Monthly Archives: September 2011

August 28, 1925 (Ina)

Friday Nite
Aug. 28, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

We have spent a very pleasant evening with Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and Lucile. Claudelle and Lucile are going to be room mates at Westmoreland so Mama and Mrs. Johnson had several things they wanted to talk over about it. I don’t know whether either of them will study very hard since they are always such “cut-ups” when they are together. Maybe they will get over that though.

August 28, 1925 (Ina)

August 28, 1925 (Ina)

I didn’t get your letter this afternoon as we didn’t get in town until after the post office closed. However, I ‘phoned Thelma to ask Bob to get our mail when he went to the post office and we could get it at their house later. She got busy and forgot to tell him – hence, no letter. I may receive two tomorrow though.

I love you lots and lots.

Always, your
Ina.

Saturday Night
Aug. 29, 1925.

Dearest Walter:

The foregoing letter was such a wee thing that I didn’t want to mail it without writing some more.

Claudelle and I have just returned from a surprise birthday party given by Mr. and Mrs. Lee honoring Walton Rowland (the young man who came out here that rainy Sunday afternoon with Mr. Lee while you were here). The party was a complete surprise to him and we had lots of fun. There were about thirty guests present. Mr. and Mrs. Lee are moving to Del Rio Monday.

I feel so lucky tonight. I received two of the nicest sweetest letters from the one I love better than anyone else in the world. Why shouldn’t I be happy? I am too.

Yes, indeed, I am very enthusiastic over the prospects of our spending the winter and spring on the beach. I think it will be mighty fine. I, too, like the idea of going straight to a house of our own when it is convenient, but, under the circumstances, it would be an impossibility since we don’t know where it will be etc. This other plan that you have suggested has a number of advantages over the “straight to house” plan I think and I prefer it. I think it will be so nice to have plenty of time to select our furniture etc. together and have it shipped direct to our home instead of buying it hurriedly, perhaps getting something with which we were not entirely satisfied, and placing it in a temporary home from which we might soon move. You know there are a lot of things that are better for furniture than constant packing and moving. Won’t it be fun to select the furniture? I am looking forward to it with such great pleasure. I think one of those little cottages on the beach will be fine for the beginning of the honeymoon, and the one that suits you best will suit me fine. If you like the one you are in at present best, I will be happy to live there. And, Sweetheart, I haven’t any conscientious scruples about preparing all three meals every day – that is, if you think your digestive organs can stand the test. Do you suppose they can? I’m willing to try it if you are. Remember the pineapple cake!!*

Now, about the wedding gift. All of your suggestions were mighty nice and all of the things you mentioned very desirable. But Dear, I already have quite a bit of jewelry so perhaps it might be a good idea to discard the idea of that and consider the others that you mentioned. In this connection I’d like to make a suggestion. If we should send out quite a number of invitations no doubt some of our friends would present us with silverware, glassware, cut glass etc. in patterns that we would like to add to, and don’t you think it might be better to wait until after we are married and see if this happens, instead of getting some design started before then that we might not like any better than one we might receive? I am mentioning this, but if you don’t like the idea, please be frank and tell me. Bob and Thelma were fortunate enough to receive so much beautiful silverware, cut glass, chinaware etc. and I thought of that when you mentioned what you did. When you made the suggestions that you did it “hit the spot” with me as such things appeal to me very very much. Your ideas and mine are so much alike on so many things that I can’t help but notice it. We are going to get along fine together I know.

I love you most wonderfully and will be a mighty mighty happy girl when I can be with you always.

Yours forever,
Ina.

* Ina’s culinary skills are the butt of a longstanding family joke. Once, when pressed to comment on his wife’s cooking, Walter simply stated that she was an excellent seamstress.

August 27, 1925 (Walter)

Jacksonville Beach
Thursday Night 8/27

My Dear Sweetheart,

Excuse the stationery but I find that I am out of any other kind. I probably have some but haven’t located it since we have been here. We had an interesting visit in Jax today. The place had furnished four cases of creeping eruption, two electricians and two plumbers. Dr. White will no doubt stay with me until we see if this location reveals the identity of the parasite. It is the best place for exact location of the origin of the cases we have had and it should furnish us with the causative organisms. I am hopeful of this location and I am determined to get it after Dr. White leaves if we do not get it before. It would seem that the matter would be comparatively simple but the infective form is a definite state in the development of the parasite and in other stages we believe that it would be impossible for them to cause creeping eruption. This is what would occur in closely related forms and we believe it would be reasonable to expect it to be true with this one. I was amused at Dr. K.S. today when he told me to use my own initiative and let White do as he pleased out there. He said that White may want to let everything stay until the sand moves, and we want to work this out before death overtakes us. The two men are extremely different and of the two I can’t help but admire KS tactics even though they are not as scientific as they could be. White is too conservative, slow, and what I would call lazy. I guess it is a good thing that all of us are different. If everyone was alike, I’d have more than the dozen or two dozen rivals for you, Dear.

