Tag Archives: gifts

February 27, 1948

This is just one of many odd pieces of domestic paperwork that happened to find their way into the archive, but I’m posting the ones I find especially interesting or poignant. Walter was a tall man, and here we see that Ina has decided to splurge on something special for him: an extra-long boxspring and mattress for their bed. He’d probably slept on beds that were too short his whole life. Hecht Brothers was a high-end department store, the Baltimore equivalent of Macy’s.

$62 in 1948 equals $600 in today’s money, but Hecht’s is extinct, and ordinary department store employees who dictate lengthy letters to customers are no longer available.

February 27, 1948

February 27, 1948

November 4, 1931

Wednesday A.M.
Nov. 1931.

Dearest Sweetheart:

Your letters of Friday and Saturday came yesterday. They were both very interesting.

I agree with Mr. and Mrs. Hall in regard to the amount of work accomplished on the sand fly problem. It seems that you have gone forward with great speed. The fact that it is such a difficult problem and practically no previous work has been done on it makes it all the more remarkable.

November 4, 1931

November 4, 1931

Your interpretation of Walter White’s letter was very good. How did you know? You are an understanding father.

The information about Mr. Abbott is interesting. Poor fellow, I feel sorry for him. I know he isn’t normal. We should not blame him so much. He is probably just naturally that way and can’t help himself.

I’m so glad you purchased the suit. It sounds pretty and serviceable. It will save your expensive gray suit for best wear. You needed one to wear to the lab. That clothing store will be a blessing to the town if the merchandise is as good as it seems. It was mighty sweet of you to think of purchasing one for Papa’s Xmas gift. I told Mama about it and she said they would not let you do such a thing. Papa said the same when she told him. They appreciate it very much, and so do I, but they do not want you to spend that much on his gift. He still has his blue serge suit that he wore in our wedding and it looks like new.

Honey, Papa, Thelma and I together purchased a dress for Mama’s birthday. Her birthday is on the 5th of this month but we have already bought the gift. She appreciates it so much. The dress and hat are sort of a powder blue, and they are very becoming to her. She looks prettier in them than I have seen her in a long time. It was thoughtful of you to mention it. Your name goes in on the dress and hat. Mother Dove has a birthday some day this month but I have forgotten the exact date. Heretofore, we have been celebrating her birthday in October but when she was in Charleston she told me it was November instead. You know better than I what she would prefer as a gift. Will you please send something nice to her?

Wednesday night.

We have had Ina Marie all day so I did not have an opportunity to finish your letter. Bob’s baby sister, Marguerite, suddenly became dangerously ill at their ranch home last night and they rushed her to Uvalde. She is a tiny thing – not much larger than Thelma Lee – and is very young. She has been married about a year or more. A few months ago she had a miscarriage. She seemed to have recovered until terrific pains struck her last night. They carried her to Thelma & Bob’s, and Dr. Merritt, who has a little hospital here, examined her some then and thoroughly at 9:30 this A.M. He said she was pregnant in the tubes, that there was a laceration there and that she was bleeding to death inside. He advised immediate operation and said she would not live to reach San Antonio if they attempted to carry her there for the operation. By the time her family arrived and the family doctor from Sabinal it was late this evening. They carried her to the Merritt hospital here. There were five doctors present, but I don’t know just how good they are. Thelma phoned after the operation was over and said Marguerite had not yet come out from under the ether but the doctors still had hopes for her. It seemed that after they opened her up (that is a poor way of expressing it but you know what I mean) they found she was not pregnant and that one of her ovaries had to come out. I do not know the particulars but perhaps Mama & Papa will know when they return from Thelma’s. They carried Ina Marie home tonight and I am expecting them any time now. I do hope she recovers. It would be terrible if she didn’t.

I love you, Sweetheart, very very much. I’d love so much to be with you this very minute. You don’t know how much I miss you – you really don’t.

Always, your
Ina.

September 2, 1925

Wednesday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I just received a nice long letter from you and I should write you a good one if I possibly could, but Dear, I am awfully tired and sleepy. Took the early train & spent the whole day in Jax. Was busy the whole time too. Missed the train I intended to take as KS and I ate lunch together and it was a place where they don’t serve quickly. So the rest of the afternoon was spent in mailing out reprints of the New Orleans report, like the copy I sent you. KS said that I should mail one to each of my girls and he rather expected to see one addressed to a “Miss.” I sent you the first one I received, even before I had a regular mailing envelope.

