Monthly Archives: September 2011

September 4, 1925

Friday Night 9/4.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I am happy tonight – both letters came at one time. They were short and sweet and as usual they hit the spot.

It was awfully nice of you, Dear, to say that you would cook all three meals if I thought my digestion would stand it. You can bet your life that my digestion can stand it and I already know that you are a dandy little cook. Too, your taste is very similar to mine and I know that both of us will enjoy the meals. I guess I’ll have to drink coffee by myself but this will be all right. Mother Lewis is a good cook and from what I know of your cooking, I know that you are a good one too. I am looking forward with pleasure to yours.*

September 29, 1925

September 29, 1925

I agree with you and the minister who preached that The World is Getting Better. Years ago everyone had a high fence around the house and on the inside of the yard they had a ferocious dog. Lots of them have gotten rid of the dog and some have taken part of the fence down. I have particular reference to homes in the cities, as both the fence and dog are often necessary in homes on ranches and farms.

I am going to Jax again tomorrow morning and I guess I’ll be up there most of the day. Dr. White will stay down here. It makes a pretty hard day and he is older than I. He goes in the surf about twice each day and has quite a coat of tan, much more than I have. I believe that he is going to invest in a lot or two here on the beach. He thinks it is mighty fine and that the beach will develop. I believe it will, but I also believe that I made a better purchase at Fulford. I’ll be down there the latter part of the month and will investigate the present value. You did not mention the idea of a homestead, and I guess that it did not strike you favorably. I won’t consider it if you do not approve of it. I want you to know, Dear, that I have no idea of giving you any undesirable place to live. I want it to be such that both of us will enjoy it and I am going to do my best to make it that way.

You mean the world to me and I love you lots and lots and lots.

With a sweet goodnight, I am,

Yours always & forever,
Walter.

* Walter was a true gentleman.

September 3, 1925

Thursday Nite 9/3.

My Dear Sweetheart,

No letter today but I am sure that it will be here tomorrow. The letter of yesterday was a real good one so I’ll read it some more.

There was a good crowd in the surf this afternoon and the water was fine. It was one of the days when a person will not get sun-burned and can enjoy it all the time.

September 3, 1925

September 3, 1925

There has been no excitement of any kind. Everything is quiet. If you like a quiet place for a honeymoon you will certainly like it down here. But I’ll try and keep you from being lonesome.

I love you, Dear, and while this letter is a short one, I always want to remind you of this fact.

With a sweet goodnight,

Yours always, & all ways,
Walter

September 2, 1925

Wednesday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I just received a nice long letter from you and I should write you a good one if I possibly could, but Dear, I am awfully tired and sleepy. Took the early train & spent the whole day in Jax. Was busy the whole time too. Missed the train I intended to take as KS and I ate lunch together and it was a place where they don’t serve quickly. So the rest of the afternoon was spent in mailing out reprints of the New Orleans report, like the copy I sent you. KS said that I should mail one to each of my girls and he rather expected to see one addressed to a “Miss.” I sent you the first one I received, even before I had a regular mailing envelope.

September 2, 1925

September 2, 1925

I note what you said about the wedding present, and I am mighty glad that you gave me your ideas. I want you to always be that way and then we will not have on hand some presents to be stored in the attic. You did not suggest what you wanted, I’ll think about it some more and will ask you what you think. It might be a good idea to wait until after the wedding and then let you suggest. Something given may suggest one to complete a set etc.

It is an extremely pleasant pastime to plan what we want and I certainly do get a lot of pleasure in thinking of you and that you are soon to be with me always. I’ll probably hear from Mr. BIshopp before a great while to the effect that I can either spend the whole time down there or that I should join Mr. Laake in Dallas. I hope we can come here, but either way will be a mighty happy trip if you are with me. Sweetheart, I certainly do love you.

It certainly is nice that Lucile and Claudelle are going to room together and that they are going to be so near home. It will be lonesome for Mother Lewis for a while. I guess I am calling her Mother a little soon. It certainly sounds all right to me.

I didn’t go in the surf today but the moonlight on the water looks tempting tonight. It will be just as beautiful when you are with me, and I’ll enjoy it more for there is no one else whom I want to go in with except you.

If Dr. White’s plan sticks, he will leave me a week from today.

I’m mighty sleepy, Dear, so with a real sweet “goodnight,” I am,

Yours forever & always,

Walter.

September 1, 1925

Tuesday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I left Dr. White at the pier and as he has not yet come home I imagine that he is dancing. He likes to dance and I hope he is having a good time. I have to go to Jax again tomorrow morning, and I’ll take the early train. This will make it possible for me to get back at 3 o’clock and I’ll have time to check over some work before night.

