Tag Archives: proposal

July 23, 1925 (Walter)

Thursday Night 7/23d

My Dear Sweetheart,

Dr. White and I just returned from the station. We went down with Mr. and Mrs. Garrison to see them off, after having had dinner with them. They seemed to have enjoyed the day here and she wished that they could have spent a week. They took the sight-seeing bus to St. Augustine this morning. Her folks live at Waco Texas. During the war she went to Washington on a job in the War Dept, and there she met her hubby.

July 23, 1925 (Walter)

July 23, 1925 (Walter)

Sometimes I feel that I would like a better income in order to take care of you as I should, and I wonder how this couple get along on his salary as she is not working. He gets about $1400* and I hardly know how they can get along, but they seem to make it OK. When I see them I figure that we will probably get along all right.

We are going fishing Saturday and Dr. KS will drive down the state some on Sunday, so it is possible that I will not have an opportunity to write you Sat or Sunday nights. If I can I certainly will, for I enjoy your letters so much. I look forward to them and when they come I read them several times. While it seems like a long time since I came here, it has been only two weeks tonight. I have been very fortunate to have gotten so many sweet letters from you in that time. Best of all, I have had one from Mother and Daddy Lewis with their consent, and Dear you don’t know how glad I am and how proud I am to have them feel all right about it. It means a lot and I appreciate it. They were real sweet about it, and I guess it is because they know that you and I are congenial and that we really do love one another. I’ll be mighty proud to say “this is my wife,” and I feel that folks will think “how did he do it?”

We went to the city dispensary this afternoon as it was Dr. KS’s afternoon for a skin disease clinic. It was very interesting. There were about four well defined cases of pellagra, and I am glad that I had the opportunity of seeing some. When I see the disease side of medicine and what the practitioner has to do, I feel that I like my work more. At one time I thought I would like to practice medicine but the older I get, the more I like my work in preventive work and medical entomology. Dr. White says that he feels that way about it too.

We will not go to the beach until Tuesday and then we may not get located so as to move on that day. It may be Wednesday before we move. I’ll be glad to get Dr. White started on some laboratory work as I want to get his technique on some phases. He has been criticizing the paper, but it will be published in long form. Dr. KS thinks that it was not necessary, but White is so “dog gone” particular about every sentence that he is going over it very carefully. His arrangement is good but not very different from mine, and sometimes I wonder if his editing is worth the additional work it gives both of us. He is an old bachelor and has some set ideas on doing things. He always treats a disease manuscript in the same say. Even when we go to meals he always likes to go the same way. I hope I won’t be that way to such an extent, for it would annoy you. I’ll try not, Dear, and I’ll try to have you know that I love you with all my heart. You are everything to me and I’ll be mighty happy when I can have you with me always.

With a sweet goodnight,

Your
Walter.

P.S.
I love you.

* Equal to about $18,077 today.

July 19, 1925 (Mr. & Mrs. Lewis)

Uvalde Tex.
7/19-25

Dear Mr. Dove:

Your letter was received several days ago. It did not come as a surprise to us as Ina had told us of the plans you both had made.

Of course Mr. Dove, you understand that it is very natural for parents to object to thinking of giving up their daughter. We are not going to consider it as giving Ina up but, instead, we will think of it as taking you in as a member of our family. We knew Ina would want to marry some time, and, as we have been with you a great deal and like and admire you very much and your friends have said so many complimentary things about you, we do not know of any young man we had rather receive into our family.

July 19, 1925 (Mr. & Mrs. Lewis)

July 19, 1925 (Mr. & Mrs. Lewis)

It is awfully hard to think of our daughter leaving home. However we know you will do your part in making her happy. We know, beyond any doubt, that she cares more deeply for you than she ever has for anyone. You both are congenial, and this, with your devotion for her makes us feel that you both will be happy.

You have our consent, our sincere wishes for your & Ina’s happiness, & our blessing.

Yours sincerely,
Mr. & Mrs. J.N. Lewis

July 12, 1925 (Walter)

Jacksonville, Fla.,
July 12, 1925

My Dear Mr. and Mrs. Lewis,

I hope that this letter will not be a shock to you, and that my request will be received favorably. I did not have the opportunity of asking for the hand of Miss. Ina, but I want to do so at this time.

July 12, 1925 (Walter)

July 12, 1925 (Walter)

There is no doubt in our minds but that we understand each other and I believe that our love is mutual. We believe that we realize the step we are taking, and I hope that I can give her the comforts of a home and make her happy. I’ll certainly try and do a man’s part in giving her happiness, and I sincerely hope that it meets with your approval.

With kindest regards, I am,

Sincerely,

Walter E. Dove
c/o Seneca Hotel
Jacksonville
Florida

May 10, 1925

There’s no letter for this date, but from later correspondence we learn that Walter did get to Uvalde in early May. On the 10th, he proposed to Ina. She accepted.

