July 25, 1939 (Walter)

Tuesday PM.

My dear Ina,

Your two letters came yesterday one enclosing a letter from Mother Dove. Can assure you that they were most welcome.

July 25, 1939 (Walter)

July 25, 1939 (Walter)

Every evening I have taken a walk of about two miles. On Sat. PM about 3 miles & on Sunday PM about the same distance. Gradually I’ve developed a coat of tan and a reduction in the waist line. I haven’t weighed but I’ve lost some weight. Sunday I ate all three meals at home and prepared them myself so you know they were good. Have been eating breakfast at home most every morning lately.

Thurs. & Friday the Ents of the Great Plains meet at St. Paul. We have a survey meeting at the West Hotel on Friday & Sat. Gaddis and Wakeland will be here also about 12 field men. It will be a night mare & especially with Gaddis in a bad mood over anything that is not favorable to plane baiting.

You and I, Shotwell & Mrs. S. & Wakeland & Mrs. W. were invited by Dr. Ruggles to come to their home Friday evening. I explained that you were not here. He said in that case they might invite a young lady in your place.

Dr. & Mrs. Creighton of Gainesville Florida called upon me today & regret that they did not meet you. We are invited to see them at Gainesville.

Am glad you had the car worked on as it needed something. More about your suggestion that I meet you Dallas & drive to Miss. The road between Uvalde & San Antonio is under repair & not so good for the kind of driving you like to do.*

With lots of love

Your
Walter

* I have fond childhood memories of Ina’s driving. She had excellent reflexes even into old age, which was good because she liked to cruise at about 85 mph on the highway.

Separate letter on Frisco Lines stationery:

Dear Lewis,

It is hot here too, and there are some mosquitoes but none at our house. Some mice got into your bag of popcorn and I killed both of them with a broom handle. Judy and Mary asked about you. Polly asked about you, Mother and Walter White and sends her “hello,”

Daddy

July 25, 1939 (Ina)

Tuesday A.M.
July 25, 1939.

Dearest Sweetheart:

It seems ages since I heard from you – what do you do with your time?

July 25, 1939 (Ina)

July 25, 1939 (Ina)

Sunday afternoon Mama, the boys, Ina Marie, and I went beyond Barksdale to see Mr. and Mrs. Fisher. They live in a tiny two-room house, away out in the brush on a little ranch road, depending upon a few sheep for a living. They seemed so happy to see us; they hadn’t seen anyone for two weeks, and haven’t been to Uvalde since March. They used to have so much. It is pathetic for people to be reduced to such circumstances in their old days. If I ever complain of any inconveniences again, spank me, will you? Mr. and Mrs. Fisher asked a great deal about you; they said tell you to come to their place to shoot squirrels next time instead of going to Reagan Wells.

Walter White and Lewis Dunbar are impatiently waiting for that letter from you.

We hope all goes well with you. We’d like to see you sometime.

Lots of love,
Ina.

July 26, 1939

Wednesday Afternoon.
July 26, 1939.

Dearest Sweetheart:

The children were so happy to have the letters from you. They will answer them soon. Those compliments on their good behavior work like magic. Really, I’ve never known them to behave so well for so long before. I think a great deal of it is due to the fact that they both feel so well and they have plenty of room to play.

July 26, 1939

July 26, 1939

I believe you are behaving well too. I like the idea of your quitting work at 6 or 7 o’clock and walking home every evening. No doubt you notice a big difference in the way you feel.

I’m so tickled over the rug. Has the Olson Co. suggested what adjustment might be made? It would suit me to get another one exactly like the one in Reitha’s room – color and all; we know it’s all right. Perhaps we can wait until after we return to order it.

It is well that you are looking around for a place to live. Before we decide on one I wish we could know whether or not we shall be in Minneapolis for another year. It would be too bad to go to the expense of moving, and then have to leave town in a month or two, wouldn’t it? If we knew positively we were to be there only a month or two longer we could stand the dirty walls and even the neighbors for that short time. However, if we are going to remain in Minneapolis for a year, let us move by all means.

