Tag Archives: family

June 20, 1927

The Lab. Mon. PM.

My Dear Sweetheart,

The copy of the Journal which I posted several days ago with a 2¢ stamp was returned this AM for 4¢ additional postage. There was nothing special in it so I am not sending it. Claudelle’s letter is enclosed.

Sunday, Mrs. Gingell left for Wash. She & Lee came by to say goodbye. Sun nite I had dinner downtown with Lee & Mr. Ahern, then we went to a movie. Saw one picture which you and I saw in Baltimore. Papa Whistleberry’s birthday. They (Lee & Mr. Ahern) are going to eat dinner with me tonight. Guess we will eat at the same place down town, the Baker Coffee Shop.

June 20, 1927

Mrs. Bucklin phoned this AM. Said she saw Mrs. Pettit and was told that you had already been to Dallas and had gone. She has the #3 vacant & had intended to let us use it until we were settled. Wanted us to stay as a guest. I will call on her in a few days, also will call on Mrs. Pettit & the Laakes. Mr. Laake is yet at home.

Talked the house proposition over with Carl. He does not think it is advisable to put the house on the market at present or to attempt to trade. If the cotton crop comes through OK the winter demand will be good.

He (Carl) suggested that I try some of the life insurance companies for re-newal of the first lien. Some are loaning at 1%. Will investigate & let you know later. There will be an abstract fee on renewal but we would have this fee if we renewed with Harper. Have not seen Harper as yet. Carl is quite sure that 8% is all that he will do.

It has been raining yesterday & today. Small showers.

I hope that Mother Lewis is feeling better. Am anxious to see her & all of our folks. It will probably be about the 10th before I can come. The renewal on the house is very important. Also I have some kittens which will need attention until about that time. At that time, Bish should leave for Wash.

I miss you, Dear, and I love you lots & lots and lots.

Your,
Walter.

June 18, 1927

Walter and Ina are now living in Dallas, where he works, and Ina has gone to visit her family in Uvalde for a few weeks, so we’re back to near-daily correspondence. Ina’s letters from this period are unfortunately missing.

At Home
Saturday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

This is about the hottest day we have had this summer. Alvis came to the Lab this PM and I visited with him until about 6:30. Bought some food for the cats and then visited with Gringell for about an hour. Mr. Ahern came yesterday to relieve Gringell. Mrs. Gringell leaves tomorrow night for Washington. About the middle or latter part of the week Gringell & Ahern will make a trip by Ford to San Antonio, the Valley, and then to New Orleans. Ahern is about 45 years old and is a very pleasant man. Mr. Laake is yet home in bed. I have not been over to see him but have been posted regularly by Gringell. Bish. had the bandage removed from his eye when he came down today. He had the eye treated this PM and it evidently gave some trouble for he did not come down this P.M. Outside of that things are going as usual.

June 18, 1927

Have been out by the Owenwood house a couple of times since you left. It is very difficult matter for me to make up my mind that we should sell it. Suggested to Alvis that he should buy it. They plan to take an apartment for a while. He came over to invite you and I to eat with them tomorrow evening. I declined the invitation, as I want both of us to be there when we accept. I think the invitation will keep OK.

The little letters from Thelma Lee and Reitha were mighty fine. They came this noon, and I exhibited them at the Lab with lots of pride. The photos are good, but I like some of the ones Thelma sent to Baltimore much better. All of them are real sweet and I am mighty proud of my nieces.

Haven’t gotten anywhere with the article, due to frequent interruptions. Will see the Gringells and also Alvis tomorrow morning so I will not get busy with it again until tomorrow PM.

Will close for tonight. Give my love to every one and remember that I love you just lots & lots.

Your
Walter.

June 3, 1927 (Ina to Claudelle)

St. James, MO
Friday night.
June 3, 1927.

Dear Claudelle:

We are having a splendid trip – no trouble of any kind. The roads are fine. We passed through St. Louis at noon today. We decided not to go by Little Rock on account of another rise in the Mississippi. Instead, we are going through Oklahoma. So don’t worry about the floods affecting us. We are far from them now, and will be all the way. We are in the mountains now.

June 3, 1927 (Ina to Claudelle)

Lots of love to all of you. Will write again soon.

Waler & Ina.

June 5, 1926

Saturday 5PM.

My Dear Sweetheart,

The enclosed letter from Mrs. Stampley is self explanatory. I have written to her for both of us but if you care to write it would be nice. It is not necessary. I am a poor hand to offer sympathy, but I did the best I could in a letter.

