Ruth finally has work and considers herself lucky that it’s an easy case. Because of the weather, Dave and Francis are unable to go to work. Dave hints that things at home aren’t always pleasant because of his ill-tempered father.
November 11, 1935
Middleburg, N.Y.
Dear Girl,
Well, I suppose you are just about ready to start for work and I am thinking about going to bed. I’m not sleepy but I am tired and my hands are so sore I can hardly hold this pen. We have been putting shingles on the roof today and the gravel from them just about ruined my paws. We will have them all on by noon tomorrow if I can hold on that long. We expected Martino to be in a bad mood this morning, but he was just the opposite. It only rained a little bit down there.
I arrived home shortly after ten last night and not a word was said about such a rare accomplishment. It rained hard most of the way and I was getting groggy when I reached Greenvillle so I stopped and had coffee and cherry pie. Fortified with that, I made it home from there with my eyes wide open.
Florence and Ben stayed until nearly ten last night, so I guess Fran had his way and didn’t go to church. Fran says Florence isn’t so enthusiastic about the lady she is boarding with. I guess she is taking too good care of Florence, so good in fact that she thinks she should go along every time Ben takes her out.
How is the job coming, Hon? Loretta told me all you have to do is be about to talk about horses and you are all set. You should be able to do that good enough. I hope it lasts for a few days at least. I’ll bet you were plenty sleepy before you went off duty this morning.
Gee, today is a holiday and I didn’t even realize it.1 We didn’t even observe the two minutes of silence at eleven. I’ll bet you didn’t either. You were probably snoring quite loudly about that time. How did you sleep, dear? I hope you have better luck at it than you used to.
Gee, Hon, I can’t seem to think of anything more to say. One of my off nights for letter writing I guess. I only have them about 360 days in a year.
Goodnight, sweet.
Love,
Dave
November 11, 1935
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
10:35 p.m.
Hello my Sweet,
Here I is back to my old habit of writing to the B.F. to keep awake. I’m feeling a little tired but not very sleepy yet.
It is an hour and a half since I started this. The patient has a way of keeping someone doing things. She is the type of person who becomes hysterical over the slightest cause. The other nurse got through because she got hard boiled and told her she imagined things. About all there is for me to do is agree with everything whether I want to or not. My patient is snoring at last and since she has told me I could doze if I want to, I think I’ll take advantage of it. My night is only a third gone as yet.
Monday 7:20 a.m.
How is this for an installment letter? My patient is still asleep. She tells me this is the best night she has had since she was hurt. She tells me that the other night nurse thought she should sleep from 1:00 a.m. until morning and if she was disturbed, she got peeved. It is an easy case so I hope it lasts awhile. I managed to get some rest but you know how it is when you try sleeping in an upright position. Oh yes, Mrs. Lally says I look awfully young. Can’t be my old age shows up as much as I thought.
I am awaiting the arrival of Loretta. If she isn’t here by eight, I will be worried. She told the people here at the house she was going to spend the evening with you. I says o.k. only remember I get first chance at Ed Tuesday night.
What time did you get home? I’ll bet you were awfully tired. It is lucky I had to be at work, otherwise, you would have been all caught up today.
The corner of my eye is quite red and swollen which means I am developing a hordeolum. Don’t get excited ‘cause in plain language, it means sty.
I hope Clifford keeps his word and goes hunting today so he won’t be around slamming doors, etc.
The day nurse approaches.
Monday 5:30 p.m.
Maybe this will be the last installment. I just got up. I didn’t sleep sound, but I had a good rest. The telephone and doorbell have rung all day, but I didn’t bother answering them.
When Loretta came in this morning, she started telling me how good the picture was she saw with you last night. In a little while she was telling about washing her hair after she got home last night.
Did Spragues go to church last night? How long did Florence and Ben stay? Did you stop when you went back?
Dr. Hannon’s wife brought me home this morning. I suppose tonight I’ll have to try my luck on those darned buses much as I hate to. Tomorrow night Ed will take me over.
Mrs. Hewitt and Loretta told Cliff last night that he would have to be very quiet so I could sleep. I must say he has done very well. I think he has been out most all day.
It is about time I got dressed and went out to eat. I commence to feel a little hungry.
Write often ‘cause it seems like an awfully long time from Sunday to Sunday and I get sort of lonesome for my love.
