Dec 30, 1935 – Jan 2, 1936

Ruth has worked through the holidays, substituting for her friend Loretta, who took the time off for a vacation. Dave does not have work for the time being. This post includes a letter from Ruth’s brother, Glenn Parker.

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December 30, 1935

1807 Ninth Street
Rensselear, N.Y.

Hello Honey,

I am wondering how you made out last night after all of your adventures.  Gee it seemed good to see you last night.  Last week seemed like two weeks and I suppose this will be another long one.  I must say, three hours isn’t a very long date, seems like I just saw you and then it was time to be back to work.  Oh well, it won’t always be like this, will it, Honey?

Would you kindly tell me what caused the blues last night?  If you feel blue, just remember I am supposed to know what it is all about.  I tell you if I have anything that bothers me, so why not share your troubles with me.  I sort of think you are blue because you are broke and have no job.  I know it is hard, dear, but don’t forget we could be a lot worse off than we are.

I am wondering if you forgot to mail those letters I gave you.  I forgot to remind you about them.   I was anxious for them to be sent.  I called the house today and I still haven’t heard from my mother.  I can’t help but worry some.

This pen writes like the deuce.  I am all covered with ink from the darned thing.

I succeeded in getting the patient downstairs.  She had her picture taken.  Her arm is nearly healed but is still very weak.  She yelled like the deuce when the Dr. removed the adhesive.  I thought she was going to bite my hand off.  I told her the next time he did anything to her I was going to put a muzzle on her first.  It is a wonder she doesn’t get mad at me for some of the cracks I make.  In the morning she gets her plaster cuff put on.  I am anticipating another session, however, I pay no attention and let her yell.

Mrs. Hannon says she is a person who can’t stand sympathy.  She certainly doesn’t get any from me.  The Dr. said tonight she hadn’t done bad in the last week about getting around.  Mrs. Hannon is afraid she will take it in her head she has to go back to bed.

Dr. Lally told me all about starting the car.  Every once in a while he asks me when I am going to get married. Mrs. Hannon told him I didn’t get a chance to find out last night because you had to start his car.  Gee, was I surprised when I looked up and saw Jack standing beside the car.  I thought at first they were trying to pull a fast one on me.  One night they went out and turned a bright light on Ed and Loretta.  I got cheated out of my nap today and it was nearly 1:00 a.m. before I retired last night, so I feel sort of tired.

I didn’t take any time off to go out tonight as I had to write to you and it is sort of cold I think.  I am trying to get this written so the Dr. can mail this from Albany.

I fear your eyesight will be ruined by the time you have struggled through this much, so I’ll call it a day.

Oodles of love,

Ruth

P.S.  Be a good boy and don’t let the big, bad blues get you.

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December 30, 1935

Middleburg, N.Y.

My Dear Ruthie,

I guess if I am going to write you a letter tonight I’ll have to get at it now.  Not that it is late, it is only seven o’clock but I have done a few days’ work for a change and I’m ready for bed now.  I’m like Fran I guess, if I don’t work right along, I get soft and then a good day’s work just about kills me.

No one fell in today but Clayton hadn’t been on the pond a half hour this morning before he stepped in a hole and got a wet foot.  If the weather stays cold and nothing else shows up for me to do, I’ll probably be working here for a month at least.  Just something to keep me out of mischief and that is all.

Last night was the first time since I ran off the road that I have been sleepy and for some reason I had to watch myself all the way.  I got here safely though and I wasn’t a bit cold.

I’m going to wait until tomorrow night before I take your uniforms down.  She will have plenty of time to do them and I don’t feel ambitious enough tonight.

Fluffy is having a great time playing in the paper under the Christmas tree.  Guess we will have to leave it there for her.

Gee, darling, I’m sorry I didn’t act a little more companionable last night.  Really, there wasn’t anything special the matter with me.  I guess I just got off on the wrong foot when the car acted up and I couldn’t snap out of it.  It is too bad when you don’t have anyone to talk to all week and then I come to see you and sit around like a dope.  There was plenty of things I could have talked about but I just couldn’t get started.  I’ll do better next time if I have to put on a clown act.

