October 24, 1925

Saturday Nite.
Oct. 24, 1925.

My dearest Sweetheart:

Your letter of Sunday P.M. written at West Palm Beach reached me today, and the irregularity of the mail is shown by the fact that your letter from the Beach written two days later reached me yesterday. Of course the difference in the distance makes some difference, but still you traveled faster than your letter, according to that.

October 24, 1925

October 24, 1925

I am enclosing a little article on the Florida boom that I came across in the Uvalde Leader-News. I hope that the steps that are being taken to stop the rush will not be effective any time soon, don’t you?

This morning I was very much shocked when someone ‘phoned that Mrs. D.H. Crisp, the wife of my former employer for whom I kept books for about six years, had suddenly died last night. It was so sudden that it was a shock to everyone. As soon as we heard it I went to her home for a few minutes. I always have a feeling of utter helplessness and uselessness in a case like this because all I can do is to show respect by going and carrying flowers. They already had enough friends to sit up with the corpse tonight. The funeral is to be tomorrow afternoon. I feel so sorry for Mr. Crisp, and it is especially sad as she left two little girls, one eight and the other four years old. No doubt one of his sisters here will care for them.

Sweetheart, I love you, you don’t know how very very much. I wish I could be with you right now.

Always, your loving,
Ina.

Sunday P.M.
P.S. I rushed off this morning without carrying this letter, so I am enclosing the one for today also.

You can click and zoom into the image of the letter if you want to read the news clipping.

October 25, 1925 (Ina)

Sunday Afternoon.
Oct. 25, 1925

My dearest Sweetheart:

Your letter and the letters from Mr. Petit and Mr. Bishopp came this morning and Dear, they made me feel so good. You see, until now, everything has been so indefinite that it didn’t seem real. I knew that you and I loved one another and that we were engaged, but that was all the definite information I had. I am sure that you too were very anxious to know something for sure. Mr. Bishopp’s letter was very very interesting and I appreciate your sending it to me. Yes, Dear, some time about Christmas suits me for the wedding and the other plans you mentioned sound good to me. I am glad you have expressed an opinion as to some particular time and place as it makes me feel like we are really going to be married. If Mr. Bishopp doesn’t write you pretty soon of any change in plans, we can set a date before long, can’t we? Somehow, I like the idea of having something definite in mind and working toward it.

October 25, 1925 (Ina)

October 25, 1925 (Ina)

Mr. Petit’s letters were very interesting also. I was so sorry to hear of Dr. Hunter’s death. Although I was not personally acquainted with him, I have heard a great deal of him for several years and have heard so many fine things about him. All of the men seemed to think so much of him. Sweetheart, I note what was said of his opinion of you, and I am proud of it. Mr. Petit writes an interesting letter and puts quite a bit of individuality into it which always adds a great deal to a letter I think. That is what keeps a letter from sounding like a news paper write-up.

It is raining so much this afternoon that we can’t go to Mrs. Crisp’s funeral. I think it always makes it a great deal sadder to have to bury a person on a cold gloomy day in the rain.

Sweetheart I want to tell you again how “tickled to death” I am over your letter and that I love you, love you and love you and will be mighty happy when I can be with you always.

Your own
Ina.

October 25, 1925 (Walter)

Sunday AM 10/26.*

My Dear Sweetheart,

Your letter of last Sunday which was the third attempt almost knocked me “Coo Coo.” I had no idea that you could have felt that way. I certainly didn’t intend to have you feel that I loved you less. I love you just as much as one could and that is more than I thought I could love anyone. You certainly let your imagination run away with you Dear, and I cannot understand it.

