Tag Archives: cooking

Around May 25, 1932 (from Claudelle)

Westmoreland
Wednesday afternoon

Dear both of you,

Your letter came just a little while ago, and I read it while I was down in the Book Store. I’d read a sentence, sell a college Algebra, read another sentence, open a bottle of pop, read another, sell some hot tamales, and finish the paragraph while I was selling candy with one hand and making change with the other. I enjoyed it immensely though – the letter.

Around May 25, 1932 (from Claudelle)

Around May 25, 1932 (from Claudelle)

Ina, do you really cook all the good things you say you do? I can’t believe you do – unless, as you say, Walter does over half of it. Your letters don’t sound at all as if you were living on “love and pickles” – at least you haven’t mentioned the pickles yet. I’m so hungry after finishing your letter that I “just can’t wait” for the hash we’re sure to have for dinner.

Yes, exams are over and I passed on everything. I surely thought for a day or two that I wasn’t coming through on Trig. By dint of “cramming” and Arthur’s coaching I got through all right, though.

Did you know I was home last Sunday? The Choral Club left early Sunday morning, gave a program in Hondo at the church hour, had lunch there, and went on home. We got there about four and left at eleven that night. The program lasted from seven to eight, and then the League gave us supper. I wasn’t at home hardly any time, and while I was I had two other girls with me. It was wonderful, though – I would have died of homesickness pretty soon if I hadn’t gotten away from here. Mama and Papa and Thelma and Bob and the children seemed to be fine, except that Papa had a cold. Thelma and the children have been a little sick, but are all right now. I didn’t get to see them until during the program, when I looked down and saw Reitha grinning at me for all she was worth. She pulled Thelma Lee over and then they both grinned. I had a terrible time keeping from laughing. They’re precious.

Bob has shaved his mustache! He made me kiss him under it when I was home Christmas, and you can’t imagine how relieved I was to see it gone this time. Walter, please don’t ever try raising one, will you?

Speaking of mustaches, you should have seen me one night last week. We had a manless wedding over at Smith House and I was best man. I vaselined my hair, wore a neighbor boy’s suit, and got my mustache out of the chimney. Oh, I looked quite heart-smashing! Quite the best-looking boy in the family – excepting the in-laws, of course.

Dinner time. Bye-bye!

Claudelle.

September 25, 1927: A Recipe

I don’t know why this was in with the letters, but here’s a recipe for something. If you know what the dish is, please post it in the comments.

September 25, 1927: A Recipe

September 25, 1927: A Recipe

2 egg yolks
1/2 cup melted butter or lard
1 cup sugar
1 cup raisins
1 cup pecans
1 lb. Hines Mincemeat
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda in 1 Tbsp. boiling water
1 small bottle cherries
egg whites

325 degrees, 1 hr.

June 26, 1927

Sunday 7:35 PM.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I spent most of the day with the Pettits. The dinner was a great success, except that you were not there. Roast beef, candied yams like you cook them, string beans, hot rolls, a very nice salad, pickles, ice tea, sponge cake and apricot ice cream. About 5 o’clock we had another helping of the home made ice cream and cake. It was delicious.

June 26, 1927

June 26, 1927

Alvis came to the Lab with me and we have just returned from a drive. Could not eat supper so we went by a barbecue stand. He left to see Miss Ina at 7:30. He expects to leave Dallas about the middle of the week for a trip to Hot Springs & some other places.

Mrs. Pettit had her hair bobbed just after we left Dallas last year. It is very becoming to her. She expects Mrs. Hickman next Sunday.

With all my love, Dear,

Always your
Walter

June 8, 1926

The Lab. Tues 5:45 PM.

My Dear Little Girl,

Have been printing photos all the afternoon. When I came upstairs a few minutes ago your letter was on my desk. Mr. Seaton probably brought it up. It is a real sweet one. All of yours are, and I enjoyed every second of it. Nothing would please me more than to be in Uvalde now, and your descriptions etc of Mother Lewis’s dinners make me hungry too.