LaVere and three other kids just stopped in for a minute.  They are going skating.  It takes something I haven’t got to make anyone go skating on a night like this.

I can’t seem to think of anything more so I’ll sign off and go to bed.

Goodnight, my darling.

Lots of love,

Dave

P.S.  I almost forgot to wish you a Happy New Year.  In fact, I did until I got in bed last night.  Here’s hoping tomorrow will find you starting the happiest year of life you have had and that each succeeding one will improve.  Bye, bye, Honey, its’ time to eat and go back to work.

“Me”

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January 1, 1935   (actually 1936)

Middleburg, N.Y.

My Dear Girl,

I’m trying to listen to the Rose Bowl football game.¹  Just now it is time out for the half so I will start this letter.  The game has been pretty good so far only I would rather see S.M.U. on the big end of the score.

Fluffy just jumped up on this paper.  I guess she wants to say hello to you.  I hope she doesn’t develop the same habit that other cat had.  She must have done a little cleaning today.  At least she looks whiter than she did yesterday.

I received your letter today.  I was sure glad to get it.  Your letters are always so much a part of you that it is almost like seeing you to read one.  I guess I covered the subject of the blues in my other letter.  It’s more than sweet of you to want to share my troubles, dear.  I hope I can have something more than trouble to share with you some day, but as you say, we could be a lot worse off and even this won’t go on forever.

Yes, I mailed your letters all right.  I hope you have heard from your Mother by this time.  Lydia hasn’t heard anything either.

So that was Dr. Lally’s car I pushed.  I didn’t know whose it was.  That was a rather clever comeback Mrs. Hannon gave him.

I took your uniforms down last night and we sat up to see the old year out.  We had popcorn and grape juice and played cards.  I wish you could have been there, dear.  Just after twelve Mrs. Snyder and Winnie came in.  They had been out to a party and Winnie was all excited about staying up so late.

Howard Whitbeck was taken to the hospital Monday with pneumonia.  He didn’t even feel sick until Saturday night.  I guess he is pretty bad.  It won’t help him any by being so fleshy and full of alcohol.

I don’t know whether or not you will be working Sunday or not so I’ll depend on your next letter to tell me when to come up.

By the way, since Loretta and I both seem to be making mistakes in spelling it might be just as well to call your attention to the spelling of Rensselaer.  Please note it is spelled aer not ear.  Now we are all even.

I know there was something else I wanted to say but I can’t seem to think of it so I’ll have to let it go.   See you Sunday, sweetheart.

Lots of love,

Dave

Thursday noon.

Guess I’ll add a few more lines while I am waiting for dinner.

Fran came up last night just after I had gone to bed.  He told me Lydia was going up there to work and wanted my car to go up with so he took it and went on.  This morning he came down where I was working and said it was all off.  Lydia had changed her mind about going and he had called you and told you.  I suppose you are rather disappointed she didn’t come.  It would have been nice if you could have been there together.  She probably would have gone up if things hadn’t looked a little like business at the station.  Frank has been down there painting the whole interior and the Sinclair man is coming today to take his order so maybe they will get going soon.

Dinner is ready so I will have to eat and run.  Goodbye, honey, see you whenever you say.

“Me”

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January 1, 1936

Adams, N.Y.

Dear Ruth:

Thanks a lot for the picture.  It is the first one of any of my people that we have.  That photographer sure know his stuff to get such good results with the material he had to work on.  It really makes me feel sort of flattered to think that you care enough of me to send me your picture.

Dot is sick in bed today and the doc says she can have nothing to eat or drink all day.² She was taken with an attack of appendicitis last night and I spent the night putting on ice packs.  She is somewhat better today, but very sore.  I suppose eventually it means hospital and a nice big bill to pay off.³

I took Grace and the kids to Syracuse last Friday and expect to go after her Saturday.

We attended the school teacher’s wedding a couple of weeks ago.  It was quite a swanky affair for Mannsville, ushers, bridesmaids, church reception and all.  He is twenty-one, shorter than I am and weighs one hundred and eighty.  Do you suppose he will reduce any or is it outside of your professional sphere to pass judgment on such matters?  Speaking of marriage, how about you and Dave?  Seems to me that you could not get hooked any younger and if he doesn’t broach the subject, you should.  If you need someone to give the bride away, I should be very glad to have you off my hands and so would officiate in that capacity.