October 25, 1925 (Walter)

October 25, 1925 (Walter)

I want to ask if you received a letter from Miss Hulett in South Dakota. If so, I can understand why you have felt this way. Don’t pay any attention to what she might have said. I kept getting letters from her, sometimes they were sent to my mother, so I wrote her that I was engaged to a Miss Lewis of Uvalde. I did not hear from her again. But she has been writing my mother so much that she might have written you so as to give me another slap in the back. I would not be surprised to know that she had written you telling what a mean individual that I am. I only hope that you will discount what she says if she has written to you. Remember one thing that I was not engaged to her, though both she and her mother felt that I belonged to that family. They are peeved at me now and may try to take an underhand advantage of me. They wouldn’t care if it did hurt you or me. I can’t help but feel that you must have had a letter from her. If so, I hope you will ignore and discount anything they might have told you.

I know that my letters have not been as long as usual but it was not because I did not love you as much as ever. I love you with all my heart, Sweetheart, and I am anxious to have you with me always.

It is mighty easy to have a misunderstanding in writing and I hope that we already know one another so well that we will not let anything come between us. If I could only spend this evening with you I am sure that you woiuld feel that my love is just as strong for you as ever. Believe me, I sure do love you and when I can have you with me always I’ll be mighty happy. I’d feel much better if I could take you to a home of our own and to know that we were going to be there all the time. It looks more favorable now than ever and as well as I can see, it looks as though Jax would be about as good a location for the work as any place. I would have to do some field work down the state but we could go down there together and I believe we would enjoy it for a short period once in a while.

Mrs. Mc has had several people look at her cottage and one of them is coming again Monday morning. $3500 is the consideration with furnishings. I was in hopes that we could live here until March 1st and during that time could locate what we want and get things in shape for our return about June 1st. If she sells the people will want to live here and I’ll have to find another place.

With a real sweet kiss and with all my love, I am,

Yours always,
Walter.

* Right day, wrong date again.

October 26, 1925

Monday Nite.
Oct. 26, 1925.

My dearest Sweetheart:

I wonder if you have noticed how perfectly beautiful the moonlight is tonight! If you haven’t, you should go right now and take a look. The swing looks a little too cold to be inviting, even in the moonlight, but we have a big fine fire in the fireplace that would be ideal to sit before to enjoy a long confidential chat this evening. My, how I wish you were here, Sweetheart! But I know that it will not be so very very long before we can enjoy all our evenings together and then we will be so happy.

October 26, 1925

October 26, 1925

I didn’t get a letter today, but I feel sure one will come tomorrow.

This afternoon I became so drowsy from being around the fire almost all day, so I took a two mile hike all alone. I wish you had been here to go with me. It was just cool enough to be pleasant, and the fresh cold air was very invigorating. I expect to go duck hunting (now I didn’t say that aloud, because I don’t know for sure whether it is in season or not) soon with Papa. He killed some ducks down on the slough back of our house a few afternoons ago, and says there are usually a good many down there lately. I don’t know what luck I will have, but I want the experience anyhow.

Sweetheart, I love you and think of you an awful lot – ‘most all the time, in fact.

Always, your
Ina.

October 27, 1925

Tuesday Night.
Oct. 27, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

It is now about ten o’clock and Mama and I have just returned from a League business meeting – she went as chaperon. I don’t mind coming home alone in the moonlight, but Mama insists that it is neither proper nor safe. We are planning to have a big Halloween party at the educational building on that night. I think masquerade parties are usually so much fun.

October 27, 1925

October 27, 1925

Your letter of Friday night came this morning and, as usual, I devoured every word of it. I am sure you are glad to get things unpacked, straightened, and ready for business once more. Of course I’m not wishing Mrs. McDonald any hard luck, but I’m hoping she doesn’t sell any time soon since you already have your things there and like it better than any other place on the Beach for your work. I think it would be mighty nice for us to live right there in her cottage while you are working on this problem. I am looking forward with lots of pleasure to going down there.

I spent the day with Thelma again today. We always have such a good time together.

Of course, Sweetheart, since you don’t know how early I have been accustomed to retiring lately, you may not understand just how sleepy I am now. When we don’t go anywhere in the evenings, there isn’t much left to do but get sleepy. Our gasoline lamp refuses to work most of the time, and the kerosene lights are too dim to make reading very pleasant, and, as it gets dark so early, we sit up and watch the clock until the hands point to an hour that is not too unreasonably early for going to sleep.

