Author Archives: Alan

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

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.