Tag Archives: longing

July 24, 1925 (Walter)

Friday Night 7/24.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I am mighty glad that you told me about attending church so much as I wondered about it, but felt that I knew your attitude. You told me just what I expected of you, as I know quite well the circumstances. I had already known your attitude, and also that of Mother Lewis. Please do not misunderstand me, Dear, for I believe the Church to be a necessary institution and I believe in going, though I do not attend regularly. I can easily understand how one assumes responsibilities which practically force them to attend. I believe we understand each other pretty well in this respect as well as in others.

July 24, 1925 (Walter)

July 24, 1925 (Walter)

Dr. White and I are yet working on the manuscript and we expect to have the final copy made Sat. PM. We are leaving for a fishing trip Sat. noon, however, but have arranged to have it typed. He is very conservative and while we are not making many changes, the fact that the arrangement is changed makes it necessary to copy. In a few instances he believes that I should qualify my statements to some extent. The Declaration of Independence was not written with any more care than that paper on creeping eruption. It gets on my nerves sometimes, but I know it is well to be conservative so as to avoid pitfalls.

I’d give anything in the world to see you tonight, Dear, and to try to tell you how much I love you. You are the Dearest in all the world to me and I can’t help but wish for you every hour or so. I pick out girls on the street who are about your size or who have hair similar to yours, and then I tell Dr. White how they compare to you. I haven’t seen any, Dear, who are as beautiful as yourself. If I make my language too sweet, pardon me, but I feel that I can tell my fiancee anything that I have on my mind.

I weighed last evening – 201 lbs. which is about the same as at Uvalde. Mrs. Garrison weighed 130, but she is quite short, and would not seem to be that heavy. If I remember correctly you weighed 124. You are just right, Dear, but I’ll love you regardless of your weight.

I may not have the opportunity to write Sat. & Sun. nights but will do so if I can. We expect to have a real good time.

With all my love, Sweetheart, and with a sweet goodnight, I am,

Your,
Walter.

Seneca Hotel

July 20, 1925 (Ina)

Monday Nite
July 20, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

It is almost eleven o’clock but I want to say a few words to you before going to dreamland. In fact, I would give – oh, I don’t know how much if I could say lots and lots of words to you in person to-night. It is in the evening that I miss you most because that is when I have been with you most.

We (Mama, Papa, Claudelle and I) have just returned from a visit with Thelma and Bob and the children. We enjoyed the evening very much. They told us that Mr. and Mrs. Parman had just bought the place where Thelma and Bob are living. However, they expect to continue renting it I think. It surprised me a great deal when I heard of the purchase as I thought Mr. Parman was anxious to sell the home he and Mrs. Parman are in and that perhaps he was thinking of leaving Uvalde. He must feel settled here though.

July 20, 1925 (Ina)

July 20, 1925 (Ina)

Well, I suppose the clinic closed to-day and perhaps you are glad. I imagine you feel that you have enough material now on which to work for quite a while.

Your Thursday and Friday night letters came and I enjoyed every word of them. (I didn’t stop at reading them only once either). I know you are mighty busy and you are certainly doing well to write me as often as you do. That makes me appreciate the letters all the more.

Two weeks ago yesterday you left Uvalde and it seems ages and ages. I think of you and wish for you so very, very much and will be so happy when I can see you again and can be with you always.

Walter, I know you do think I go to church an awful lot. Mama thinks so too. She has threatened to send my trunk there so that it will be more convenient to attend all the services. But, seriously, the church here is the center of Claudelle’s and my social life as well as religious. In Uvalde if a girl doesn’t dance, there is no place for her to go except to the picture show, to church and church socials. Don’t misunderstand me by thinking I am placing the church as a last resort, because I’m not, but I am just explaining why I go so often. Of course, when we attend these services regularly, they give us responsibilities which make it almost necessary for us to attend regularly in order not to be a “shirker.” I enjoy the work and everything but would be equally happy without so much of it. I would not have the slightest intention of keeping up such a strenuous routine after I married, no matter whom I married (unless it were a minister, and I have never intended to do that), so you need not worry about my expecting to camp at the church. I think you understand the situation and I am sure we will not have any “falling out” on that score (or any other, are we?) I’ll prove it to you some time if you want me to.