September 2, 1925

September 2, 1925

I note what you said about the wedding present, and I am mighty glad that you gave me your ideas. I want you to always be that way and then we will not have on hand some presents to be stored in the attic. You did not suggest what you wanted, I’ll think about it some more and will ask you what you think. It might be a good idea to wait until after the wedding and then let you suggest. Something given may suggest one to complete a set etc.

It is an extremely pleasant pastime to plan what we want and I certainly do get a lot of pleasure in thinking of you and that you are soon to be with me always. I’ll probably hear from Mr. BIshopp before a great while to the effect that I can either spend the whole time down there or that I should join Mr. Laake in Dallas. I hope we can come here, but either way will be a mighty happy trip if you are with me. Sweetheart, I certainly do love you.

It certainly is nice that Lucile and Claudelle are going to room together and that they are going to be so near home. It will be lonesome for Mother Lewis for a while. I guess I am calling her Mother a little soon. It certainly sounds all right to me.

I didn’t go in the surf today but the moonlight on the water looks tempting tonight. It will be just as beautiful when you are with me, and I’ll enjoy it more for there is no one else whom I want to go in with except you.

If Dr. White’s plan sticks, he will leave me a week from today.

I’m mighty sleepy, Dear, so with a real sweet “goodnight,” I am,

Yours forever & always,

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 25, 1925 (Walter)

Tuesday Night, Aug 25th.

My Dear Sweetheart,

This noon I received your letter of Friday night, and tonight your letters of Wed. and Thurs. came. It was a mighty pleasant surprise to get the two extra ones, for I had thought that possibly you had not managed to get them posted. I am sure that the first two went to Jacksonville, while the last one came direct to the Beach. They were just as sweet as they could be and I wish you knew how much I enjoy them.

August 25, 1925 (Walter)

August 25, 1925 (Walter)

It was nice of Mrs. Parman to give a photo of her home and I am pleased that you thanked her for both of us. It reminds me that I promised to make one of her home while I was in Uvalde but neglected it until it was too late. However, the camera was left there and I presume that DC made it. The photo she gave has a sentiment that I rather like, too, but I am sure that it is different from the mental picture that I have. You would have to be standing on the porch to make it like the one I have in my mind. I certainly did hate to leave there. Dr. White says that he can’t understand how I could leave there on the 5th P.M. and pack up at Dallas & reach here the night of the 9th. I had to hustle, but I wanted to be with you as long as possible. I’ll never forget how excited Mrs. Parman was when we told her that you were leaving with me. Next to you and I, she will be more pleased over our marriage than anyone else. It will be the happiest day of my life, Dear, and I hope and believe that it will be the beginning of a lot of happiness for both of us.

You asked for me to suggest a present for you and you will tell me what you think of my suggestion. I believe it should be something which we would probably not get in the ordinary purchases, but something which you could use very nicely. Rather a luxury than a necessity. I know that you would hesitate to make such a suggestion, but if I get something to please you I’ll have to get an idea of what you want. I have thought something of getting started on a set of solid silver, and then add to it from time to time until a complete set is obtained. This would be of such a nature that I would want you to select the pattern. The same thing comes into my mind if we start on some DeHaviland China or a set of Libby’s cut glass. I want you to have a set of each and perhaps it would be well to start on them with a wedding gift but I believe you should decide on the designs you want. Perhaps this could be done to better advantage when they have been compared and after we are married. Maybe a Lovelier (I guess that’s the way to spell it) would be OK. Something in white gold, possibly of a pendant nature, with a couple or three small diamonds. If you have an idea of what you would like I’d like to know.

I can think of any number of things we would need for the home but I don’t believe this present should be of that nature. It depends upon what you think about it. I think it should be something which would last you a lifetime and on the nature of a luxury. We can’t expect to have everything to start out with, but we can plan on what we want and have the pleasure of getting them. I think that is about the greatest pleasure one can have.

Dear, I’d rather you would not worry about your wardrobe and if you are planning your needs in clothing, I’d plan about the same that you would wear as far south as Uvalde. The winters in Florida are mild, too, and I believe it is a pretty safe bet to say that we will spend the latter part of the winter and spring down here. Just as soon as I know I’ll certainly let you know and I believe you will then have plenty of time to decide on some of the things. You need not try to have so many clothes ready. You see, I have never had a wife and I hardly know about a wife’s clothing etc.

It was real sweet of you to say that you thought it would be nice on the beach this winter. I have wondered how this would strike you. I would much rather go direct to our home and know that we were not stopping at a place temporarily. I rather wish that it were possible to have our Dallas cottage in Florida.

Must say “goodnight” Sweetheart for it is getting late. I love you and with all my heart.

Always your,
Walter.

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.