Sweetheart I love you an awful lot all the time.

Always, your own
Ina.

October 28, 1925 (Walter)

Oct 28th
Wednesday A.M.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I feel much better since your letter came last night. The day before I did not write for I could not understand, and so I waited. It seems that my short notes made you feel so badly. Last year the same thing happened. I have always had the opinion that a short letter was better than none and when I am rushed I have frequently written short ones. Whenever I have written them to you they have been more harmful to your feelings than no letter at all. I would not hurt your feelings, intentionally, for anything in the world. I love you, Dear, and the short letters were written because I was very busy and because I wanted to write too. I am very sorry that you misunderstood me. Last year when the clinic was under way and when Dr KS kept on the go every minute, one of my letters gave you the wrong impression because it was short. I certainly hope that we will not have such misunderstandings again. When we are together always we will know each other better. I have already learned that your feelings are more sensitive than I had suspected, but back of these you have a big heart, Dear, and there is no doubt in my mind but that you love me. I love you, too, lots and lots, and we are going to get along fine.

October 28, 1925 (Walter)

October 28, 1925 (Walter)

I am enclosing a letter which will interest you, as it concerns Mr. Pettit whom you met at Legion last summer. I had no idea that he was so near the point of getting married. I had thought of asking him to stand with you and I, since he was near and could come more easily than Alvis. Alvis is on the go so much with pipe organ matters that it is difficult to get him. I have not asked him. Perhaps H.J. would be glad to come, since he has no occupation and since he does not get away from Legion very much. What do you think about it? Mr. Parman is a good friend of mine too, and might be glad to stand with us. Let me know what you think.

I’ll make up the list for you real soon, Dear, as it will take a little time to include all that I want on it. It will not be a long one, however, and I would estimate that 50 would be more than I would have. It may be that 25 will be nearer the number. I’ll start the list and keep it a few days, adding names, as I feel that they should be included.

I love you, Dear, with all my heart and I am very sorry that I caused you to feel so blue.

Always your,
Walter.

October 28, 1925 (Ina)

Wednesday Nite.
Oct. 28, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

No letter today, but I’m hoping I’ll get a nice long one tomorrow.

This has been the coldest day we have had this season. There has been a stiff honest-to-goodness norther blowing all day and it looks as though it might snow any minute – of course it won’t though. It seems unusually cold because it was so long coming. That is the reason we notice the winters here so much – it is realy cold one day and perhaps regular summer weather the next. We don’t get adjusted to one before the other extreme hits us. Is it really as warm on the Beach now as you expected? I was wondering if it was warm enough every day now to go in the surf. I hadn’t heard you mention going in in quite a while, and I wondered if it was too cool. I imagine it is very delightful down there in the winter even though it might be too cool at times to go in the surf. I feel like we are going to be so happy there together this winter.

October 28, 1925 (Ina)

October 28, 1925 (Ina)

Papa says that today has been a fine one for hunting ducks, but I notice he doesn’t talk very enthusiastically about facing the brisk wind. Of course I’m just “wild”? to do it – the fire does feel mighty good though. At any rate, I have found out that it really is duck season, so I expect to go with him soon.

I love you, Sweetheart, heaps and heaps.

Always, your
Ina.

October 29, 1925 (Ina)

Thursday Nite.
Oct. 29, 1925.

My dearest Sweetheart:

Your nice long letter of Sunday A.M. came today and I have read it over and over and then some more. It made me feel awfully good to have you assure me that you do love me as much as ever, and you may rest assured that I enjoyed every minute of the letter. I had already decided, since I wrote you that almost heartbroken letter, that I was really mistaken because yours since then have already contradicted the feeling that kept insisting on taking possession of me. Sweetheart, I don’t believe in nor practice creating a big stir about nothing, but wrote you because I felt that way and wanted to know, and I certainly would want you to do the same way by me if you felt that way. Forgive me for it this time, please, and I’ll promise to try to never do it again any more.

