Dave’s work starts to pick up. He continues to talk about the idea of going in with Francis to purchase a gas station. Ruth is with the same patient, but expects the job to finish soon. She gets a letter from Grace with news about their mother.
March 23, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
Dear Ruth,
Here I am performing the last act of the day. When this is finished I’m going to bed and you will just be coming home from work. I expected to be half dead today but I wasn’t. After I got started this morning, the day went fairly quick and I didn’t feel tired at all even though we did work fairly hard. After I got home I still had ambition enough to cut wood until suppertime. I didn’t do that just to work off excess steam though, it was a necessity. We have always had plenty of wood ahead but I guess the cold weather got ahead of us this year and we haven’t any ahead now.
I hope you didn’t lay awake too long last night waiting for me to get home. I don’t know what time I got here but it seemed quite quick anyway. I didn’t go to sleep on the way home but I did do some dreaming and when I came to I found I had taken the wrong road down by the water supply and was headed for Ravena and points east. Furthermore, it was all your fault I got on the wrong road. Now wouldn’t you like to know why it was your fault? Well, I won’t be mean, I’ll tell you. As usual (smudged ink—Fluffy did this) my main topic of thought was you and just then I happened to be thinking of the time when I first told you I love you and I missed the turn. So now, isn’t it your fault?
I wish you would do something with this Fluffy cat. My lap isn’t large enough to accommodate this pad and her but at the same time and she just insists on being up here.
Well, my sweet, I guess I can’t turn out any record letter tonight as nothing has happened since last night, so I’ll just fold up and call it a day.
All my love to the sweetest girl I know.
Dave
P.S. I sent eight dollars on the car today so maybe the sheriff will quit following me for a day or so.
March 23, 1936
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
Dear Dave,
Not that I have anything to say but I just thought I would get your letter started while I had a few minutes to spare. I managed to get to work on time this morning and even was lucky enough to catch a trolley. That doesn’t happen very often.
I was all for putting the buttons in my uniform last night after you left, but Loretta said if I would let it go until morning, she would put them in while I was getting dressed. So when I got up I reminded her she had better call and go on register.
My patient is feeling pretty good today. At present she is resting as it is nearly time for her to sit up. She thinks she ought to go into the sun parlor to sit, but I told her she could go when the doctor gave his consent. He isn’t coming in today. I’m still at sea as to how much longer I’m going to be on this case.
Gee, this is a grand day. I bet you are awfully tired and waiting for the day to end. I know how it goes. I’m not working very hard these days but it gets awful tiresome. In fact I get as tired now as I did when I was working harder. I suppose not being able to sleep much at night has a lot to do with it.
The paper says we are due for more rain tomorrow. I hope we don’t get it like we did last week. It is nearly time for Mrs. Stumpf to sit up so I’ll have to go.
Now to start where I left off. I just called Loretta and the school has called her for night duty in Rensselaer. Seems like she is getting night duty for a change. I never had anything much but night duty, but she has always been lucky in that respect. If she gets anything at all, I guess she should feel lucky. I know I do. She borrowed five dollars from me this morning to pay her room rent. I don’t know what she did with what she earned last week.
If you get a chance, will you get me about ten stamps before I don’t have any.
Well, dear, it seems like I am all caught up on the happenings of the day so I’ll see if things are still under control.
Lots of love,
“Me”
March 24, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
Hello Hon,
It’s rather late for me to be starting a letter, 8:30. Mom wanted to go down to Lula’s and we just got back. I suppose you want to know what was said. Well you guessed right. Nothing, at least I can’t remember anything.
I suppose by now you are back among the unemployed, but if you are only half as lucky as Loretta, you will have another call before I see you again. Here’s hoping your luck continues and it is day duty.
I am still working and what I mean it is work. My hands are so sore I can hardly hold this pen. I suppose I might as well get used to it though because from now on I will probably be busy most of the time. Whether it will mean anything or not is another headache.
J. J. Gould’s 1930 drawing of Amos (r) and Andy for New Movie Magazine. See footnote for image source.
I went to P.H. last night and we played pinochle until eleven o’clock. Of course, I was the champion. Lydia received your letter and I paid her for the uniforms or nearly so at least. I still owe her a dozen eggs. The dimes are still here. I forgot to take them down, and while I am on the subject of forgetting, I’ll admit I forgot to get your stamps today. My memory is going back on me. I hope you have enough to last the week out and I’ll bring some Sunday. Fran is working for Mrs. Murphy. Remodeling the porch or sompin. Frank and his new partners were down at the station yesterday. When they went back they didn’t tell Fran a thing. In fact they even kept the keys to the joint. Now he is talking of our proposition of last week again, but no doubt by the time I see him again he will be pals with Frank again. I think I’ll shoot him myself if he is. I know it is a tough proposition to try and put up a station with no money, but I’m willing to try. If we could both get a little outside work, we might rake up enough to put it across. How about pulling an Amos and Andy stunt on you and invest your six dollars worth of dimes?1
As usual I am trying to write over the top of Fluffy so you will probably think this is a code letter or sompin.
Tomorrow night I have to take Mom and Lula down to school to some entertainment, so I guess I’ll sign off and get me some sleep. I’m as bad this week as you were last.
Goodnight, sweetheart. See you Sunday.
Love and kisses,
Dave
March 25, 1936
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
Dear Dave,
Since I have some spare time I guess I’ll answer your letter in advance. There isn’t a thing to write about. Seems like all I do is come to work and go home and go to bed. My life is real exciting.