June 5, 1926

The sleeping porch was very comfortable and I enjoyed it last night. Lee left last evening for a visit over the week end, but will be with me almost constantly when he returns. Dr Roark and I are going to take breakfast and dinner at Mrs. O’Callaghan’s. She says that she doesn’t love me anymore. She didn’t know that we were married or in the city. Don’t know how I’ll explain. Wish you could have known her.

This AM I checked out with the Gas Co. & Light Co. Also paid Sangers & the North Texas Trust Co. Left the car for the top repair. I couldn’t bring it to Uvalde with the top patched like that. Am having a new strip put in.

Have no exciting news. Things at the Lab are about as usual.

No doubt I’ll get your letter tomorrow morning. Am anxious to know if you arrived safely.

I love you Dear, with all my heart.

Yours,
Walter.

January 3, 1926 (Ina to her family)

Stationery from the Hotel Metropole, Waco, TX.

Waco, Texas, Jan. 3 1926.

Dearest Mama and All:

Before leaving this morning we want to assure you that we are still “upon this earth” and as happy as larks. We have thought and talked of you all lots but remembered that you would not expect to hear from us until we arrived in Dallas.

January 3, 1926 (Ina to her family)

We have had a wonderful trip and lots of fun – will write details later – and are looking forward to getting home (Dallas). We left New Orleans on the Sunset Limited Friday P.M. at 12:10 and arrived in San Antonio at 4:30 A.M. (unearthly hour, but not ‘specially bad!) Saturday, and left S.A. in the car before daylight, driving in the rain all day and arriving here just at dark last night. The roads were pretty good and we had lots of fun.

We enjoyed our visit with Walter’s people so much and they were so nice to us. I’m in love with all of them (yes, Claudelle, with the handsome unmarried brother too) and they are all just as sweet as they can be. And good things to eat!!! I never saw the like. If I stayed there I’m afraid I’d look more like Mrs. Walter Graham than Mrs. Walter Dove.

No, we will not go to Sunday school today nor Epworth League either.

We spent a few hours with Aunt Ophelia’s folks in Jackson and Aunt Bertha and Ted in Meridian. Will write you about it later.

How is the trade? We are hoping the man has bought the ranch by now.

Tell Thelma, Bob, Mrs. Ball, babies and all that this is for them too.

Will write when we get settled in Dallas.

Lots & lots of love to all.
Your “children??”
Walter & Ina.

Box 208,
Dallas.

December 13, 1925 (Ina to Claudelle)

Sunday A.M.
Dec. 13, 1925.

My dearest Sis:

Just think! Only ten days from this afternoon at 3:30!! I’m so happy I can’t keep still.

I had a long letter from Mattie Lee a few days ago and it sounds very encouraging – that is, if you consider happiness so extreme that it borders on insanity as encouraging. I’m quite sure she has the only husband on earth at present, but ’twill not be so after the 23rd.

December 13, 1925 (Ina to Claudelle)

It is raining some this A.M., but I think it will stop sufficiently for me to go after the mail this afternoon and also go down to see Avis. She and her mother and son spent the afternoon with us a few days ago and she is very anxious to talk things over some more. She is going to sing “O, Promise Me.” Is that just right? The pipe organ will be ready for use by the 20th they say, and here’s hoping nobody steps to the tune of the wedding march until the 23rd. We want to initiate and dedicate it. Mrs. Hines is with Dr. Hines visiting in Miss., but will return Tuesday and I’ll ask her then. I’m sure she’ll do it. Grayden and John Monagin seemed glad to usher us in. Walter thinks Mr. Pettit will best man for us.

I feel queer going down town or anywhere, since the invitations are out. I don’t go any more than I can help. Mrs. Batchelor gave her S.S. class a party Thursday night and invited me, but I couldn’t quite make up my mind to go. I’m not going to Sunday School nor Church nor League any more “while I’m upon this (Uvalde) earth.” The invitation will be read at League this P.M. Mrs. Griffin wants me to take my Teachers Training exam before I leave, but I don’t think I’ll have time.

The gifts are beginning to come in some. At least I received a half dozen beautiful linen handkerchiefs from Mr. Goldbeck and a mighty pretty silver flower basket from Letitia, Ethel, and Mrs. Orrell. Oh, you have no idea how thrilled I’m getting. Confidentially, I’m getting almost silly. Of course I’m not sure I’ll have a wedding dress, but that is a small matter. I left it at Wolff & Marx to have it altered, and they haven’t sent it yet. They must be beautifying it considerably. They told me when we were there though that it would be several days before they mailed it. I think I can get my hat at Mrs. Idom’s after the dress comes.

