Tag Archives: friends

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 13, 1926

Sunday 12:30 PM.

My Dear Honey Bunch,

Your letter including one from Thelma Lee came this morning. It was mighty sweet of her to write. I am marking the date on it and will keep it to show her when she is a young lady. Your letter was a real sweet one, Dear. It seems like a year to me, too.

June 13, 1926

Dr. Roark and I called on the Bakers last night and played cards some but visited most of the time. This noon (1:30) we eat dinner with the Bishopps. At 6 o’clock we are going with Mr. & Mrs. Laake & Mr. & Mrs. Fudge for a picnic lunch. Seems like a lot of going for your hubby. I can’t say that I like it, but there is no way to get away from it without being rude. We will probably enjoy it when we get started. There is just one person in the world whom I’d like to see and that is my Honey Bunch. I never want to be separated from you again. Just as soon as I can get things in shape so that I can leave I expect to come for you. I don’t know whether Bish wants me to help out on their problem or not. He probably does, but I am not interested in it. Will feel him out today.

I love you Sweetheart with all my heart and I’ll see you just as soon as I can.

Always,
Walter.

June 12, 1926

Sat Nite 7:30 PM.

My Dear Honey Bunch,

We have just returned from dinner. Dr. Roark and I are going up to Bakers about 8 o’clock. Tomorrow at 1:30 we will eat dinner with the Bishopps.

June 12, 1926

This PM I gave your car a coat of blue which I believe is about the same shade as the original color. During the week I have been using sandpaper and it looks as though it will be a fair job. The garage is not very tight and the dust settles on it some but I doubt if it affects it very much. I gave the wheels the same shade of blue. Apparently they were blue, judging from the color when I sandpapered. I am not doing anything to the black metal work, but will polish so that it looks OK with the fresh painting. Don’t expect too much as I am not an expert auto painter. The job is not perfect by any means but I believe it looks better. I hope that you will not be disappointed.

Had a note from Dr. Larimer thanking for a C.E. reprint. He sends his regards to you, also.

The Fulford letter does not tell us much but we should have a letter from the Realty Co. with an idea of the sale price.

Sweetheart, I certainly do love you and I never want to be separated from you again. It seems ages since you left. I try to keep busy and that helps some but nothing can take the place of being with my sweetheart. I love you love you love you.

Your, Walter.

P.S. Dr. Roark and I found the lighted fountain in Oak Cliff last night. It is very fine. Am sorry that you and I did not locate it.

June 11, 1926

Friday 1PM. The Lab.

My Dear Little Girl,

Your real sweet letter came this morning as usual and you don’t know how much they mean to me. Mrs. Bucklin also phoned this morning to find out how the “Little Dove” was getting along. Says that she certainly misses you. She hasn’t worked lately. Was going to see a physician but said that she wasn’t seriously ill. Mrs. Pettit’s number is 4502 Columbia.

June 11, 1926

Dear, I knew that I was going to miss you and I intended to keep it to myself but it can’t be done. I hope that we will never be separated again. It helps to visit with Dr. Roark etc. but I am lost when it is meal time and also in the evenings when I should be with you.

I have one lesion on my arm which is quite distinct but it has the reddish appearance and is not yet elevated sufficiently. The hot weather helps. This is not a new one but one I had a month ago when we walked down to the Buckner Park. It has required a much longer period than usual, which I attribute to the cooler weather. I am greatly encouraged as it came from the mites.

8 PM-

Am at P.O. so will close.

I love you Dear with all my heart.

Your
Walter

Am enclosing a letter from Alvis.

June 10, 1926

June 10. Thurs Nite – The Lab.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I have just written to Mother Dove and I came very near addressing this letter to Roxie, Miss. That accounts for the erasure on the envelope. I certainly do not like the idea of being separated from my “Honey Bunch.” I haven’t told you how much I miss you, but the past week seems like ages. I didn’t know that a week could seem so long. I realize how much Mother Lewis missed you when we were married.

June 10, 1925

Dr. Roark and I drove to Owenwood and the Fair Park after supper, and then by the post office. Your letter came this AM so I did not expect one tonight, but he had one from Mrs. Roark. I have had lots of visits with him recently. He is somewhat disappointed that Bish did not have the work going. Dr. Roark has been here ten days and Bish has not yet gotten the materials. I told him that he should not blame Laake or Brundy as they would have had things going if it had been left to them.

This PM I printed pictures from 1 to 5 PM. Have been at this during the past three afternoons. Most of them were Mr. Parman’s & many of them were ones that I made down there last summer. The C.E. infection looks more encouraging since the hot weather began. I believe that my physical exercise helped some.*

Friday AM.

Good morning. I hope you slept well. I did. Am waiting for Dr. Roark & we will eat. He and Laake are golfing again this A.M.

I love you lots and lots & lots.

Your
Walter

* To see if his hypothesis about the cause of creeping eruption (larva migrans) was right, Walter tried to give himself a case of it. He inoculated his arm with a pure isolate of the nematode he thought was responsible. In upcoming letters he’ll be talking about the progress of this self-experiment.

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

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.

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.

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 10, 1925

Beach. Thursday Nite.

My Dear Sweetheart,

Your letter of Sunday Night came this noon and while it was a good one and I enjoyed it, I was sorry to know that you had a cold. I hope that you feel OK before now. It was a wise thing to stay away from church Sunday as the churches are often poorly heated.

December 10, 1925

I expect to go to Jax tomorrow if I can get my work in shape. Had a letter from Mr. Laake today to the effect that Mr. Bishopp will leave Columbus the 19th for Dallas. He is bringing the family home for Xmas. Mrs. Roark told me that Bitsie (Mr. Bishopp’s daughter) did not like the idea of having a negro in her class at school.

The time is drawing near, and I am mighty happy too Dear. I love you so much.

Your
Walter.

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.