Dave and Ruth are concerned about the arguing between Lydia and Francis. Dave is stressed about being broke and has considered rejoining the CCC. Ruth’s dental problems are not over, and she is worried about keeping Lydia’s surprise bridal shower a surprise.
April 15, 1935
70 Jay Street
Albany, N.Y.
Dear Dave,
I don’t think I’ll say much to you about not being able to take it. I sure am all caught up today and I don’t mean perhaps. Somehow I wish I had a brooder stove to take care of. What a struggle I am having to keep my eyes open. I might as well blame this lowdown feeling on the fact that I made a bad start. You see, Macbeth woke me up at 7:00 as usual, but I thought I should chizzle a little more sleep and the next thing I knew it was 7:35. Maybe I didn’t fall out of bed in a hurry. Somehow or other I managed to collect myself and by the time I got to New Scotland Avenue I was almost pulled together. I made record time and was only about two minutes late. I think that was the quickest I ever got out of bed in my life.
I suppose you didn’t bother going to bed at all, but probably you slept all day yesterday so you won’t mind it much.
If I don’t get a chance to finish this while I’m on duty, I’m afraid you are in for another short letter, as I have promised myself to go to bed at 8:30.
I wish you all kinds of luck in changing Fran’s disposition. Personally, I think I have a more difficult task than you. The trouble is I don’t get a chance at Lydia very often and when I do, she is good natured. She seems to save her arguments for Sunday night. I actually believe she has me beat for finding something to argue about. I sort of think she will jump all over me for not being more sociable last night, but I can’t help it. I guess I felt the same as Francis did.
This morning it looked like we might have a nice day but right now I believe it looks like rain.
Don’t take such good care of your chickens that they get grown up before I get a look at them. I think you had better bring me one next Sunday and I don’t want it to be dead or sick. Nope, it has to be healthy. I don’t think I would be so successful at raising chickens, especially sick ones. I did have pretty good luck raising Joe and the rabbits on a medicine dropper.
How does it happen that you ate two dinners yesterday? If anyone should ask me, you have a lot to say about me being “a nine by twelve girl”.
No wonder I can’t see so well today. I just became conscious of the fact that I haven’t had my glasses on today. Upon inspection I find them covered with fingerprints and they aren’t so tiny either. This will have to be stopped, I can’t have people messing my glasses up.
Mrs. Fink isn’t so well today. She does a lot of moaning about her eye. I think it is mostly nerves. She says she doesn’t eat because she wants to waste away. I tell her it is a cheerful point of view to take.
Gee whiz, if this isn’t lousy weather, I never saw any. It looks more like November than it does April.1 Could you tell me if what I heard is true? Someone told me that they usually have these snowstorms until the first of July in Albany. I sort of doubted it, but it might be possible.
If I forget to go over to Dana Avenue tonight, you might not get this letter until Sunday. If I get through late tonight, I won’t be able to go either.
I have resolved to go bed at 8:30 every night this week and get up early every morning. Probably I’ll have a letter to answer tonight and just about tomorrow night Mrs. Thorn will decide to go out. Lydia said something about meeting her Thursday and the unexpected will happen on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, so my week will be shot.
David Coffin at the CCC camp in LaFollette, TN 1933
I suppose we have our Easter dinner here on Wednesday night. I haven’t decided what it is all about yet but probably when I see you again, I will know. It is a darn good thing that I like everything or I might starve during the week of “Passover” or sompin’.
Gee, was I surprised or was I when I heard you say you were going to re-enlist in the C.C.C.’s again. This time don’t forget to get a blanket for Lydia and Fran. From the conversation we heard last night, it might be well if Fran accompanied you. Unless I get that disposition under control, I fear he won’t stand much of a chance. It might be a good idea for him to enlist in the Navy.
Well, I believe I have done my duty for one day so I’ll discontinue my efforts and wait for you to return some of that typewriter paper.
Ruth
9:05 p.m.
P.S. Can you feature anyone being sap enough to run around buying stamps on a night like this?
[Postmarked April16, 1935]
Somewhar down thar
Time unknown
Dear Ruth,
Well, the day is past even though I had my doubts a few times as to whether or not it ever would. Here I am sitting with toothpicks under each eyelid to keep them open while I write this. Isn’t it a shame? I don’t know what time it was when I arrived home. My watch had stopped at four o’clock but I do know that it was daylight ten minutes after I got here.
