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August 18, 1925

Jax Beach, Fla
Tuesday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

It is “a great and glorious feelin'” to get three letters in one day, and all from the dearest little girl in the world. Just for luck I inquired at the Gen Delivery in Jax and they handed me a letter from you, one from Wash, and one from a customer down the state. I was surprised to get mail up there, and the peculiar thing, they were addressed Jax Beach. This place went by the name of Pablo for years and only during the past few months have they called it Jax Beach. The postal people don’t seem to get it straight. I left forwarding cards for Dr. White and I so we will get our mail here, if it should happen to go up there.

August 18, 1925

August 18, 1925

Tonight two letters came here from you, posted on the 14th & 15th. Today is the 19th. Gee, but they were good ones. All three were just as sweet as they could be and I’d like to hug you real hard for them. The Jax one posted the 12th, contained a mighty fine set of Kodak pictures. Even the borders indicated that they were of Queens, Kings, or Jokers. They go to show that I was correct in my belief, when I said that you would look good regardless of how you dressed. Claudelle makes a mighty good “George” too, and if I did not know that it was Claudelle I would be a bit jealous. She is getting prettier all the time. By the way, did “George” roll his hose? I’ll be that George didn’t love Martha one bit more than I love Ina. Further, I’ll bet that Martha didn’t love George any more than Ina loves me. I said this for you, for I do know that you love me, Dear. The photos are just as sweet as they can be and I’ve looked at them a number of times already.

You were quite right in suggesting that Dr. White did not admit that he was right in going in the surf at noon. He has begun to talk of going to Texas and I presume that he will go by the end of the month. I can’t say that I’ll be awfully sorry, though it will be a bit lonesome. However, I can anticipate when you are going to be with me, for that is as bright a hope as one could have. Dear, I certainly do love you.

Please don’t expect anything other than friendship between Mrs. Gallagher and I, for there has never been anything between us. I was afraid that you might think that, and that is one reason why I have not seen her but the one time since I returned. She knows that I love you and rather expected that I would bring you with me when I came over this summer. You don’t have to think of anyone coming between us, Dear. I don’t have anything to do with the girls at all, and one would expect that I am a woman hater. You are the only one and goodness only knows how much I want you.

I note with interest what you said about the new contest for an auto. I am glad that you don’t have it to think about just now, and I am mighty proud of your success in the last one. It is an expression of a lot of friendship and admiration, and its value can never be expressed in terms of money.

With a real sweet goodnight, and with all my love, Dear, I am,

Yours forever,
Walter.

P.S. I took the liberty of sending you an umbrella today. I am not so sure that you will like the color, but I was told that it would go with any color.

August 17, 1925

Monday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I guess I have the same feeling that you had as the mail man didn’t give me anything yesterday nor today. They will probably come together tomorrow. Will take the early train to Jax and I guess I’ll post this up there as it would probably go quicker than if it waited here. Dr. White is “turning in” now. We have just infected an experimental rat. I am going to Jax to get some guinea pigs and white mice for other experiments. He says that he will probably go to Houston or Port Lavaca Texas about the first of next month. This will be about the same time that I expected to go down the state. I guess it is about long enough for his purpose here, and I am in hopes that I’ll work it out if we do not get it before he leaves. Would just about as soon do it this way anyhow, but we are probably on the right road now. I believe that I can get more accomplished by myself than if both of us are working together. It is a peculiar fact that in this work, the more men on the problem the less efficient they are. I like to have my own problem and after this I expect to keep others off the ground as much as possible. Of course I’ll have to send the material in to have the identification verified, but it is much nicer to co-operate by mail than to have some one here. I naturally try to be nice to Dr. White and we are getting along exceptionally well since we had an understanding about the procedure on the problem. He usually wants to eat at the wrong time, and picks the wrong time to go in the surf, but I let him have his way on it. However, I do not care for the crowds in the surf and this is when he wants to be down there. He probably likes the looks of the girls better than I do, for they don’t interest me. My interest and whole heart are on you, Sweetheart, and I wouldn’t have anything to come between us for anything in the world. I certainly do love you.

August 17, 1925

August 17, 1925

Had a letter from Mervin today. It was nice of him to write. He wondered if my express came before I left Uvalde. I had told him that if it did not come before I left, that I would ask him to deliver it for me. He would have gladly delivered it to you, but I am glad that it came before I left (the suit case & hat box). I am enclosing his letter as you will probably get a laugh out of it too. He doesn’t know how to spend his vacation. Guess I’ll have to tell him about the girls down here, though I don’t know anything from experience. You will find this to be true when you come down here.

