Postmarked San Antonio, TX.
Tues. Night
Arrived yesterday PM. RA Prince and Claudelle were at the new quarters. Today the other stenos and Mr. Townsend arrived. Furniture is being placed & some business is being transacted. Within a day or two things should become settled. The new offices are fine & we have no regrets on the space. With love to the three of you.
Walter.
June 9, 1936
Friday Evening
Sept. 12, 1924
Dear Walter:
Your nice long letter came yesterday afternoon, and it sounded so nice that I’ve been happy ever since. It was the kind that made me feel like I had been talking with you, and that’s the kind I like.
You said you didn’t care much for posed pictures, but I am sending you two anyhow since I promised you quite a while ago that I would. I didn’t know which one you would like better, so I thought I would give you one of each pose. Guess you think I’m very fond of having pictures made of myself, but, when you get too many, just let me know, and I’ll quit sending them. Ordinarily I dislike very much having my picture made, but you seemed to want some, so I did it.
September 12, 1924
Last Friday morning about six o’clock Mama, Papa, Claudelle and I started to San Antonio in my car and returned that evening. We had a very pleasant trip even though they were working on the roads a great deal, and we had to detour several times.
We unworthy Uvalde people received a wonderful blessing today in the form of a good rain. Can you imagine such a thing in Uvalde? It had been such a long time since we saw anything of the kind that I imagined I saw a shocked look on the faces of some people in town when the drops began to fall. We are having a slow rain tonight, it is so cool and pleasant, and it’s just an ideal night to sit and talk. You don’t know how glad I’d be if you were here right now.
Mr. Bishopp must not have received Mr. Parman’s letter until he returned to Dallas because he would have, of course, mentioned it while he was with you. I hope he has it by now, and will feel that it is absolutely necessary for you to come to Uvalde. It seems most too good to be true, but I can’t help but half way believe that he will.
Walter, you said you are sorry you haven’t more to offer me in a material way. The fact that you are offering me your true love is what makes me happy. If you had worlds of money and offered it to me without love it wouldn’t appeal to me. I have never had wealth, but still, I am happy most of the time, so what more could a person ask than happiness? I am glad you haven’t lots of money because so many young men who have been reared in wealth lack the ambition to get out and try to amount to something. You have accomplished lots already, and are so ambitious that I admire you a great deal more than I would one who had worlds of money and no ambition. I am glad you are just like you are. In other words, I’m glad you’re you.
Did you celebrate Defense Day today? We made a brave attempt, but it was not a wonderful success on account of the frequent showers. We closed the office from ten A.M. until two P.M., but we worked most of that time since they were unable to have the parade etc.
By the way, I talked to Mr. Shirley the other day and he said he would like very much for me to be his deputy at least until my term is up with the Independent School District on the First of April. I was delighted, of course, and consented.
I appreciate your telling me to ask you anything I would like to know. If there is anything, I will ask you and I want you to feel perfectly free to do the same by me. I have confidence in you and feel that you are not trying to keep anything from me. If I should ask you questions, I have confidence enough in you to feel that you will tell me the truth.
It is getting late now, so goodnight and pleasant dreams.
Sincerely,
Ina
Dallas, Texas
Tuesday PM
Dear Miss Lewis,
After spending the greater portion of the day in San Antonio, I was surprised to find that Dr. & Mrs. Roark had also been there all day. They left Uvalde Sunday AM and on arriving at S.A. the Doctor had an attack of stomach trouble which kept him in bed for two days. He seems to attribute it to the Mexican dinner, but please don’t mention it to Mrs. Parman as it would make her feel badly. It was not the dinner that caused it, but the condition of his stomach, as the rest of us enjoyed the dinner immensely and had no ill effects. Mrs. Roark tells how much she enjoyed the dinner and that it did not affect her in the least.