September 10, 1924

Wednesday A.M.
Before Breakfast

Dear Walter:

How are you feeling this lovely autumn morning? It is just the kind of morning that makes a person feel like getting up and going somewhere. I think I would like to hike out to the river.

Your letter and the frame came, and I appreciated them both lots and lots. The frame is just as pretty as can be, and you don’t know how much I appreciate your thoughtfulness in sending it. Thank you.

September 10, 1924

September 10, 1924

We went on a swimming party yesterday evening, and had a good time. I suppose we can’t have many more before the weather gets too cool.

I know you appreciate Dr. Kirby-Smith’s hospitality as well as his deep interest in your success in your work. His influence will be a great help I am sure, and it is awfully nice of him to do it. However, you deserve every bit of it I know. Guess you don’t find any trouble in agreeing with him that your salary should be raised several times, do you? It is too bad about his drinking. I suppose his wife thinks that if the officers don’t enforce the prohibition laws, she will do her part.

No, I suppose you were not too hasty about asking me what you did if you are perfectly sure about your own feelings, but you don’t want to make the mistake I made one time of saying something you may want to take back later. I appreciate everything you said more than I can tell you, and you may rest assured I will think about it lots. Then, after I am with you more I can tell you how I feel. All I can say for sure right now is that I like and admire you very much, and am nearer loving you than anyone else.

This is a short letter, but I can’t write anymore right now. Will write a longer one later.

Sincerely
Ina

September 8, 1924

Monday Night
Sept 8, 1924.

Dearest Ina,

It was a blue Monday when I came down town this morning, but your letter and the fact that you have confidence in me, set everything all right. I think I have read it at least ten times and have looked at your pictures about the same number of times. You don’t know how encouraging you were in simply letting me know that you believed in me. You would have to know that I really care for you to appreciate just what it meant.

September 8, 1924

September 8, 1924

It is true, Dear, that we haven’t been together very much but that is no fault of our own, and I am thankful that I was with you even for the short while. I really mean it from the bottom of my heart, I have had just such a girl as yourself in a mental picture for a long time, though I didn’t think she could have those qualities and be so beautiful as yourself. As a rule I am shy of the girls for I usually find that they dance, that they are Catholics, or that they have some quality that I could never like. With yourself it seemed that we agreed on everything, and best of all you were not wearing a solitaire. Who wouldn’t miss a train?

I consder that the most pleasant time I’ve ever spent and I’ll always remember it, even if you should decide that you don’t care for me. I only wish that I could offer you more in a material way, but I doubt if that would mean real happiness to you. To my mind the happiest people are not the ones who have the most money or live in the greatest amount of style, but the ones who really enjoy the pleasures of one another.

I am really pleased to have you tell me that you don’t know whether or not that you love me, for with yourself it is different. I would want you to be sure of yourself and I realize that you haven’t been with me enough to know. I hadn’t heard of Mr. Parmans request but nothing in the world would please me more than to come to Uvalde and relieve him for a while. If I could be down there for a month and see you often, I am sure that we would know one another pretty well and it would be doing the fair thing by you. You might not like me near so well, but it would be better to find it out early in the game. I don’t know what Mr. Bishopp will do, for my stay is uncertain here, depending upon cases. He planned that I should make a survey in the state after Oct 1st and this would probably take about 10 days. No doubt he would want me to come to Dallas when I have finished the year’s work here.

He is inclined to favor me and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he would ask me to come down there before reporting to Dallas. He saw your pictures when he was here and is aware of my personal interest at Uvalde. He knows that a trip down there would be welcomed by myself. I was so proud of your pictures that I had to show them and it only took a glance for him to recognize them. He thinks you are mighty fine, and I know you are wonderful.

When there is anything that you would like to have me tell you, please ask me. I want you to know everything and I’ll tell you anything even if it hurts. But I don’t believe it would hurt to tell you.

You mean everything to me and I love you dearly. Here’s hoping I can see you next month.

Always,
Walter.

September 4, 1924

Thursday Eve.
Sept. 4, 1924

Dear Walter:

Your letter came this afternoon and – well, I can’t tell you how much I appreciated those things you said. When I wrote you about the prospects of losing my position, I didn’t know it was going to bring such a reply. I certainly didn’t do it with that purpose in mind, and I sincerely hope you will know that I didn’t. I believe you know me better than to think I would do anything like that, don’t you? I hope so. In fact if you thought I was that kind of a girl, I don’t believe you would have said what you did.

September 4, 1924

September 4, 1924

Walter, I don’t know what to say. I wish you were here right now so I could tell you just how I feel, and really, so I could know just how I feel. I would give most anything to get to talk with you tonight. So many, many times I think of lots of things I would like to say to you, but if you were to appear suddenly, I might not be able to say a word of it.