When I get to this part of the letter I always remind you that I still love you, and I certainly want you to know it. I think of you often, Dear, and would give worlds just to see you for one evening. But that would only mean that I would wish for you every evening to come.

Believe me, I love you. “Sure,” “you bet,” etc.

Your,
Walter.

August 16, 1925 (Ina)

This letter was out of sequence in the file. Today is 12 October 2011, but I’m backdating this post so it will be in the right place in the chronology.

Sunday Nite.
After Church.

My dear Sweetheart:

Just six weeks ago this afternoon you left us and it seems just about that many months to me. I can’t realize that it has been such a short time.

August 16, 1925 (Ina)

August 16, 1925 (Ina)

I note with a great deal of interest what you say about the meeting to be held in Dallas Nov. 7th to 10th. If you should find that you should be there at that time, I am sure, for my part, that the wedding could be arranged some time near, before or after that time. It would really please me very much because it would mean that I would get to see you earlier than I expected. Of course I understand that you are unable as yet to know at what stage your work will be at that time, but I am sure that we can make arrangements accordingly. Sweetheart, I love you, and the nearer the time comes for us to be married the happier I feel. It is so vastly different from the way I felt about two years ago when Ray and I were engaged. At that time I couldn’t help but have a feeling of dread, as each day slipped by.

I am glad you said what you did about the wardrobe trunk. As it happened, I had already decided not to purchase a trunk of that kind. In housekeeping they are very much in the way since you usually want a trunk that will occupy the least space and can be tucked away in a corner or closet somewhere as they are not very ornamental as a piece of furniture. I am glad you expressed an opinion on it, and I will be so glad if you will always feel free to give your opinion on things. I was interested in what you said about the possibility of our going directly to Florida instead of Washington. Either way suits me, Dear, and I am always mighty glad to know of any developments that might determine when and where we shall go.

Worlds of love from
your devoted,
Ina.

August 16, 1925

Sunday Night Aug 17th*

My Dear Sweetheart,

It really isn’t late but Dr. White has already “turned in” and no doubt I could go to sleep. It may seem strange to be sleepy at 8:30 but we spent a long time in the surf this afternoon and it is the natural result, you will feel the same way, too, Dear.

The Post Office is open only a short time on Sundays and I did not have the opportunity of inquiring for your letter. I have something to look forward to, tomorrow. Everything seems to go so much better on days when I get your letter and other days seem very long. I can’t help but anticipate just how nice it will be when you are with me. It seems almost too good to be true and I certainly wish for you, and wish for you.

August 16, 1925

August 16, 1925

Yours truly is getting a coat of tan just now which affects the whole body except that covered by a bathing suit. It is a different sort from the one I had in Uvalde, and seems to have spread. The sun burns on my back are about well now, but incidentally the vinegar did not keep it from peeling. Dr. White says it should be applied on the same day and that we waited almost two or three days before using it. I guess he is right.

Dear, I want you to think about what I should give you for a wedding present. I want to give something that you will need or can use and you have a better idea than anyone else. You should suggest it. I hope that in the future you will suggest so that I will not get something which could not be used. There are quite a few things that we will need, but I think this should be something that you will want, and something which we probably would not get when we are furnishing the house.

Before long I expect to get a hardware catalog and list from a hardware concern (wholesale) where we had a buying connection in So. Dak. I will send this to you so that in buying standard material we can save something. As a whole it will probably be quite a saving. The house is a good one. Such things as an ice box, stove, and furniture, we should see and would probably do well to buy them in Florida. The Jacksonville concerns pay freight to any point in Florida. From the Omaha hardware we could probably get such things as kitchen utensils, food chopper, carving set, electric iron and percolator, and other hardware which we will think of. You will know more about these than I do and will have an idea of what is needed. I know that the discounts from the list prices are good ones.

I love you, Dear, and you have heard this a number of times, but you had might as well get accustomed to it for I am going to tell you the same thing real often. I mean it with every time I say it, and I’ll be a mighty happy human when you are with me – always – for keeps.

With a sweet goodnight,

Your,
Walter.

* Once again, right day wrong date.

