Tag Archives: kids

May 15, 1930

Walter’s current project is figuring out the etiology of endemic typhus (Rickettsia typhi). He suspects – correctly, it turns out – that rat mites are vectoring the pathogen.

Thursday PM.

My dear Sweetheart,

Your letter and the pictures came this noon. The pictures are very good and I am mighty glad to see them. Will keep them for the Baby Book. Walter White seems to be holding his own with so many new people.

May 15, 1930

May 15, 1930

I am enclosing a letter which was received from Mother today. Uncle Henry lost the little boy we saw at Sibley, La. I’ll write to him and to Mother tonight.

Yesterday Dr. Bedford brought his addition to the manuscript. It is very good for a rough draft but there is some duplication of information. This noon I had lunch with him at the Athletic Club. We plan to go to Longview and nearby places next Thursday PM. They have had quite a few cases of typhus. We want to determine whether or not rat mites are present. He wants to test samples of blood for typhus reactions (Weil-Felix test).

Mr. Somnier painted the gables of the house and the front of the garage. Today he is mowing the lawn and cutting the weeds in the back yard. The place is changing quite a bit. Perhaps this will be an added inducement to get the Mrs. to return to her husband.

With all my love, I am

Your Walter.

May 12, 1930

Monday Noon.

My dear Sweetheart,

Last night I received two letters. We did not get the mail Sat PM nor Sun. AM so both were in the box when I went down last night. I spent a long day yesterday. Did not work on the manuscript. I painted the woodwork in the kitchen and breakfast room. I followed suggestions about using yellow to tone down the green, but when the paint (satin finish like that used in the bath room) dried it was quite dark. It seems to harmonize with everything but it makes the kitchen a little darker. I have a small can of floor paint for the back porch. I want to get the porch painted in a few days. Mr. Somnier says he will come out and help fix the steps, gate, garage door and replace some missing shingles on the roof. I want to get the hammer knocking and paint odors fixed up before you and Walter White return.

May 12, 1930

May 12, 1930

Does Claudelle mean that she will make some more drawings when she returns to Dallas or should I send some material for her to work with at Parman’s lab? Think it would be better to do them here if she has time. Mr. Roberts has some drawings to be made, too, but his paper is not as urgent as Babcock’s.

I am proud of the behavior of Walter White. Hope he is as good when you do not have company, especially during the night. I certainly miss both of you and Claudelle.

With love from

Your
Walter.

May 9, 1930

May 9. 1PM.

My dear Sweetheart,

Your letter came this morning. It is mighty fine that Walter White is on his good behavior. Hope he keeps up his reputation.

May 9, 1930

May 9, 1930

A letter from Bish suggests that we wait about crating furniture until after he and I make the survey in June. He thinks it will be as late as June 10th before he can meet me down there. It looks like I should go down by train and make the necessary hand shakes and then return for you. I have an idea that he wants the moving expense charged to the sand fly appropriation. The appropriation will not be available until July 1st. So far as he knows it is satisfactory to move during this summer.

I phoned Mrs. Laake last night. She sends her love. Mr. Laake is in Menard. He is expected Sunday morning.

All bills except telephone are in. I am paying all of the Harper interest (132), also 25 to Dr. Harmab.

Am beginning a revision of the A.B. paper for Hopkins. Gave the Babcock MS to Mr. Smith yesterday.

I pulled dandy lions from the lawn last night. The back yard and driveway also need attention. The Bermuda grass is growing nicely and the Euonymous twigs in the new transplanted places look OK. The house is OK.

All of us send love to all of you. We hope you sleep well. We miss you.

With love,
Walter.

September 21, 1924

Sunday P.M.

My Dear Ina,

It is a lovely afternoon and I was just wondering where you were and what you were doing. Wanted you to know that I am wishing for you and thinking of you, so found myself writing it. I’d be mighty happy if I could be with you now.

September 21, 1924

September 21, 1924

Had one letter from Mr. Bish since he returned to Dallas but he did not mention Uvalde in it. I presume he avoids writing about anything except my work here, for fear there will be a tendency to distract my mind from this project.

It rains a little every day now and we should have some new creeping eruption cases to show up pretty soon. Most of them try everything suggested by the neighbors and druggists and when the skin is irritated and infected they come for medical attention. We have an excellent treatment during the early stages but when they neglect themselves for a few weeks, it is very hard to effect a cure. The average person tries iodine and then a wash of bichloride of mercury. The combination forms mercuric iodide which is very irritating. Either would give some relief, but this combination only adds to their agony.

The photos are wonderful, Dear, and I have them on the dresser in my room. They are so natural that I turn them so that they don’t face me when I am dressing. Seems pretty modest for a man, doesn’t it? Everybody thinks you are beautiful and I consider myself mighty fortunate to have such a wonderful little lady friend.

It was sweet of you, Dear, to say what you did about money and I appreciate it more than I can tell you. You deserve such a good man that I wonder if I could be kind enough and as thoughtful as I should be. If I knew that you loved me I’d be mighty happy and heaven only knows what I would do for you. But I want you to be sure, for I love you too much to cause you to regret anything. I hope you will never have an occasion to regret your decision, regardless of what it might be.

Monday PM

Did not finish this yesterday as I saw the two little kids where I am rooming and I played with them until it was their bed time. The little girl is 7 and the boy 9 and both of them are real good. Have been taking the boy with me sometimes, as he likes the rabbits and guinea pigs. His school started today and I don’t imagine he will go with me quite as much now.

Dr. K.S. went fishing Sat. PM and returned this morning about 2 o’clock. Am invited to dinner this evening to sample the fish. First time I have been invited since the wife returned, though I met her when I went fishing with him. She seems mighty nice but I guess she controls him pretty well, and it is probably a good thing that she does. She is very good looking and so is the little girl (11 yrs old). She (the daughter) is so young that you won’t mind if I do say she is good looking. Hair and eyes just like yours.

Expected to have lots of new cases today. Had one old one which reported for the first time today, and we froze it with CO2 snow. Makes an awful sore but it was too near the jugular vein to cut any sections. Hope to have a letter from you soon as it seems an awful long time since I heard from you. It really hasn’t been so long, but I want to hear often.

Lots of love,
Always,
Walter.