Letter #2
Nov. 4, 1942
Wednesday Evening
My darling,
[Do] you recall [how] I wrote you about 4 weeks or so ago, and told you that Sylvia and I went out for a short ride, and took pictures, hoping to get some of the lovely fall colors? None of them came out any too well, but here is one of Rover and I. It looks as if I had on a green suit, but it is my old grey one, and a green blouse. Some of the red leaves in the background show up quite nicely, I think.
Monday night was the annual bazaar at Eastern Star. We all went over to the dinner, but did not stay [for] the meeting. There wasn’t as large a crowd at the dinner as usual, although the food was good. And there wasn’t as much stuff for sale, either.
Monday night when it was bed-time, I looked all over for Ginger, and I called, and my father called, and Aunt Sadie called. We knew he was somewhere in the house. Finally, at Elsie’s suggestion, I looked in the dining room chairs, and there he was hiding in one of them. I was just about to pick him up, when he jumped out of the chair, and into the living room and under the couch. And then he got behind the couch, and do you think he would come out? No sir. He doesn’t like to go down cellar to bed. Auntie and I were about to pull the couch out from the wall and get him, when he ran upstairs as fast as he could go, with me after him. I finally caught him in my room. So I carried him back downstairs and put him through the cellar door, while he protested all the time. He is so cute. Last night he didn’t want to go to bed, either, and howled mournfully when I put him down cellar. I think tonight I’ll try having him sleep with me again. If it doesn’t get light so early in the morning, maybe he will sleep later and not disturb me until getting up time. I think maybe it is the light that wakes him up so early in the summer.
Yesterday was Election Day, as you know, and I presume you also know that the Republicans won everything here. I am worr[ied] that Ed Hall won, as he and his supporters surely resorted to some questionable methods, such as whispering campaigns and anonymous telephone calls and anonymous letters. At least, those things happened, but I don’t know who started them, of course. The phone calls and letters were received by men on Ruland’s committee.
Last night was the monthly meeting and supper of the Woman’s Auxiliary. While there weren’t as many there as last month, still there were quite a good many there, and the covered supper was about the same as usual. Next month, by the way, I am on the committee to help with getting the supper and setting the table and cleaning up afterwards, etc. I think your mother is also. It is always such a wonderful job, and how I look forward to it (with loathing). We discussed plans for the bazaar which is to be on the 17[th] and 18[th of Nov.], I believe. The Auxiliary gets the dinner the first night, and the Parish Aid I think has charge of it the second night. And there will be the usual booths upstairs. And speaking of bazaars, do you remember the bazaar at St. James in Alex last year? Remember the cost of that quarter of a cake you bought? Boy, I remember---and how!
Your mother brought Aunt Sadie and I home from the meeting last night, for which we were very grateful. It was so much nicer than walking home in the cold, or standing and waiting for a bus in the cold. After getting here, we asked her to come in, but she felt she could go on home. We all listened to election returns until rather late, and then after coming upstairs, I had my little radio on until midnight. I often have it turned on while I am undressing, and listen to the news reports.
Your mother tells me that Dorothy and Don are looking for a place to move, as maybe the house where they are living will be sold, and maybe the people who buy it will want to live downstairs there. As it is hard to find a place now where the rent is moderate, she says that maybe your dad will have to help them buy a house. Personally, I think this is a bad time to buy a home, as prices are so high. What might cost a lot now, will probably be lots less later. Also, I should think they would stay where they are as long as possible, until they know what Don is going to do. Maybe he will stay in the store in Endicott, and maybe he will get out after the first of the year. Maybe he will go to Links. Maybe he will go to Remington-Rand. If he goes to either of those places, I don’t know whether it would be permanent if he made good, or only for the duration. They have been looking at some houses on the west side, your mother told me---not new houses, as I guess none are being built now, but houses 7 or 8 years old. If Don would consent to live anywhere except on the west side, I think they could probably find a nice house more reasonable than one would cost over in that west side locations. I presume I shouldn’t find fault with Don, but just between you and me, he really gets under my skin. I’m glad he is not my husband! I fact, I’ve never seen anyone that can even begin to compare with you, my own dearest sweetheart.
This morning, I left the office early, and went to a funeral at 11:30. I wrote you that Grace Fuller had a fall. She wouldn’t go to the hospital or have a doctor. Finally Marion Fuller, her niece, called the doctor anyway, and he insisted that she go to the hospital. It was Thursday that she fell, I think, or maybe Friday---no, I am sure it was Thursday. And it was Saturday or Sunday that she went to the hospital. They operated and set her hip, which was broken. She died early Monday morning, which was really a blessing, everyone thinks. You know how her mind has been for the past few years, and how badly she has looked, both in her clothing and her physical condition. She wore awful clothes, and was so thin and haggard and sickly looking.
I sent you
a wire Saturday night asking for you complete mailing address, as I explained
in my last letter. The last two cables I received have stated that your address
was A.P.O 302, but did not give any organization or company or headquarters. So
I don’t know whether it is Hq. II Corps, as was in
the corner of one letter received some days ago, or whether it is Ordnance
Section, Hq. SOS, which was the case at
There’s not much news, dearest. We are all well. Grandma is all well now, apparently. She went for a ride again today early in the afternoon when the sun was out.
We are as busy, or rather busier than usual at the office. The report which is supposed to be done on the 6th will have to be late this time. It cannot be done when there are people waiting to see you and ask for advice, or waiting for interviews for different things. You would be amused, dear, to hear me advising people and helping them work out their problems, and telling them not to worry, etc. I really amaze myself at times. And they always take my advice and things seem to work out pretty well. They bring all sorts of troubles to us, from asking us to find their boyfriends in the service, to making loans to service men or their families, to arranging and trying to secure furloughs for all sorts of things, to trying to find men who are AWOL and sending them back to camp, etc. Recently, we have been assisting women to make out applications for allotment when their husbands have refused to do so. That allotment law is going to take a lot of people off the relief rolls, and keep a lot from having to seek welfare. We have had a lot of questions to answer in connection with it, and have had several investigations to make.
Well, darling, as I said before, there isn’t much news, so I will close before I get started on something else.
Oh, before I forget---I wrote 14 letters in October, which I hope you received. I have received all of your letters through Oct. 14th, #7. I received the beautiful and gorgeous flowers on our anniversary, the anniversary handkies which are lovely, and also the package containing the Xmas handkerchiefs and the birthday ones for me. They are all beautiful and so exquisite. If you have received my other letters, you know how much I like them, and how I think you for everything---the flowers, the anniversary gift, and the birthday gift.
Good-night, my
dearest wonderful sweetheart. I hope that my prayers are soon answered,
that you come home to me safely, and that we will spend many, many happy years
in our own home on
I love you so much, my wonderful husband. I think of you all day and dream of you all night. And I remember about 3 o’clock each day, too, dear. All my love and kisses to you, my sweet.
Most affectionately,
Your lonesome and devoted wife,
Jeanette.