Love,
“Me”
November 13, 1935
Middleburg, N.Y.
My Dear Ruth,
Now that you are working I’ve decided to stop. I can’t see any use of us both working. One should be enough to pay all the bills. What do you think? The rain seems to have the best of Fran and me this week. Yesterday I went down to P.H. and just as we went to get in the car for work it started raining and we didn’t go. Instead we built a potato and apple bin down cellar. Lydia cleaned the oil stove and we parked that upstairs for the winter. We had a rather expensive dinner, too. Pork chops and mashed potatoes. Fran being responsible for the potatoes being mashed. Poor Tex had to eat the lunch that Fran was supposed to take to work with him. After dinner I got ambitious and washed the dishes. Lydia wiped them and Fran reclined on the bed. The rest of the afternoon we spent in playing bridge. When I got home at about 4:30 there seemed to be a shortage of most everything in the food line and I had to go to M. and replenish things.
This morning it was just pouring and still is so I didn’t even go down. You can thank the rain for getting this letter written so it will go out today. I received your letter last night but one of the family storms came up and I was in no mood to write. I don’t know how much longer things can go on like this but I know if I was Mother, I would quit trying to get along like this. I certainly hope I haven’t inherited any of my father’s traits.
Enough of this I guess. Let’s see what else there is to write about. Oh yes, Lydia says you owe her a letter and she can’t write until she gets one. The way she said it one would think she was quite anxious to write.
So Loretta tried to kid you a little. I rather suspected she would. After she slipped up about washing her hair it is a wonder she didn’t tell you I washed it for her.
You had better take care of that eye of yours, sweet. If you don’t you are apt to miss something and that would be just too bad.
Guess I will sign off now and eat dinner even though I haven’t done anything to earn it. I hope this letter doesn’t get all soaked up in the mailbox. You might have quite a time reading it if it does.
Goodbye, my sweetheart, and be good.
Lots of love from “Me” to you,
Dave
November 13, 1935
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
Dear Dave,
You should see me now rubbing my eyes and yawning. It has been a swell day to sleep but I guess that is all it has been good for.
I haven’t ridden on the bus yet. Clifford took me over Monday night. They sent me home in a taxi yesterday morning and this morning Mrs. Hannon brought me over.
The case isn’t bad at all, of course she still requires lots of attention. Last night she went to sleep at 12:30 and only woke up once all night. She woke up at 7:00 this morning so I managed to get about four hours sleep. Of course I came to enough to chase a few kinks out of my neck, legs, etc.
She has told me several times of her accident. She has asked me to go over to Averill Park, where she rides, with her someday. How is that for class? She told Loretta not to tell me why the other night nurse left, and I guess that was the first thing she told me after Loretta left the house.
The Dr. may let Mrs. Lally up Monday, so I’ll be lucky if I get a week’s work out of it. We listen to the radio until 11:30 or 12:00 every night.
I haven’t written any letters at night at all. I guess I’m getting lazy.
The only thing I can tell you about Sunday is to come up as early as you can in the afternoon. I don’t know what we will do, but come up ‘cause this seems like a month instead of a week. It is funny how slow the time goes when I’m working nights.
I guess you have all the dirt and I’m hungry and have to go out and eat yet.
Be good, sweet, and answer so I can get it Saturday.
Love,
Ruth
November 14, 1935
Middleburg, N.Y.
Dear Ruth,
You would add that last line to your letter and make me write this letter. There is really not a thing worth writing about but here goes for what I can think of.
Fran and I went back to work today and finally completed the roof but not before the rain had done its damage and plenty of it. We nearly froze this morning it was so cold. We couldn’t work fast enough to keep warm on the roof.
Schenectady, NY Gazette 1935
Last night Fran and Lydia took Tex down to Middleburg to practice for the Minstrels which comes off tonight and tomorrow night. He went down with Frank this afternoon and I guess Fran will have to take him again tomorrow night.
That Warner case in Middleburg is open again but I don’t think you would be very wise to try and get it. Besides its being a TB case, they are very hard to get along with. They expect the nurse to be on duty the full 24 hours and never leave the house. I guess that is why they can’t keep anyone there.
Too bad the case you are on can’t last longer. The good ones usually are short. You sure are lucky in getting back and forth. I hope it keeps up.
Seems like today is another date in my memory. Fran says I’ve got too many of them. Two years ago today we joined the C.C.C. and left for Camp Dix. Seems like a lot longer to me than that.
