Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all

Barbara Bird to Leonard Kephart, November 23, 1951

  • wcu_kephart-2460.jpg
  • In this letter of November 23, 1951, Barbara Bird writes her brother Leonard Kephart (1892-1988) to let him know the situation has worsened. Lucy and Karl have gone out of town and put their mother in Dodd Nursing Home while they are away. Their mother has instructed Barbara to not pay out any of her money to anyone unless instructed to do so by her. She asks Leonard if he can help with current expenses, including the nursing home which is $50 a week.
  • Boonville, New York November 23, 1951 Dear Leonard, Things have come to a climax sooner than I had expected. Lucy and Karl have evidently gone to New York for the christening of their grand- daughter and to see David before he returns to Service (he reports abroad ship at San Francisco on Dec.5). While Lucy is away, Grannie is staying at Dodd Nursing Home. All this I have learned from several disjointed letters from Mama. No word directly from Lucy as yet. Mama is evidently in one of her moods, which are common when interest settles in someone other than herself up to a pitch and has written me as follows:”Don’t pay out any of my money to anyone unless you get definite directions from me to do so. You can send the ^two $10 in cash directly to me as usual”. That means that I cannot touch her money until she says so, of course. The worst of it is that when she gets over her present pique, she will probably forget she ever wrote such a statement. Until she does calm down, I cannot ask her for permission to act. Can you possibly help meet current expenses for her? If you can, please send the money directly to me. I will have such moneys as come from members of the family, placed in an account where I can draw on it without having to consult her. Bills must be paid somehow. Nursing Home is $50 a wk. Please let me hear from you right away. The situation is urgent. Lovingly, Barbara