Well, you see the old brain is starting to fog up and the mind is wandering from conventional channels so I will discontinue this laborious epistle thanking you again for your most amusing physical image and by the way, that guy failed to capture that Albany accent.  Write and tell me your troubles or otherwise.

As always,

Glenn and what’s left of Dot

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January 2, 1935   (actually 1936)

1807 Ninth Street
Rensselaer, N.Y.

Dear Dave,

How is my darling?  Gee, it sure did seem good to receive your letter.  I had one day longer this week to anticipate the arrival of your epistle.

Loretta arrived back in town today.  She called me and said she would come back on duty Saturday morning unless of course it is ok with Mrs. Lally if I stay for two weeks.  Mrs. Lally says it is ok if I stay for the rest of the week and as long as she needs a nurse as far as she is concerned.  They seem to hold it against her because she left just for a vacation.  They said it was the first time they ever heard of a nurse leaving a case for anything less than sickness.  They say it isn’t fair to me to give me just what Miss Sosville doesn’t want.  Dr. Lally is going to talk to her tomorrow.

It puts me in sort of a funny spot.  I don’t want to do anything underhanded by Loretta and on the other hand if they prefer me, I wouldn’t be one to turn a case down.  I told them to be sure and explain to Loretta that I don’t care one way or the other.  I came right out and told them how I felt about it.

In as much as I am staying until Monday night anyway, do you suppose you could bring my uniform up Saturday night instead of Sunday.  I guess I can struggle along until then, but I’m not looking very clean now.  Try and be here at 7:30 if you can.  I know if you are working it will be hard for you to get started very early.  I am very sorry to ask you to come a night early, but I really can’t get along without them.  I’ll probably have to have uniforms oftener than once a week or else get more uniforms.  I am sending two dollars, one to pay for the laundry and one for gas.  The way I feel is I have to have the uniforms and there is no reason why you should run around for me at your expense.  It would be different if you had steady work.

I forgot to wish you a Happy New Year, but I guess you know I do.  It was sort of thoughtless of me to forget but I guess you know how it is to try and write with a radio going as loud as it can.

I went over to Albany and bought me a swell new bathrobe (blue).  You had better break the news gently to Lydia.  It is bound to be somewhat of a shock to her.

I haven’t been paid yet but I have the promise of it.  When Mrs. Lally goes home, she is going to have a nurse for day duty.

Why don’t you have Lydia and Fran come up with you Saturday night.  I’m afraid if you are alone, you will go to sleep and I would feel terrible if anything happened to you.

I saw Harriet in one of the stores today.  She didn’t have much to say.  She said Herlihy’s maid was about twice as tall as I am.

Tell Lydia that Hannon’s got a cook this morning.  She seems to be pretty good.

Will you get me some stamps if you go anywhere near a P.O.  I received a letter from my mother and everything is ok.  I guess she was only busy.  She sent me a money order for Christmas and I went immediately and purchased a bathrobe.

I’ll sign off and see what luck I have getting this mailed.

Good night, Sweet.

Love,

Ruth

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Footnotes

1. Part of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Rose Bowl college football bowl game is played every year on New Year’s Day, except when January 1 falls on a Sunday, it’s then played on Monday, January 2. The first game was held in 1902, and the first Tournament of Roses was in 1890, so this had been going on for some time by 1936. The 1936 game was the SMU Mustangs vs Stanford Indians; Stanford won, 7-0.
2. Glenn Parker married Dorothy Amy Cassell (1910-2004) in 1928. They had two children at the time this letter was written, Glenn Charles (1928-2015) and Doris Arlene (b. 1932). Glenn was a carpenter and the twin brother of Lynn Parker.
3. Health insurance during this period was offered as prepaid plans through hospitals (a.k.a. “Blue Cross” plans). It wasn’t until the 1940’s that employers started offering health insurance plans as a fringe benefit in lieu of better wages. For many reasons, one being that medicine itself was not very advanced, health costs were relatively low, costing on average, about 5% of the average income. For more on the history of health care in the U.S., follow the link to here or here.