By the time I had tended to the brooder stove, fed and watered the chicks I only had a short time to wait for breakfast. I’ll bet you are good and tired right now yourself and if you don’t write a letter to me tonight, I won’t blame you in the least. I guess I should apologize for keeping you out so late when you have to work the next day, but it just seems impossible to say goodnight when I only see you one night a week. I guess I was more reluctant than ever to leave last night because I realized that from now on I’m not so sure of seeing you every Sunday.
“Fran is a swell guy and one of the best friends I have ever had.” Dave, Francis, and Lydia, 1933
It is hard for me to admit this, Ruth, but there is no way around it. I’m broke and entirely so. It doesn’t seem real to me even but it is so and there is nothing I can do about it except to hope that I will be lucky enough to get some work before long. Until I do it will depend entirely on Fran when I get to Albany and I don’t mean by that that I expect him to finance me, but if he comes in, I’ll be with him or if he wants me to bring Lydia out to Preston Hollow, I’ll bring you, too. He has been paying more than half of the expense for the last few weeks and I can’t bring myself to impose on him any further. Fran is a swell guy and one of the best friends I have ever had.
I would like to write about something more cheerful than what I have but it is impossible tonight. If you have ever wanted to do anything as much as I want to come and see you, then maybe you will know a little about the way I feel and excuse me for any ramblings.
I have been just an hour writing this much so instead of trying to finish tonight, I’ll give it up and write more tomorrow before the mail goes.
Good night.
Same place.
Next day.
Well here I go again. Your predictions of more snow certainly came true. We have about two inches of it and is it cold today. They couldn’t have worse weather even in Adams Center, in fact it probably is a lot better right now.
I have a confession to make, Ruth, one that fairly tears my heart out. You know it is hard for me to admit I am wrong but I certainly am this time and I have lied to you but I was perfectly sure I was right at the time. What’s it all about? Well, last night I was cleaning a lot of rubbish out of an unused drawer in my room when I came across a letter with familiar writing on the envelope and postmarked in Albany. Well you could have pushed me over with a feather. Of course we are even now. Maybe the fact that I conceded you your point Sunday night and called it even anyway will take some of the curse off from my mistake. How about it? Wouldn’t it be the height of embarrassment now if I should find another one? That is hardly possible though. I can’t understand how that one strayed away from the flock like that. Anyway, please forgive me for not being a doctor or nurse. I can’t just bury the mistake.
Say, what can we do about this fit of quarreling that has come over Lydia and Fran. There ought to be some remedy for it. I’m afraid it might be catching and I wouldn’t want you and I to get it. We do enough slamming now without adding quarreling to it.
A bit of cheer just came over the radio. Some guy just said not to worry, we would eventually get rid of winter. I hope he knows what he is talking about but I’m afraid he must be quite an optimist.
Did I thank you for the paper? I forget. Anyway thanks. It won’t do any hurt to say it twice. I think it will be impossible to follow those directions even as much as I would like to. Me thinks you said something in your letter Sunday night about quality and quantity of letters. Well, let me tell you, little one, yours may be only even with mine in quantity but they are far superior in quality. So don’t worry about that angle of it, just keep up the good work. It really is appreciated.
Yours truly signing off now. Dinner is ready and I am hungry so it’s bye, bye till next time.
Dave
April 17, 1935
70 Jay Street
Albany, N.Y.
Dear Dave,
I seem to have a few spare minutes so I figure if I write now, I can sleep tonight. If you didn’t write, this will be all lost labor, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt for once.
I just called Lydia and she says Fran said in his letter that the pumps hadn’t come yet. If they don’t come soon, he won’t even have the station open by the first of May.
I guess I’m supposed to meet Lydia and Zelma some place tomorrow night. We will probably go to a show or sompin’.
I went to the dentist yesterday and he hasn’t filled my tooth yet. I have been eight times already and still have two more teeth to be filled, a wisdom tooth out and my teeth cleaned. I told him if the wisdom tooth was going to hurt like the other one did, I would take a chance on having it filled. He says it won’t so I’m taking his word for it. If it does, I fear he stands a good chance of being called most everything but a gentleman.
This weather looks more like the approach of Christmas than it does Easter.
