Tag Archives: real estate

July 10, 1927

8 PM
Sunday the 10th.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I know that weeks ago you planned that I would be in Uvalde today. Only wish I were there now. Have just returned from the Brundrettes’. Had dinner with them about two o’clock, fried chicken, vegetables, ice cream and cake. Also had ice cream and cake again tonight. This PM I drove them around White Rock in the Willys Knight. Finished the paint job this morning. Only used top and seat dressing this A M & it dried quickly. I think it looks better than when you saw it last.

July 10, 1927

Alvis came over this morning. Said his niece was at Mrs. Pettit’s & that I was invited for dinner. Was sorry that I had already accepted an invitation with the Brundrettes. Will try to see Miss Lena tomorrow.

Expect something on the renewal of the loan tomorrow. Hope it is OK at 6-1/2%. According to the Brundrettes the Bishopp house sold for $7500. I think he got a good price for it considering its location. The commission made it about $7250 which was about what it cost him.

Don’t think that I have forgotten your birthday, Dear. I should have sent it before now. Will go to town tomorrow and send it by parcel post. Just as soon as I can find out something from Bish will let you know when I can come & about how long I can stay.

I love you Dear, with all my heart and believe me, I am mighty anxious to see my little wife. Am going with you the next time, for the time I am away from you hangs heavy on my hands. I don’t know what to do with myself.

Your
Walter.

July 9, 1927

Sat. Night. At the P.O.
About 8 o’clock.

My Dear Little Girl,

Did not come down town until tonight. Waited until I received your letter to write. We didn’t get the mail this noon and I knew that I had one down here.

July 9, 1927

I spent the afternoon working. I was the only one at the Lab. Some of the supplies came today so I made up a few stains and fixers. Have some chemicals and glassware to come yet.

Phoned Mr. Diffey twice today. He expected a telegram on the loan at any time but had not gotten it this PM. We have three days grace and I guess it will come through by Monday.

I have no news, Dear. It’s the same old story, I love you so. Am getting mighty anxious to see you. Hope it won’t be so long before I can see you. I love you with all my heart.

Your
Walter.

July 8, 1927

Friday the 8th – Lab.

My Dear Sweetheart,

Was down town this noon but did not post a letter to you then. Mr. Diffey said that he had not heard from my application for the loan, but that he expected a wire this P.M. The President of the Company had been away and just returned yesterday. Will phone him tomorrow morning as the loan is due tomorrow. Will be mighty glad if it goes through OK.

July 8, 1927

Bish sold his house last night. Mrs. B said they had to cut more on their price and they are getting just about what they put into it. Bish did not want to sell, but she did. She says that they are going to buy a lot in the very best residential section for the next house they build. I think they did well to get their money out. Don’t know what it sold for. They sold only 50 ft of the lot. This would seem to be a step in his moving to Washington. Don’t know when they give possession but no doubt it will be soon.

It has been hot here for the past few days, but the sleeping porch is fine for sleeping. I believe it is cooler than the Apt at Miller’s Court.

Have given the car the blue coat. Will give the black one this evening.

Had a card from Alvis, Little Rock. He expects to return to Dallas today. Will soon leave on another trip.

Should get the advance check in a few days. Will need part of it for a renewal fee of the loan. Don’t know when I can come to Uvalde but I want to come as soon as possible.

I love you Dear and I certainly do miss you.

Your
Walter.

July 5, 1927

July 5, 7:15 PM. The Lab.

My Dear Honey Bunch,

Your letter posted yesterday A.M. came this noon and it was a real good one. I have such a sweet little wife.

I slept at the Lab last night and the camp bed was very comfortable. The sleeping porch is going to be O.K.

July 5, 1927

Bish is thinking about renting his home. I guess he plans on leaving before very long, though he did not say just when. One reason for leaving as I see it, he cannot get his promotion until he reports in Wash. for duty. Thinks he ought to get $60 for his house unfurnished. Says that the records show that Dallas has 6.4% vacant residential property. 10% is considered good in large cities. With no building to speak of, the demand should be good for homes this fall. Haven’t heard from Mr. Diffey yet. Will try and phone or see him tomorrow.

Had more supplies to come in today. Seems like Xmas to be unpacking them. Also had a visitor from SMU, Dr. Geiser head of the Dept of Biology out there. He is a Hopkins man. Did his work under Dr. Jennings. Says that a Hopkins PhD does not have to apologize to anyone for the degree. He was very interesting. Is doing some work on nematodes right now – some that breed in vinegar. Is studying effects of acids and alkalis. He says that he will call often in the future. Think he is the one whom Brown & Hoff mentioned, as he knew Brown.