I had such a sweet letter from Mother Dove a few days ago. She “broke down and admitted” that she would accept me as a daughter. Isn’t she sweet? Walter wrote that Marshall (ahem!) couldn’t leave his work to go to Mother Dove’s while we are there, and Ethel doesn’t want to leave him while she goes, so she insists that we visit them in their home after we visit Mother Dove. That will be fine I think. W. is going to leave the Beach the same day you leave San Antonio, but I’m afraid you will not arrive at the same time. He will arrive about Sunday or Monday I think. I can hardly wait (for both of you). W. and I are going to Miss. via Dallas but will stop there just long enough to leave some work and things, he said – we will not arrive at Mother D’s until about the 26th.

All this wedding excitement reminds me of – J.R. Thursday afternoon I saw him in Mr. Evans’ jewelry store and later in the afternoon Papa, Thelma and I saw him walking toward Dr. Hines, so we picked him up (he really isn’t so heavy, you know). We all like him very much. Now, if I were a single girl again, I would try to vamp that young man. But – we married folks don’t stand much show against you flappers! (deep sigh). How is Lucile’s strawberry blonde?

We assume that you have already purchased your slippers and hair cut, and we want to know how you are coming home. If you have to come on the train and haven’t enough money (of which we are sure), can you give a check on Papa at the Student’s Bank the last moment? If not, write us and we will send you some. We are so tickled that you will be home in five more days. Then we can talk everything over. We will try to get most everything done by then (except the “marryin'”), so that we can have plenty of time to talk.

We have our prospector (for the ranch, I mean) who made his third trip out here yesterday and brought his daughter. The first time he came was while we were in San Antonio. Mr. Shope carried him all over the place just the same though – one door was unlocked. Then a few days later he came out and took supper with us, expecting to spend the night, but finally decided to go back down town in order to go hunting early the next morning. Then, yesterday, he and daughter came just in time to eat dinner (lunch?) and spend part of the afternoon. It reminds me somewhat of little Goldenrod and the bear’s soup, bed etc. In this case, I hope we will be the Little Bear. He is crazy for the place, and says he will buy it for $16,000 cash as soon as he sells his ranch near Knippa. A company has an option on that ranch and expects to buy it as soon as work is begun on the dam – Pardon me! I should have said “construction” at the shut-in. He expects to know for sure soon. If something happens that the “construction” falls through, his trade, and consequently ours too, will fall through also. We are hopeful though. This is confidential, you understand.

I must stop though, or I will not have anything left for us to talk to you about when you return.

Lots of love to you and all the girls.

Love, Ina.

December 8, 1925

The Beach. Dec 8th
Tuesday Nite.

My Dear Sweetheart,

Have had a letter from Mr. B and he wants me to stay in Fla as long as I can during this month. Expect to leave here about the 18th, and will not plan on going to Dallas before I come to Uvalde. I want to be with you a day or two before the wedding.

December 8, 1925

We could then go to Mississippi via Dallas, but stop there just long enough to leave some things. I want to leave some of my work, and also a trunk which I will check to San Antonio then to Dallas.

Sister says that Marshall cannot get away on account of book work, and she wants us to come to see her at their home. If not, she would come to my Mother’s but she does not want to leave him. It would probably be well to go to my Mother’s first and then go up to see her.

To eat Christmas dinner with my Mother would mean some travel, and I am of the opinion that we had better tell her to expect us on the 26th. We could make it the 25th for dinner if trains were running on time, but that is doubtful.

I was with the Roarks Sunday and at noon yesterday I had them to eat lunch with me in Jax. They like Jax very much, and both of them were delighted with the beach. Mrs. Roark thought it would be ideal for a honeymoon. After lunch Monday, she kept an appointment with a dentist. They expected to leave Jax this AM for points in the southern part of the state. They were also going on the West Coast & to Marco Island where I stopped on my last trip.

The time will soon be here, Dear, and I’ll be a mighty happy human. I love you lots & lots.

Your
Walter.

October 4, 1925 (Ina)

Sunday A.M.
12:05 o’clock.

My dearest Sweetheart:

Although it is five minutes past Saturday night (I did intend to write you “last nite”), I will say Hello-o.”

