Letter from Marcia Brady Tucker to her son Luther Tucker, August, 1959

Ours was true togetherness. We did everything together from Flora down to Mabel, riding, driving pony carts, swimming, croquet, tennis, tiddlewinks to cribbage, walks to Huylers, bicycling, puzzles in St. Nicholas. Father was very good at tiddlewinks i remember. Mother played the piano and sang to us.

Father and Nick both sang to us. Nick took me out with the fisherman at dawn and later in his canoe, rigged with a sail, sailing on the Shrewsbury River. (It seems to me we always upset.)

I deliberately repeat that in our lives together, I was happy with my brothers, in my home life.

Their misbehavior took place after their marriages.

Family Part 11 - Early days

Flora.

Oh! To find words to make her real to you. She was everything to each one of the four younger ones. She settled the fights between James and Nick, she advised on their love, you know school boys, for skating parties, dances, sleigh rides. She babied Mabel, she bolstered me. She mothered us all. (You see Mother was always "delicate" after the typhoid when I was 12) Flora engaged servants for mother and helped run the house. And was the most joyous, lovely looking and most popular woman of her age. She loved everyone and everything. Someone spoke of her "beautiful" disposition. Comment: Why not, she always gets her own way. Everyone does what she wants.

The truth is everyone wanted to please her. She was so gay. And she had such spiritual courage.

She loved gambling, cards, horses, boating. Father adored her. She always made him laugh, sometimes quite unintentionally. At Christmas time she always "had" a poor family, whose whole Christmas she would give, food, clothing, tree and toys. She played the stock market. She was often in debt. She was generous beyond her means.

Her marriage with Palmer Gavit was a complete sharing.

Father enjoyed gambling and yachting with him.

Mother enjoyed his singing and his piano playing. I, riding with him and tennis and parties.

I enjoyed walking beaux up her house on Sunday afternoons for tea.

Flora had a proper temper, but I can only remember its flaring for injustices, unfairnesses.

En bref, she was a precious sister daughter wife mother.

Part III

Nick

(New Jersey days)

I doubt if there has ever been a big brother to a little sister than Nick to me. I think that he was about 8 years older than I was. (Yale 99). But instead of relegating me to the nursery, he would invite me to get up at dawn to go out with the fisherman for the days catch. (Mother not wholly approving. She hated boats and thought me too young for drowning)

Nick had a canoe with a sail and would take me sailing on the Shrewsbury River. If we upset and my recollection is we often did, he would stretch me and petticoats on the shore to dry, while he sailed about.

When he was in college, he spent summers abroad because of hay fever and returned with a great open Mercedes. He used to take everyone driving in that; everyone excited by such driving.

Mother, Aunt Celestie, all of us, but not all at once. Always he remembered my birthday with exciting presents. I remember a gold stick pin, a raquette with Squash ball.

He rode with us. He persuaded Father to consent to our jumping. In fact he was the thrill of my young life.

He encouraged my violin playing, by accompanying me.

Later in the debutante, before and after period, he always had me included in his parties with his friends. Consequently four of his most intimates asked me to marry them. They are all dead. They must have been very old.

Part IV

James

3 years older (Yale 1904)

We got on normally for sister and brother so situated. I played with Mabel and the younger group.

He played with an older group, older than he was. He did not want "kid sister tagging on" Mabel and I and the nurse always together. He had graduated from a nurse. He alternated

from great generosity, treating us to sodas and candies - to stingy - hiding of his candies. I generally found them, stole lots and that made him very mad. When it came to pony carts and saddle horses, he was always helpful, eager to have us drive and ride well.

He let me read his books with admonitions about their care. My he was rich in books, candies and ties!

I say we got on normally when he did not accuse me of stealing his candy - which I had. Terrible uproars that caused both Mother and nurse on my side.

Poor James! I did not like him when he broke things - the lamps and bells of the doll house which were the wonder of Albany. Nor when he "made me" take care of stinking white mice on a roof I feared falling off of.

I remember he told us stories that made me laugh a lot. That he sometimes played Highway Robbers with our young friends on rainy days and every child wanted him on his side.

I remember being awfully proud of being his sister when he paraded in the Academy drills as

Major. All the big girls were crazy about him.