Handwritten letter from Gertrude Starkey Pitcairn in Philadelphia to her father, Dr. George R. Starkey. Gertrude has been thinking about her father lately and the constant strain he is under to upkeep the family’s finances. She feels something ought to be done to lower their cost of living, and she suggests moving somewhere with cheaper rent and provisions where they can dress more plainly. While she enjoyed being a bridesmaid and her trip to Boston, she now regrets the expenses involved; She thought Starkey’s business would be more flourishing than it has proved. Despite the expense, she hopes her mother may have the pleasure of being amongst old friends in Lexington on April 19th. She found the morning’s sermon hard to follow, but the morning doctrinal class should be very interesting. She asks how her father likes the enclosed photograph. She has been told it is satisfactory and wants to send it to twenty different people, though she only has a dozen copies. Her last lesson with Miss Cochran is tomorrow, and she asks when the bill will be paid. She closes and signs the letter, but she picks it up again Monday morning to thank Starkey for his precious letter. She is going through a spiritual struggle like Isreal in the Land of Egypt and will consult Mr. Pendleton as Starkey suggests. They were all glad to learn that Starkey’s health has improved, and they feel sorry for the Hatches that they don’t believe in taking the oxygen. She closes the letter a second time by asking if they are correct in understanding that Starkey won’t be home until April 2nd. Names mentioned: Miss Cochran, Auntie Peirsol, Mr. (Willian Frederic) Pendleton, the Hatches Places mentioned: Boston, Lexington, Land of Egypt, Israel