Tag Archives: love

July 17, 1925 (Walter)

Friday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

We had 99 patients today, though all of them were not creeping eruption and the C.E. were not all new cases. However, all had to have attention, and more than half were ones in which we were interested. I have no doubt but that I can go to sleep in a few minutes when I go up-stairs. We were too busy in work to know what has been going on on the outside. But I always think of you, Dear, and occasionally I interrupt Dr. White to show him some girl who is about your size, or who resembles you in some way. He now has a pretty good idea of you and he always says that he thinks that you are about right. When he tells me about his idea of a wife I usually exchange ideas with him and then tell him of you.

July 17, 1925 (Walter)

July 17, 1925 (Walter)

I hope you are feeling good, Dear, and that you are as comfortable from the weather as we are. It was so cool last night that we needed cover. Dr. White thinks the climate is much more delightful than that at Washington, Mrs. Bishopp says it has been sizzling hot up there.

This is a short letter and almost “a daily dozen” of lines to you, but I hope you will understand that I love you just as much and I want you more than ever.

With a sweet goodnight,

Always your
Walter.

P.S. I love you.

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 16, 1925 (Ina)

Thursday Evening
July 16, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

Your Monday letter came this afternoon, and altho it was brief, I enjoyed it all. In fact, I get great pleasure out of reading every word you write. I am sure you enjoyed the dinner with Dr. and Mrs. Kirby-Smith. I think it’s mighty nice that you are associated with them in a social way as well as in a professional way. It makes it all so much more interesting and pleasant.

July 16, 1925 (Ina)

July 16, 1925 (Ina)

Claudelle, Thelma and I enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon at a shower honoring Roxie Miller, Mr. Lee’s fiancee. There was quite a crowd and she received lots of beautiful and useful gifts. After the opening and inspecting of the gifts, several tables of bridge and forty-two were arranged. I played forty-two since I knew more about it than bridge. We all had a good time. I did especially, because I am very much interested in everything that concerns a bride or a wedding now. I felt so happy for Roxie and sincerely hoped that she was as happy as I am, and, more important still, will be when my wedding day is as near as hers. They are to be married next Tuesday morning and expect to leave at once for Galveston and Brownsville where some of his relatives live.

When we returned home we found Avis Fisher Bunton, her husband and her little six month old boy. Avis is my chum that you have heard me speak of often. She saw my ring and thought it was beautiful. Everyone who sees it thinks so too, and you don’t know how proud I am of it. Every time I look at it (and that is most of the time) I think of you. Your sister expressed the right sentiment when she said that it would be nice for me to have the ring to enjoy while you are gone. Oh, yes, I got off the subject didn’t I. Speaking of Avis, she said she was glad I was going to be married as she thought that was really the only life. She said she had been happier the past year and a half than she had ever been before even though it had been under adverse circumstances. Lucius, her husband, is a ranchman, and has suffered heavy losses in sheep and everything this year. Avis had never had to do much work before her marriage, but she certainly has done it cheerfully since then. Lucius and a cousin of Avis were in partnership in the ranching business about twenty miles from Del Rio, and it was a sure enough partnership too. The cousin and his wife lived in the house with Avis, Lucius and baby and they had everything together – even the cooking, so I suppose you know the rest. There was a “falling-out,” Lucius sold his part and they are now living in Del Rio. In spite of all this, they are happy as far as their relation to each other is concerned and are certainly a devoted husband and wife.

Reitha is spending the night with us and is constantly chattering away in the “unknown tongue.” She is as sweet as can be when she tries, but, as Thelma Lee says “she can be so naughty” with great emphasis on the “so.”

I know you were glad to see Mrs. Gallagher and the children. It was almost like going home again, wasn’t it? I am sure they are sorry you can’t be with them much while you are in Jacksonville this time. I am anxious to meet them, because I am sure I will like them.

I still love you as much as ever and then some more. I wish I could be with you right now.

Always, your devoted

Ina.