August 27, 1925 (Walter)

August 27, 1925 (Walter)

I have been showing White some real estate and have given him some of the figures on increases in values. He thinks that the Florida boom is now at the peak and that values will drop from now on. The pessimists in California thought the same thing about the 3rd year, but they continued for ten or twelve years and they have not yet felt the slump. It does not take a keen real estate man to find good investments down here as a location which is reasonably good, has to increase in value. The Eastern capital comes and improvements are made. It will continue for years.

It is getting late, Sweetheart, and I did not sleep very much last night. I am pretty sleepy now so I’ll have to say “goodnight.” I love you Dear with all my heart and with a “goodnight kiss” I’ll go.

Always your,
Walter.

August 27, 1925 (Ina)

Thursday Nite
Aug. 27, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

It was late when I returned from down town so we left the house at dark this evening and took our walk by moonlight. The moon was bright enough for us to be able to see snakes if there had been any, but when we returned Mama had resolved for us that we shouldn’t take any more walks after dark since the Mexican man who has been on the Hollifield ranch (that joins ours) for about a month had just told her that he had killed fourteen rattlesnakes there during his stay. It was nice of him to kill them before they came over to see us, don’t you think?

August 27, 1925 (Ina)

August 27, 1925 (Ina)

Thelma and I have been making calls this afternoon. It is something that I don’t indulge in often – not nearly as often as I should. I always enjoy it when I get started, but it takes me a long time to get started.

The account of your Saturday afternoon hunt was very interesting. An experience similar to that adds interest to life, don’t you think? The last excitement I had along such lines was our experience in the storm. However, I suppose yours of Saturday was a little lacking in romance, was it not?

Sweetheart, I am glad you took the idea of the church wedding so nicely. It was mighty sweet of you not to object, so, with your permission, we will plan it that way. It really will be a lot more convenient and I am glad you can see it that way too. As far as I can see now, it will not be necessary to have a reception afterwards. If we are still living out here it seems to me that it would be quite a distance to come after the ceremony just for a short reception. I have not decided yet whether or not to be married in a traveling suit. In case I should not, I could very easily change clothes at Thelma’s. I want you to feel free to express your opinion on anything in regard to the wedding because it is your wedding as much as it is mine, you know. It makes it seem more like a reality when we begin planning things definitely and I get so happy and enthusiastic.

Yes, Dear, I understand your explanation of your work, our possible locations etc. and it was very interesting to me. I think you are wise in studying the situation carefully before deciding definitely what you want to do. I am sure it will all come out all right and that we are going to be happily located somewhere.

I love you Sweetheart, worlds and worlds and want so much to see you. I think of you most all the time.

Your devoted
Ina.

August 26, 1925

Jacksonville Beach, Fla
Wednesday Night 8/26.

My Dear “Lovable and Loving” Sweetheart,

The Ouija didn’t tell me to begin this letter with such a salutation, but it sounded so well in your letter that I am acting as a Poly-parrot in repeating it. Your letter made mighty good time. The Sunday letter came tonight. It left North Uvalde at 4 PM Sun. No doubt you were lonesome that afternoon, Dear, and I certainly wish that I could have been with you. But the time is coming when we will be together practically all the time, and then you may get tired and call me such a name as “Beeswax.”

August 26, 1925

August 26, 1925

We were quite busy today and tomorrow we are going to Jax to look up the origin of two severe cases of creeping eruption. The patients are electricians who were wiring a new home. Thus far, our cases have not been extensive and most of them had only a few lesions so we are tickled to have such cases at this time. We believe that we are working with the right thing, but as yet have not perfected laboratory technique of growing them to the infectious stages in quantities for good tests.

We are in hopes that we have the right methods, but it will take some time and quite a bit of work to be sure. The locations tomorrow will probably be very suggestive and may furnish the stages we are searching for. The adults can barely be observed with the naked eye, and when they are filled with blood, so you see the thing is quite small. The forms which cause the skin affection are yet smaller, and the size has been the reason why they were never found until last year. You will know all about them when you are with me, Sweetheart, though I don’t believe you will ever have any infections yourself. We will know how to avoid them. We have some very good treatments in case we should have neighbors affected.