You are missing the peaches at the Lab. Your husband has been eating enough for both of us. The kittens are fine & the goats too, thank you.

I love you Dear with all my heart.

Mighty sweet dreams,

Your
Walter.

June 30, 1927

The Lab. 5:30 PM.

My Dear Sweetheart,

Had a letter last night and it was great. You have been so good to write to me every day, and I certainly appreciate and enjoy the letters.

Alvis came by our apt. last night and visited with me for a couple of hours. He left for Little Rock & other points on a midnight train. He doesn’t seem to be getting along very good with his girl. He didn’t go to see her last night. Think he saw her one night this week for about 5 min. She told him he could stay 10 min. At the end of five minutes he said it had seemed longer to her so he left and has not been back. Mrs. Pettit sent me a glass of plum jelly by Alvis. She made it at home. Am keeping it until you come home.

June 30, 1927

Sweetheart, I don’t know what you think of it but I told Mrs. Rankin that I would give up the apartment. It seems foolish for me to keep it by myself, when we have so much need for the money in other ways. I have bedding and everything here at the Lab and can use the sleeping porch until I come to Uvalde. When we return we can take an apartment again or whatever you say. Last night I packed most everything and brought them to the Lab. My suits & your trunk are yet there, but I’ll bring them down soon. Am sleeping there yet, but told her to rent it as soon as she wanted to. She should be able to rent it by the 5th. I do not have a key. It is on your key chain. Would you please tie the enclosed frank to it and drop it in the mail box. I packed the china and silver carefully and counted the pieces so that I know we have all of them. I guess it would be a good idea if you would begin addressing your letters to Box 208.

I trust it will meet with your approval about giving up the apartment. It means a saving of $45 per month. It may be that long before we want one. Mrs. Rankin was very nice & hopes that we will come back to Miller’s Court when you return.

With all my love, Dear,

Your
Old Man. (Hubby)

So now Walter is living at the lab in Dallas.

June 24, 1927

Friday PM. The Lab.

My Dear Sweetheart,

Was mighty glad to get your letter of yesterday and also a letter from Mother Lewis. You don’t know how much I miss you, Dear, but I want you to get out a good visit with Mother Lewis and all.

June 24, 1927

I am enclosing a letter from Sister which was addressed to both of us.

Today I made application for a renewal of our first lien on the Owenwood home. I think it will go through OK at 6-1/2%. It is for a five year period with yearly payments of $250 during the first four years. This will make it $3000 at the end of 5 years. This amounts to the same thing as the plan I mentioned, except that this is on a yearly payment plan instead of monthly. The rate of interest is the same as the other insurance Co. 6-1/2%. Will have to bring the abstract up to date and pay for an examination of it by an attorney, but would have to do this anyway if we renewed with Harper at 8%. The application goes to Denver before I’ll get a reply.

Today I collected the rent for the house. I had gotten down to my last dollar, so it came in handy. Brought the laundry home today. If you need some money, let me know.

The Bishopps have not yet sold their home. They plan to leave for Wash. during July. It will probably be after the middle of the month before I can come to Uvalde. I want to do some work down there which will keep me there for a while at least.

I am getting the manuscript in pretty good shape and I expect to send it to Dr. White pretty soon.

I hope you are feeling good and that the folks are also feeling OK.

I love you just lots and lots and I’ll be happy when I get my family together again.

With all my love,
Walter.

June 23, 1927

Thursday Noon

My Dear Sweetheart,

Was mighty glad to get your letter last night. It seems that you have been away from here for ages. Am getting anxious to see you. Have been working on the manuscript pretty hard. It is a short one and the problem is to write it up so that Dr. White will not have too many changes. I have the first draft completed. The first part has already been written several times. It is practically the same thing that I gave in my part of our talk in Wash.

June 23, 1927

Mr. Laake has been on the job several days this week and seems to be OK now. Mr. Bishopp had to have his eye job repeated, but he thinks it is now OK. He has been getting some estimates on crating his library & household goods. So far as I know he has not yet had any luck in selling his home. Mr. Brundrette is working hard. He has a problem of his own and he seems to be getting somewhere with it. We will miss Gingell but things will go more quietly now.