July 15, 1925 (Walter)

Letterhead from the Seneca Hotel, “N.H. Schoonover, Prop.”

Wednesday Night.

My Dear “Honey Bunch,”

Your real sweet letter of the 10th and 11th “hit the right spot” and it was a nice long one too. It made me feel ashamed of my note of a few nights ago. I have been busy, Dear, and I know that you realize it. Also I am sure that you realize that I love you so much and that I will be the happiest man in the world when I can have you with me.

It is 11:15 PM. Have just written Mr. Bishopp the first letter since I arrived here. I tried to write him pretty fully.

Dr. White and I room together and we discuss creeping eruption from early morning until late at night. Sometimes it would be nice to talk about something else, but it is difficult to change the subject.

Mrs. H & Evalyn went to Minneapolis and then to Aberdeen S Dak, their home. E. wrote to my mother after they returned and told her how mean I was not to let them come to Uvalde. She asked Mother to send the letter to Sister, but I destroyed it when it was sent to me here. Sister already knows all about it. I have not written and I don’t intend to. They had my “say” several months ago, and in a way I am glad that their plan of coming to Texas didn’t work. They evidently figured that I would be courteous and that they would come to Dallas and take me by surprise.

I am sending prints of the Kodak pictures but they didn’t seem to come out right. Looks as though the shooting wasn’t straight.

Remember that I love you with all my heart, Dear, and that I think of you many many times every day. I stop Dr. White from discussing C.E. and tell him about you. He thinks you are just right. Says he is going to get married too, but he doesn’t know when nor to whom.

I love you
Walter.

Seneca Hotel.

July 15, 1925 (Ina)

Wednesday Night.
July 15, 1925.

Dearest Walter:

Your letters of the 10th and 12th came this afternoon and they made me feel oh so good. You see, I don’t always get them on schedule time as we don’t always go in town just after train time. Walter, bless your heart, your letters make me so happy and I read them over and over and then read them some more. These two letters were so nice and long and newsy. You seem to know just what I am interested in and just what to write. I especially appreciate the long ones now since I know that you are so busy, but still you take time to write me. I am just as proud of you as I can be and I love you so very very much.

July 15, 1925 (Ina)

July 15, 1925 (Ina)

Your letter to Mama and Papa came also. Mama tried to tease me for quite a while by telling me that she wouldn’t let me read it. Finally, after about two hours’ time she handed it over to me saying that she was trying to see just how anxious I would get to read it. I think it is a mighty nice letter and they do too. They will answer it before long. Don’t be afraid of a refusal or anything of that kind. It didn’t come as a surprise to them since I had told them that you were going to write and ask. Everything is lovely.

Yes, indeed I think it will be mighty nice to have Dr. White down in Florida with you every summer. I feel that you are very fortunate to have him every moment that it is possible to do so. I am so anxious to meet him. I know I shall like him from the things you have said about him. I shall enjoy meeting and being with your friends so much.

I am sure Dr. and Mrs. K.S. are anxious to get into that beautiful new home. I am looking forward to seeing it some time.

I can hardly wait for the time to come for you to return and for me to be with you always. It still seems too good to be true, but still I can’t help but believe that the “too good to be true” is going to happen in this case.

Walter, I don’t want you to hesitate to tell me about your work, the credit that you will receive for it etc. because I certainly will not think you are egotistical. I know you too well to think that. I am very much interested in you and your work, and you can safely write me anything you want to about it without fear of being misunderstood. By the way, I am very proud of your work too.

Goodnight and sweet dreams.

Always your
Ina.

July 13, 1925

Monday Nite
July 13, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

It is now 11:30 and I’m so sleepy. Mama, Claudelle and I have just returned from a church social sponsored by the Epworth League and given in our Educational Building. It was a very lively affair and I think everyone had a good time. It wasn’t at all dignified.

If you will excuse me for a few hours, I will go take a little nap. I just wanted you to know that I am still thinking of you and do most of the time. I will finish this letter to-morrow.