Please pardon this short note, but I have some records to write up and I want to do this while they are fresh in my mind. I’ll not have time to do it tomorrow as we will be away & busy all day.

I love you, Dear, and with a real sweet kiss I’ll say “goodnight.”

Your,
Walter.

August 25, 1925 (Walter)

Tuesday Night, Aug 25th.

My Dear Sweetheart,

This noon I received your letter of Friday night, and tonight your letters of Wed. and Thurs. came. It was a mighty pleasant surprise to get the two extra ones, for I had thought that possibly you had not managed to get them posted. I am sure that the first two went to Jacksonville, while the last one came direct to the Beach. They were just as sweet as they could be and I wish you knew how much I enjoy them.

August 25, 1925 (Walter)

August 25, 1925 (Walter)

It was nice of Mrs. Parman to give a photo of her home and I am pleased that you thanked her for both of us. It reminds me that I promised to make one of her home while I was in Uvalde but neglected it until it was too late. However, the camera was left there and I presume that DC made it. The photo she gave has a sentiment that I rather like, too, but I am sure that it is different from the mental picture that I have. You would have to be standing on the porch to make it like the one I have in my mind. I certainly did hate to leave there. Dr. White says that he can’t understand how I could leave there on the 5th P.M. and pack up at Dallas & reach here the night of the 9th. I had to hustle, but I wanted to be with you as long as possible. I’ll never forget how excited Mrs. Parman was when we told her that you were leaving with me. Next to you and I, she will be more pleased over our marriage than anyone else. It will be the happiest day of my life, Dear, and I hope and believe that it will be the beginning of a lot of happiness for both of us.

You asked for me to suggest a present for you and you will tell me what you think of my suggestion. I believe it should be something which we would probably not get in the ordinary purchases, but something which you could use very nicely. Rather a luxury than a necessity. I know that you would hesitate to make such a suggestion, but if I get something to please you I’ll have to get an idea of what you want. I have thought something of getting started on a set of solid silver, and then add to it from time to time until a complete set is obtained. This would be of such a nature that I would want you to select the pattern. The same thing comes into my mind if we start on some DeHaviland China or a set of Libby’s cut glass. I want you to have a set of each and perhaps it would be well to start on them with a wedding gift but I believe you should decide on the designs you want. Perhaps this could be done to better advantage when they have been compared and after we are married. Maybe a Lovelier (I guess that’s the way to spell it) would be OK. Something in white gold, possibly of a pendant nature, with a couple or three small diamonds. If you have an idea of what you would like I’d like to know.

I can think of any number of things we would need for the home but I don’t believe this present should be of that nature. It depends upon what you think about it. I think it should be something which would last you a lifetime and on the nature of a luxury. We can’t expect to have everything to start out with, but we can plan on what we want and have the pleasure of getting them. I think that is about the greatest pleasure one can have.

Dear, I’d rather you would not worry about your wardrobe and if you are planning your needs in clothing, I’d plan about the same that you would wear as far south as Uvalde. The winters in Florida are mild, too, and I believe it is a pretty safe bet to say that we will spend the latter part of the winter and spring down here. Just as soon as I know I’ll certainly let you know and I believe you will then have plenty of time to decide on some of the things. You need not try to have so many clothes ready. You see, I have never had a wife and I hardly know about a wife’s clothing etc.

It was real sweet of you to say that you thought it would be nice on the beach this winter. I have wondered how this would strike you. I would much rather go direct to our home and know that we were not stopping at a place temporarily. I rather wish that it were possible to have our Dallas cottage in Florida.

Must say “goodnight” Sweetheart for it is getting late. I love you and with all my heart.

Always your,
Walter.

August 25, 1925 (Ina)

Tuesday Nite.
Aug. 25, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

It is now fifteen minutes until twelve, and we have just returned from a party so I will just say “Hello-o,” good night and sweet dreams and

I love you.

Your sleepy,
Ina.

August 25, 1925 (Ina)

August 25, 1925 (Ina)

Wednesday.

Dearest Walter:

Yes, it was a League party and everyone seemed to have had a good time. It was given as a farewell party honoring Gladys, Alberta, Nina Mae and Bobby Odom who are moving away tomorrow.

I didn’t have a letter yesterday but I received two the day before so I feel duly grateful for them. One of them was my yesterday’s letter that just arrived a day ahead of time. You are so good about writing and Sweetheart, I love you for that and everything else.

Yours always,
Ina.

August 24, 1925 (Walter)

Monday Night 8/24

My Dear Swetheart,

The wind has subsided some and today it has been raining regular spring showers. According to the old timers these “Northeasterners” last for 3, 6, or 9 days and usually close with some rain. We have had two days of the wind so we expect that tomorrow will be the last day. The beaches are certainly nice and clean with all the rough places smoothed out. I believe it is a good thing to have one of these occasionally, but it is a little unfortunate if one happens to be driving up the beach.

