Ruth receives a note from home that her mother has dangerously high blood pressure. She makes the decision to return home to help with all the work around the house so that Jennie can take care of herself.
April 20, 1936
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
Hello Dave,
I really don’t see much use of writing this as long as you don’t bother reading my letters anyway. However, I will give you one more chance.
Nope, I didn’t go to work today. I woke up about 5:30 and listened for the telephone to ring. At 6:30 just as I was about to get up, Miss Lowe called and told me the patient had died about 6:20. Miss Lowe brought my check over about 8:00 and told me all about it. She said that bunch of Jews hung around all night. They raised the deuce because she was going to give the patient a hypo. The Dr. came and read the whole bunch of them the riot act. After Mrs. Pashanzer died they wouldn’t let the nurse even turn her over. She said they couldn’t get rid of her quick enough. From her description, I take it they were pretty disagreeable. The old lady was buried at three this afternoon. How is that for quick work?
After Miss Lowe left I went to bed and stayed until one o’clock. Maybe I didn’t have the swell sleep. No doubt I would be sleeping yet if Loretta’s aunt hadn’t come. Ed and Loretta just came in and they are having a bad time because I write to you so often.
I haven’t gone on register yet. I feel like doing something drastic, so I think I’ll go down to the Palace and see Shirley Temple if I can get Zelma to go with me. Loretta has a pass she says I can have. Maybe they would like to get rid of me.
Ed is reclined on the davenport trying to snatch forty winks for himself. He can’t take it anymore I guess. I am being nice and making the dog bark.
I hope you arrived home safely. As usual I was so tired and nervous or sompin’ last night I guess I wasn’t very good company.
I called Zelma and she has seen the picture at the Palace so I guess we are going to the Strand.
I am in hopes I will see you Wednesday but I won’t plan on it too much and then if you do come, I’ll be surprised.
Lots of love,
Ruth
April 20, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
Hello Darling,
Yep, I got home alright so stop worrying now. You shouldn’t worry the way you do, dear. I’ve driven that road enough now so that the car would follow it itself if I went to sleep.
Now that I have told you that I arrived home safe I can’t think of anything more to say except, of course, that I love you. Gee, have I been in the fog all day. I must be getting old or sompin. Mom had to call me three times this morning to get me up by 7:30. I went down and got Lula then went in the woods to cut wood. This afternoon I have been clearing wood and my legs feel as though I had walked a million miles. Boy you have got to step to keep up with that horse.
I’ll bet you aren’t feeling so chipper yourself are you, dear, especially if you had to go to work this morning. I’m anxious to hear how you made out. I’m betting that the lady didn’t pass out as per schedule and you are having a tough day. I hope you get something different for your next case. I don’t like to see you so tired. You will be sick yourself and I’ll have to turn nurse. Wouldn’t that be something?
I got a kick out of Loretta trying to make fun of the Jews and their religion. Personally, I think her religion is just as queer. It’s funny how everyone thinks their own way is right. I guess there are just as many of one faith as another in heaven.
I’ll tell you once more, honey, not to plan too much on my coming up Wednesday night. You might better think I am not coming and then be surprised rather than to expect me and then be disappointed. If they do come, I’ll be with them and be able to see you for a little while at least.
Well, it is nearly 7:30 and I don’t seem to be having much luck at filling this paper. Guess I’l have to give it up and go to bed.
All my love to you, dear,
Dave
P.S. Uncle Ezra just pulled a joke and Mom says to ask you the same question so here it is. Why didn’t they play cards on Noah’s Ark?1 If you can’t figure it out before I see you, I may tell you.
April 22, 1936
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
Hello Honey,
It is 12:40 at night or the morning whichever you would rather call it. The Exchange called me about 11:30 to take the case. I guess it is only for the night and it will only be an eight hour night at that as they have a nurse on here days. The patient is a girl or at least she was classed as a girl at one time. She has a sinus infection. I guess some of her medicine didn’t agree with her and her stomach was upset. I was all ready to jump into bed when I got the call. I dressed in a hurry, called a taxi and I guess I was here in less than a half hour.
Dionne Quintuplets painting by Andrew Loomis, 1938. Source: Library and Archives Canada.
Gee, am I tired. Loretta and I went looking for a suit for her. We didn’t see a thing we liked so I don’t feel so bad about not having money to buy one. I got our $3.00 in dimes changed to bills and have it spent already. I got us another pair of sheets. Aren’t we awful cute? Oh yes, I took the gravy boat back and they changed it without any delay. I also got one sugar bowl and butter dish. I thought I had better get them when I could. Someday maybe we will decide to get the rest so we will have a dozen of everything. Of course that probably won’t be necessary until we have our quins.2
It seems funny Loretta doesn’t get called. I didn’t even go on register until about seven o’clock tonight. Any other time I could be on for four weeks and not have a call. Loretta has been on register for three weeks. I guess she is going over Schermerhorn’s to work tomorrow, but that of course is without pay.