Goodnight and pleasant dreams.

I love you lots and lots.

Always, your
Ina.

July 17, 1925 (Ina)

Friday Nite.

July 17, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

Claudelle and I have just been singing “Lonesome, That’s All” and other songs of that sentiment, and I felt it too. I feel like I would give most anything for a few hours with you this evening. I think of the pleasant evenings we have spent together and I feel that I can hardly wait for the time to come when we can spend ‘most all our evenings together. I am still so thankful tho that we had so many opportunities to be together while you were here and that we took advantage of them too. We didn’t let many of them slip, did we?

July 17, 1925 (Ina)

July 17, 1925 (Ina)

This afternoon Claudelle and I went shopping and came back by to visit with Avis for a short while. She is certainly perfectly devoted to Lucius. She said she thot before they married that she loved him as much as she possibly could, but that she didn’t really love him at all then compared with the way she loves him now. She thinks that if good, true love is the foundation, a young man and young woman love each other more and more all the time as they know and understand each other better. I am sure that our love is good and true, and if I love you more after we are married it will certainly be a whole lot of love because I already love you so much more than I ever thot I could anyone. Maybe tho, the more you love, the greater your capacity is for loving.

I hope I will get a letter tomorrow.

Always your
Ina.

I’ve been correcting minor spelling errors in the letters, and will resume doing so after this one, but wanted to give a feel for Ina’s peculiar (and fairly consistent) spelling of “thought” and “though.” I think these might have been common affectations in letter-writing at the time.

July 16, 1925 (Walter)

Jacksonville, Florida,
Thursday Nite.

My Dear Honey,

“Hell-o”

It was at the office when I went down this morning and it was a mighty sweet one too. All of them are since I left Uvalde and I look forward to them with considerable anxiety. I note with interest that you had been to church four times before you wrote this letter, but I don’t think it was necessary to “sweeten your disposition.” As a matter of fact I hope that you do not feel it necessary to go so much. I understand the conditions though, and I am sure that you would not expect such a Sunday routine of me. Please do not misunderstand me, Dear, I consider the church a necessary institution and you already know what I believe. I hope the church folks will not impose on that good disposition of yours, for that is something I would not intentionally do, myself. Certainly, I don’t want anyone else to do so.

July 16, 1925 (Walter)

July 16, 1925 (Walter)

The clinic has been well attended during the past few days, with big crowds yesterday and today. It closes next Monday, and I will be glad to do the follow up with Dr. White and then get some laboratory experiments started. I am mighty glad to have him with me, as it is almost like having a university along, especially when I can get him to talk. Most of the time he talks creeping eruption, and I like to get him onto related subjects once in a while.

A few days ago I wrote to your mother and Daddy for their permission and I presume that your mother has told you of it. I am anxious to know what they will have to say.

I love you, Dear, with every tender affection you can imagine and I hope you will not misinterpret my short letter. I am crowded for time. It is a real joy to remember when I held you on your porch and you said “I love you, too.” At that time I told you I would often think of it, and I certainly do.

I am always anxious to get your letters and you don’t know how much I wanted to be with you last Sunday. I thought of you a great many times. Your letter telling of the vacant swing, the dinner, the Willys Knight, and that you missed me were reminders of that same time when I missed you so much.

Remember me kindly to your Mama (Mother Lewis), Claudelle and Mr. Lewis.

With a sweet goodnight and pleasant dreams, I love you lots and lots and then some.

Your
Walter.

c/o Seneca Hotel

July 7, 1925 (Ina)

Tuesday Nite
July 7, 1925

Dearest Walter:

It is now just past ten o’clock and you haven’t come yet. Wish I really could expect you.

