Monthly Archives: February 2012

November 18, 1925

Stationery from The Everett Hotel

Jacksonville, Fla., Nov. 18 1925

My Dear Sweetheart,

I arrived here about two hours ago or less and our train was about four hours late. All trains run late down here except the beach train which went out on time this morning and left me to wait until this PM. But I had a few things to do, including the writing of this letter which is by far the most important. Had to go to the bank about the first thing. I didn’t buy anything down the state either, except meals and lodging.

November 18, 1925

November 18, 1925

I am certainly well pleased at the outlook of securing an appropriation for the work down there and I am going to keep behind it until we get something. It is an important problem and I expect to be able to present an effective report on it. Have given Mr. B. the details in a letter and also my “modus operandi” for getting the funds. My mission in attending the state fair here is to help out on another project which affects poultry, but I am more interested in the sand fly situation at Marco Island. It will be my problem while the poultry problem will be one for Mr. Parman and the folks at Dallas. I’ll have to help some too, but I won’t have a personal interest that I’ll have for my own problem. I don’t like these partnership problems for the Dept. and there is only one partnership that I am interested in. Yours and mine. I am mighty anxious for that one too, Dear, though you do have your little doubt sometimes. When you know me as a hubby you will understand how it occurred to you in that way. I am going to try to prevent you from having any reason to ever regret it, and I am going to try to give you the comforts of life and as many pleasures as possible. If I am not good, you tell me.

While the fair is in session and much interest will be shown in poultry here I am offering one of the 10 acre tracts for $2000. At this figure I would consider selling both of them, as it would net us a nice profit. I am not so anxious to sell both until you have seen one of them. We may want to build on it. I’d like to turn one of them for enough to pay for both. Then we would not have much invested.

If the sand fly money is obtained OK, it would be a good idea to have you go to Marco with me for a little trip after Xmas. During that time the govt will probably offer its land for sale down there and we may want our home there. I don’t like the idea of taking you where those things will bite you, but if everyone else depends on me to help them, maybe you would do the same thing.

With all my love, Dear, and looking forward to a bunch of letters from you when I get to the Beach this PM, I am,

Yours only & always,
Walter.

November 16, 1925

Stationery from the Kenmore Hotel, Fort Myers, FL

Nov. 16, 1925

My Dear Sweetheart,

It is a shame that I have not written to you while I was on this trip, Dear, and I guess you are thinking daggers at me. I left the Beach on short notice, and had intended to wait until after the fair but found that I had things in pretty good shape and figured that I had time to make it. I worked every minute that I could while on Marco Island and I am well pleased at results. Not that I learned so much about the problem, but I made some helpful contacts which mean so much in the work. It is the most beautiful spot I have seen and were it not for the sand flies, it would be ideal.

November 16, 1925

November 16, 1925

They are very enthusiastic about the work on this problem and it certainly looks promising from a standpoint of work and living. At the present time Caxambas is a great deal like Regan Wells, no conveniences, but Marco is better and looks inviting. It is yet small, too, but capitalists have bought a large portion of this section and it will develop wonderfully. At the present time the railroad is under construction. The island has deep water. The people whom I came in contact with are very fine and I believe you would like them. They plan a special appropriation for the work and will go after the amount I request. Mr. Williams says he thought it well to try for fifty thousand with the idea that we stand a good chance for $25,000. This of course would be for work at other places too. It would mean to have some one else on the problem with me, possibly about three stations. One in South Carolina, one at Marco Island & possibly one at Jax. Definite plans will depend on the amount appropriated, but I am confident that there will be enough to work Marco Island in nice shape. It is a real problem too and results will show. That looks good to me.

I am to meet a representative of W.G. Collier here tonight to discuss the situation & needs. He is a multi-millionaire who has invested extensively in this section. He has not attempted any developments yet, but plans a gigantic resort of an exclusive nature. He is buying all the property he can before the development begins. This is the real time to get started on my work and I am greatly encouraged at the outlook.

I love you, Dear, with all my heart and I’ll be glad when I can talk everything with you instead of writing it.

With a sweet goodnight,

Your
Walter

P.S. I am leaving for Jax tomorrow.

November 14, 1925

Saturday Nite
Nov. 14, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

Of course I may not mail this letter – at least I will not until I hear from you – but I don’t feel right going to sleep without saying a few words to you. That always seems necessary to make it a well rounded day.

