Elma is distraught in this letter, because she hadn’t gotten a letter from Al in a day or two. : ) She talks about how glad she is that Al has a job, because many people are starting to struggle. Those are my words, but my interpretation is that the depression was just starting.
The interesting part about this letter was the last part when she mentioned Victoria Marx. Victoria Marx married Walter Sitzman. She mentioned that they were having difficulties, so I’m wondering if Walter lost his job in Chicago. They moved back home and more than likely were being supported by her family of Marx barbecue fame. The interesting part is that her sister married my grandmother’s older brother – my grandma had two brothers and Ed was the older one. Ed married Tillie, short for Othilda, who was Victoria’s sister. Ed died fairly young – he had schizophrenia and was in the state hospital. I don’t need to say anymore about that. Tillie went on to marry Carl Rodenburg in 1947.