Mama is feeling very badly now. Her favorite sister, Aunt Ophelia Brumfield – the one you met in Jackson – is being buried there this afternoon. She must have passed away very suddenly, because Mama had a letter from her this morning which she wrote Sunday; she was feeling fine then. Mama and Papa enjoyed her so much when they visited her in Mississippi recently. It gave us a strange feeling to have the letter from her today after we had already received the telegram telling of her death. The shock of the message yesterday affected Mama so deeply that we were worried about her for a while – her arms and legs remained numb for a long time.

Perhaps you don’t like this high-handed way in which we are planning the trip to Mississippi, but I had to admit to Mother Dove that the children and I were hoping we could go after I learned that someone, perhaps you, had written her that we were going. I’m anxious to hear from you about it. I shall not answer the enclosed letter until I hear from you. If you want to go by Ethel’s after we go to Mother Dove’s it suits us fine.

We love you lots, Honey.

Always, your
Ina.

July 28, 1939

Friday PM.

My dear Ina,

We had a half day meeting of supervisors this morning at the West Hotel, and this PM with the Canadians & U of M men at the University. Wakeland Gaddis and I returned to the office and are not planning to go to Dr. Ruggles lawn picnic tonight. Tomorrow we have a whole day on survey with the General Supervisors and surveyors. Then the adult survey should get under way.

July 28, 1939

July 28, 1939

Gaddis feels fine about the control work of the season and was in an unusually good mood. He said that I was right fundamentally on Govt spreaders on private farms, but that the special conditions at that time warranted it. No explanation or excuse yet on changing my instructions. I am not sure this is the time & place for making an issue of it. It will have to come out later because a program cannot be run that way.

He talks moving the office to Denver before Christmas, but the people here are not to know of it now. Naturally it is confidential but something we want to keep in mind, whether I work on ‘hoppers or not. The more I analyze the situation, the more convinced I become that I should ask for a change in assignment to another division. We have had a successful program this year and I could make the change in good standing, leaving the job of slaving for some one else next season.

You did not say if you received the laundry I sent by parcels post. I presume that you did.

Not enough time to write the boys now but I’ll write them Sunday.

With love,
Walter

July 30, 1939

Sunday A.M.
July 30, 1939.

Dear Sweetheart:

I’m wondering how you are feeling this morning after the meetings of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I hope Mr. Gaddis has left town. Did you and the young lady have a good time at Mrs. Ruggles’ dinner Friday evening?

July 30, 1939

July 30, 1939

Last night Walter White asked me when you were going to take your 60 day vacation. I told him that I doubted if you would ever take it all, and explained that you were a very important man. He promptly said that he wished you were not so important so you could be with us more.

The long walks, the reduced weight, the coat of tan, and even the home-made meals sound good. No doubt you feel much better. I wonder if you are eating at home today.

The children and I are eating dinner at Thelma’s and Bob’s today. Reitha has gone horseback riding with one of her male admirers this morning. The joy of being at home has not worn off for her yet. She is so fond of her little baby brother; she bathes and dresses him several times a day, and takes him around to show him to everyone who hasn’t seen him yet; she even takes him along when her boyfriends come by for a ride in the daytime. She was eighteen yesterday. A few afternoons ago she went with us to Shut-in at Con Can for a swim. She was by far the most attractive girl on the beach; she wore the white bathing suit you and I gave her for graduation. Walter White, Ina Marie, and Lewis Dunbar went in too, but Thelma, little Dolph, and I stayed out and watched them. How much would I give if I didn’t go through such agony of fear when our children are in the water! Reitha is a good swimmer, but I doubt if she could rescue big, heavy Walter White if he were to step off in a hole. I realize, though, that he can’t learn to swim on dry land or even in very shallow water. Lewis Dunbar ventures in only far enough to wet his ankles.

The children are so pleased when they receive separate letters from you. Walter White didn’t know I was going to write today, so he has already gone to Ina Marie’s. Lewis Dunbar is here though.