November 14, 1925

November 14, 1925

I have been spending the evening by reading in the “National Geographic” of an Arctic expedition while a stiff norther is blowing outside. I imagine it will be really cold by morning. We will feel it too after the fine springlike days we have been enjoying.

This afternoon Thelma Lee called us up to tell us that Mr. and Mrs. Parman had returned. They have had quite a stay.

I am so accustomed to writing you every day that when I wrote Claudelle day before yesterday I addressed it to Box 61 instead of her box number which is 55. Mama called my attention to my error when I started down town, but I forgot to correct it. It seems unnatural not to send the mail to 61 every day.

I love you, Sweetheart, a mighty heap.

Always, your own
Ina.

Now, I think I can go to sleep. Goodnight and sweet dreams.

Sunday Nite
Nov. 15, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

Here goes the second installment. Perhaps I will get a letter tomorrow so that I can mail this one.

This morning Mrs. Bunting, a friend of ours who has several school teachers boarding at her house, ‘phoned and invited me to take dinner with her. She has been insisting for quite a while on my calling on a young lady who boards there but on whom I had not called so I accepted her invitation to dinner. Mr. Priddy, the commercial teacher in high school here, and whom I went with some last session, boards there too. He introduced me to Mr. Butler, a friend and his former Baylor University roommate, who was visiting him, so this afternoon Mr. Priddy, Miss Wilhaus, Mr. Butler and I went to Eagle Pass crossing kodaking. You remember that is the spot on the Nueces river where you and I went that Sunday afternoon when you missed the train. It was beautiful this afternoon. There was more water than usual and the clear sky and warm sunshine made it ideal for an outing. I thought of you and wished for you when those familiar scenes all reminded me of the pleasant afternoon of “getting acquainted” you and I spent there. Then I thought of the Sunday afternoon, almost a year later, after you and I were happily engaged, when we spent several hours at the same place. And, Sweetheart, Mr. Butler, in a number of ways, reminds me of you. He doesn’t dance, and his ideas on things of that kind are very similar to your own. If any of the two dozen pictures we took are good, I will send you some. We returned about six o’clock and I had a date with Mr. Butler to go to church this evening.

When I go down town tomorrow after your letter, I am going to have my fountain pen repaired so that I can write you a neater letter.

I love you, Sweetheart, and think of you often.

Always, your
Ina.

November 13, 1925

Friday the Thirteenth
8:25 P.M.

My dearest Sweetheart:

In spite of the fact that I had resolved to wait about a week to write you in order to see whether you would even miss my letters, here I go, as usual, answering your letter on the same day that I received it.

First of all, I want to tell you that you needn’t be at all surprised at any particular cuts this pen takes as I am unaccustomed to wielding one of its kind, especially when my only source of fuel is a great big ink bottle with a little tiny bit of sediment comfortably settled in one of its corners. My fountain pen is out of commission (overworked, poor thing!) so this letter promises to be a master-piece.

November 13, 1925

November 13, 1925

Yesterday and today have been two of the most beautiful days I have ever experienced I think. The sky has been just as clear as could be, and not a particle of cloud could be seen. It has been so nice and warm, everything is so pretty and green, and it has been just like springtime. I spent the day with Thelma today and we have been spending the afternoon pleasantly in making a few calls.

Mama and I went to a reception last night and enjoyed it so much. I was asked to pour tea for the occasion. My! how I did envy the young lady who had the privilege of pouring coffee. There were about a hundred and twenty five guests present.

No, Sweetheart, I mustn’t tell you how relieved I was to get your letter today nor how long I had been looking for it. Neither would it be very wise to tell you how many times of late that I have had to swallow a big lump in my throat consisting of anxiety, pride, independence, ‘n’everything, when I realized that it would take only about three minutes at the close of even the very busiest

One page missing – I tore it up. I didn’t want you to think I had gone back on my promise to be good, nor did I want you to think I was foolish or sensitive. Anyhow, I love you and love you and love you and don’t expect anything to ever come between us.