We have been fairly busy today and it looks as though I am going to have plenty to keep me busy until the middle of the month. I told my landlady today that I would be here that long and that after I returned from down the state I would be here some more. She says that she may be here all winter herself, in which event I guess I’ll continue to have a housekeeper until I come for you. I had rather expected that I’d have to be here alone for awhile.

September 1, 1925

September 1, 1925

I have no news, Dear, and I am writing as usual just to tell you that I love you as much as ever and that means as much as it is possible for one person to love another. I don’t know what I’d ever do if something happened between our love, Dear, as I certainly do love you.

With a sweet goodnight,

Your
Walter.

August 31, 1925 (Walter)

This letter was out of sequence in the file, so I’m inserting it at the appropriate point in the blog now (22 November 2011) and backdating it to when it should have appeared. Sorry for any confusion.

Jax Beach. Monday Night. 11PM.

My Dear Sweetheart,

We were in Jax again today on account of the new C.E. location of which I wrote you a few days ago. Your letter and also one each from Mr. Laake and Mr. Bishopp were waiting for me. Dear, you always write such good letters and I always enjoy every word. Especially did I enjoy that portion in the last letter on the wedding plans. The place seems to be settled, and the parties have been agreeable to it, so it seems to be a question of when? It doesn’t make any difference to me about whether you wear a suit or the white dress with the laces etc. I’d say “yes” and feel awfully proud of you if you wore a house apron. Just suit yourself about that, Sweetheart, and whatever you decide upon will suit me.

August 31, 1925 (Walter)

August 31, 1925 (Walter)

Mr. Laake’s letter stated that Mr. Brundrette had accepted a position with the Jr. A&M College at Stevensville and plans to leave Dallas within the next week or ten days. They are giving him an increase in salary and I believe he is getting a good place. Mr. Bishopp tried to get an increase in the Bureau for him so as to meet his offer, but I guess it could not be arranged. I am sorry that Brundy is leaving us, but I believe it is a position which he cannot afford to turn down. It will no doubt be teaching for most of the time, but he is interested in entomology as a whole and I believe he is the man for the place. He has been a good man for us and we hate to see him go.

I do not know just what the effect of Brundy’s leaving will have on my work. If his place is not filled during this fiscal year it will give us more funds for operating and in view of the need I believe it should be left open with no attempt to fill it until after next July 1st. Just how Mr. Bishopp will consider it, I do not know, but I am in hopes that he will give me a little more toward the work down here. It is possible that he may want me to join Mr. Laake in Dallas as soon as I can, but I am not so anxious for that. We have already made a contribution on creeping eruption which Dr. Cort of Johns Hopkins says is the greatest advance in human helminthology that has been reported for years. We are working on a point which is the next step in the problem and which is more important than the work of last year. I believe that Mr. Bishopp realizes this, and it so happens that I have just written him to the effect that I’d like to work on it all winter. With the chance of having funds, I rather suspect that he will be of the opinion that I can stay most of the winter. It isn’t that I do not want to be in Dallas, Dear, for I certainly do like Dallas, but I am more interested in my work here than I am in the work they are doing at Dallas. This will mean more to me and to you and I. At the present time I would not trade jobs with anyone, and when Dr. White leaves I’ll be pretty happy. He has increased the duration of his stay until the 10th. His niece is going to teach at a point (Dayton) south of here and he wants to stay until after she arrives. I told him that I’d meet her and see that she got the train out of Jax OK, but he thinks he should stay and meet her. In the mean time we will continue the studies we have under way. He says it is the most interesting piece of work he has ever been connected with, and I can’t blame him for wanting to stay. He has been quite human the past few days and we are good friends etc.

In checking over the list of home stead land, Dear, I do not find very much in the southern part of the state. I am keeping this in mind. Possibly some one down there has a notion of selling his claim so that he can sell real estate. If I can buy one reasonable & then apply my Army service in lieu of residence, it might be a good thing.

I am enclosing a little paster which came on the back of my notice from Fulford. It looks as though their race track will soon be in operation. I am anxious to know the values down there now. Before the 1st of Oct I’ll go by there.

With a real sweet kiss and a goodnight hug, I am,

Your
Walter.

August 31, 1925

Monday Nite
Aug. 31, 1925.

My dear Sweetheart:

Claudelle and I were among the guests at Eastern Star this evening. The occasion was the birthday of Robt. Morris, Founder of the organization. You, of course, being a member know more about that than I do. We had a very pleasant evening, and had the additional pleasure of coming home in a slow rain. We came back by Thelma’s and exchanged our evening dresses for some gingham ones and made our way home nicely, enjoying the drops of rain in our faces. It stopped and the moon came out as soon as we drove safely in the garage.