Lots of love, from your
Ina.

Edited 2013.4.4 11:22 to fix spelling of Con Can.

August 3, 1939 (Ina)

Thursday Night.
Aug. 3, 1939.

Dear Walter:

I judge from your letter this afternoon that you are considering taking over for another year not only the grasshopper program, but the cricket also – all under Mr. Gaddis. I’m greatly disappointed. It looks like Dr. Strong’s condition would make you realize more than ever before that overwork doesn’t pay. Before many years he and Mr. Gaddis are going out like a flash, and they will be replaced by newer machinery that soon will be doing their work as well as they did. Furthermore, Dr. Strong and Mr. Gaddis will be remembered by many by their failures rather than by their success before they tried to handle too much.

August 3, 1939 (Ina)

August 3, 1939 (Ina)

Your family is getting desperately tired of your devoting all your time to your work. It gets worse every year, but you were that way years before you started on grasshoppers. When all else is gone, you will need your family. Now, I appreciate the fact that you have given us a name that we are proud of; you have provided us with comforts and luxuries that the average family does not have, and you have never complained of any money that I have spent; you have arranged to have some member of my family with us most of the time so that I would not get lonesome – all this I appreciate deeply – but we want you. You have provided everything anyone could reasonably expect except a father for your two fine sons, and a man to make love to your wife. Had it occurred to you that a woman likes the companionship and attention of a man? That feeling is not killed in her, even though she is married; she naturally expects her husband to take the place of her former admirers. I often think of what Mazie told me years ago: “Miss Dove, it sho is lucky for yo husband that you is a good woman with him away from you so much.” I sometimes wonder if you would bother to notice now if I were to let down the bars a little.

You probably will account for this letter by saying that I wasn’t feeling well tonight, but you will just be fooling yourself. These are things I have been wanting to say for a long time, but every time I have started you have gotten impatient because you don’t like to be told, then I started crying and left it unsaid. But make no mistake about it, I feel it just the same.

I do know that you can do creditable work and still take time for other things – it has been done.

Ina.

August 4, 1939

Friday PM.

My dear Ina,

Enjoyed your letter and the one from Lewis. I understand that Walter White was not there at the time you wrote. It seems ages since I left you at Uvalde.

August 4, 1939

August 4, 1939

Kenneth is in the migratory area and is doing some good work. I’ve just phoned Mrs. Q to let her know that I talked with Kenneth and that he expects to be back Monday Morning. She sends Hello.

Thursday morning Mrs. Pettit had phoned the office so I came to the Curtis where they were eating breakfast. They looked well and were enjoying their vacation. In Iowa they went to Mrs. Pettit’s old home. They still own it. Chinch bugs injured crops some. They went from here to some other point & then to Estes Park Colorado.

Mr. Palcek phoned from Miles City & is going west from there to Yellowstone.

Miss Beckwall has been sick & is at home. Mrs. Hastings tells me that it is serious and that she (Miss B) should have an operation. I do not know the trouble but according to Mrs. H it is the same thing that Miss B had last year at Wash.

I heard Claudelle’s voice this morning but did not talk with her.

After Kenneth returns and during this month I think I can come down for you OK. If we go to Miss. we would not stop long. Dr. Dickinson is back now and can help Kenneth some.

With lots of love,
Walter

Separate letters for Lewis and Walter White:

Dear Lewis,

I was glad when I got your letter. There is a circus in town now and I wish you were here. Maybe another one will come after you return and if so you and I will take Mother and Walter White.

With love
Daddy

Dear Mr. Swimmer,

Today is Aug 4 and it was just 13 years ago today that Frank Adams and Daddy were caught in the flood waters on the Dry Frio. Deep water and flood waters are dangerous and I am glad that you are careful and that you are learning to swim. Will come for you before long and I want you to take good care of Mother and Lewis.

With love
Daddy.

August 6, 1939 (to Mr. Gaddis)

Minneapolis, Minn.
707 Thorpe Building,
August 6, 1939.