I spent my birthday with Thelma and enjoyed it very much. We had baked chicken and dressing ‘n everything. By the way, Jim Young, the former Tax Collector who was my employer, had the nerve to bring me today a bouquet of old maids! Very appropriate, don’t you think?

This afternoon I heard Claudelle give the alarm, I rushed out in the yard where she was and found that she had cornered a big tarantula. I finally succeeded in finding the axe and, while Claudelle held it down (the tarantula, not the axe), I knocked it in the head. “Really, it was a perfectly lovely specimen, now don’t you think so?” I suppose Mrs. Roark doesn’t object to being quoted.

Mr. Savage called up this afternoon and renewed his date for tomorrow evening. I am going to be wishing for you then.

This is one of those beautiful moonlight, breezy nights that makes sitting in a porch swing of a country home with a Bird a night of perfect happiness and contentment. We have spent many of just such hours during the past two months, and I am so thankful for them. I think that they are just the beginning of a lifetime of companionship and happiness.

I can hardly wait for to-morrow as I feel sure that there will be a letter in the office for me from you.

No doubt you spent last evening with Alvis – I mean, Mr. Petit. I am sure you had a pleasant time after several weeks of separation.

I suppose you are on your way to Florida tonight. I hope you are having a pleasant trip. I think it would have been so pleasant for you and your family if you could have had the time to have spent a short while with them on your way over. However, I appreciate so very, very much the fact that you spent as long time as you did in Uvalde. I am sure they could not have enjoyed having you more than I did, and I hope they can forgive you and me.

It is getting late so I will write you more after I receive your letter to-morrow.

I still love you lots and lots and always will.

Always your
Ina.

Wednesday Nite
July 8, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

It is now twelve o’clock and Mr. Savage has just left, but I am determined that a date shall not interfere with my writing to you. I couldn’t help wishing for you every few minutes while he was here. He didn’t discover the ring until a short time before he left, but I don’t think he was surprised. He admired it very much, wished me all sorts of happiness and said that he wished he could have an opportunity to congratulate you etc. I probably will not see him again as he said he thought he would be leaving Uvalde County soon.

Your letter came this afternoon and I was almost “tickled to death” to get it because it seemed ages since I had seen you or heard from you. I enjoyed every word of it several times since I didn’t stop at reading it only once. I am going to live on letters and anticipation this summer.

I am glad everything is looking so well “at home.” I am anxious to see the pictures of it.

This afternoon Mama and I called on Mrs. Brown, the lady who lives on the ranch joining ours. She and Mr. Brown had called on us twice but it had been impossible to get Mama off until this afternoon. We enjoyed it very much as they are good friends of ours. They are special friends of Mr. and Mrs. Parman, and Miss Mary Brown was the young lady they invited to the barbecue for Mr. Dodd. You remember she was in San Antonio at the time.

Mama, Papa and Claudelle send best regards and say that they surely do miss you. Do you suppose I do too? “You bet!!!”

I love you lots and lots all the time.

Always your
Ina.

P.S. I surely do appreciate the literature you sent. I haven’t had time to read it yet, but am going to soon.

Love
Ina.

July 6, 1925

Monday Night

My Dear Little Girl,

Happy birthday and I hope you will live always; also hope that I’ll never die. Nothing of unusual interest occurred on the trip to Dallas. Made close connections at San Antonio, and arrived as per schedule. I packed nearly all day, but quit in time to see the house and to call on Mrs. Laake.

The house looks fine and Mrs. Goodman says she only hopes that they can stay there. She is afraid that I’ll want it for my wife. She has kept everything in excellent condition and the addition of pot plants and a couple of swinging baskets of vines add quite a little to the appearance of the porch. The lawn looks good, though she has had a fight with Johnson grass. I made a couple of Kodak pictures of it. Said she made some recently and hadn’t gotten the prints as yet. Had an invitation to eat dinner with them, but I had already phoned Mrs. Laake and she had asked me to eat with her.