August 31, 1925

August 31, 1925

Mrs. Parman visited with us for a few minutes this morning soon after breakfast while Mr. Parman killed a rabbit for experiments. They were expecting Dr. Hunter on the ten o’clock train.

I was interested in what you said of real estate in Florida. It seems that the climate is the main drawing card and that is something that won’t change so it looks like there would always be somewhat of a boom, though of course it will not always remain at the height that it now stands. Of course I wouldn’t blame a person for not wanting to invest in everything in sight, but I can’t see that a few sane reasonable investments would be dangerous. After one has been down there for quite a while and studied and understood conditions he should be able to judge good and bad investments. I am not afraid of your going “wild” over it.

I love you most ardently Dear, and trust you in everything.

Always, your
Ina.

August 30, 1925 (Walter)

Sunday PM.

My Dear Sweetheart,

We have just eaten lunch and found your letter at the P.O. when we went down. It was sweet of you to write just after you returned from the party Tuesday night. It looked as though you wanted to be sure that you wrote everyday. You have been wonderful to write so regularly, and all of your letters were just as sweet as they could be. I have observed one thing in particular about them, and that is, you never mentioned your worries or troubles, if you have any. I have not been so considerate of you for I have expressed just what was on my mind everytime I wrote to you. No doubt they bored you some. If they did, I am sorry for I want you to be happy.

August 30, 1925 (Walter)

August 30, 1925 (Walter)

Dr. White thinks that another week should put our work into pretty good shape or so that we could leave it. He is right about that for we have quite a bit going just now. I’ll probably be here for two or three days after he goes, and I rather expect that I will be down the state for about a month. I would rather be in one place, but I know that it is the right thing for me to do, to make a survey and see what they will do toward getting an appropriation. I am anxious to know what you think of the homestead idea, so I’ll know whether or not to investigate this at the same time. The idea would not appeal to me if the land was not so valuable down here, and since this is true, it might be worth while if I can locate something good. You can bet that I want a nice and comfortable place for you and I am keeping this in mind above everything else. We naturally want things and to accumulate, but I want you to enjoy life at the same time. I am going to do what I can to have you enjoy our married life. If you are happy, I’ll certainly be happy. If you are not happy, I’ll be more unhappy.

Sweetheart, you don’t know how much I love you. I’ll be the happiest man in the world when I can have you with me always. You are first in my thoughts and anything that I do, I have in mind getting something for you.

I’ll be mighty glad when we have our own home just like we want it, though I do not expect that we will have everything just that way. I believe a person should be contented but not satisfied. I’ll be contented to spend my life with you, but I’ll never be satisfied with what I can do for you.

I certainly do love you Sweetheart.

Your
Walter.

August 30, 1925 (Ina)

Sunday Nite
Aug. 30, 1925.

Dearest Walter:

We have returned from church where we heard a splendid sermon preached by a Dr. Curry who holds some office in our conference but I don’t know what it is. His subject was “The World is Setting Better” and it made us all feel good as we so often hear things to the contrary. His arguments were good, and, as I have always been constitutionally opposed to pessimism, I especially enjoyed it.

Your letter of Wednesday night came this morning and everything was lovely the rest of the day. The days on which I receive a letter from you seem so vastly different from the ones on which I don’t. So you see your epistles work like magic.

August 30, 1925 (Ina)

August 30, 1925 (Ina)

Thelma went to San Antonio yesterday and returned this evening I suppose, so Thelma Lee and Reitha have been staying with us. We enjoy having them so much, but Thelma doesn’t like for them to stay away from her long at a time. They like to come often, but are inclined to want to be at home with Mother when night begins to come. They seem to grow more and more that way as they get older. She is glad of it, too.

I love you Sweetheart, an awful lot and always will. A year ago I wouldn’t have believed it if anyone had told me that I could love anyone as much as I do you. I’m so happy.

I love you.

Your
Ina.

August 29, 1925

Saturday Night. 8/29

My Dear Sweetheart,

Your letter did not come today, but I have tomorrow to look forward to as they always come. You are a wonderful correspondent, and nothing pleases me more than to get your letter. They always make me wish that I could give you a hug or in some way let you know that I appreciate them.