Thank heavens this is a short night otherwise I fear I couldn’t make out very well. My eyes feel kind of heavy already. Maybe later after their brother gets in I can take a cat nap for myself. The patient has gone to sleep already.
I am sort of expecting to see someone from down your way tomorrow. I suppose if I don’t, I’ll have a face long enough to tie.
Last night I went to see “Little Lord Fauntleroy” with Zelma it was cute. After the show we went to Huylers to eat. I got home about 11:15. Aren’t I an awfully nice little girl to get in so early?
Gee, but it is cold out tonight. I even had sense enough to wear my winter coat out tonight. This afternoon the wind caught my new hat and it got all dirty when it rolled along the sidewalk.
Loretta and I went out again tonight for spaghetti and meatballs. If we don’t be careful, we will commence to look like Italians.
Well the brother just came in and of course I had a lot of explaining to do. I told him, and I don’t think he knows yet, what it is all about and I should worry.
The night is half gone already. It can’t go too soon to suit me. It has been so long since I did night duty, I have nearly forgotten what it is like, however, it doesn’t take long to find out. I think this is the first night I have worked since February.
Thursday 4:40 p.m.
I didn’t finish this last night as I thought there was a possibility of seeing you. I had a letter from Lydia today and she said they were here Tuesday. I must have been gone downtown with Loretta.
I had a card from Mom yesterday. She said she had been to see the doctor and her blood pressure is over 250 and must be gotten down immediately. It should be not more than 170 at the most. The Dr. advises her to take it easy which I know is impossible since I know how much work there is to be done there. With her blood pressure so high she is apt to have a stroke any time. I think I will plan to have you come after me Friday night. I will stay at Lydia’s a week and go home next weekend. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to my mother and I didn’t go home. I’ll go home and do the work and see that Mom takes care of herself. I have seen too much of strokes to want anything like that to happen to her. I might better go now than wait until something happens so she will be an invalid or worse.
I know it will be hard on you, dear, and it won’t be any easier for me, but I have thought about it a lot and that is the best I can think of. I certainly am not getting very far ahead by staying in the city. What little money I do get I have to spend for room rent.
Well, “Snookey Puss”, I think I’ll call it a day and get this letter mailed. I’ll be seeing you tomorrow night. (Why don’t you bring Sprague’s up with you to see Joe?)
Lots of love,
“Me”
April 23, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
My Dear Girl,
I didn’t write last night because I went to P.H. and I knew I would have plenty of time this noon so here goes.
It’s a good thing you didn’t plan on seeing me Wednesday night, or did you after all? It rained Tuesday so Fran couldn’t work and they went up then. Why didn’t I come? Well for more than a year now I have promised Mom I would put in a foundation for a stone on her father’s and mother’s grave and I have never done it. Tuesday I happened to think of it and while I was gone Lydia and Fran came, so that’s the why and wherefore of it. When they got in M. they found that Joe had been moved to a ward and they couldn’t see him until night, but they didn’t come back after me.
David and Mary Decker Jackson’s headstone, located in Hagadorn-Mace Cemetery, Schoharie Co., NY
They went to your house some time between seven and seven thirty. They rang the bell and hung around for about fifteen minutes, but no one was there, so come on and give an account of yourself. Who were you out with? I know it must have been some fellow because you said yourself you and Loretta were afraid to go out alone anymore. How’s that for deductions or sompin?
I’m not working except here at home and there is nothing in sight. I’m rapidly falling into one of my off moods because of it. That’s just a warning so you will know what to expect in case I don’t snap out of it before I see you again.
Let me know when to come up after you if you are not working, dear. Here’s hoping it is Saturday because this week seems like a month already. Every minute that I am away from you makes me want you more and more. That sounds like a song title, but it isn’t.
So you think I will run when we get in sight of the preacher. If I do, I’ll be trying to catch you. How do you like that, Miss Smarty?
Yesterday and last night I thought of a dozen things I was going to write about but they are all gone from me now. All I can think of is that I love you and I’m trying to survive until I can see you again.
Bye, bye, my sweet.
Lots of love and kisses,
“Me”
P.S. I meant to send the dime in Monday’s letter but forgot. I don’t know how I managed to hang on to it this long.
Footnotes
- Answer: because Noah was sitting on the deck.
- “Quins”, short for “quintuplets”. This is likely a reference to the Dionne quintuplets, who were born in Ontario, Canada on May 28, 1934. It was big news, as it was the first time on record that all five babies survived a multiple birth. For the first few years of their lives, the quints were in the custody of Dr. Dafoe, who delivered the babies and became wealthy by putting them on public display. They would have been featured in news reels played in theaters at the time. More about the quints can be found here or here.