Letterhead from the Bevans Hotel, Menard, Texas.

May 20, 1932

Dear Walter and Ina:

I haven’t had a chance to write you and thank you for all the wonderful things you did for Anna and for myself during the time of Anna’s illness and death. You must pardon me for not acknowledging your many favors, but you understand, of course, that I had many things to think about and to do during Anna’s illness and since her death, well, it is almost impossible to get a-going again.

May 20, 1932 (from Mr. Laake)

Walter, I especially want to thank you for your very kind letter which you wrote from New Orleans. It was mighty kind of you to want me to go back to Charleston with you for a while, and for you to offer to come by at Dallas for me. I wish I could have gone with you and Mr. Hall, but it was impossible for me at the time. Furthermore, it was not my innermost desire to want to go so far away when it would be impossible to go out and visit Anna every evening. After visiting her, so it seems at least, it is somewhat less lonely at home, or rather in the place that was a home of happy memory.

Coming over here I came by the way of San Antonio and Uvalde. I stopped at Austin and visited Claudelle and at Uvalde I had a very pleasant visit with Mother Lewis. Claudelle’s return from Texas is now only a matter of a few more days and I am sure that Mother Lewis is going to be right happy when she will have Claudelle home again. She is also anxiously looking forward for the time when you, Walter and Ina and Walter White, will come home for your summer visit. I presume you will drive through when you come down and that you will want to come by Dallas on your trip down or on your return trip. You must do that and remember that I will be awaiting your visit at our home. I know that it will never be the same to any of us, but it will be a pleasure, for me, at least, to have you stop with me whenever you are in Dallas.

Again I wish to thank you for all you have done to lighten my sorrow.

With kindest regards,

I am,

Sincerely,
Ernest