In the first place, I’m terribly tickled. Claudelle caught a ride and has been here for the past few hours. She is in bed now, so I think we will be in Dreamland soon. I’ll write some more later, but I had better get some sleep now.

I love you worlds, Sweetheart. Bless your heart!

Goodnight and sweet dreams.

Always, your
Ina.

October 4, 1925 (Ina)

Sunday Nite
Oct. 4, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

She has come and gone. Dr. Donaldson, (she’s a “Miss”) a friend of ours in San Antonio, was coming out in her car yesterday evening, so she asked Claudelle and Lucille to come with her. Of course they were more than glad to do it, and we were glad too. They returned this afternoon about 4:30 and we all felt so good that we had seen them. This doctor, a young lady a little older than I, lives next door to C. & L. and has been mighty nice to them since they have been there. We surely do appreciate it too. You would think from the way the girls acted when they came home that they had been away three years instead of three weeks. They are both like babies when it comes to staying away from home. However, after their visit today, and after relieving their “system” of all the things they wanted to tell us, I think they have gone back satisfied. Claudelle likes all her work and all her teachers, so I think she will get along fine. Outside of her studies, she has two hours work in the office every day every week, and all day Saturday and Sunday every other week. We were afraid at first that it was too much but she says not. She likes it all. She sends her sisterly love to you.

Your “Dr. White” letter came yesterday, and I am glad you wrote me what you did. It often helps lots fo express one’s feelings, and, too, I am especially glad that you feel free to express them to me. You know that I am as deeply interested as anyone can possibly be, and am anxious for you to tell me. I am glad that you are handling Dr. White as you are, and it is certainly nothing but right that the credit be placed where it rightfully belongs. I’m glad you are standing up for your rights because that is the surest and often the only way to get them. Each person naturally understands his own case better than anyone else does, and is more capable and naturally more interested in securing due credit. No doubt Dr. White feels that it should all be coming his way thru habit and on general principles. I sincerely hope you can prove to him that he is wrong – that someone else in the world has ideas that are worth while besides himself. Best luck in the world to you! I’m with you.

Your real estate letter came this morning on my way to Sunday school, and I was very much interested in it. I have thought about it a lot today, and, since you wanted my opinion, here it is: really and truly, Sweetheart, it seems to me to be rather a big investment in addition to that which you already have. Don’t you think so? Of course you intended selling the lot at Fulford before purchasing this, but, even at that, this would be a larger investment, especially when you consider the rather heavy expense of improving it to the extent that you mentioned. Of course, Dear, the boom that is on down there now may last forever, and then again it may not, and they often do not, you know. I know it would be mighty fine to own quite a bit of real estate and then be able to sell it when prices are soaring, but it doesn’t always happen that way. I have known of a number of cases where it didn’t and it was pretty bad. You see, you are down there where everyone is boosting – boosting just as hard as they can, and where the real estate agencies are at their busiest. They employ people who are able to talk to a person, and, no matter how conservative he is and how good his judgement is, he is finally convinced that the best thing in the world for him to do is to invest. And it is mighty quick easy money when it hits and it often does, but there is also a good chance to lose. I believe in investing some and taking a chance on some, because if we want to be “dead sure” about everything we undertake, we certainly don’t accomplish anything. But, Dear, it is so easy to plunge too deeply when you are constantly surounded by boosters. I know that you are not of the disposition to be easily influenced, but I have known others who were very conservative to have regrets, after it was too late, that they had yielded one time too many. You don’t know how glad I am that you are interested in real estate because I am too. I am sure you are going to make something out of some of it. That is about the best way I know to accumulate something. When we have some particular place to put our money when we make it, and some particular object in view, we are sure to accumulate a great deal more than if we had nothing substantial in which to invest. However, even in our family for the past few years, we have experienced the great uncertainty and anxiety of having everything tied up in property which we were unable to “cash in” for quite a while. It is a pretty miserable feeling when it lasts long. Of course, at the time, Papa was unable to work, and practically everything he has made since we have been in Texas has been on real estate. He is conservative too, but has come very near investing too much several times. Of course, Dear, you are making a good salary now, and are able to keep up the payments, but (and I am not out looking for calamity) suppose something should happen that you were not able to keep up all the payments, and, at the same time, the boom would get “off,” then the mental anxiety and anguish would come and the loss would be great. I believe I would rather stand a chance of having less than to stand the chance of losing all. I realize that you are living where everything is very much alive, and I am living where everything is considered very much dead, but, between the two extremes, I believe we will be able to strike a happy medium on opinions. Sweetheart, sometimes don’t you think it would be wise to sell some of the property that you now have at a good profit and apply that on the balance that is unpaid on the others? In that way, you would not stand a chance to make quite as much if prices continued to increase, but still you would at least be safe on what you had, and also stand a chance to make a great deal without much effort. This principle of “Safety First” may not apply to things down there now. Of course I don’t know just how things are but you asked for my opinion and I didn’t want to pretend to believe one way when I really believed the contrary. Sweetheart, please don’t misunderstand this letter by feeling that I am speaking with too much authority, and trying to manage your business. I am not, and don’t mean it that way at all. I expect you to use your judgement in the matter, but I gave my opinion as per your request. Mine may be wrong – it often is – but I have given it to you just the same.

