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
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.
Monday Night 9/28.
My Dear Sweetheart,
The letter came today, three in one, and they were mighty welcome. I certainly missed them the past few days and some how they make everything look different. I have to pinch myself, to see if it is a dream, or if it is true that I have the love of such a wonderful little girl as yourself. You mean so much to me, Dear. I guess I realize it more after I have waited an extra day or two for a letter.
September 28, 1925 (Walter)
I had a busy day and I feel that I accomplished quite a bit. I know that your letter helped a lot.
Had a letter from Mr. Laake today to the effect that Mr. Bishopp had written to him asking about the work and whether he considered it urgent that I join them this winter. Laake says that he would like to have me with them but that he does not want to take any steps which might be contrary to my plans. He knows of our engagement, but I haven’t written to Mr. Bishopp as yet. I’ll do so soon so that he will know what is up. No doubt Dr. Hunter mentioned it to him recently.
Am tired and sleepy, Dear, and I’ll try to chat more the next time.
With a sweet goodnight and with all the love that is possible, I am,
Always your,
Walter.
The Beach, Friday Nite.
My Dear Sweetheart,
Yours of Sunday and Monday came tonight. As usual they were good ones, too. Also had a letter from Dr. White tonight, telling me that our engagement had been announced in Washington. Mr. Webb gave out the news when he returned. No doubt he visited Uvalde on his trip. Dr. White did not know of it until he returned to Wash. He wrote a very nice letter.
September 18, 1925 - Evening (Walter)
Am taking the early train for Jax. Dr. K.S. and I will leave about noon. It will hardly be possible for me to write you tomorrow night as we will stop at a private home on the river & it will be late by the time we will have arranged for a boat and a Negro to row. But I’ll be thinking of you just the same and I’ll wish for you a great many times. I will spend Sunday night at Dr. K.S. home. We will probably get there about 2AM. Monday. Will write again Monday night, Dear.
I have some mighty interesting work going just now and I don’t like to leave it even for a few days, but the change will do me good. We always have a good time.
I hope that Claudelle is getting settled in school by now. Give her my brotherly love and say hell-o.
With lots and lots of love, I am
Always your,
Walter.
The Beach. Monday Nite.
9/14, 1925
My Dear Sweetheart,
Three letters today and each of them was a message of joy. I had begun to worry, fearing that you were ill. Two of them came this morning before I went to Jax and the other came on the same train that I returned on tonight. Gee! but they were great and I wish I could hug you real hard for them. I am returning Mr. Womack’s letter as you will probably want it. No doubt you have quite a collection of letters of such a nature by this time, for I know that there were a number previous to the two you have sent me. I can’t blame them for wanting such a dear little girl as yourself, and I often wonder how it happened that you had not fallen off the limb before I told you something. I certainly consider myself lucky, Dear, and I am going to do my best so that you will never regret your choice.
September 14, 1925 (Walter)
My sister writes that she certainly did not make a mistake in her hubby. He seems to be mighty good to her, and now even my mother thinks that he is alright. Mother would have felt the same way regardless of the man. I guess it is natural. I certainly appreciate the attitude of Mother Lewis and Daddy Lewis. They have certainly shown a good spirit toward us, and I hope that as the years go by they will never have an occasion to wish that your choice had been different.
I certainly do love you, Dear, and I am in hopes that I’ll get word from Mr. B to the effect that I can work here all winter. That would make it mighty fine for the honeymoon here.
After I had written you that our engagement was four months old I remembered that it was on the 10th. I intended to mention it in my next letter. It was the 5th when I left Dallas.
With a sweet goodnight, I am,
Yours always,
Walter
Thursday Nite.
Sept. 10, 1925.
My dearest Walter:
Your letter didn’t come today, but I don’t feel badly at all since I am sure that one of those I received yesterday was really my today’s letter which made such good time that it arrived a day early.
The enclosed is a note I received from Lionel today. The “brokenhearted” and the “affair” in the second paragraph have reference to his engagement of which I believe I told you.
September 10, 1925 (Ina)
Sweetheart, weren’t you a little mixed on the date of our engagement? Wasn’t it on the tenth of May instead of the fifth? That would make it four months ago tonight. You remember we were caught in the rain on the night of the May festival which was the second Friday in May (they had intended having it on May first but postponed it a week which made it the eighth), and we became engaged two nights later which was Sunday the tenth. Anyhow, be that as it may, we were both mighty happy then, weren’t we? We both thought then that we loved each other as much as we possibly could, but I think we will agree now that we have learned to love even a great deal more than we did at that time. At least, that is the case with me. I love you worlds and worlds right this minute, Dear.
Mr. and Mrs. Parman came out for a short rabbit hunt this evening. Mr. Parman doesn’t know yet whether he will have to go to Dallas to help the men there or whether they will have to come back to Regan Wells soon. He said it all depended upon the flies at both places. I suppose you understand all about that.
By the way,
COFFEE REPORT.
First attempt –
1/4 cup much better than full cup.
Cream very delicious
Coffee inclined to be bitter but not as bad as quinine. Would be good except for the somewhat “coffee” taste.
Buttered biscuit delicious.
I love you. LOTS.
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)
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.
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)
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.