July 13, 1925

July 13, 1925

I love you most greatly.

Love
Ina.

Tuesday Evening.
July 14, 1925.

Dearest Walter:

Claudelle and I have just returned from a two mile hike so we feel a little more energetic than we did when we started out. We didn’t start until rather late so dark overtook us on the way back. Somehow I don’t like the sensation of being out in a pasture after dark where I can imagine all sorts of creeping things are about. Every time I stepped on a root it startled me because it felt just like a snake. The idea of snakes reminds me of a few days ago when Thelma and Bob carried the children out on the river. Thelma Lee went to the spring alone, but rushed back all excited and said that she had seen a snake down there. Thelma told her that she was sure it was just a root. Thelma Lee insisted that she knew it was a snake because she saw it “unscrew.” They investigated it and found that it really was a moccasin. So I could almost see those roots unscrewing this evening.

No doubt you have been extremely busy to-day. I have been thinking of you lots and lots too. I hope it hasn’t been as warm there as it has been here.

I have not heard from you since your arrival in Jacksonville, but I am sure I will have a letter to-morrow. I am very much interested in knowing what you are doing and everything. Don’t hesitate about writing me concerning your work because I believe you know by now that I am very much interested in it. In fact, you may rest assured that I am interested in everything that concerns you or that interests you because I love you. You mean worlds to me and I am going to do my best to do my part in making our married life happy, and I know you can make me happy. In fact, I can’t think of a couple that I think is happier than you and I are and especially will be. Isn’t it nice? I feel so thankful for the wonderful way that it has all come about and we know that the Divine Hand has shaped our destinies far better than we could have done it ourselves. And I believe, if someone were to write a book of our affair, they could safely say “and they married and lived happily ever after.”

How I do wish I could be with you right now!

Yours always,
Ina.

July 12, 1925 (Ina)

Sunday Night
July 12, 1925.

Dearest Walter:

I have just returned from my fourth religious service today, so I think my disposition should be sufficiently sweetened to be agreeable, at least by letter, don’t you think? We had our church service on the roof of our new educational building this evening, and, due to the fact that we had a nice shower this afternoon it was so cool that a light wrap was very comfortable. Mr. Schofield, rector of the Episcopal church here, preached a very interesting sermon, and that, together with the cool breezes etc., made everyone enjoy the service very much. It would have been much more pleasant for me tho if you had been there right by the side of me. Just a week ago you left Uvalde but really it seems like months to me. I sincerely hope that every week will not be as long as this one has seemed.

July 12, 1925

July 12, 1925

Your New Orleans letter was in the box this A.M. and I enjoyed every word of it thoroughly. I appreciated the fact that you wrote before you reached your destination because it would have seemed like such a long time to me. The magazines came also, and I appreciated them. Claudelle and I have been enjoying reading them this afternoon.

I have read the little booklet “Can America Remain American?” that you sent and I think it is splendid. Such a lecture makes a person want to be more patriotic, loyal and true. I like literature of that kind. I think the Teacher’s Training Book you sent is fine. It seems to be such a thorough course that I expect to study it just that way. I have already studied the first lesson. You see, I try to spend at least fifteen minutes every day in Bible study, so I can use this course and do it systematically. The other little book you sent is full of good information. I expect to use it now when I need it and also will put it in my “hope chest” for future reference.

Today I received a letter from Hugh Cavitt (the bee inspector, you know) written at Hempstead, Long Island and he wrote as though it was my last chance to offer an explanation since this was his third letter to me since he left Uvalde, and he had received a reply to none. For some unknown reason this is the first that I have received. He must have trusted them to someone else to mail and they failed to do so. I had wondered at his silence since he had insisted so that he was going to write me as soon as he arrived in Holland, Texas, his home.