Dear, I love you with a heart “full up” with the deepest and truest love that a person can have. We are going to get along fine together and be so happy. I am going to be frank with you and you are with me, so we are not going to have misunderstandings. I would be so very very happy if you were here right now so I could try to tell you how much I really and truly do love you.

Always, your
Ina.

September 30, 1925 (Ina)

Wednesday Night
Sept. 30, 1925.

My dear Sweetheart:

This has been one of those unusual days when nothing noteworthy has happened. Just the same I wouldn’t feel that any day was complete without a conversation with you, even though it may be in the form of a short note.

September 30, 1925 (Ina)

No doubt you will judge from the enclosed paper that I am trying to give you a correspondence course in kindergarten work, but really you have made a wrong guess. Almost every day since you left Thelma Lee has “written” you some sort of a letter and has given a number of them to me to mail. So far, I have run a bluff and not done it. However, I believe my conscience would hurt me if I didn’t send you this “masterpiece.” Part of it is copied from her Primer, part from a tube of toothpaste, and the remainder as per her mother’s instructions. So the news that you can’t find in my letter, will be revealed in hers. I haven’t yet delivered your message of advice in regard to the cats’ names to the children, but I expect to soon as I know it will solve their problem. If they haven’t any unnamed ones, I am sure they will be ready to change the ones they have as they often do. Also, they may want to bestow one or two of the names on their new pet goat.

I love you, Sweetheart, and I would give ‘most anything if you could be here right now. We are having a nice slow rain and it is so nice and cozy inside – just an ideal night for a long chat with the only one in the world you really and truly love as a sweetheart.

Goodnight and sweetest dreams, from

Your own
Ina.

September 26, 1925 (Ina)

Saturday Night.
Sept. 26, 1925.

My dear Sweetheart:

‘Tis 11:08 P.M. and I wonder what you are doing – slumbering sweetly though I suppose. I am rather late tonight due to the fact that we have company. This afternoon a Mississippi cousin of ours and his wife arrived – coming by to say “Hello-o” before returning to Mississippi. They left home the first of August and drove to California and other states out West. They have seen some wonderful scenery, they say, but have agreed that the old home state will be beautiful to them. It is true that often people have to get away from home for a while in order to properly appreciate it. They expect to leave here Monday morning I think. We have been enjoying them this afternoon – finding out where people we knew back home have gone and what they are doing etc. It is almost equal to a visit there.

September 26, 1925 (Ina)

No, Sweetheart, Claudelle was not trying to tease at all about your calling Mama “Mother Lewis.” I’m sure nothing of the kind entered her mind when she wrote it, and, had I had the slighest idea you were going to take it that way, I wouldn’t have sent you the letter. I’m sorry. It was really just this way: Thelma, Claudelle and I have always said “Mama & Papa,” but, as Lucile and Claudelle’s other intimate friends happen to call theirs “Mother,” she decided she would do likewise as she was going away and ‘twould be easier than if she were here with us. ‘Tis only a whim of hers and didn’t have the slightest reference to or connection with what you said. I told Mama how you took it and she was surprised and sorry too. She said she thought the “Mother Lewis” was nice – she liked it.

In one of C’s letters to me she closed it by saying “I love you and Mr. Dove and everybody.”

I am puzzled over Mr. Bishopp’s writing and not saying anything about your staying in Florida. He evidently hadn’t the information yet from Dr. Hunter. Don’t you wish they were as anxious to let you know as you are to know? It is inconvenient for you I’m sure, as you don’t know what to plan about your work. Surely you will hear soon.

I love you, Sweetheart, and if I could be sitting out in the swing in this beautiful moonlight with you, I believe I would try mighty hard to tell you how much. I’d give ‘most anything to be with you right now.

Love,
Ina.