August 15, 1925

Saturday Night Aug 15th

My Dear Sweetheart,

I have just received your letter of Monday night, and it is a mighty good one, Dear. The prints finally came and I am sending them along. No doubt you will recognize our house as they are not very different from the ones previously sent to you. The lawn is a little better in these. The little boy is the only child of the lady living there and he seems to be a pretty good kid. The dog belongs to the family. The name of the folks, if I remember it correctly is Goodman. The other photo is of the cottage here. We are using the front porch for a Lab, but also have a garage in the rear. It is very comfortable and 2 blocks from the surf. For our purpose there is nothing better down here, and the lady keeps it quite neat and orderly. I asked her when she was going to West Palm Beach where her husband is working and at the present time she is not sure. It looks as though I may have the whole thing to myself if I use it much longer. In about two weeks more, there will not be so much of a crowd down here. However, it is delightful here and one can go in the surf any day in the year. During the winter they sometimes have a frost here, but it warms up quickly. For work, I would rather be in Florida during the winter than in either Dallas or Wash DC, and Dear I may suggest that we spend the first few months of our honeymoon down here at Jax Beach. It would be very quiet here and perhaps it would be too quiet for you, but it is only 17 miles to Jax and we could make the drive any evening or take the train. As a place for excitement the beach would not amount to anything, but as a good place for me to work and as a delightful place to spend a honeymoon I don’t believe it could be beaten. It looks as though this may be the last season on creeping eruption and it would seem to be a good idea to work it up as much as possible. Too, I would not want to start the other work in the state until some money has been made available for it. It could not be available before July 1st of next year. I have not taken up the matter of my spending the winter down here, but after I have been down the state I’ll write Mr. Bishopp about it. I’ll always let you know of developments, for Dear, you mean worlds to me.

August 15, 1925

August 15, 1925

It was mighty nice of you to tell me of your friend Womack. I’ll have to admit that he has mighty good taste in proposing to you. I do not wonder why you have had so many, for there is no one like you, Dear. Claudelle will probably have to turn down a few of them too, before she chooses one. Mother and Daddy Lewis certainly reared some mighty fine daughters, and they have made me mighty happy in giving consent to our marriage.

Sweetheart, I certainly wish I could spend an evening on your porch with you now. You don’t know how I miss you. I love you with every tender affection Dear, and if a man ever wanted a girl an awful lot, I certainly want you.

We are going to be mighty happy.

Always,
Your
Walter.

August 14, 1925 (Walter)

Jacksonville Beach, Fla.,
Friday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

Things are going just fine and we had a good and busy day. Tomorrow will also be a busy one and I guess we have about all we can do as long as we want to work with it. Dr. White was describing the girl whom he thought would be ideal, and when he finished I told him that there was no other like you. At least I have never found one who could take your place in my heart. I certainly do love you sweetheart.

The photos did not come today.

August 14, 1925 (Walter)

August 14, 1925 (Walter)

We went in the surf at about 5:45 this morning and the water was fine. We are going to try it again tomorrow morning. It gives me a real good appetite for breakfast. I am weighing 200 now which is a few pounds less than when I left Uvalde. I note what you said about your weight. I’ll bet that you gain 10 lbs when you come to Florida. Most of the girls look fat down here. But you could gain and still be real pretty, though I could not suggest any change in you, Dear. You are just right in every way and I wouldn’t change you one bit if it were possible.

You don’t know how happy I am that I have your love, Dear, for I love you better than I ever dreamed I could love anyone. Here’s hoping that we will always love equally as much, and I certainly hope that I’ll never do anything to cause you to love me less. I am going to do all I can to make you happy and I am going to be as good to you as I know how. I only wish I could give you more when we are starting out, but just the same we will have the fun of making a home and accumulating. At the same time I hope that we will both enjoy life.

You did not mention in your letter whether either of the men who were married in Uvalde, wore “scisssor tail” coats (evening dress). Personally I wouldn’t feel very comfortable in one, but just as you say. Have you thought of what kind of a wedding you want, Dear? This is for you to decide and you can do this so that it is just the way you want it. The important part to me is that I will participate in it. Your Mother can probably suggest the most suitable place and help you to decide. The idea of an afternoon or day time wedding and then leave as soon as it is over would strike me fine. But suit yourself, Dear.

With a real sweet goodnight and with all my love, I am,

Always your
Walter.

August 14, 1925 (Ina)

Friday Nite
Aug. 14, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

We reached the top of the hill this evening in time to see the sun set and it was gorgeous. I don’t see how Nature can clothe herself in so many beautiful colors. Such a scene as that gives a person such a quiet, peaceful and restful feeling. But, Dear, it made me long for you because it reminded me of the many happy evenings this summer when I sat in the swing and watched the sun set while I was waiting for you to come. In fact, there are very few occasions on which I don’t think of you and then when I wish for you so much that I get lonesome I console myself by realizing that you will be returning before so very long and we hope we shall never be separated so long again, don’t we? Yes, my day’s work is interesting, especially so when I am working on something for my “hope chest,” but even that does not keep it from being hard to wait to see you.

