Both Ruth and Dave are having trouble getting work. Despite the fact that Dave has complained about not being able to afford new clothes that he desperately needs, they talk about meeting up for what may have been a costume party for Halloween that Thursday.
October 28, 1935
Middleburg, N.Y.
Hello Hon,
Arrived home safely enough last night at 2:30. The only thing I hit was a rabbit. Stopped for coffee over on Delaware Avenue and it must have done the work because I was at least three-fourths awake all the while.
I found the note on Fran’s door and I wasn’t mad at all when I found out the man hadn’t got his lumber yet and we didn’t have to go to work. I’ll have to run down tonight and see what’s what. Boy was I dead today. I’m getting so I just can’t take it I guess. About two o’clock I quit work, went to the barn and laid down in the shavings for a little snooze. Wasn’t that rather cute?
This morning I went to Gallupville after my check and after quite a wait the office boy decided he had it in his room at Schoharie and he says he will put it in the mail tonight. When it comes I’ll put two more payments on the car and that will at least assure me of a car until February 15.
If I don’t get some work out of this job in Cairo, I’ll be sunk. I’m so near out of clothes I think I’ll have to start wearing pajamas to work in.
Mom just gave Fluffy the gizzard out of yesterday’s chicken and you should hear and see the time she is making over it. She is wrestling it all over the floor and growling all the while. I guess she thinks it is a big rat. Too bad I didn’t think and save it for you. Gizzards always go begging in this house.
I just thought of those peanuts. I guess they are still in my coat pocket and after all the time you had shucking them. If you are a good girl, I’ll save you one.
I hope you have some luck if you go down or rather went down to the school today. Just tell them how bad I need the money and maybe they will give you work. Which makes me think, you didn’t give me any spending money for this week. I’ll have to collect double next week.
Just came back from P.H. and no work yet tomorrow. Fran called up again and left his number so now we’ll just have to wait for him.
Lydia and Fran were arguing over going to a church supper. Seems like Fran isn’t very anxious to go because the minister has only bought five gallons of gas from him. Lydia says she will give you $.38 towards getting your dress from the cleaners. I might be able to scare up the other cent. She isn’t going to dress up for the dance so you won’t have to wear the uniform.
Well, my love, it is only 8:00 P.M. but my eyes are getting heavy so I think I’ll go to bed. Be good, sweetheart, and I’ll see you Thursday night if nothing happens. Fluffy says to send you her love along with mine.
Good night, sweet.
Dave
October 28, 1935
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
Hello Hon,
How did you make out getting home last night? I hope you didn’t come to grief. I stayed awake until five wondering if you were o.k. I do worry about you, dear, even if it doesn’t appear that way.
I went downtown a little while this afternoon and stopped at school on the way back. Not that it did any good, but at least they know I am still alive.
Embroidery detail (Ruth Coffin). This was probably not the piece she mentioned, as she did a lot of embroidery over her lifetime. Photo credit: Jeffrey Caldwell (great-grandson)
For some reason or other I came home with a headache. Those darned trolley cars make me dizzy. I must be getting out of the habit of riding on them. I didn’t get anything down street, only the rest of that set to embroider. I’ll let you help me do it next Sunday. I had pretty good luck getting the cat a bath, maybe I’ll be as lucky getting the embroidery done.
This house is just like an oven. I don’t know why they need a fire on a day like this. I envy anyone who can be outdoors this weather.
I wrote to Lydia this morning and intended to write to Eva sometime today, but me thinks I’ll let it go.
I hear Clifford’s sweet voice outside somewhere so it won’t be long now.
Rags only made one little bark when I came in last night. It must be because he was asleep in the kitchen.
This morning I thought of a lot of things to say and now I can’t think of a darned thing.
There goes that lousy mutt barking again and it sure makes my head feel good. Cliff just threatened to hit him dizzy if he doesn’t shut up.
When do you start work at Cairo, or do you?
If you should go near a post office, how about getting me about ten stamps. I got ten just the other day in Livingstonville and they are all gone but one or two. Seems like I don’t get much mail, but I write plenty. I don’t know if there is a substation around here or not. If there was, I probably couldn’t find it.
I guess I forgot to ask how your job at home is coming. It must be about completed by this time.
You were supposed to take a look at the phonograph and see if it would go in the back of my Ford. I guess they are anxious to get it out of the way. If you think it is too big to handle, we will let them do something else with it.