June 8, 1926

June 8, 1926

Mrs. Laake is feeling pretty good today. Her illness was not serious. No one is alarmed. She was very pleasant last evening and visited with us until quite late (10 o’clock). She certainly thinks a lot of you. Mrs. Geary expressed the same sentiment. Mrs. Laake told me how lucky I was to get such a dear little wife, just as if I did not know it. Ernest & Dr. Roarke are going out for golf tomorrow morning. Meet at 6:30 AM. I rather like the game but that is too early. Mrs. Laake intends to learn after Ernest has gotten on to it pretty good. She wants to reduce and thinks it might help her. All of the Lab bunch eat lunch at the barbecue stand on Carroll and Columbia. The sandwiches are good but not as good as the ones we had on our picnics.

It was mighty sweet of Thelma to write a note in your letter. You can just bet that I’ll be down there as soon as I can arrange it. It seems ages since I saw you. Dr. Roark and I are together quite a bit.

Sweetheart, “there ain’t no tellin'” how much I do love you.

With all my love and also to the folks, I am,

Always your,
Walter.

September 4, 1925

Friday Night 9/4.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I am happy tonight – both letters came at one time. They were short and sweet and as usual they hit the spot.

It was awfully nice of you, Dear, to say that you would cook all three meals if I thought my digestion would stand it. You can bet your life that my digestion can stand it and I already know that you are a dandy little cook. Too, your taste is very similar to mine and I know that both of us will enjoy the meals. I guess I’ll have to drink coffee by myself but this will be all right. Mother Lewis is a good cook and from what I know of your cooking, I know that you are a good one too. I am looking forward with pleasure to yours.*

September 29, 1925

September 29, 1925

I agree with you and the minister who preached that The World is Getting Better. Years ago everyone had a high fence around the house and on the inside of the yard they had a ferocious dog. Lots of them have gotten rid of the dog and some have taken part of the fence down. I have particular reference to homes in the cities, as both the fence and dog are often necessary in homes on ranches and farms.

I am going to Jax again tomorrow morning and I guess I’ll be up there most of the day. Dr. White will stay down here. It makes a pretty hard day and he is older than I. He goes in the surf about twice each day and has quite a coat of tan, much more than I have. I believe that he is going to invest in a lot or two here on the beach. He thinks it is mighty fine and that the beach will develop. I believe it will, but I also believe that I made a better purchase at Fulford. I’ll be down there the latter part of the month and will investigate the present value. You did not mention the idea of a homestead, and I guess that it did not strike you favorably. I won’t consider it if you do not approve of it. I want you to know, Dear, that I have no idea of giving you any undesirable place to live. I want it to be such that both of us will enjoy it and I am going to do my best to make it that way.

You mean the world to me and I love you lots and lots and lots.

With a sweet goodnight, I am,

Yours always & forever,
Walter.

* Walter was a true gentleman.

August 11, 1925 (Walter)

Tuesday Night 11PM.

My Dear Sweetheart,

We have just returned from Jax with Dr. and Mrs. K.S. We enjoyed the dinner very much and the drive home was cool and pleasant. She served a roast lamb, baked potatoes, sliced tomatoes on lettuce with mayonnaise dressing, ice tea, peaches with whip cream, and chocolate layer cake. The home cooking was quite a change for us and the evening was pleasantly spent. She served Dr. White and I a Scotch highball before dinner which seemed to be a pretty good appetizer.

August 11, 1925 (Walter)

August 11, 1925 (Walter)

We had some shopping to do and also had an express package containing some glassware from Washington. There were so many bundles it looked like Santa Claus.

I note in the Southern Med Journal that the meeting will be held in Dallas Nov. 7 to 10th. It is possible that we may have an important announcement as a result of our work to make there and would like to know what you think about that time or a date somewhere near that one. Cannot say for sure yet, but this is just a possibility. Maybe it can be arranged for the wedding before that time or after then, giving a couple of weeks margin either way. There is yet plenty of time to set the date, and I am simply suggesting this at this time as a possibility.

It is bed time, Dear & Dr. White is asleep. I must take a bath yet and I guess I had better say “goodnight.”

I love you with all my heart and I wish for you, Sweetheart, real often.