August 14, 1925 (Ina)

August 14, 1925 (Ina)

I am glad you have found some work for Dr. White that will make a more agreeable working companion out of him. I sincerely hope you have found the thing you have been working for this summer, and I am especially glad that you were responsible for leading up to it. Here’s wishing you every success possible.

Goodnight and sweet dreams and all my love.

Yours always,
Ina.

Saturday Afternoon.
Aug. 15, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

I wonder what you are doing this typical summer afternoon. I have just had a nice nap, and although it was very warm I feel very much refreshed. I suppose while I was sleeping you were as busy as a bee. I imagine that it is cooler and more pleasant to work there than it is here.

I notice in the “Uvalde Leader News” that all the Reagan Wells people have returned to Dallas except Dr. and Mrs. Roark. He has gone to Washington but she is going to remain at the Wells until cooler weather. She must like it up there very much. I suppose she doesn’t get lonesome as the paper states that there are a number of guests at the

The rest of this letter is currently missing. I’ll append it to this post if it turns up somewhere in the rest of the series.

hotel now. I imagine it is much cooler there now than it is in Uvalde.

I also notice int his week’s issue of the “Leader News” that it is going to begin another automobile contest soon. “A big automobile Free! Easy!!” “Win a handsome car during your leisure hours the next few weeks,” “Just a little perseverance and the automobile is yours!” etc. etc. You know how they advertise. It almost makes me sick to think of anyone having to go through all that work, worry and mental anguish that I had to go through. They have already asked me to enter, but I asked them to please count me out. Good luck to those who want to try it but never again for me! I am mighty glad I entered the other because I won, but the uncertainty is terrible. My one successful experience satisfies me completely for all the years to come.

Claudelle is going down town now so I must rush this.

I love you, I love you, I love you.

Yours forever,
Ina.

August 13, 1925

Jacksonville Beach, Fla.,
Thurs. Nite. Aug. 13, 1925.

My Dear Sweetheart,

Another real sweet letter this morning and I thoroughly enjoyed it. You certainly know what to say to hit the right spot with me, Dear, and best of all I know that you mean it. I consider myself mighty fortunate to have such a dear little girl. I have no idea of calling her “Mama,” for she is just right.

August 13, 1925

August 13, 1925

We are busy and the work is very interesting. It certainly made a difference in Dr. White when we started on this lead and I have enjoyed the past few days with him more than all the other time put together. I believe we are getting somewhere with the problem now and he feels the same way. It was amusing today, when a kid brought over a crab and wanted to know if we wanted it. Dr. White said “yes” but he told me that he took it just to make the kid feel encouraged. Have gotten the idea of crabs as carriers of creeping eruption out of his mind, and I believe he is not so much of a crab himself as he was when I wrote you such blue letters. He has been human the past few days and I believe he will be just fine from now until we are through.

He knows his stuff and I have been able to get him to open up some during the past few days. We had an understanding, without any hard feelings either way. He expects to be in Texas again this fall on the cotton disease, and maybe he will be here until he is ready to go there. He thinks it will be almost the 15th of next month.

The mosquitoes have been visitors with us recently and we found it necessary to get under some netting. Dr. White brought me some safety pins so I could pin it down well tonight. Last night I had to get up a few times and finally used a lotion. The cottage isn’t screened very well.

Haven’t been in the surf the past few days but I guess we will go down at about 5:30 in the morning. That is a mighty good time to go in.

I guess you think that I am never going to send the photos (Kodak) of the Dallas house, but I did not get the roll out of the Kodak until a few days ago. They should be back tomorrow and I’ll send them as soon as they come. Will send one of this cottage too.

Had a nice letter from Sister yesterday. She is a happy girl and wants me to know it. Says she is going to teach again this year, but it would seem to me that she has enough to do in keeping house. He is good to her and she always mentions it to me.

Had a letter from the Lab at Dallas and they are expecting Laake back about the 15th. This is quite a while for him to be away from the Mrs. and I have an idea that he is getting anxious to get back. His beer ought to be good when he gets there, and I reminded him to take one for me. Mrs. L had started a new lot when I was in Dallas so he will have quite a supply.

Will say “goodnight,” Dear, for I have no news. It is the same old story but I am going to tell you again. I love you with all my heart and you don’t know how much I wish for you.

With a real big hug and a sweet kiss,

Your,
Walter.

August 12, 1925 (Walter)

Jacksonville Beach, Fla.,
Wednesday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

Today was my lucky day. Everyday is lucky, but this one especially. This morning I had two letters and tonight I received the third one. They were just as sweet as they could be and, believe me, I was getting anxious for them to come. The other two came yesterday, but we were in Jax and didn’t get them until today.