Tomorrow I expect to find out something about the loan renewal. Will write you all about it. Carl is having two companies to look the thing over. I am having another from the standpoint of monthly payments. I have an idea that Carl’s judgement is OK about a straight renewal if we intend to sell. The other proposition is mighty attractive. Payments of $8 to $9 per $1000 per month, would clean up the whole amount in 10 or 15 years. The rents would do this OK. In 15 years the rents would pay taxes, insurance, & allow for considerable improvements.

Will write again tomorrow. I love you Dear and you have no idea how much I miss you. I expect to see you as soon as I can but it probably will not be real soon. If you want to return before I can come let me know. Also if you need some money, don’t fail to tell me.

With all my love,

Your
Walter.

June 20, 1927

The Lab. Mon. PM.

My Dear Sweetheart,

The copy of the Journal which I posted several days ago with a 2¢ stamp was returned this AM for 4¢ additional postage. There was nothing special in it so I am not sending it. Claudelle’s letter is enclosed.

Sunday, Mrs. Gingell left for Wash. She & Lee came by to say goodbye. Sun nite I had dinner downtown with Lee & Mr. Ahern, then we went to a movie. Saw one picture which you and I saw in Baltimore. Papa Whistleberry’s birthday. They (Lee & Mr. Ahern) are going to eat dinner with me tonight. Guess we will eat at the same place down town, the Baker Coffee Shop.

June 20, 1927

Mrs. Bucklin phoned this AM. Said she saw Mrs. Pettit and was told that you had already been to Dallas and had gone. She has the #3 vacant & had intended to let us use it until we were settled. Wanted us to stay as a guest. I will call on her in a few days, also will call on Mrs. Pettit & the Laakes. Mr. Laake is yet at home.

Talked the house proposition over with Carl. He does not think it is advisable to put the house on the market at present or to attempt to trade. If the cotton crop comes through OK the winter demand will be good.

He (Carl) suggested that I try some of the life insurance companies for re-newal of the first lien. Some are loaning at 1%. Will investigate & let you know later. There will be an abstract fee on renewal but we would have this fee if we renewed with Harper. Have not seen Harper as yet. Carl is quite sure that 8% is all that he will do.

It has been raining yesterday & today. Small showers.

I hope that Mother Lewis is feeling better. Am anxious to see her & all of our folks. It will probably be about the 10th before I can come. The renewal on the house is very important. Also I have some kittens which will need attention until about that time. At that time, Bish should leave for Wash.

I miss you, Dear, and I love you lots & lots and lots.

Your,
Walter.

June 18, 1927

Walter and Ina are now living in Dallas, where he works, and Ina has gone to visit her family in Uvalde for a few weeks, so we’re back to near-daily correspondence. Ina’s letters from this period are unfortunately missing.

At Home
Saturday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

This is about the hottest day we have had this summer. Alvis came to the Lab this PM and I visited with him until about 6:30. Bought some food for the cats and then visited with Gringell for about an hour. Mr. Ahern came yesterday to relieve Gringell. Mrs. Gringell leaves tomorrow night for Washington. About the middle or latter part of the week Gringell & Ahern will make a trip by Ford to San Antonio, the Valley, and then to New Orleans. Ahern is about 45 years old and is a very pleasant man. Mr. Laake is yet home in bed. I have not been over to see him but have been posted regularly by Gringell. Bish. had the bandage removed from his eye when he came down today. He had the eye treated this PM and it evidently gave some trouble for he did not come down this P.M. Outside of that things are going as usual.

June 18, 1927

Have been out by the Owenwood house a couple of times since you left. It is very difficult matter for me to make up my mind that we should sell it. Suggested to Alvis that he should buy it. They plan to take an apartment for a while. He came over to invite you and I to eat with them tomorrow evening. I declined the invitation, as I want both of us to be there when we accept. I think the invitation will keep OK.

The little letters from Thelma Lee and Reitha were mighty fine. They came this noon, and I exhibited them at the Lab with lots of pride. The photos are good, but I like some of the ones Thelma sent to Baltimore much better. All of them are real sweet and I am mighty proud of my nieces.

Haven’t gotten anywhere with the article, due to frequent interruptions. Will see the Gringells and also Alvis tomorrow morning so I will not get busy with it again until tomorrow PM.

Will close for tonight. Give my love to every one and remember that I love you just lots & lots.

Your
Walter.

December 13, 1925 (Ina to Claudelle)

Sunday A.M.
Dec. 13, 1925.

My dearest Sis:

Just think! Only ten days from this afternoon at 3:30!! I’m so happy I can’t keep still.