I also had a letter from Jane Latham, the young school teacher who stayed at Mrs. Hollifield’s and whose home is in Poutota, Miss. She is now in the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Ark. She is having a good time I think. She seems to be afraid that she cannot be with me long after she returns to Uvalde to teach this fall. Somehow she has gotten the impression that I might be in Florida this winter. It is purely supposition on her part I am sure, as I haven’t written her anything to that effect. As far as I know, she doesn’t know that I have the ring. Of course someone else may have written her something about seeing it. You know how those things go.

Walter, I appreciate your not trying to get acquainted with the pretty girls on the train. It is mighty easy on a trip like that to make new acquaintances, but I am glad you didn’t. I am going to try to be just as true to you as you are to me. The other young men don’t interest me anymore. You are the One in whom I am interested and I love you ‘most to death.

I surely do like the idea of having a room in our own home while in Dallas. I am sure I would like it and the little boy wouldn’t bother me in the least. My, I get so thrilled and happy every time I think of our trip, our home, and especially you.

Oh, I do love you ever so much.

Lots of love,
Ina.

June 12, 1925

Jacksonville, Florida,
June 12, 1925.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I have re-read your two letters a number of times and I’ll probably read them lots more. You don’t know how much I appreciate them. They sound just like you, Dear, and they make me feel that the one whom I love so much is one who honestly loves me. At exactly this time last week we were in your car under the big tree south of town. I hated to leave you and could not help but think of coming away without you, and that was the reason why I couldn’t talk any. You remarked that it was like the first night this summer when I saw you, when there was very little conversation. The first night was one that was quite different, but I knew that I loved you and hadn’t figured out how I could get the idea across. I was not sure that you would let me tell you.

June 12, 1925

June 12, 1925

But that has been fixed up and I am mighty happy in the thought that another year you will be down here with me. You are going to like Florida, Honey Bunch, and I hope to know exactly where we are coming to live etc.

I took Dr. White to the beach last night and he thinks it is just right. However, we are going to live here at this hotel for a couple of weeks before we go down there. It is more convenient to the clinic and we will want a few days here before we go to the beach, in order to follow up the clinic cases. Last night we had been here just two days. Dr. White says that we seemed to get into the work enough to cause him to feel that we had been on the job for some time. We have been on the go most of the time, and until the wee hours we have discussed the problem. He and I have two beds in a large corner room and the problem is discussed pretty fully. I am very fortunate to have him here with me as there seems to be no limit to his knowledge, when I can get the information out of him.

Dr. White had a course at Johns Hopkins just before he came to Texas and he has posted himself pretty well on points having a bearing on our problem. He is a mighty fine man and, Dear, when we are permanently located down here I hope it will be possible to have him down here for some work with me. He won’t leave Washington for a period of time, but I hope he can be with us for a few weeks each year. He would not come as a guest, but to help in the work.

This morning the Catholic clock struck six as usual, which is five o’clock at your time, but we did not get up until about 10 o’clock. We talked creeping eruption until we dressed and shaved and this required an hour and one-half.

Dr. White was very complimentary to your photos and from my talking of you, he thinks that you are just right everyway.

This morning after breakfast Dr. K.S. and Elizabeth (11 yrs. old) came down and took us for a drive. We saw his new home under construction and then met Mrs. K.S. They certainly have a beautiful location for the new home and it is a most beautiful structure. He paid $18,500 for the lot, and a similar lot on which there is no building under construction had an offer of $30,000 a few days ago. There is a real estate boom on here too, but not as much as in the southern part of the state.

I haven’t seen Mrs. Gallagher or her children as yet as we have been too busy, but while Dr. White is reading the paper I am going over and calling on them. I am anxious to see them.

We are invited to dinner with Dr. & Mrs. K.S. tomorrow evening.

For this week and next you might address me at Seneca Hotel, as I would get it a little quicker and I want your letters as soon as I can get them. The quickest way is slow enough.

We had 38 cases of skin affections, 18 of which were C.E. during this first day and half. Before the clinic is over we will probably have two hundred cases.