I do not know just when I will go down the state, as it depends upon how well I can get away for the trip and also I do not want to go until Dr. White leaves. He had a letter from Texas today which indicated that the work was of such a status that a visit by him would not be necessary at this time. I guess he will go to Washington from here and apparently he is in no hurry about it. He rather likes it here. I hope to make a plan pretty soon, but I rather think that he will be here all of next week. I told him tonight that I would need about a month down the state and that the sooner I could go the better it would be. He thinks that I should try for the papropriation for the fiscal year after the one beginning next July on account of the President’s economy policy. I know that it will be difficult to get one through for next year but I believe it can be done if the right tactics are used. I guess he has an idea that if I am not on a definite project next year, that possibly he could be here and work with me on C.E. again, but I have an idea that he and I will not work together again if it can be worked any other way. No doubt you get tired of my telling you about him and my troubles and I guess I shouldn’t do it, but I feel that I’d like to have you know about everything, even though some of them are not the most pleasant in the world.

August 29, 1925

August 29, 1925

There is something else I want to talk with you about, and I want to know just how you feel about it. The land in Florida is booming all over the state and where it has a water front it commands fancy prices. There are a few places in which the land has never been “taken up” under the homestead act and I understand that some are desirable though the acreage is not large & all are three miles or more from ocean fronts. Some of the tracts appear to be on or near rivers or lakes and some are located near real good roads. What I have in mind, is that I might keep an eye open when I make this trip and arrange to see what these places look like. If they look good, considering values of nearby properties and elevations, it would not cost much to file for some. To “prove up” requires three years, but my Army service would count and this would mean about 18 months. That would leave about a year and a half and I believe they require 7 months residence during each year. It would not seem a difficult matter to spend that much time on a place which looked as though it would be something when I got through “proving up.” As far as my work is concerned I believe that any arrangement which I would care to make would be satisfactory with Mr. Bishopp. As a matter of fact, the location for the Lab will be left to me anyway. The idea may not appeal to you, Dear, and when you think of it, please remember that I would not consider it if it is contrary to your wishes. If I did not believe that the land would be worth something when we had it I would not want to take the chance and trouble. I love you too much to take you where you would not have a pretty good place to live, and I intend to give you a good home. What gives me this idea is the fact that the land any place in the state is increasing very rapidly, and that on the interior, bordering lakes, it has sold for big prices. The Northern capital is coming to the state and values can’t help but increase. I feel that if there is an opportunity, I don’t want to let it go by for I want to accumulate enough to give you a home and all the comforts that go with one.

Don’t think that I am ready to file now or that I have an idea of taking you to a poor place to live, for I have no such ideas. I simply want to know how you feel about the idea. I expect to discuss all matters with you, Dear, before I take any action and I want you to tell me just what you think. I know that you will, and that is another thing that I love you for.

I love you above everyone and everything else and I want you to know it. I’ll be the happiest person in the world when I can have you with me always.

Yours – only & always,
Walter.

August 28, 1925 (Walter)

Friday Night 8/28.

My Dear Sweetheart,

Your letter was just as sweet as it could be, and I certainly appreciate your good intentions regarding my co-worker. I am sending under separate cover a reprint of the article given at New Orleans last November. White does not like this very well and quite often he tries to attack it, without referring to the article, but it does not cover so much but what we (KS and I) are quite sure. He (White) really wishes that the information reported there had been held up until he joined our force, and that his name had appeared.

August 28, 1925 (Walter)

August 28, 1925 (Walter)

I finished my report before I went to his lab in Washington and when I let him read the report it had already been presented at N.O. so he didn’t have a chance to do anything with that one. When he criticized me for using the reference to “damp sand” in the last paper, I told him that it made little difference now as I had already treated that phase in the N.O. report, and that the distribution in the U.S. had also been reported. He honestly believes that we have the cause of the disease now, but I am afraid that we haven’t. I want to find this in another animal and also to produce the disease before it is reported. We disagree sometimes and I have no hesitancy in telling him when I think he is wrong. He is now pretty well convinced that he was wrong about the crabs, though he won’t admit it. He is also more or less convinced that the “doodles” like the ones in Texas are not the cause. He thought this pretty strongly. As a disease man he probably knows his job, but as a student of nature and a general observer I tell him he is “rotten.” Excuse the term. He does not get peeved but takes it good naturedly or at least appears to do so. When it is a disease question I consder that he is an authority but I don’t hesitate to tell him when he is out of his field and when I believe he is wrong. He is rather “bull headed” in his beliefs and I can’t quite go this. He would domineer if I’d let him, but we had an understanding that this was my problem and that he was here to assist on the medical aspects of the situation.

Your letters come in quick order now Dear. The one posted at 9:30 AM on the 26th, arrived here on the noon train of the 28th. They seem to find me quicker. I guess it is because they are not delayed in Jax anymore.

I love you, Sweetheart, and I want you more than you have ever thought. I don’t believe I could be happy without you, as I love you so very very much.

With a goodnight kiss,

Yours always & then some,
Walter