Mrs. Finklestien is still on a hunger strike and believe me it is a hopeless task to try and make her eat. I suppose after tonight it will be worse than ever as there are so many foods she can’t eat. Religion may be a good thing, but there is such a thing as carrying it too far. Every dish in the house has to be changed but only for a week. I say it’s a lot of bunk. Mrs. Thorn says it is all foolishness and she wouldn’t have done all of that work for nothing, only her brother suddenly became very religious.
Pardon the interruption, but you see I had to apply some hot packs, give some medicine and have an argument about eating some custard. For once, I got my own way, but she will probably show me tonight.
Sisters, Lydia and Eva. This photo may have been taken at Lydia’s wedding to Francis, May 18, 1935
I had a letter from Eva and she tells me that she has burned up all the letters she and Herman wrote before they were married.2 She used to write and receive a letter every day. When we were going to school, I used to make a dash for the post office every night and make her wait for the letters until I got ready to give them to her. I guess I was sort of mean, but even yet, I don’t think she got any more than she deserved.
Several hours later—9:00 p.m.
I just got home and managed to read your letter and get the radio turned on. I guess I’ll have to try your method of keeping my eyes open. They seem to have a habit of flapping shut now and then. So you found that letter that I was sure I had written. Take another look and I think you will find another dozen or so. I think I must have made a mistake in taking my inventory. Seems like I must have counted a couple of them twice. I never was so good in math.
Listen, don’t try telling me anything about being broke. I have been broke so long I wouldn’t know how it would seem to be otherwise. It is probably much harder on you because you aren’t used to it. Gee whiz, I wouldn’t be happy if I wasn’t busted. If you have to skip several Sunday nights, the extra sleep will do you good. Just think of all the programs you can listen to.
I don’t know how it happens, but I seem to be listening to Fred Allen. I suppose if I leave this program on during the amateur part, I’ll find myself and radio out on the front steps.
I have been the only one staying on this floor this week, but I guess Kelly is here tonight. I think his home is in Gloversville.
I have managed to live through one meal of their “Passover”. I don’t know if I can survive a whole week of it or not.
National Recovery Administration. Many businesses would display this in shop windows to show their support. Without it, they faced boycott.
So you didn’t bother going to bed Monday morning. Now you know what night duty is like. Gee, isn’t it torture to stay awake when you are so sleepy? If there is anything I like better than sleep, it is more sleep. I get a big kick out of people who tell me they can’t sleep nights. I couldn’t sleep so well daytimes, but I’m not troubled at all about sleeping nights.
By the way, when you get to be President, how about making nurses join the N.R.A. so they don’t have to work only eight hours a day.3
I didn’t get around to leave my laundry until yesterday morning. Sam told me I could have it Saturday morning. I says that will never do as I had to have a clean uniform Thursday morning, so Sam did one of them up so I could have it tonight. I guess you know why I didn’t get them on Monday morning. I was wondering what I was going to wear until Saturday.
I’ve got to go to bed, so I’ll call it a day.
Ruth
April 17, 1935
Middleburg, N.Y.
Dear Ruth,
So, you are an Indian giver, eh? You want me to return the paper right away. Just for that I’ll go on using this. Anyway, I strongly suspect that paper was manufactured up on the Black River and it probably wouldn’t stand the rough usage I would give it.
Did you say something about the weather down in this country? I don’t blame you. Today is even worse than Monday. Cold, snowing, blowing and everything else that goes to make up a real winter day. I’ve so far lost my faith in weather that I won’t deny any rumors you may have heard concerning snowstorms in early July. If we should have snow in July, I’ll take you sleigh riding and that’s a promise.
So far this week I have done practically nothing with the exception of yesterday afternoon when I helped one of the neighbors butcher a hog.
I suppose I should rub it into you a little for being sleepy Monday especially after the way you came back at me for not being able to take it. I’ll just chuckle to myself and let it go at that. Thanks for the special effort you made in writing that letter and getting it mailed. I really do appreciate it but hereafter when you are so darn tired on Monday I wouldn’t mind too much if you let it go until you have had some rest. I like to get your letter, of course, but I realize you don’t have much time unless you neglect your rest, so write when you feel like it most and it will be O.K. by me.
Occident Flour ad. Produced by the Rusell-Miller Milling co. Dave may have been referring to a “Parker-House” roll recipe, which often accompanied these ads.
Mother just handed me a letter that came in the mail today advertising Occident Flour. The name signed at the bottom is Ruth Parker. She wants to know how long you have been in the baking business. I told her it was news to me. I knew you were always roasting someone but I didn’t know about the baking. Wow, I’ll probably suffer for that one.