We have been very busy today and the work is most interesting.

August 12, 1925 (Walter)

August 12, 1925 (Walter)

Had a letter from the Mr. Pettit whom you met at Kerrville. He was spending a while with his brother’s folks in Dallas and said that he was enjoying it very much.

You were mighty sweet about the honeymoon beginning here. I could hardly make up my mind to bring you to this cottage as it doesn’t seem good enough, but perhaps I could find a nicer one down here. I’d like to take you to the future home so that you would feel more settled and I am trying to get the station down here so that we won’t have to move any. The fellows in the colder climates sometimes move twice each year, so as to work in different locations, but the beauty about this work would be no moving. It should be very much like Mr. Parman’s work when it is started, but there are a few things I would have a little different from Mr. Parman. I am not criticizing, but have a little different idea. We will discuss them when we are together for you have some ideas on outward appearances of places that are better than mine.

You don’t know how much I appreciate what you said about where you lived. You are wonderful, Dear, and more and more I realize how very fortunate I am to have such a fiancee. We will try to make the whole married life a honeymoon and I’ll do everything I can to this end. I am sure that it is going to be just what we try to make it, for we can do what we try.

Dear, you said something about a wardrobe trunk when we were talking before I left Uvalde. If you have not purchased it, I would not be in a hurry about it. I am suggesting this because, the Florida creeping eruption studies may be completed this season and I’d rather not do sectioning of tissue in Washington with Dr. White this winter. If I do not work with him up there, perhaps we can come direct to our home down here. Then if I go to Johns Hopkins, we could get the trunk before we go up there. I don’t mean that all of the work will be finished on C.E. for no problem is ever completed, but work under the present arrangement will be completed and the future work will be a sort of a side line of my own and will be worked by myself only. There is more satisfaction in working alone on a problem, as far as individual credit is concerned, though Dr. White was very nice yesterday in suggesting that my name appear first on this summer’s work. I don’t know whether this was just a courtesy on his part or not. We are interested in different phases of the problem and after this summer, I believe we can work separately to better advantage. It looks as though we have the thing isolated, but we can’t tell for a few days yet. It will be kept quiet until we have had a chance to announce it at a meeting. If we are working with the right thing now, Dr. White will probably return about the end of this month and I hope we have it. It certainly looks favorable.

With all my love, Sweetheart, and assuring you that I am true to you, and with all confidence in you, I am,

Yours always,
Walter.

August 12, 1925 (Ina)

Wednesday Nite
Aug. 12, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

Claudelle and I have just finished our evening walk. We didn’t go until unusually late as she did not return from down town in time. It was almost dark when we started and we could imagine all sorts of snakes and things before we came in sight of the house. Our imaginations were so active that when a poor little innocent grasshopper settled himself peacefully on my dress for a rest I accidentally became aware of his whereabouts by upsetting him with my hand. I gave a hop, skip and a jump that made us both almost think a rattlesnake had me. I hereby resolve never to go out for a pleasant stroll in the pitch dark on a ranch road that snakes like so well.

August 12, 1925 (Ina)

August 12, 1925 (Ina)

No, I didn’t get a letter today. I miss them very much when I don’t get them, but I spend the rest of that day in looking forward to the next when I feel sure that I will receive one.

I love you, Sweetheart, lots and lots and would give so much if I could be with you tonight.

Your devoted,
Ina.

Thursday Night.
Aug. 13, 1925.

Dearest Walter:

Yes, sir-ree, I did get it today and I’ve been happy “every minute” since. Mama, Papa, Claudelle and I were on our way to the Neuces River when we went by the post office and found your letter. It was a good one and made my swim a lot more pleasant.

Even Mama and Papa went in swimming so you know the water must have been tempting. There were about 30 people in and everyone seemed to be having a good time. I thought of you a great deal while we were in the water and imagined that you were enjoying the surf at the same time.

I noted what you said of Mrs. Gallagher. I suspected quite a while ago that perhaps she had a deeper interest in you than mere appreciation for the attention you paid the children. I didn’t blame her a bit because I am “rather” interested in you myself. However, I am not jealous, just because I feel that if you were going to fall in love with her, you would have done it last summer, and second, because I am convinced that you truly love me and I know that you will be true to me. From the description you have given me of Mrs. Gallagher, I feel sure that I will like her, and I know the children are cute. I think it will be nice if you have the little boy down on the beach with you to spend a while. It will be a treat for him and you will enjoy it too.

We appreciated the compliment you paid Thelma Lee and Reitha. They certainly think lots of you and speak of you often.

Lots of love from one who loves you more than anyone else in the world.

Ina.