July 1, 1924
Mr. Bishopp was not in the city when I arrived, and we expect him to return from Omaha tomorrow. He was called there as a witness in Federal Court in a prosecution case. I am sure that my getting left in Uvalde will not be mentioned by himself, but I wouldn’t regret it if I had a severe reprimand. That, however, is not his nature. Mr. Laake says that he rather expected that I would miss the train.
I note from correspondence from Dr. Smith of Jacksonville Fla. that Mr. B and I are expected about July 20th. He has had about 20 cases recently and is sure that other physicians have had a good number. He enclosed a photo of a boy’s legs and feet which were in a severe condition. I believe I told you that this is some tropical form which has appeared in Florida the last two summers and we do not yet know what the cause is. Several Englishmen and Frenchmen have published works from the tropical sections and I am searching the literature on the subject. My French isn’t any too good, but I can handle it better than before the war.
Just now I am looking at property here with the view of trading in the Elgin to advantage. Whether I’ll get unimproved property or a residence, I do not know, but I am particular that I get something in East Dallas where the city is developing most rapidly.
I am to have dinner with Dr. & Mrs. Roark this evening and then we will probably go for a drive. I wish you were here to go with us as we would then have two couples.
Miss Ina I did not learn the day of your birth anniversary. Won’t you please tell me? I know that it is July and I meant to find out when I was there, but didn’t. I’d like to know.
I also hope that you will favor me with a letter real soon for I am anxious to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Walter.
Kindest regards to your Mother and Sister.
“Written from The Menger, San Antonio”
Dear Miss Ina,
Had I taken Mr. Parman’s advice last evening I would not have left Uvalde until 5PM today. This would have made it possible for me to reach Dallas just as soon, and I probably could have seen you again this noon. I had a “hunch” that I was leaving too soon, but remembered that during the Army days in 1917 I went from here to Dallas in the afternoon. It gave me quite a while to spend here and I rather enjoyed it, but I would much rather have seen you again. But maybe it is best as it happened, for some of your friends might have had an occasion to talk about it. Not that they are different from other people, but in a town of less than 15000 population, everyone knows the affairs of everybody else.
June 30, 1924
I realize that we got pretty well acquainted in a short time, but I want you to know that I realized that the time would be short. There was no intention on my part to force myself upon you and monopolize so much of your time, but if we hadn’t gotten acquainted then it would have taken a very long time in letters, and in writing there is always a chance of being misunderstood.
I believe we understand one another pretty good, and you don’t know how glad I am. Ever since you were at Regan Wells, your smile and your eyes have “haunted” me and I had to know you better. I’d like to call you “Angel Eyes” but had better wait to see if I may. Your frankness in telling me about the ring is something that I admire, and I can assure you that I think even more of you. I know that you are not fickle minded, and that you want to be sure of yourself.
As a rule I am quite shy of the girls, and with the exception of the case I told you about, I don’t believe there is anything to tell. Certainly I would tell you if there was more to tell. In the eyes of the public there is a double standard for men and women. So many expect the girl to be as pure as a lily and at the same time know that the men sow their wild oats. I have always entertained the idea of an equal standard and have tried to live as clean a life as I would expect of a girl. You won’t know whether to believe this or not, but nevertheless it is true. I hope that you will have confidence enough to believe me, but can hardly expect you to on such a short acquaintance. The most trying place was in France, and I hope you will believe me when I tell you that I did not have a single date with a girl over there.
I have no girl friends in Dallas and it is seldom that I go any place with one. The girls I knew years ago have all been married for a long time and I haven’t met any new ones, except yourself. As long as you will write and don’t give me a “cold shoulder” I don’t care to go with anyone else. I don’t expect to find anyone with whom I have as much in common, and with whom I could be as congenial. Pardon me for writing it so soon but I want you to know.
I’ll write you from Dallas tomorrow night and I’ll be glad to hear from you anytime you care to write.
Kindest regards to your Mother, Sis and everybody and very best to yourself,
I am,
Sincerely
Walter
Box 208 – Dallas.