Yes, Sweetheart, from the description you have given me of the acreage west of Jacksonville, I think it would be mighty nice to live in a nice little home out there. I have no objections to living in the suburbs because we can drive in any time we get ready. We could enjoy there the advantages of both the city and the country. Yes, the profit on the sale of the Fulford lot would go a long way toward building a home, and, Dear, by the time we are married I will have a thousand dollars left from my savings, made while I was a “business woman” which I had intended for us to use for furnishing our home. It is drawing eight per cent interest at present, but we can get it any time we are ready to buy the furniture.

I am enclosing an account of the marriage of Zelma Barnette and Pat Campbell. As you have met them both I thought you might be interested.

I love you, Sweetheart, and I get so enthusiastic and happy when we are planning our wedding, home etc.

Always, your
Ina.

November 11, 1925

En Route to Fort Myers.
Armistice Night

My Dear Sweetheart,

Yesterday I found that I had things in pretty fair shape to make the trip to Caxambas so I packed last night and left early this AM. Had breakfast at 6:30 left the beach at 7 AM and should have left Jax at 9, but did not get away until 10:45. The train has lost more time since then so we are now running about 4 hrs late. I should have arrived at Fort Myers at 7:30 P.M. and it will now take until about midnight. The stage leaves Fort Myers about 8 tomorrow morning and then should get to Caxambas about noon. I do not expect to be there very long, only a few days, and if you write me to the Beach I will be mighty glad to get them when I get back. This writing is awful but it is about the best I can do on a moving train. The writing looks as though I might be drunk, but such is not the case.

November 11, 1925

November 11, 1925

All one can hear is real estate. Everyone talks it and the only way to keep from talking it is to keep from visiting with anyone. The mens’ smoking room has a bunch now, and while no particular section is being discussed, the state as a whole is talked about. Some of this part is very pretty and I am looking forward to seeing Fort Myers tomorrow A.M. It is said to be very picturesque etc. It is hardly fair to judge by what one sees from a train.

I’ll write you from Caxambas tomorrow night, Dear, and I hope that it will reach you in less time than was required for my letter from West Palm Beach.

I love you, lots and lots and lots. With a sweet goodnight.

Your own
Walter

November 10, 1925

Tuesday Nite
Nov. 10, 1925.

My dearest Sweetheart:

No letter today, and I didn’t intend writing tonight until I realized that it was six months ago (just think, a half year) tonight that we became engaged.

November 10, 1925

November 10, 1925

I just wanted to let you know I remembered the day and that I am thinking of you, and, above all, that I love you.

Always, your
Ina.

November 9, 1925

Monday Nite
Nov. 9, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

Yours of Friday night came after a second trip today after it. It didn’t come this morning, so, since I felt like I just had to have a letter today, I went down town again this afternoon. If it hadn’t come I would have – well, waited until tomorrow or the next day or the next to get one. I didn’t write you last night because I didn’t know what to write. You see, I had received only three letters the past week when I had been accustomed to receiving, usually, seven. So I didn’t know what was wrong.

November 9, 1925

November 9, 1925

The real estate letter you enclosed was interesting also. It will be mighty fine to make a nice profit by the time we are ready to have a home of our own. I am glad that Jacksonville is coming to the front of the Fla. boom so that the acreage west will be increasing.

Yesterday afternoon Mrs. Monagin and June Latham (the young school teacher from Mississippi whom you met at the Uvalde Hotel) came out and spent quite a while with us. Mervin is quite a football hero this session. I think he enjoys every minute of it too.

It was announced last night at church that part of our pipe organ had already arrived and the remaining part and a man to install it were expected soon. I don’t know why the shipment has been delayed so long.

Wednesday is Armistice Day. Are you going to take a holiday? I don’t know how we are going to spend the day – as per usual though, I suppose. Yesterday evening we had a debate at League “Resolved, that Christians should not participate in War.” There was lots of room for argument, of course, on this question, and the four debaters did it justice too, I think. I most earnestly hope that some plan can be presented and carried out that will honorably and effectively prevent all wars in the future. It makes me shudder to think of the losses, terrors, ruin and desolation caused by the World War. It seems impossible that the people of the world would bring about another one as horrible. Here’s hoping it’s all over!

I love you, Sweetheart, ever so very very much!

Always, your
Ina.