Have you had any reports on the weather in Adams Center? If it’s like most of Northern N.Y., you should be glad you are down here.2
Well, sweet, I guess I have run all out of material so I’ll sign off until Sunday. That sounds like a long way off, this being only Thursday night. I’ll be there as soon as I can Sunday and if you are still working, don’t get up early and wait for me. I’ll wake you up when I get there if no one else is there to let me in.
Love,
Dave
November 14, 1935
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
Greetings,
I just got out of bed to answer your letter. I had just gone to bed and was deep in a good story (no, it wasn’t that snappy book either) when Clifford brought your letter in to me along with one from Eva. I am as wide awake as I would be if I had slept all night, and besides my feet are like ice so there isn’t much use of trying to sleep.
The house isn’t very warm today. Clifford was so busy doing nothing yesterday that he let the fire go out.
I thought I had better write to you now, otherwise you might not get it until next week, not that you would miss anything. You see, I have a dinner engagement for 5:00 tonight so it wouldn’t give me much time to write after I get up. Zelma took me out to dinner one night, so I thought while I was working I had better ask her out. Goodness knows if I will ever work again or not.
Advertisement for the 1935 Nash Sedan. “R.P.S” stood for “Ride, Performance, Style”
I know I will never get another case as easy as this one. Mrs. Lally says they tell her she can get up Monday but she bets they won’t let her up before a week from Saturday. I should worry, the longer she kids herself along the better we will be pleased. She feels bad because her husband is getting a 1935 Nash and she won’t be able to drive it.3 Gee, do I shine over there. We talk long and loud about horses, dogs and cats. Dr. Hannon’s wife has the maid fix a kettle of food every day to take over to the ten cats at the barn where she keeps her horse.
I have the night nurse’s privilege of raiding the refrigerator in the wee small hours.
Think you’re smart, doncha, making cracks about my eyes. Any way I wouldn’t miss much if I couldn’t see out of either eye. I don’t have big ears for nothing. Mrs. Lally cured my boredom but that’s another story.
Tell Lydia I am a busy woman and can’t find time to write, however, I will send a letter back to her Sunday with you and my dirty uniforms if I have to break a puckering string to do it.
So you were supposed to be paying my expenses while I wasn’t working. Thanks for telling me. Thirty bucks will just about square your account. It really should be more but I’ll give you a break. You still owe me $5.00 a bath for Fluffy, which makes a grand total of $45 plus an additional five, interest or carrying charges.
Remind me to show you Eva’s letter. Hermann offers you a position at the station.
I’m off to a football game Saturday afternoon with Ed. The game is between C.B.A. and the Boys Academy. Looks like I’ll have to sleep fast Saturday morning or should I say Friday night. I really should have a finger wave Saturday morning.
Gee, do I feel ambitious. I just decided to heat some water and do Loretta’s and my washing. I’ll let her iron it. I don’t think I’ll bother sleeping at all today.
Now that you aren’t working I think I’ll let you do the writing and I’ll just receive the letters. I make a terrible mess at writing anyway.
I went over on the bus last night for the first time. Cliff could have taken me but the Nat. nuisances were here. It was just as well he didn’t offer as it was so slippery we would have been flirting with death.
The water must be nearly hot so I’ll have to stop and get to work.
Love,
Ruth
P.S. Don’t forget to come up Sunday and make it as early as possible.
More love,
“Me”
Footnotes
- Armistice Day, as it was known back then, did not become a legal holiday until 1938. It was originally meant to recognize the end of “The Great War” at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of the year with a moment of silence to honor the veterans of that war and to celebrate world peace. The name of the holiday was changed to Veteran’s Day in 1954 to commemorate veterans from both World Wars. More on the history of Veteran’s Day can be found here.
- Northern New York State had been getting snow – up to 3 inches for the month, and it was snowing on the day this letter was written.
- Nash Motors Company, based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was founded in 1916. In the early years, they produced four-wheel drive trucks which were used in World War I. Their passenger cars were known for pioneering innovations, including heating and ventilation systems, seat belts in 1950, compact and muscle cars. In 1954, Nash Motors acquired the Hudson Motor Car Company and formed the American Motor Corporation (AMC). More about the history of Nash Motors can be found here, and the source of the 1935 Nash advertisement came from here.