What time do you think you will be here Thursday night? As long as you have only a few minutes to spare, I would hate to be out to dinner or something and miss seeing you.
If you answer this letter Tuesday night, I’ll get your letter Thursday. Don’t you think that would be sort of cute?
Loretta and Ed will probably be over tonight, but me thinks I’ll be in bed. I’m going out and mail this and I’m not going to even bother eating any dinner. Gee whiz, I have been up since ten o’clock this morning so no wonder I am tired.
I guess I have covered all happenings since last night or rather this morning.
Love,
Ruth
October 29, 1935
Middleburg, N.Y.
My Dear Girl,
Seems like you pulled a fast one and I’m the victim. I should have pulled one just as fast and answered in that letter I sent out today but it was all sealed up and I didn’t have the heart to tear it open and waste the stamp.
Fran and I are still waiting for word from Cairo. I hope we don’t have to wait all winter. He talked real convincingly when we were there but I’m like the guy on the stage Sunday night. I won’t believe it until I see some money. Meanwhile, I’m fooling around on our woodshed, and fooling is the right word I guess. It isn’t as near done as you think. I seem to have lost my ambition and I’m not working very hard at it. It goes awfully slow anyway with only one working at it.
It is so warm tonight, I’m up in the seclusion of my own room. I wish you were here with me, darling.
I’ll try and remember the stamps. I suppose if I forget them, I won’t get any more letters. You’ll have to remind me to look at that phonograph next time I’m there or I’ll never think of it. Unless it is an exceptionally large one, it should go in the car.
I can’t say for sure what time we will be there Thursday night. That depends on how long it takes Fran to get ready. We probably won’t be there much before 8:30 anyway.
Fluffy has gotten over the superiority complex to the extent that she engaged in a battle with the other kitten today. The result was a draw as near as I could judge. The effects of the bath have entirely worn off and she is as dirty as ever. You may have had good luck in getting me to give one bath, but I’m sure not going to do it every day or so and I’m even more sure that you won’t have any luck at all in getting me to embroider Sunday. I told Lydia you had been crocheting all week. How’s that for getting things mixed up?
I was surprised to hear that you laid awake worrying over me. Of course I appreciate the fact that you care that much about me but you shouldn’t worry, dear. Now that I’ve had one lesson, I’ll know enough not to drive if I get too sleepy. I’ll pull up and go to sleep if I get that bad again, so don’t worry anymore, darling, and bye, bye until Thursday night.
Love,
“Me”
10:00 P.M.
I was just rudely awaked by that no good relative-in-law of yours in P.H. We have to go to work in the morning. I wish you would impress on him that decent people usually retire before this time at night and I do hate to have my rest disturbed.
Good night, sweetheart,
Dave
October 30, 1935
Middleburg, N.Y.
Dear Ruth,
There just isn’t any justice. I wrote that letter last night and Mother put it out in the box today when it was raining so it got wet and the address couldn’t be read. Naturally, the mailman didn’t take it so I’ll have to go to M. tonight if you are to get this letter tomorrow.
I got up early this morning and started for work but it rained before I got to P.H. so we didn’t go on down. I stayed at Fran’s nearly all day and we fooled around filing saws, etc. We’ll try again tomorrow if it doesn’t rain.
Lydia got a letter from Evelyn today and they are having the dance so if you aren’t working, we’ll be there.
I’m supposed to go to a church supper tonight but I don’t feel much like it. Someone else has offered to take Mother so if I can back out gracefully, I’ll do it.
So long, sweet, see you tomorrow.
Love,
Dave
October 30, 1935
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
Hello Sweet,
I was already to go out for dinner and I happened to think I hadn’t answered my darling’s letter, so here I is writing to you instead of eating.
Pretty soft, I says, taking a snooze on a nice afternoon like Monday. You must have had a guilty conscience, especially when you thought of me up here on register and working my fingers to the bone. Looks like I’m the bread winner alright.
You should worry about your allowance. Didn’t I buy you a dime’s worth of peanuts and besides I shucked them for you, so now I don’t have to give you anything for three weeks.
You think more of Fluffy than you do of me, you never bother giving me a gizzard.
I talked with Distell a few minutes tonight. She invited me up for dinner some night, but I told her I would wait until Sosville could come along, too. After all, what’s the use of getting one dinner when you can get two.
I couldn’t write this afternoon as Loretta was over and I hadn’t seen her since yesterday and we had all that gossip to catch up on.
I got my dress yesterday so you and Lydia won’t have to pay for it, but I can still use the money.