July 6, 1925

July 6, 1925

Mrs. Laake wished that she had been with us on the 4th, and was pleased when I told her that you wished to be remembered to her. She served me a couple of bottles of Mr. Laake’s beer, some deviled eggs, fish and head lettuce, Swiss cheese sandwiches etc. I visited with her for about an hour and met her brother-in-law’s adopted daughter. Mrs. L. thinks that you are just about right. Nice, pretty, and everything. She was pleased when I told her. I believe you will like her.

This has been a mighty long day and night, due to the fact that I could not look forward to seeing you tonight. You don’t know how much I miss you, Dear, nor how much I would like to be with you. I’ll be mighty happy when I can have you with me always, and I only hope that I can make you happy. I love you lots more than you know.

Under separate cover I am mailing you the SS teacher book of which I told you, and also the laundry book I promised to locate.

It is 11 o’clock and I am going down town to post this, so I had better go.

Lots and lots of love.

Your
Walter.

July 5, 1925

Sunday Nite
July 5, 1925

My dearest Walter:

You don’t know what a queer feeling it gave me tonight to come home from church without you. This time last night we were having such a pleasant time. It hurt me like everything this afternoon to tell you “good-bye.” When you drove off I had such a lost, sinking feeling. A lump came in my throat, but I swallowed it because Mr. and Mrs. Parman were right there. They must have had an idea about it because Mrs. Parman made a few appropriate remarks about how lonesome I would be after you left etc.

July 5, 1925

July 5, 1925

By this time I am sure you have left San Antonio. Perhaps you are asleep as it is after eleven o’clock, and, knowing your never failing habit of retiring early, I am not a bit surprised. I hope you are having a pleasant trip. Altho I would have been so glad if the circumstances had been so that you coiuld have remained longer in Uvalde, I am glad you succeeded in making connections this afternoon.

No, the little Ford roadster didn’t come out this evening. I have just looked out of the door to see if I could see it but its chair is vacant. Merwin must have roped it and tied it securely, or would surely have been here by now.

I just had to write you a few words before going to sleep. I will write some more tomorrow.

I love you and love you and love you.

Good night and pleasant dreams.

Love,
Ina.

Monday Nite

Hello-o!

It is now eight o’clock – just about time for you to be coming in the gate saying that. I can almost hear you right now – wish I could.

Altho I have been busy at different things all day, the day has been uneventful, that is, as far as startling events are concerned. Time and again I have found myself looking at the clock to see how long it would be before time to dress for you to come. I think it will be some several days before I can get out of that habit.

Last night after church, when Claudelle, Lucile and I started to get in the car, we saw Mr. Owens and another young man parked near us. He came over, shook hands with us and talked a long time. The moon was bright, and finally he remarked pointing to my ring, “Please turn that thing around, it hurts my eyes.” I said “‘scuse me” and turned it on the inside of my hand. However, the other young man examined and admired it but said it was rather hard on Mr. Owens. Just about that time they discovered the baggage in the car. Altho they inquired the “why and wherefore” of it, I didn’t offer any explanation, so I suppose they thought it belonged to Lucile or someone else. By the way, I am still just as proud as can be of my birthday gifts from you. They are so pretty and useful and necessary too that I like to keep them out where I can see them every few minutes. I get most sweetly thrilled when I look at them and realize that before so terribly long I will be using them when you and I are making our trip. Yes, “the madam” (don’t you dare!!) still experiences lots of thrills even though her “beeswa_” ‘scuse me! I mean even though you are away and also, even though she has almost reached her twenty-sixth milepost. Ripe old age, don’t you think?