October 29, 1925 (Ina)

October 29, 1925 (Ina)

No, Dear, Miss Hulett did not write a word to me. However had she done it, I would certainly have believed you in preference to her. I will say for her, though, that she is a most perservering young lady. Really, Sweetheart, do you think she loves you as much as she thinks she does? You know, true love is unselfish, and she doesn’t seem to feel that way. Even though I love you better than anyone else on earth, and it would just nearly – Oh, I don’t know what I would do if I should lose you – if I should find that you no longer loved me, I wouldn’t want you to marry me! I would, of course, first find out if it was my fault and if I had done something wrong, I’d do my best to right it, or, if there was a misunderstanding I’d do all in my power to explain it. If, however after all this was done, you still didn’t love me and especially if you loved someone else, I’d pass out of your life so quickly, so thoroughly and so completely that you would never be bothered with me again – nor would my ghost haunt you – no, not even on Hallowe’en! Of course I’m not expecting such an occasion to arise – absolutely no! It hurts to even think of such a thing.

I know, Sweetheart, that some of your letters have been short, but so have mine. I haven’t any room to talk there. I think it was principally because I couldn’t find out anything much about when you were coming or anything, and the indefiniteness of it all made me feel that perhaps you were not as much interested in it as you were at first. We didn’t have any cross words though, and we are not going to, are we?

I had quite a long letter from Mr. McCreless (the young minister) today, and he seems to be very enthusiastic over his work and life in general. He is in Ashbury College at Wilmore, Ky. this session.

I’ve been wondering if you have had to move yet. I hope it will not be necessary since you are so well pleased with your present location. You know, Dear, I really think it is nice that we are not going to move into a home of our own immediately after we are married. Since we are not, we will have a better opportunity to look around and see what we think will be best. Then, after we have decided, I think we will be better satisfied than if we had moved in a permanent home at once. I am not worrying at all about the “running around” that we are expecting to do when we are first married, because I think we will enjoy it (I know I will if you are there), and then we will appreciate a house of our own more when we do get it. No matter where we go, I am sure we are going to be happy.

With a new resolution to avoid all misunderstandings, and with worlds of love, I am,

Always, your
Ina.

October 29, 1925 (Walter)

I don’t know whether this is Wed or Thurs Nite.
Anyway it’s dark.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I have been so interested in my work that the past two days have gone by so quickly that I didn’t realize it. I did not intend to let yesterday get by without writing to you but it was so late Dear, that I went right to sleep. Maybe you think that I am a poor sweetheart, but I have been so interested in my work. You are the only one I have written to for quite a while. I should write several letters but it seems a loss of time to write to anyone except you. Last winter I did the same thing and my mother wrote to Mr. Bishopp to find out where I was. When you are with me Dear I’ll have to wish some of my letter writing onto you. There won’t be much of it, because I am getting to the point where I have very few to write.

October 29, 1925 (Walter)

October 29, 1925 (Walter)

I am glad that you are over your blues, Dear, and I hope you realize that it was just a play on your imagination. It is very difficult to get mail or to send letters from southern Florida. I just received yours of the 19th, which makes about 10 or 11 days.

I am doing quite a little staining and microscopic work just now and it takes an awful lot of time to get anything accomplished. The material is so small that it is quite different from what any of our men are doing. I have to try methods on fresh material to get a technique as it is just a little different. Dr. White has written about how he is working on the other stuff, but it doesn’t help me any. I haven’t told him anything about what I am working on here, for I wouldn’t gain anything to do it.

I love you Dear and I wish I could be near enough to tell you all about it. With a sweet goodnight.

Always your
Walter.

October 30, 1925

Jax Beach, Fla.
Friday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I have not been to the post office today, but will go when I have finished this little letter. I have no news, Dear, but simply want to say that I love, love, love you and I am anxious to have you with me.

With a sweet goodnight,

Your,
Walter.

October 30, 1925

October 30, 1925