Tag Archives: correspondence

September 7, 1925 (Ina)

Monday Night
Sept. 7, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

Your note of Thursday night came this afternoon, and I appreciated it just as much as I would have a long letter because the spirit was there just the same. Of course I enjoy the longer ones more because they last longer, but this one was fine as long as it lasted. Of course we can’t always have lots of news to write because we write so often, but your letters are interesting to me – very very interesting – even though they might not contain a single thing that outsiders would call “news.” If you didn’t say a thing except “I love you” I would get quite a thrill out of it. I wish I could have been with you the night you wrote the note. Yes, Dear, a nice quiet place like the beach would be fine for a honeymoon. It would please me very much and I am sure I wouldn’t get lonesome if you were there.

September 7, 1925 (Ina)

September 7, 1925 (Ina)

Just at sunset this evening Mr. Parman came out to kill a rabbit, and, while he was hunting, Mrs. Parman visited with us. They have an idea that perhaps Mr. Parman will be called to Dallas soon to work for a while. They are waiting for a letter from Mr. Bishopp. You, also, are waiting for one, aren’t you. I know you are anxious to hear, and I am too. The Beach, Dallas or anywhere suits me for a honeymoon. The main idea is the honeymoon and not the place. I hope that you can arrange at all times to be at the place that is best suited for your work.

Do you realize, Sweetheart, that only four months ago tonight you had your first date with me after our long separation? How different things are now to what they were then! Can’t a short time make a wonderful lot of difference? We didn’t know then that within a few days we were going to be engaged, did we? That night was a rather uncertain one for both of us. Neither one knew just what the other one thought and how much he felt about it. However, we didn’t lose much time the next few days in getting “reacquainted.” ‘Twas very interesting, don’t you think?

One thing I know – I love you ‘most to death now, and I am ten dozen times happier over it all tonight than I was four months ago tonight.

Forever, your loving
Ina.

Tuesday Night.
9/8/25.

Dearest Sweetheart:

None of us went down town today as we were so busy, so here comes a lengty P.S. to last night’s letter. This has been another one of those “something lacking” days without a letter from you. I can look forward to perhaps two tomorrow though.

This evening Papa was not feeling well, so Claudelle and I extended our hike down into the pasture to coax the cows home. After quite a search, we found them and thought we were driving them home, but, after walking the poor creatures almost down, we saw no sign of home. We turned, and after much wandering and wondering on the part of all parties concerned, the house loomed up in the distance and we had no regrets because it was getting dark. Honey, I am relating all this to you, not because it is of unusual interest, but because it is intended for a timely warning to you that after we are married, you will have to tie a pretty little blue ribbon about my neck and lead me around like the ladies do their little poodles, to keep me from getting lost.

Yes, four months ago tonight we were stranded upon the hilltop in the storm and flood, and ’twas also four months ago tonight that you got your “Sunday pants” muddy. It is now nearly ten o’clock. We were soaked well by that time weren’t we? Just at this point I want to recommend wrapping paper as a splendid protection when used as a coat against the hardest of rains, winds and hail. It also has unusual warmth. I think it was all a very amusing experience.

I am not accustomed to late hours for the past few months, Dear, so I am getting sleepy.

Goodnight and sweet dreams.

I love you.

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 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 26, 1925

Jacksonville Beach, Fla
Wednesday Night 8/26.

My Dear “Lovable and Loving” Sweetheart,

The Ouija didn’t tell me to begin this letter with such a salutation, but it sounded so well in your letter that I am acting as a Poly-parrot in repeating it. Your letter made mighty good time. The Sunday letter came tonight. It left North Uvalde at 4 PM Sun. No doubt you were lonesome that afternoon, Dear, and I certainly wish that I could have been with you. But the time is coming when we will be together practically all the time, and then you may get tired and call me such a name as “Beeswax.”

August 26, 1925

August 26, 1925

We were quite busy today and tomorrow we are going to Jax to look up the origin of two severe cases of creeping eruption. The patients are electricians who were wiring a new home. Thus far, our cases have not been extensive and most of them had only a few lesions so we are tickled to have such cases at this time. We believe that we are working with the right thing, but as yet have not perfected laboratory technique of growing them to the infectious stages in quantities for good tests.

We are in hopes that we have the right methods, but it will take some time and quite a bit of work to be sure. The locations tomorrow will probably be very suggestive and may furnish the stages we are searching for. The adults can barely be observed with the naked eye, and when they are filled with blood, so you see the thing is quite small. The forms which cause the skin affection are yet smaller, and the size has been the reason why they were never found until last year. You will know all about them when you are with me, Sweetheart, though I don’t believe you will ever have any infections yourself. We will know how to avoid them. We have some very good treatments in case we should have neighbors affected.

Please pardon this short note, but I have some records to write up and I want to do this while they are fresh in my mind. I’ll not have time to do it tomorrow as we will be away & busy all day.

I love you, Dear, and with a real sweet kiss I’ll say “goodnight.”

Your,
Walter.

August 25, 1925 (Ina)

Tuesday Nite.
Aug. 25, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

It is now fifteen minutes until twelve, and we have just returned from a party so I will just say “Hello-o,” good night and sweet dreams and

I love you.

Your sleepy,
Ina.

August 25, 1925 (Ina)

August 25, 1925 (Ina)

Wednesday.

Dearest Walter:

Yes, it was a League party and everyone seemed to have had a good time. It was given as a farewell party honoring Gladys, Alberta, Nina Mae and Bobby Odom who are moving away tomorrow.

I didn’t have a letter yesterday but I received two the day before so I feel duly grateful for them. One of them was my yesterday’s letter that just arrived a day ahead of time. You are so good about writing and Sweetheart, I love you for that and everything else.

Yours always,
Ina.

August 24, 1925 (Ina)

Monday Nite.
Aug. 24, 1925.

My dear Sweetheart:

Bless your heart, I did get two such good letters from you this afternoon. Everything does take on the rosiest hue when I receive a letter, but it does tone down most miserably when I don’t. I didn’t realize before I met you what a wonderful lot of difference one letter, no matter if it is only one page, can make in the happiness of the day. You have made my life so happy, Dear, and I know both of us are going to be a great deal happier when we can be together always.

August 24, 1925 (Ina)

August 24, 1925 (Ina)

This is the last week in August, so I suppose you are getting your songs of praise and thanksgiving ready to sing when Dr. White makes his departure. I am so sorry his stay in Jacksonville has been so unpleasant and unprofitable for you because it could have been otherwise if he had only half tried. I suppose you can put his summer’s work down in your notebook as “a rather trying experience.” I am very thankful that you didn’t have to endure it any longer because it isn’t fair that you should. I have thought of it a lot and wished that I could do something to help you out.

I love you ever so much.

Your own,
Ina.

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 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 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.