November 8, 1925

Jax Beach, Sun PM. Nov 8th

My Dear Sweetheart,

Yesterday and today were regular days with comfortable temperatures and folks were in the surf. It seemed more like summer. I went to Jax yesterday afternoon. Dr. KS had written that a veterinarian had telephoned him of a peculiar skin affection on a dog, and that he thought it of interest to us. The lesions were not characteristic of C.E. but it is possible that the trouble was of a nematode origin. The dog was too valuable to obtain it for experimental purposes, so I gave him the C.E. treatment to be tried. When I have isolated and cultured the C.E. nemas I’ll try them on dogs. The material I am working with has not produced C.E. but it is nearer than anything we have worked on yet. I get so interested in it that I forget most everything else. I haven’t written an official letter for a long time, but I’ll have to answer some of them soon.

When I was in town yesterday I drove out toward the acreage to see what the new developments look like. They are encouraging and with a development like “Biltmore” beginning in that part of town I have hopes that ours will be valuable stuff. I’ll be glad when you see them. I don’t know what you would think of building out there, but I am of the opinion that a nice home out there on one of the tracts would be mighty fine. It looks as though we might get enough out of the Fulford lot to go a long way toward building and furnishing a new home.

Monday A.M.

I stopped here last night and now I want to get this in the P.O. before the mail leaves.

With worlds of love, Dear, and a [ink smear on page] kiss.

Your
Walter.

November 7, 1925

Saturday Nite.
Nov. 7, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

First and foremost I have a weather report to make. I didn’t write you last night nor the night before because, on account of the rains, none of us could get in town to mail you the letter I had written you Wednesday night. I didn’t even get to make that talk to the ladies of the Missionary Society Thursday afternoon. What a loss! I wonder if the poor women realize what a wonderful opportunity they missed all on account of the weather? But, be that as it may, we appreciated the showers very much. It has turned cooler, faired off, and everything looks so pretty and fresh and green. Of course we are situated in a mud puddle when it rains the least bit, and are in a position to appreciate beautiful drying sunshine after plenty of moisture. We have been in Texas so long that we just naturally enjoy this sunshine that is usually with us.

November 7, 1925

November 7, 1925

Your letter of Wednesday nite came this afternoon. From a selfish point of view, I was glad I didn’t go to the post office those other two days because there would have been nothing but an empty box to greet me until today.

I love you, Sweetheart.

Goodnight and sweet dreams.

Always, your
Ina.

November 6, 1925

Jax Beach, Friday Night Nov 6th.

My Dear Sweetheart,

You have been mighty good to me to write so regularly when I have not done so. I certainly have been busy, Dear, and I want you to know that I thought of you just the same and that I love you as much as ever. I have been getting some new material which was more interesting and promising than anything we have worked with it. I can’t make any definite statement yet, and I’ll be sure of myself before I do so. Should I be able to produce the disease now I could not report it in the near future, and would not expect to do so until I was so sure of my stuff that there would be no possible chance for an error. Dr. K.S. received the proof of our article a few days ago (the one which Dr. White nursed so long). He dropped me a line that there were only a few corrections (typographical) and that he corrected those and returned it. I am rather glad that he did this, for if I had seen the proof Dr. White would have wanted to go over it and he would have kept it a long time again. As it is, it will probably come out in next month’s issue. Dr. K.S. says that this is all that he cares to publish as the work is now where he cannot help very much. I intend to see that I get my own out under my own name this time. I am glad to have published some with him as he has a prestige among medical men.

November 6, 1925

November 6, 1925

I am enclosing a letter re: Fulford lots which may be interesting. When I looked at our lot, the one next to it had a real estate sign so I asked what they were holding it for. The enclosed letter says that it has been sold. Judging from the prices they are asking for the others, which are several blocks away from ours I believe that the list price $3150 which the Fulford people place on ours is not an inflated price but about what it would bring on the market. The acreage at Jax looks better than it did at the time we bought. One subdivision is being developed a little beyond our tracts, but it isn’t a high class one. Nearer to Jax than ours a new division is now open by a good company who are placing restrictions on the buildings. This looks good. When they have finished this, our tracts ought to be pretty good acreage. They are higher than any development in the vicinity of Jax.

I had not considered it necessary to have a best man who was not married. I’ll have to look into this matter. I don’t believe my brother would do it. He is working on some road contracts and only a death would get him away from them. I’ll make up that list for you, too, and will send it before long.

With a sweet goodnight, I am,

Always,
Your
Walter.