August 24, 1925 (Walter)

August 24, 1925 (Walter)

Dear, you don’t know how much I wish you were down here with me. It will be dull here during the winter but the people who live here say that it is delightful and that there is hardly a day but what one can go in the surf. As a place to begin our “long time” honeymoon, it strikes me as being a very desirable place. If we are living here before going down the state, we could do our shopping for furniture and household goods at Jax and have plenty of time to decide on just what we want. We would not need them here at the beach, but could have them shipped to our home. (That “our home” sounds mighty good).

We could buy more reasonably in Jax than in Miami or Palm Beach, and too, would have more variety from which to select. It may not strike you just right to live here at the Beach, but I am inclined to believe that you would like it. I have had an eye out for the most desirable cottage in the event you think you would like it down here, and some of them are very nice. I’ll look around at Atlantic Beach some too, for you would probably like it up there. There are no stores up there, only cottages or rather homes. The cottage we have now is better than the average and for my work it serves the purpose very nicely but of course is not adapted for the work. The lady who owns it and who lives in the rear says that she is not going to be here this winter. I guess she will join her husband.

There seem to be quite a few Negroes who live further back and I imagine it would not be difficult to get help.

Most of the cottages are equipped with oil stoves, and I believe that most of the people eat dinner down town. One of the cafeterias, and the best one, will run all winter and spring. I have an electric grill which I have never used and it may be better for breakfast or lunch than the oil stove. I do not know anything about oil stoves but the land-lady seems to think they are OK.

I would like to know just what you think of taking a cottage until we go down the state, for if the idea does not strike you favorably I would not want to do it. I wouldn’t want you to live at any place where you did not want to live, and we will make arrangements accordingly. Please tell me exactly what you think. I am going to make you as comfortable as I can, and I hope to show you that you have a devoted husband. We have electricity & running water in all cottages and most of them are furnished.

I love you, Dear, and I’ll certainly be a happy human when I have you with me always. I hope to be as good and as considerate of you as one can, and if I can make you happy I’ll be happy too.

With all my love, I am,

Your
Walter.

Box 61

P.S. I guess Dr. White will be with me about one week longer.

PS #2 Whatever you and Mother Lewis plan for the wedding will be perfectly all right.

August 24, 1925 (Ina)

Monday Nite.
Aug. 24, 1925.

My dear Sweetheart:

Bless your heart, I did get two such good letters from you this afternoon. Everything does take on the rosiest hue when I receive a letter, but it does tone down most miserably when I don’t. I didn’t realize before I met you what a wonderful lot of difference one letter, no matter if it is only one page, can make in the happiness of the day. You have made my life so happy, Dear, and I know both of us are going to be a great deal happier when we can be together always.

August 24, 1925 (Ina)

August 24, 1925 (Ina)

This is the last week in August, so I suppose you are getting your songs of praise and thanksgiving ready to sing when Dr. White makes his departure. I am so sorry his stay in Jacksonville has been so unpleasant and unprofitable for you because it could have been otherwise if he had only half tried. I suppose you can put his summer’s work down in your notebook as “a rather trying experience.” I am very thankful that you didn’t have to endure it any longer because it isn’t fair that you should. I have thought of it a lot and wished that I could do something to help you out.

I love you ever so much.

Your own,
Ina.

August 23, 1925

Jacksonville Beach, Fla.,
Sunday PM.

My Dear Sweetheart,

When it rains it pours. I had two letters this morning and I am mighty happy over them too. It seems mighty good to plan our wedding, though Dear, you are too considerate of me. To be sure, it is perfectly all right to have it at the church. All the time I have expected you to suggest that it be there, for I realize that there will be more room and too your friends whom you would not care to invite to your home would not have any reason to feel offended if it were at the church. If it were at your home it would probably mean a reception afterwards. Will this be necessary if we have it at the church? I hope not, but just as you say. It would seem that four or five o’clock in the afternoon would be a good time, and I believe that it would be well to leave shortly afterwards. Do you plan to be married in a traveling suit or would you change clothes before leaving? This is all for you to decide, and whatever you say, suits me.

August 23, 1925 (Walter)

August 23, 1925

I wish that I knew at this time whether we would come direct to Florida or whether we would live in Dallas before coming. I’d rather come down here and perhaps we could spend a little while in Dallas before coming. If we stay in Dallas for a while perhaps it would be well to have the honeymoon before going there, as we would meet quite a few people while there and I’d rather see them after we have been together more.