Mr. B.M. Gaddis, In Charge,
Division of Domestic Quarantines,
Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine,
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. Gaddis,

The work of control of grasshoppers is nearing an end for this season and at the present time the beginning of the survey is determining whether or not there is need for a continuation of the work during 1940. The verbal reports received from the infested area together with the lack of any genuine complaints from any portions of the area suggest that the program of this year is again a very successful one if not the best yet carried on for control of grasshoppers. Naturally, the writer is proud of his part in the accomplishments of the past two seasons and he feels sure that the program is contributing materially to a stronger Bureau and Department.

August 6, 1939 (to Mr. Gaddis)

August 6, 1939 (to Mr. Gaddis)

There has been opportunity for different field supervisors to demonstrate their abilities under fire and many of them have shown their fitnesses for greater responsibilities. The healthy stage of development of the work would seem to permit the Bureau to continue or expand its work by using some of the men from the ranks for key positions.

In view of the present status of the grasshopper control work, and on account of various personal reasons, the writer is anxious to return to research work and asks the Bureau to consider his desire for such employment. He would be pleased to continue at Minneapolis long enough to familiarize his successor with details of the work. If his successor could report in the near future he would have the advantage of reviewing the current summaries on control work as well as the compilations of survey data.

Very truly yours,

W.E. Dove, In Charge,
Grasshopper Control Project.

August 6, 1939

Sunday night – office

My dear Sweetheart,

A copy of my letter to Mr. Gaddis is enclosed and I want to ask you to keep it confidential. The personal reasons are not listed in the letter but were discussed with him. Strong should be back in Washington soon as he was improving rapidly and they thought he might not be away two months. I do not expect to get a reply before leaving here.

August 6, 1939

August 6, 1939

Sometime this week I plan to drive to Ames and see Dr. Drake & Decker. Will leave a car there for a surveyor & drive one of the Bishopps’ cars to Dallas, making stops at Lincoln Nebraska and perhaps Manhattan Kansas for conferences with state leaders. I should get to Uvalde sometime about the middle of next week. We could drive from there to Miss. & return. Have you had time for your visits? Are you ready to return?

I think most of your letter can be answered better when I am with you, if you do not go to sleep. Maybe you won’t be so tired then & we can drive & talk.

With lots of love, your
Walter

Enclosures:

Dear Mr. Snickel Fritz,

Expect to see you at Uvalde about the middle of next week, or about the 16th of August. That is if Mother, Lewis and you are ready to go to Mississippi and return to Minneapolis.

The American Legion is meeting here. About half of them did not get to Europe during the war.

With love
Daddy

Dear Lewis,

It is hot in Minneapolis too. Daddy is at the office now but will walk home and go to sleep. All of the airplanes have quit baiting for grasshoppers but some spreaders are working the roadsides yet.

With love,
Daddy.

August 9, 1939

Wednesday Afternoon.
Aug. 9, 1939.

Dearest Sweetheart:

You have no idea how happy your letter made me this morning. I shall be eternally grateful to you for taking my last letter as good-naturedly as you did. After I mailed it it began to prey on my mind; I was afraid you might not take it as I intended it. When I received no reply by yesterday afternoon I became desperate. At eight last night I put in a station-to-station call for you at Kenwood 8479, and kept it in until 11:15, but no one answered. You must have already left on your trip. During the few hours that I slept I dreamed and dreamed about you – disturbing dreams. If your letter had not come this morning you would have received a telegram.

August 9, 1939

August 9, 1939

The letter you enclosed makes me very happy. I think it is well worded, and I hope it brings the desired results. I feel that you will never regret it.

We can hardly wait until next week to see you. We have had a good visit, but are ready to leave because we want to be with you. We are looking forward to the Mississippi trip.

The children were proud of their letters from you. Walter White stayed awake as late as he could last night, hoping to get to talk to you. Finally he gave up, and with specific instructions to me as to what I should tell you for him, he dropped to sleep.

You may not receive this until you reach Uvalde, but I just had to write.

I love you ever so much, Honey.

Always, your
Ina.