Always,
Your
Walter

July 10, 1925 (Ina)

Anniversary Nite
July 10, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

Just two months ago tonight! And I have been so happy ever since. I shall never forget what a queer feeling I had when I said “yes.” I didn’t realize then just why I said it except I just felt like I simply couldn’t help it. I felt like I couldn’t be happy without you, and sure enough I don’t believe I could. Life has been such wonderful happiness since then that I often wonder if I had been truly happy before. I always have enjoyed life but had never before enjoyed such true happiness and contentment. I do hope you feel that way some too. At any rate, the tenth of every month, especially May, is going to be a red letter day in my calendar of life.

July 10, 1925 (Ina)

July 10, 1925 (Ina)

I am sure this has been a busy day for you. I have thought of you so many many times and hoped that you were enjoying your work. I imagine Dr. K.S. has been unloading some of his surplus energy today. You mustn’t work off that flesh you gained while in Uvalde. I don’t want to look like your twin sister by the time you return this fall.

Have you had any refreshing showers since your arrival? Someone said that the thermometer registered 109ยบ yesterday here which sounds a little unreasonable to one who was not present, but if it was 109 yesterday, it must have been at least 112 today. About 6:30 this evening Mama, Papa, Claudelle and Lucile Johnson and I went to the Milow swimming hole about nine miles from town and enjoyed a most delightful swim. The water was deep and as clear as a crystal, so you can imagine how much refreshed we felt after a most melting day at home. To make it even more pleasant, a nice shower came up and cooled everything off so nicely that it seems perfectly reasonable that a blanket should be comfortable before morning. We got out of the river soon after the rain started for fear we would get wet. Lucile J. said to give you her regards.

Walter, I wish you could be here tonight. You have no idea how lonesome that poor porch swing looks out there in the cool breezes all by itself. I haven’t the courage to try entertaining it alone, but if you were here, I am sure you could make the evening much more pleasant for both the porch swing and myself. Or shall I go tell it to wait a few months? Perhaps that is the most reasonable thing to do.

The coyotes must realize the importance of the day because they are competing with the little screech owl in commemorating it. They first have a heated discussion as to what they shall sing, then they peal forth with a song well calculated to raise the dead.

It is getting late now, so I must lay my “weary”? head to rest.

I love you oh so much.

Always
Your devoted
Ina.

Saturday Nite
July 11, 1925

Dearest Walter:

This letter should have been mailed this afternoon but just as we began dressing to go down town it started to raining and it kept it up until dark – not much, but just enough to make us remember that way back in history on two or three occasions cars had been known to stick in the mud on the road between J.N. Lewis’s ranch and town. Perhaps you have a faint recollection of one or two such occasions. I am afraid tho that the romance would be lacking if just Claudelle and I happened to have such a misfortune. I enjoy thinking of yours and my Friday night experience with the rain, wind, hail and wrapping paper.

It gives me a lost feeling when I realize you can’t be with us tomorrow. Mama, Papa, Claudelle and all of us always enjoyed our Sundays with you so much. I am truly sorry you can’t be with us tomorrow and I am sure you will be too when I tell you that you wouldn’t have to eat pineapple cake this time. The truth of the business is that I am through with my pineapple cake stage in cooking and I have launched out on chocolate pie. I made two today and really would be glad if you could be here for the next few Sundays for the course in chocolate pies. However, your days are numbered and I am afraid you are going to have to endure my cakes, pies etc. for many many years to come, and, by the way, I surely do wish you could cultivate a taste for coffee because I really believe I can make a success of making it.

I wish you could be here to-morrow because the Willys-Knight is so nice and clean. I arose early this morning and gave it a bath (’tis Saturday you know) before breakfast. I think it would be nice to slip off after League and drive around during the church service. However, things being as they are, church time will find me piously seated up in the choir with my thoughts, in spite of the fact that I enjoy hearing Bro. Campbell preach, wandering across the country to a certain Bird in Jacksonville, Fla. in which I am especially interested.

I am very sorry that I couldn’t mail this letter today and am especially anxious to take a peep in Box 284 as I think I might have a letter there. It may be that it hasn’t had time to come, but I like to get it at the earliest possible moment after it arrives.

Goodnight and pleasant dreams.

I love you.
Ina.