After I have been down the state I expect to write Mr. Bishopp and suggest what I would like to do, and I believe he will agree with me. He has promised that I could be in Johns Hopkins for about three months this winter or spring, but if we cannot get an appropriation to work on creeping eruption I don’t feel that I want to put special effort on nematodes. I would rather work on C.E. as much as possible this fiscal year and then start the new fiscal year on a problem for which we can get an appropriation. The work at Hopkins would be good regardless of what I am working on, but it would be more helpful if I went there while I had a problem for which we were getting appropriations. I’d get more out of the course. If I spend the winter and spring on C.E. I’ll get more credit on this work, and believe me I want all I am entitled to.

Mr. Bishopp is taking his work for a PhD now and I am inclined to believe that it will push him along more at this time than if he had taken it several years ago. It seems to be a good idea to get as high as possible then get the doctor’s degree for an additional push. There are a few young men in the Bureau who came to us with a doctors degree and they are getting about the same that I am. I don’t believe they will climb any faster than I will, for they are on problems of less importance and will have to show some results in order to climb.

I am not writing Mr. Bishopp at this time about spending the whole time down here, for after I have been down the state I may find a more desirable place to live where I can work on C.E. and another problem. He is inclined to stay away from the other problems until we have money for them and in that event I think it would be mighty fine for us to live here at Jax Beach until the latter part of the next June and then go down there. By that time, perhaps, I’ll have the C.E. worked up in pretty good shape.

I don’t know whether I am making all of this clear to you, Dear, but I hope you understand. Regardless of whether I come here or go to Dallas, it need not interfere with our plans of the wedding. We are going to have a little home of our own here in Florida, that is a sure thing, and I am anxious for you to be down here with me. I can probably make a pretty definite plan after I have been down the state, and have seen what they will do toward getting an appropriation. Once it is started we can ask for our requirements every year, but we can’t ask for the original appropriation, or at least we are not supposed to do it.

I am getting to where I want to see you awfully bad, Sweetheart, and I want you to know that I love you more than I can tell you.

Always your,
Walter.

Box 61

August 22, 1925

Saturday Night,

My Dear Sweetheart,

It was a little late when I came home last night and Dr. White was asleep. I gave the letter from Atlantic Beach to a trainman (flagman) and he promised to post it in Jax, so if that one seems to come thru a little quicker that probably accounts for it.

This afternoon the little boy across the street, Betha Hill, 14, and I went hunting. He has been helping me trap since I have been down here, but works every week day with his father (a plumber), so we had to plan the hunting on Sat PM when he was not working. His father went with us in their Ford, and we drove about twelve miles south, to what is known as Palm Valley. There were palms in the valley and palmettos too, but there was no town. The roads were very narrow and crooked. We did not find anything to shoot, but killed the afternoon and had a good time. It was the first time I had been south of the beach here and I was interested in the country. We had quite a little experience in coming back, as we found a high tide and with about five miles driving on it. We were either driving in soft sand or in the water. It wasn’t funny, as there was a northeastern wind beginning which carried the water pretty high. At one time it got into the carburetor and killed the engine. It was getting rougher all the time and we felt fortunate that we got off the beach when we did. It is blowing pretty hard now and I have been told that the “North Easternsers” usually continue for 3, 6 or 9 days at about the same speed. Since it is over I am glad that I have had the experience on the beach during a high tide as I will be cautious when you are with me. It is hardly possible that a person could drown as the water is not deep, but it would be disagreeable to experience. Besides, you might get your “Sunday dress” wet with salt water. (Remember what Thelma Lee said about my “good pants” when you and I were caught in the rain).

August 22, 1925

August 22, 1925

The day has passed rather quickly, but I miss your letter. The post office had closed when we got back tonight so I have it to look forward to for tomorrow. Wish I could see you instead. I’d hug you so hard. I certainly do love you, Sweetheart, and I hope we will always feel the same as we do now.

I had a mighty nice letter from a Mr. Roy Watson of Caxambas a few days ago. He had written to Dr. Howard and his letter had been given to Mr. Bishopp. I wrote to him to find out the nature of his trouble and he came back with a long letter. What is known as “sand flies” which are small biting gnats are of considerable annoyance on the southwest coast. I am planning to spend at least two weeks with him when I go down the state. I would prefer to work on these, before you are with me in Florida, as I do not care to be located where they are going to bite you and I. You can bet that I am thinking of you, and I want to be able to locate where we will not be troubled in that way.

I love you, Honey, and I want you. With a sweet goodnight, I am,

Always your,
Walter