Charles E. H. Bates Family Correspondence, 1899-1930

no difference but maybe it would. He might "have it in" for all the family enough to put in an oar against your Commission. However if it is part of the necessary programme it must go – I suppose & we will just hope for the best –

After the experiences N. had I could almost wish it did not have to go – & if it is necessary the less said the better – i.e. I would never say a word about it to anyone else. That could only complicate matters I suppose

but if the letter to the Adjutant is not necessary, I don't believe I would send it? i.e. if it is "up to you to decide" [underlined] – otherwise let it go.

I called on that nice old lady Mrs Phelps who knitted the socks and enjoyed it very much – She is very old 89 [double underlined] and was assisted [inserted above] into the room by a nice looking maid.

She directed me where to sit & then Sat near me so as to hear well as she is a little deaf – She then got the maid to bring the three other pairs of sox she has knitted for Richard bates, Norman Bates, & Lesley Bates also the

Chronicle picture of you four boys whom she says she has adopted and calls "my soldiers". She keeps it in her room & asked me to tell her about each one. She says they have no men in their family and she felt she must [underlined] have some one in this war who specially belonged to her [underlined], and of all the pictures of families whose sons went into service, none of them appealed to her as this group of my boys did – & she immediately wished they were hers – "how selfish" but she decided to call you "her soldiers" even if you did not really

belong to her – & so she did – her family she says tease her about it but she sticks to it – she lives in a very handsome house with a married daughter granddaughter & great-granddaughter [underlined] who goes to College in second year –

In a beautiful part of S.F. [illegible] of Presidio Ave you know the house is beautifully or at least most handsomely [underlined] furnished – wonderful large oriental rugs & everything to correspond a modern house her granddaughter to whom I spoke over phone seemed very [underlined] nice & they seem very nice people

altogether. The maid seemed most attentive to the old lady (Mrs Phelps & waited upon her) – having plenty of time apparently i.e. they have more than one servant certainly. Mrs Phelps even [underlined] plans to come to see me – says she may – that they have 3 machines in the house so she thinks she "ought to be able to do so".

She evidently appreciated greatly getting a letter from you & took down carefully the names & addresses of Norman Bates, Lesley Bates, & Richard Bates so as to ship to each the sox she has already knitted.