I had letters from Mom and Grace today. Mom says you should have had her along the other night and you wouldn’t have gone to sleep.
Hey, I hope you are keeping those peanuts hot for me. You know they aren’t so good cold.
I guess I really had you worried about wearing the uniforms, didn’t I? I didn’t intend to wear them anyhow. I had a costume of Loretta’s to wear if Lydia dressed up. However, if I don’t get work soon so I can have some new clothes, I will be forced to wear my uniforms. Of course, I can wear my gray ones now and then just by way of varying a little.
Since you haven’t any work clothes, I’ll let you wear my uniforms and charge only a dollar a day. Of course you pay the laundry bill.
Clifford is doing his crossword puzzle or at least he is supposed to be. He keeps asking me how to spell words. I might suggest a dictionary.
Loretta says if Sunday is a good day and she isn’t working, she would like to go down around Middleburg and we could take a hike in the woods. Have you done any hunting or didn’t you get a license? Whether you did or not, how many pheasants have you shot? Don’t forget to save me their tail feathers and gizzard. You didn’t start out bad, getting a rabbit when the season was but a couple hours old.
Well, sugar, me thinks I’ll be seeing you tomorrow night so I can cut this short.
So long my love,
Ruth
November 1, 1935
464 First Street
Albany, N.Y.
Hello Sweet,
While I am alone and the radio isn’t on, I’ll try and get your letter written. Not that there is anything to say, but since it is a custom to send letters on Friday night, I’ll see what can be done about it. It is a good thing I didn’t send Eva’s letter. If I had I don’t know how I would have rounded up a stamp for this. If someone doesn’t come across with a few stamps, I fear I won’t be sending many letters to anyone.
What did you think of the tremor we had? I was nearly ready for bed and I heard the window start rattling. I thought at first someone was trying to be funny, but when the bed and everything else started shaking, it dawned on me.1
I just talked with Loretta and she is just bubbling over with news. She said she had a run-in with the old man last night but she couldn’t tell me much over the telephone.
I guess you forgot to say what time you would be up Sunday so I will be ready by 11:00 in case you can get around that early and I’m not working. You had better have Lyd find out what Gifford’s number is so I can leave it here at the house just in case there should be a call. Have her tell them who I am so they will know what it is all about and tell her to tell them to accept the call whether they get me or not and I will pay for it.
I bet you boys are all in today. I guess you were so tired neither one of you could enjoy yourself much. You acted awfully quiet and as yet I am unable to dope out whether it was me or because you were tired.
Bring the kitten up to Spragues Sunday and I will give him/her a bath. It seems to me she is sort of lazy or she could keep herself half-way clean at least. I’m anxious to see if she has thrived under your care.
Zelma said she might call me and if I wasn’t working, we would go out to dinner tonight. It is nearly 1:00 and she hasn’t called yet. She can suit herself. I have asked her up several times and called her three or four times, so if she wants to talk with me, she can call. I can’t be bothered any more.
I ate breakfast at 11:15 and the dishes aren’t done yet. How is that for ambition? If I don’t get a job before long, I’ll get so I never want to work again.
I should give Distell a ring, but I imagine she is sleeping off a hangover just about now.
Wasn’t that invitation I got from the Spragues for dinner Sunday kinda cute? Another week with Loretta and I’ll be as big a chizzler as she is. She has managed to get us a couple of dinner engagements.
I just called Murrays and the beginner’s classes are on Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights at 9 o’clock. I wouldn’t say I will start taking lessons, but I might think about it. I sort of think that card of mine won’t be good after December 1. I still have the greater part of last year’s Christmas present from Lydia coming. Gee, it would be swell if we could dance. I know I would like it if I knew how.
I guess I have told you all that has happened since this morning and some besides so I’ll see if I can’t create enough ambition to get the dishes washed.
Maybe I will write a little more before it is time to mail this.
Love,
“Me”
P.S. 5:10 p.m.
No call yet, dear, so as far as I know come as soon as you can come on Sunday. Zelma is here and we are going out to eat.
Take it easy, Hon, and I’ll see you Sunday.
Ruth
Footnote
- The 1935 Timiskaming Earthquake measured 6.1 Mw (moment magnitude scale). Located in the western Quebec seismic zone, it was a very strong quake that was felt as far as Kentucky and West Virginia. Remarkably, it caused very little damage (cracked chimneys, broken windows and plaster damage), likely due to the fact that the area was sparsely populated.