February 19,1931
I’m realizing now a couple of things. Al wrote Elma a lot more than Elma wrote Al. It seems like he wrote almost every day while Elma wrote every other or every third day. After all she was pretty busy making that quilt : ). Also, sorry Grandpa, Elma’s handwriting is better and easier to read. Growing up, I remember my Grandpa’s hands as tough, almost leathery, and I can’t imagine those same hands writing a heartfelt letter. Those hands were well-suited for holding a scythe to cut the long grass in the side field, speaking from the experience of seeing him do it. Anyway, I digress. So in today’s post I thought I would feature two letters, one from each of them written on the same day.
Elma first:
Evansville, IN
Feb 19, 1931
Dear Al,
I guess you missed my skipping last night for I know how I feel when the mailman goes on passed. But Al I can hardly tell you what a job it really is for me to write to the one that’s always been so near and dear to me, the one that I need to wait and whisper just everything to, things that my heart and mind are loaded with, things that I couldn’t tell and wouldn’t interest anyone else. Al these few days have already seemed like a few years to me, how much longer will it last? Al in that letter I got today you surely didn’t mean you were going to stay there when you spoke of having to go to the meetings with the regular men and me coming and staying there with you, did you? If I knew anything like that was going to take place I believe I’d tell you to move over in that big bed of yours and make room for a kicking partner right away. Still there aint much use to worry I guess just wait and see.
So here goes for a few of the happenings. Yesterday morning up at Reitz some fellow cut in front of me so short my only choice was to get over or get hit. I cut over to the curb and bent up my back fender on the bumper of a parked car. Caught the bumper above the running board. It wasn’t so bad, but I let the insurance company fix it. Took it up to Stockens this morning at about 10:30 and they said I would have to wait until 1:30 so I went uptown and looked around window shopping. Bought three bath towels that were on sale 3 for $1.00. Al they’re real pretty and we might want to take a bath some day. Also got some gingham I want to use for aprons. Every cook needs an apron. I then went to get the machine and the paint was dry enough so I didn’t have to wait when I got down in the west end. It was ten til two already and not much use in going home and coming right back, so I was real good and went to church and prayed the rosary and Al, I never forgot you. After I came from church I went over to your home and spent the rest of my time with your mom and dad. Your mother was sewing and your dad asked if I got a letter from Al today. They’re both well. After coming home more tired than if I worked all day and nothing done anyhow, I mixed up two batches of your P.D.Q ??. Been out for a while so you didn’t miss that part.
This evening Oscar is over to see Marie and mom and dad went to John Kerns. Tony Folz is there and they’re going to have music. I had to help Harold with his lessons and put him to bed. If you could make out anything of his letter write him a few lines of his own. He makes plenty over it when he gets a letter from Al. but one thing I know he won’t get my pen to write with anymore as he about shot it already. All the rest are well and told me to say hello from them.
It’s getting late again so I’m going to quit for this time but I believe its harder to stop than it is to start. Anyhow, when I happened to think you’ll get all this junk Saturday afternoon when you’ll be home from work. Al you know how I wish I could be with it if it were only on Saturday and Sunday. How I would like to surprise you by being right there with all my love and kisses to greet you when you stepped into your room. And what a greeting that would be. They all tell me absence makes the heart grow fonder so if we’re apart much longer hard telling how I will act when we meet again Al. Until then all I can send on paper is coming right from my lips to yours.
Goodnight Al with more love and kisses than ever before
Elma
My comments:
After I read this one I felt bad because then my grandma wrote a 4-pager. She obviously really missed him too. So my grandma had a wreck down by Reitz-the public high school on the westside of town. I’ve already told you about how she didn’t have a driver’s license…
Other things that happened were that she said Nick and Sophie went over to Kern’s to dance and listen to music. Kern’s lived down Harmony Way, where the Y is with New Harmony Rd. My mom said that often people would visit other people and put a canvas on the grass as a dance floor. It was February, so I’m assuming they stayed inside.
Now Al’s letter. which he wrote on the same day, but she didn’t get until a few days later.
Kokomo, IN
Feb. 19, 1931
Dear Elma,
I have just received your request and you don’t have to be worried about anything Elma for in no time I think your trouble is too much worries and your system is rundown and weak, so please take care of yourself and don’t worry so much get plenty of rest or if you think you have to keep worrying so much, I will quit the job down here and come home before I see you get down sick with a nervous breakdown so Elma please be careful with yourself please do if for my sake. I want you to get all the sleep and rest you possibly can because you need it very bad Elma your nerves are just about shot now. I know that from myself if I could let everything worry me like that I would be as bad as you are Elma, but I get plenty of sleep and rest all the time and am getting fat. I weighed today and weigh 185 pounds so that is gaining plenty since the last time I weighed at Evansville I weighed about 175 pounds so you can do the same Elma take good care of your system and be healthy and strong for your sweet daddy is wanting you to be in good health, we have school tonight and I want to mail this early so you will get it as soon as possible with love and many sweet kisses and lots of kisses for the days you don’t get a letter so goodbye Elma and a kiss goodnight on your sweet lips.
Al
My comments:
Wow, he sure was worried about her! It cracks me up because if you read this in isolation you might think that my grandma was a nervous person that needed consoling which couldn’t be farther from the truth. I remember her as a strong person although she was a worrier, I think that goes with the time and territory. She lived a lot of life between this letter and when I knew her 40-60 years later. She would go on to marry my grandpa later this same year. She had four children and each of them married and had children. And so much more happened in the world: WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam. As they say…life happened. But it all started here with the letters.