I will say, though, that I have admired you from the very moment I met you at the breakfast table at Reagan Wells, and have been admiring you more ever since. Not one time have you lowered yourself in my estimation, but instead you have gone higher. I have had confidence in you from the very start and now I have confidence enough to feel I shall never have reason to lose confidence in you. Guess I’ll have to confess that I like you mighty well. I like you better and admire you more than any other young man with whom I have ever gone. I know that seems to be saying a great deal, but it is true. Furthermore, I have given you more encouragement than I ever have anyone else (with the one exception that you know). Several times, after writing you a letter in which I revealed my feelings more than I thought I should, I have come very near tearing the letter to pieces – in fact, I did do it one time. I have been afraid so many, many times that you would think I was too easy to get acquainted with and that I gave everyone the encouragement that I gave you, but it isn’t true. It’s just because I admired you, liked you, enjoyed your letters so much, and felt like, as you said, we had so many things in common.

When I get to thinking of the short time that we were together and our brief acquaintance, I feel foolish, but it seemed the most natural thing in the world for us to understand each other so well. Are you sure you care for me so much? You see you haven’t really been with me much, and do you suppose you would change your mind if you were with me again?

I can’t say that I love you, because I don’t know, but I do know that I am nearer loving you than I am anyone else. I wish you could be here so we could be together a great deal, and then we could know how we felt. Yes, I realize the sacredness of love, and am so glad you regard it the same way. It is a wonderful thing, and you may rest assured that I am not going to treat it lightly. I have thought about it very, very seriously, and I am going to continue to do so. The things you said in your letter are sacred to me, and you don’t know how deeply I appreciate them. Yes indeed, I will “keep them in mind.” I can’t help it. Maybe when I am with you more I will know whether or not I love you.

I had the most pleasant surprise a few evenings ago. Claudelle and I went up to Mr. and Mrs. Parman’s, and, while they were talking of the visit they expect to make to Tenn. in October, Mr. Parman stated that he had written Mr. Bishopp, asking him if you could come to Uvalde to take up his work during his absence. I am afraid I didn’t succeed very well in hiding my joy over the possibility of your being here during that time. I didn’t intend writing you anything about it, because I thought I would let you mention it to me first, but you didn’t say a word about it in your letter today. Are you going to accept? I would be so glad if you would – that is, of course, if you thought it best. We would have a good chance to know each other then. I am so anxious to know whether or not you are coming.

I haven’t found out yet whether I am going to be re-appointed next year or not. I fully expected to talk to Mr. Shirley last Saturday, but he was not in town. However, I think I will know soon. I may have to call on you for that recommendation after all – you have seen me work so many times, I suppose you are in a position to sing my praises as Deputy Tax Collector, aren’t you?

It is mighty nice of you to go to so much trouble to get that picture framed, and I surely do appreciate it.

It is after eleven o’clock, so I must get my “beauty sleep.”

Sincerely,
Ina

September 1, 1924

Jacksonville, Fla.
Labor Day – Nite

Dear Ina,

Just received your letter and it was a good one. Sorry that I haven’t been able to get the frame, as the man is sick and had not returned today. I rather liked the one I selected and for that reason have been waiting until he returned.

September 1, 1924

September 1, 1924

I note with interest what you said about the election and how it may affect you. I don’t see how anyone could get some one else when there is a chance of getting you. Tell him that I said there wasn’t a nicer or sweeter one anywhere in the world and that he needn’t look any further than his office for the best Deputy.

I wouldn’t like to see you go to San Antonio when Dallas is so much more desirable. If you let me, I’ll see that you get a place in Dallas. Nothing would please me more than to be where I could see you real often. I’ll get you a place that won’t change with political changes and one that you can always have if you want it. I wouldn’t make the same offer to anyone else. You could be your own boss and get up when you pleased. It might be necessary for you to come to Florida next summer and live where you can go in the surf everyday, and at times I’d expect that you would accompany me. In fact I would want you with me just as much as you cared to go.

This may seem a crude way to put it but no kidding, Ina, I mean it. I wouldn’t ask you to decide soon, but I would like to have you keep it in mind and think about it. I intended to ask you in the right way but I couldn’t resist the temptation to “spring it” at this opportunity. I’d much rather tell you than write it, but it seems that I can’t see you very often now.

Please don’t think that I treat such things lightly by my crude way of writing it, for really that is a most sacred thing and one that should be considered well before attempting it. I know that you realize it, from what you have told me. It is true that we have not known each other very long but we are well enough acquainted to know that we have much in common and so far as I know, there is nothing to keep us from being congenial. We seem to agree on everything of importance.

I have always had an ideal girl pictured in my mind, but have never met her until I knew you. I have never before met one whom I could love, make happy and be congenial with. I would try to always be considerate and kind to you, Ina, and if within my power I’ll make you happy. I know that I would always be proud of you and that I would love you with the most tender affections.

I would not ask you to decide now for I am not sure that you could love me. I only hope that you can and that you will believe in me. You need not give me an answer until you have had time to decide, but I hope that I can call you “sweetheart” in my next letter. May I?

With a sweet good night, I am

Always,
Walter.