I had a long letter from Mattie Lee a few days ago and it sounds very encouraging – that is, if you consider happiness so extreme that it borders on insanity as encouraging. I’m quite sure she has the only husband on earth at present, but ’twill not be so after the 23rd.

December 13, 1925 (Ina to Claudelle)

It is raining some this A.M., but I think it will stop sufficiently for me to go after the mail this afternoon and also go down to see Avis. She and her mother and son spent the afternoon with us a few days ago and she is very anxious to talk things over some more. She is going to sing “O, Promise Me.” Is that just right? The pipe organ will be ready for use by the 20th they say, and here’s hoping nobody steps to the tune of the wedding march until the 23rd. We want to initiate and dedicate it. Mrs. Hines is with Dr. Hines visiting in Miss., but will return Tuesday and I’ll ask her then. I’m sure she’ll do it. Grayden and John Monagin seemed glad to usher us in. Walter thinks Mr. Pettit will best man for us.

I feel queer going down town or anywhere, since the invitations are out. I don’t go any more than I can help. Mrs. Batchelor gave her S.S. class a party Thursday night and invited me, but I couldn’t quite make up my mind to go. I’m not going to Sunday School nor Church nor League any more “while I’m upon this (Uvalde) earth.” The invitation will be read at League this P.M. Mrs. Griffin wants me to take my Teachers Training exam before I leave, but I don’t think I’ll have time.

The gifts are beginning to come in some. At least I received a half dozen beautiful linen handkerchiefs from Mr. Goldbeck and a mighty pretty silver flower basket from Letitia, Ethel, and Mrs. Orrell. Oh, you have no idea how thrilled I’m getting. Confidentially, I’m getting almost silly. Of course I’m not sure I’ll have a wedding dress, but that is a small matter. I left it at Wolff & Marx to have it altered, and they haven’t sent it yet. They must be beautifying it considerably. They told me when we were there though that it would be several days before they mailed it. I think I can get my hat at Mrs. Idom’s after the dress comes.

I had such a sweet letter from Mother Dove a few days ago. She “broke down and admitted” that she would accept me as a daughter. Isn’t she sweet? Walter wrote that Marshall (ahem!) couldn’t leave his work to go to Mother Dove’s while we are there, and Ethel doesn’t want to leave him while she goes, so she insists that we visit them in their home after we visit Mother Dove. That will be fine I think. W. is going to leave the Beach the same day you leave San Antonio, but I’m afraid you will not arrive at the same time. He will arrive about Sunday or Monday I think. I can hardly wait (for both of you). W. and I are going to Miss. via Dallas but will stop there just long enough to leave some work and things, he said – we will not arrive at Mother D’s until about the 26th.

All this wedding excitement reminds me of – J.R. Thursday afternoon I saw him in Mr. Evans’ jewelry store and later in the afternoon Papa, Thelma and I saw him walking toward Dr. Hines, so we picked him up (he really isn’t so heavy, you know). We all like him very much. Now, if I were a single girl again, I would try to vamp that young man. But – we married folks don’t stand much show against you flappers! (deep sigh). How is Lucile’s strawberry blonde?

We assume that you have already purchased your slippers and hair cut, and we want to know how you are coming home. If you have to come on the train and haven’t enough money (of which we are sure), can you give a check on Papa at the Student’s Bank the last moment? If not, write us and we will send you some. We are so tickled that you will be home in five more days. Then we can talk everything over. We will try to get most everything done by then (except the “marryin'”), so that we can have plenty of time to talk.

We have our prospector (for the ranch, I mean) who made his third trip out here yesterday and brought his daughter. The first time he came was while we were in San Antonio. Mr. Shope carried him all over the place just the same though – one door was unlocked. Then a few days later he came out and took supper with us, expecting to spend the night, but finally decided to go back down town in order to go hunting early the next morning. Then, yesterday, he and daughter came just in time to eat dinner (lunch?) and spend part of the afternoon. It reminds me somewhat of little Goldenrod and the bear’s soup, bed etc. In this case, I hope we will be the Little Bear. He is crazy for the place, and says he will buy it for $16,000 cash as soon as he sells his ranch near Knippa. A company has an option on that ranch and expects to buy it as soon as work is begun on the dam – Pardon me! I should have said “construction” at the shut-in. He expects to know for sure soon. If something happens that the “construction” falls through, his trade, and consequently ours too, will fall through also. We are hopeful though. This is confidential, you understand.

I must stop though, or I will not have anything left for us to talk to you about when you return.

Lots of love to you and all the girls.

Love, Ina.