I hope you don’t have too much trouble trying to decipher this writing. I don’t know what is the matter unless it is the way I am sitting. It is usually poor anyway.
Time out, there goes the call to supper and I can’t neglect my stomach.
Back again with a full stomach. I’m not observing Passover very rigidly. I hope you don’t starve this week. How did I come to have two dinners Sunday? Well that is simple. I had one here at two o’clock then went down to a neighbor’s to see some people that had come up from New York for the day. They had dinner about 3:30 and I either had to eat with them or offend them, so I consented to devour my share of the chicken.
I haven’t seen Fran yet this week so haven’t had a chance to go to work on him. I don’t know about my having the easiest job. He doesn’t handle as easy as you imagine. He went back from P.H. tonight so I guess the pumps haven’t arrived yet. I’m afraid if they don’t arrive this week, no one will be able to handle him by Sunday. It is quite annoying though to have something like that happen and that is the way it has been for the last month. He has had to fight for everything he has got down there and I think he deserves plenty of credit for what he has done. If I was talking to him though, I would probably tell him he had done a rotten job. That’s the way we are. If you could hear us talking sometimes, you would think we were bitter enemies instead of the best of friends.
Sorry, but I don’t think I’ll be able to bring the chicken with me when I come to Albany. You see the directions on the box they came in said, “Keep in a warm, dry place and avoid chilling.” So how am I going to transport one lone chick to Albany and keep him warm? I’d like to see you feeding two or three hundred chicks with a medicine dropper, or even rabbits for that matter.
I guess I’ve reached the end of my ability for this time, Stubby. I have covered a lot of paper but haven’t said much. Just came in from outside. The weather has changed. It was bad, now it’s worse. Snowing harder every minute.
So long and I hope I’ll be seeing you Sunday.
Dave
P.S. If you wish to keep fingerprints off your glasses, it would be a good idea for you to remove them yourself. Why not try it.
April 20, 1935
70 Jay Street
Albany, N.Y.
Dear Dave,
I am in a terrible state of mind and there isn’t much that can be done about it. Unless I have some sort of an inspiration between now and tomorrow night, I fear I will have to disgrace you by engaging in an argument with Lyd.
You see it is something like this. Thursday night they are having a shower for Lyd up at her house and I am supposed to detain her until 8:45 at which time she is supposed to get back to stay with the boys. The hard part of it is she wants me to go downtown Thursday afternoon to get a coat or sompin’. She says I can make the time up that night. The shower is to be a surprise. She says Thursday night she is going to Preston Hollow to see that her furniture is ok. She sure is messing things up in a swell way. I have to make her realize that it is impossible to get the afternoon off, but I don’t know how. I fear she will get peeved at me and I won’t be able to meet her when I get through work. Right now it is one grand jumble and I am telling you about it so in case an argument comes up, you will know what it is all about and maybe you could help me dig up excuses. I notice you do pretty well finding them for yourself. In fact you do so well, I think I shall start calling you “(illegible)”.
I guess that will be the parting shot for this time.
“Me”
Footnotes
- Black Sunday, April 14, 1935, was the date of the worst recorded dust storm in American history. It swept across the Midwestern states and caused huge economic and agricultural damage. The upstate NY region reported unusually low temperatures that week. As of today’s date (2/10/2019), the National Weather Service seems to have removed its historic record from its website, but older notes I have show that the high temperature in Ithaca, NY on April 17, 1935 was only 34 degrees. Note the complaints about the snow and freezing cold temperatures throughout the week.
- Eva Caroline Spencer (1911-2001), Ruth’s cousin and Lydia’s sister, married Herman Niebuhr in 1930, when she was 18 years old, and they had seven children together. She then married James Duncan Wardale on August 11, 1962. She died on January 28, 2001, in Utica, New York, at the age of 89, and was buried in Kirkland, New York.
- N.R.A., or the National Recovery Administration was a New Deal agency formed as a result of the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA). The purpose was to set “codes of fair competition” among participating industries. Part of this was intended to benefit workers by setting a minimum wage and maximum weekly hours. In 1935, the U.S. supreme court declared the act unconstitutional. The NRA stopped operations, but the NIRA was quickly replaced by the National Labor Relations Act (Wagner act) in the same year. The long term result was a surge in growth and power of unions. More history and information can be found here.