Today starts another week and just like the other two weeks, I still don’t know how much longer I will be here. Mrs. Stumpf is going in the sun parlor to sit today. The doctor lets her go to the bathroom. She finds she isn’t quite as strong as she thought she was before she tried getting up. I doubt if I will finish out this week. I might work until Saturday night and I might not. If I’m not, I’ll have you come and get me and we will spend Sunday with the Sprague’s.
I’m going to go back on register as soon as I can because no doubt there won’t be much doing this summer and I want all the work I can get.
I have been outdoors for nearly an hour and it certainly is grand. I could stay out all day in this weather. I can’t say I blame you for changing to summer underclothes when it is so warm out.
By the way do you know of anyone who lost a red scarf? We found one in the living room and since we couldn’t find the owner, I took possession. Seems like I have seen it somewhere before. It makes a swell thing to wipe lipstick on.
Wednesday night
I just got home and read your letter, also one from Grace. Grace’s letter makes me feel terrible. She says Mom isn’t well at all and sometimes she feels so lonesome for me it seems as though she would have to send for me. I don’t know what is the matter, but I do wish she would see a doctor. Mom always tells me she is feeling fine. Grace says she thinks I should come home the first chance I get. I don’t know what to do, if I don’t work now, I certainly can’t this summer. I just get where I think things are going pretty good and something else comes up. If there is anything wrong with Mom, I want to know it. I guess you know how I feel about my mother. I think about next week I will send her some money and insist that she go to the doctor for a physical examination. I don’t know what else to do. I was the cause of her going to the doctor when she broke her ribs.
I guess I have written enough hard luck for one letter but it helps to get it out of my system and since I have no one to talk to you have to be the victim as usual.
How much longer do you expect to be working? I hope it lasts for a while yet. Today was grand for working outdoors, but these rainy days I imagine are pretty miserable.
I guess they are throwing some sort of a party upstairs tonight. I don’t imagine I’ll get much sleep. I heard someone mention the fact that they were going to be a bartender so it sounds pretty good.
I am always relieved when Wednesday comes and I hear that you arrived home safely. I bet you were peeved when you found yourself on the wrong road and, of course, I would have to be the cause of it. Hewitt’s are thinking of setting Clifford up in business. Gee, is that a joke? I nearly had hysterics when Loretta told me about it. They intend to buy him a store to operate. He would last about one week and then he would be all caught up. They haven’t said anything to me about it yet.
Fluffy must have reached a size where she occupies the greater part of your lap or doesn’t she grow much in three weeks. The time goes quite fast when I am working, but it seems like it was about three months since I was down there. The only time when time really flies is when I am with you.
Mrs. Hewitt has a peach of a cold. I hope I don’t get it. I make it a point to get plenty of rest when I work so I shouldn’t be susceptible.
I got paid again tonight and it certainly does seem good to get what you earn. I’m having a terrible time with my patient. She is hungry all the time. I let her eat what she wants. I am afraid of indigestion but she seems to be o.k. The doctor said she could have everything.
The telephone just rang and it happened to be a gentleman calling. Having heard the voice before I recognized it as being that of Dr. McGrail. Office hours are just over so I imagine she missed a chance for a perfectly good date. She sure gets herself involved in some of the swellest messes, but I think she enjoys it and I know it is her own fault. She has brass enough for two people. I guess I’ll get into less trouble if I forsake the apartment idea. No knowing what I would let myself in for.
I guess that is enough dirt for now, so I’ll sign off so you don’t have to eat a cold supper, or is it dinner?
Goodnight, my honey.
Lots of love,
Ruth
P.S. Gee, this is lousy writing and I hope you can dope some of it out at least.
Upstairs the “music goes down and around”. I wish it didn’t come down quite so far.
Let me know if you expect to work Sunday.
March 27, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
My Dear Ruth,
It is raining here today and we aren’t working so I have an opportunity to answer your letter before the mail goes back. Not that there is anything to say, but if I can scribble off a few lines it may help to cheer you up.
I know just how you feel about your Mother, hon, and I’m glad that you tell me your troubles instead of keeping them to yourself. I know you would like to go home for a while and if your Mother needs you, you should, but as you say, right now is when work will be most plentiful. If you think you could persuade her to go to the Dr. and it will do her any good, why not send her the money. Personally, I don’t think it is anything serious and you shouldn’t worry too much. It isn’t as if she were all alone, you know. I’m sure someone up there would look out for her the same as you would if you were there.
Lula (Coffin) Sherman
I had to go to M. this morning and had planned on going to P.H. this P.M. but on the way back I met Lydia and Fran going down. I didn’t recognize them until they had passed so I didn’t stop and I don’t know if there are any new developments or not.
I didn’t bother going to M. last night, I just let Lula and Claude take the car and I stayed down at their house until they came back.
I don’t know anything about how long my job will last. Maybe this week and maybe three or four weeks. Anyway, I’m quite sure we won’t work Sunday and if you don’t, we can spend the day in P.H. If you should call Saturday, do so as early as possible so I can get there sooner and see my darling longer.
Yours always.
Love,
Dave
Footnote
- Amos ‘n’ Andy was a comedy radio show that originated in Chicago and became widely broadcast in 1929. They were farmers who decided to start a business in Chicago (the “Fresh Air Taxi Company”), but were frequently lured into get-rich-quick schemes and consequently would find themselves in trouble. The show was later broadcast on TV from 1951-1953. The image and more about the show can be found here.