Those Burrowes Girls

                My name is Mary Burrowes and I live in Dayton, Ohio. The year is 1909 and my sisters have gone traveling again. It has been almost exactly eight years since they went gallivanting off to Europe. I have stayed behind to watch over Aunt Martha. Again. This time they are going to the Canadian Rockies, Alaska’s Inland Passage, Seattle, and Portland.

                Aunt Martha’s neighbor calls out a greeting to the postman as he makes his way down the street.

                “Anything interesting today?” She asks.

                “Not for you sorry. I’ve got one from those Burrowes girls for Mrs. Holt.” He replies.

                Those Burrowes girls. That’s what the entire neighborhood knows us as. It would be nice if people might address us by name. Well that’s how life goes.

                “Whose turn is it to write this time Mary?” Aunt Mart asks from her chair near the window.

                My sisters take turns writing to us.

                “Last time was Aggie and the time before that was… Annie.” I recall.

                “That will be Alice’s letter then.”

                It is Alice’s letter. July 29^th, a few days ago then.

                “They arrived in Alaska safe and took a train to the inland. Apparently it runs along the trail that the pioneers who made the rush into Klondike country ten years ago.” I tell Aunt Mart. “Oh dear, it is a good thing they paid those extra six dollars. Those who didn’t buy the round trip have been stuck in Skagway for six weeks.”

                “Was their voyage pleasant?” Aunt Mart asks.

                “Their ship unloads its freight from the moment they land to the moment they leave. Other than the noise she says it has been well. She says the ice burgs are stunning to blue green.”

                When they get back I suspect we’ll have a mob coming by the house until the novelty has worn off.

Work Cited.

 

MS-493 Being Processed. Letter from Alice Burrowes to Aunt Mart and Sister Mary.