's mon-
CEHBates023b
-ument on them – different views of it – the vista a number of flags sitting at its base – several of them are decorated with the Union Jack which we, of course enjoyed seeing.
I wonder if Lion wrote to congratulate Dick on his winning the cup in the swimming contest last summer – If I did not it was not that I did not rejoice at his prowess as a swimmer and did not feel proud of him. Tell him so with my love Edward dear – I always am delighted over all the successes of my grandsons and am very proud of them, indeed.
CEHBates023c
Anna may go over to see Roy at West Point now that she is in New Jersey – I hope she will. Speaking of West Point reminds me of Benedict Arnold – Try [?] in the Alameda library – & they have a couple of books, one is entitled "The real Benedict Arnold", the other "The real Aaron Burr – Poor Benedict Arnold was "A man without a country" you know. Perhaps he was not such a cowardly traitor as is usually supposed.
Goodnight my dear boy, pleasant dreams and a happy birthday on the 13th. Your grand mother
[on right margin:] A very loving birthday it is for me & the [illegible] good one to you
Much love from us all
CEHBates024
Imprint: Shasta Route [centered] San Francisco and Portland SOUTHERN PACIFIC [logo] SUNSET OGDEN & SHASTA ROUTES
Just passed Sierras
Dearest old Edward
I hope you are well and happy today, and that you & Edith got home safely & not too tired last night. It was very kind of Edith to come down to the mole [?] and I fear she must have been very tired after all that she had done trying to help me get off - I dont know that I could