Remember that I think of you many many times each day Dear, and that I love you with all my heart. I want to hear from you as often as you care to write and I am going to write as often as I can.

With a real sweet goodbye,

Your
Walter

July 10, 1925 (Walter)

Jax Fla. Friday night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

It was about this time last week when I mentioned that the clinic would be under way at this time. While it actually started at 9 this A.M. for the public, it started with me at 8:15 last night and at the time I arrived. Dr. K.S. met me and it was almost like one Frenchman meeting another (they fall on the necks of one another). He had everything all fixed and details arranged. We waited at the station until 8:30 when Dr. White arrived. Then we talked the thing over until about 11 o’clock, when K.S. went home, then Dr. White and I talked until we went asleep. We have double beds in the same room at the Seneca Hotel.

July 10, 1925 (Walter)

July 10, 1925 (Walter)

At eight o’clock this A.M. we had breakfast at the coffee shop with K.S. and I received your letter at the same time. We were at the State Health Building about 8:45 and there were two patients waiting when we got there. Two nurses and a girl were on the job right away. We had 22 patients during the day, but only 11 were “larva migrans” or “creeping eruption.” A few of them were also patients last summer and they remembered me by name. It was interesting that the cases developed at the homes under the same condition as they did last year, and it is the bunch of “repeat infection” cases that I want to study in detail with Dr. White when the clinic is over. We were busy all day and Dr. White “enjoyed every minute of it.” He saw his first cases today and he appreciates what the problem really is. It is now 10:30 and we have talked it when we were not working. He is in bed now.

Dr. White and I were guests at the Civitan Club for lunch with Dr. Arius. Dr. Arius is a laboratory man in charge for the state Health Board. The Civitan Club is very similar to the Rotary and the meeting was quite a “peppy one.” Tonight we had dinner at the place where Dr. K.S. and I usually ate last summer. He ordered the same thing and it tasted equally as well.

It started raining a few days ago and we had a pretty good shower today. Will have one most every day for a few weeks.

Jacksonville looks natural in every way and I feel very much at home here. There are lots of tourists here, even now, and the hotels are quite crowded. Dr. K.S. had made reservations for us.

Tomorrow noon we close until Monday and I hope to take Dr. White to some of the places where creeping eruption originated last summer and to verify some of the many things I have been telling him. He is certainly interested. Sunday we expect to locate a place on the beach where we can have living and laboratory quarters. Dr. White feels that what we accomplished in the work last year, stands out in a class by itself and above any research in our Bureau. It received very favorable comment from the Johns Hopkins people who are doing most of the work along this line. I don’t mean to “toot my own horn” but I wanted to tell you. I hope I can keep Dr. White for a month or six weeks, as there is no end to his knowledge.

Your letter, Dear, was the sweetest I have ever read and it is next best to a talk with you. You are so sweet, to have had one waiting for me when I arrived. It was so different from the ones I received a year ago. I appreciate what you said about saying “goodbye.” I, too, had a lump in my throat and I felt that you should be leaving with me. You don’t know how much it hurt to leave you. But there is a time coming, Dear, and then I can have you with me always. I should ask Mother Lewis and “Daddy” too, but it is about all that I can do to write you tonight.

It was real sweet of Thelma Lee and I am surprised that her feeling was so marked concerning an engagement. She is by no means an average child to have so seriously considered the meaning of the ring. It looks as though I have to walk on the hearts of quite a few in order to get you, and I only hope that all of them will be repaid with a joy which will counteract the good fortune I am to have. I have often heard that to get anyone you love, it is necessary to step on the heart of some one else and I guess my case is no exception.

But your love is something greater and grander than anything in the world to me, and there isn’t an hour but what I think of you, Dear. I wish for you every time I think of you. The thought of having you as “mine forever” is, indeed, the goal I desire more than anything else. I only hope that I can make you happy.

I love you more than I can “express” and here’s hoping nothing will ever “check” it.

With a sweet goodnight and pleasant dreams,

Your
Walter.