A short time after you left yesterday afternoon, I went over to see Thelma and Bob and stayed until League time. Thelma said that the other day she asked Thelma Lee if she had seen Ina’s ring. Whereupon she calmly, most seriously and simply answered “yes.” Thelma asked her if she thought it was pretty. Again the solitary word, “yes,” spoken in a sadder tone. Then she asked if she knew who gave it to me. “Yes, Mr. Dove.” Then Thelma very enthusiastically told her that it meant that Ina was going to marry Mr. Dove, they were going to be happy, and, incidentally, that they were going to move away from Uvalde. At that point Thelma Lee shocked her by breaking down and crying as though her heart would break. She kept it up continuously for at least twenty minutes, and nothing would quiet her. Thelma tried to make her laugh by telling her that your Mama and Papa lived a long way from you, that you were lonesome and needed someone to take care of you; that you needed someone to darn your socks and sew up your shirts, and since you thought I could do it better than anyone else you were going to marry me (you didn’t know that, did you?). That didn’t have the desired effect though, so she cried until she was about exhausted. Yesterday afternoon while I was there, she saw my ring, tears came into her eyes, she bit her lip, turned her head, and did everything she coiuld to keep from showing her feelings. It shocked me that a child her age would take anything like that so seriously and so much like a grown person. Of course it isn’t that she objects to you in the least, because you know what sentiments she has expressed about you many times before, but it is the idea of my leaving that concerns her so deeply.

Thelma Lee and Reitha are spending the night with us tonight while Thelma and Bob have gone to Eastern Star. They were by the desk where I am writing a moment ago and I told them I was writing to you. When I asked Thelma Lee what I should tell you for her she said “Tell him that we miss him and want him to come back soon. If he can come back day after tomorrow, tell him to come.” Reitha said “Tell ‘im dat I tank ‘em for divving me lots of shewin dum.” I hereby deliver the messages. Thelma Lee furthermore asked me if Mr. Dove knew how to read my letters. What she meant I don’t know, but I could have told her that you had taken a year’s correspondence course in it, and I believed you could almost pass an examination in that subject. However, if you think you will need any assistance I shall gladly render it personally in the Fall.

Walter, you don’t know how much I wish for you tonight. The moon is wonderful, and everything would be ideal if — Well, the moon will shine again, and you are coming back too, and then, won’t we be happy? I am happy now thinking of the past two wonderful months and of the many, many many happy months we have ahead of us, when we can be together always.

My, my, how I do love you!

Goodnight, bless your heart.

Lots of love,
Ina

June 17, 1925

This undated letter was misfiled with a later set, so I’m posting it now (8 September 2011) and backdating the post. Sorry for any confusion.

Wednesday Nite.

Dearest Walter:

I have been trying ever since you left to write to you, but I couldn’t very well do it and take notes on class work at the same time. I didn’t think I would ever write to you with a pencil, but my fountain pen, with several other things that I intended to bring, is peacefully at rest in Uvalde. Maybe I can borrow one at the post office to address the letter. Most of the crowd went on Mount Wesley this evening after the lecture for games and campfire, but I preferred writing.

June 17, 1925 (Ina)

June 17, 1925 (Ina)

We are taking only five courses, and these, in addition to committee meetings, special services, study periods etc. keep us more than busy. I should be studying right now since I haven’t read half my assignments for tomorrow, and I will not have a minute before classes, but, do we care? What I want most right now is to be with you. I had ten thousand times rather be with you than to listen to lectures, go to campfires or anything. It is certainly fortunate for me that there will be no exams here, because just as my instructor reaches the most eloquent point in his discourse my mind is back in Uvalde on Mr. Lewis’ front porch in the swing with my favorite Bird. If it were left with me, I would set sail at once. It seems like an age since I saw you, and I feel like I am losing so much time that I could spend with you. Now, of course these preachers, instructors etc. would thoroughly appreciate my attitude if they knew it.

I thought of you so much on your trip home. I surely do hope you found a better road going back than the one we had coming over. You don’t know how I appreciated the way you had the car fixed for me, and the candy ‘neverything. I divided candy with the Uvalde crowd, and they thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated it. You are just as sweet as you can be to me. I don’t deserve it, but I do love you so, and always will.

Thursday P.M.

I had so many interruptions last night when I was writing you that they ordered the lights out before I could finish.

I have already been to morning watch, and must go to classes now. Will try to write a better letter later.

I love you lots and lots and lots.

Love,
Ina.