Letter #13

                                                                                                                        April 25, 1943

                                                                                                         Easter Sunday Morning.

 

My own darling,

 

            I got up early and went to 7:30 service this morning, and now I am staying with Grandma while the rest are at church. Auntie and Sylvia wanted to go to Johnson City at

11, and Florence wanted to go to Christ Church at 11. Grandma didn’t feel that she could go anywhere, as the service would be so long. So I said that instead of going to the 11 o’clock service at Christ Church as I wanted to do, I would go at 7:30 and then be here with Grandma while the rest went to their respective churches at 11. It doesn’t seem to make much difference, I thought, whether I go one time or the other. I have to go alone anyway. But I will miss the Easter music, which I always like so much. However, someone has to stay here with Grandma, as we don’t dare to leave her alone in the house. There is no telling what she might try to do, or she might fall here alone. But next Easter and your birthday come on the same day, and I hope that we can celebrate by going to the 11 o’clock service here together.

 

            We are going to the Community for our dinner today at about 2. I hope that we can take a few pictures before we go or else after we come back. I haven’t sent you any pictures for quite some time, and I think you might like to see my new spring hat and coat. So if the sun will only come out, and stay for a while, I may have some snapshots to enclose in the next regular air mail letter I send. Today is nice and warm, and the sun has been out a few times, but only stays out a few minutes and then goes under a cloud again. Everyone is wearing their new spring outfits.

 

            Last Easter, we went to church with the Sanford’s in Bordentown, and the year before we were in Alexandria. I remember both times so well, down to the smallest detail. I am wondering what you are doing today. Write and tell me all about it, dear.

 

            Mr. Crane called me yesterday and asked if I cared if he had a victory garden out in the back lot. Of course I told him to go ahead. Now I’m doubly glad that we didn’t have it all seeded and graded out there. I’m surprised to think that he would have been interested in a garden, but I guess everyone nearly is going to have one, and can the vegetables raised, so that next winter they will be sure of plenty. That is what we are being urged to do, as of course you know from the papers that you are getting right along. We are going to have a garden, too. Did I tell you before? Of course, there isn’t any very good place here in the yard, and being located here, in the past the vegetables that have been growing have had a way of disappearing at night. Roy’s mother owns a small farm up near the State Hospital farms, and we are going to rent some land from her and have a garden there with Roy. We have furnished the seeds, and Roy’s will probably do most of the work, along with assistance from Auntie, and from Sylvia and me when we have time off from work.

 

            Speaking of work, reminds me--- I called up the ticket office at the D.L. and W. a couple of days ago to get some rates for a soldier. I said, as I always do, “This is Mrs. Cook calling from the Red Cross office----etc.” The ticket agent said “What Mrs. Cook are you? The wife of Cookie who works in the bank?” I hold him who I was, and he said, “Oh, yes. I read a letter that your husband wrote once. And I know Clarence very well. Who in town doesn’t know him? In fact, I’m just about to eat a couple of sandwiches with his peanut butter on them.” I was so amused, and surprised to find the man so conversational. I have called up there before, and he never seemed the least bit talkative before.

 

            I wrote you that Mr. Riley, the layer died. In the Roman Catholic Church they can’t have a funeral between Maundy Thursday and Easter. And of course Mr. Riley was a Roman Catholic. So, although he died Wednesday or Thursday, the funeral won’t be until tomorrow. My dad is to be one of the honorary pall bearers.

 

            I also wrote that Jim and Mary Palmer are going to California to live. He and some other men are being transferred to the I.B.M. factory out there. Now my dad will be left without anyone for his office again. (I wrote you that Mary was working there since Sylvia quit.) He has a terrible time keeping anyone in there. They all get married or else go into defense work.

 

            I told you that Elsie was having a terrible time because she thought that dear Willard would be drafted. And when it came to his examination, he was rejected. Now she is worried very much over the state of his health, and wishes that he would be well enough to be drafted. He has high blood pressure and kidney trouble. He really must be pretty bad, too--- or he did the last time I saw him, anyway.

 

             I also told you that Grandma was knitting you some socks. She has one all done, and the other about half done. She said to tell you that she was enjoying working on them. Don’t forget to get a slip signed asking us to send them to you, together with any other articles you may want or need.

 

            Probably your dad told you that Dada up at the factory has to be drafted. I don’t know him, but your mother told me to write you about it.

 

            Do you know Walter Parmelee? He used to run Hill’s luncheonette--- I mean McLean’s luncheonette. He was in our office a few days ago to see about a furlough extension. He knew who I was, and said that he used to be in the Scouts when you were, although he is quite a bit older than you, however. He is in the air corps as a gunner, and is a staff sergeant.

 

            It was two weeks last Friday since I’ve heard from you, so I am hoping some letters this coming week.  The most recent one I have received from was dated March 23 and 24, so I am anxious to see how you are and how your work is. But most of all, I want any news at all about you, so long as its good news. You see, it is over a month since that last letter I received was written. But I feel sure that I’ll hear from you sometime this week. Why don’t you write just a short V mail letter once in a while just to say that you’re all right? I have been told by people who have relatives in Africa that V mail takes from 10 to 14 days to get here. Of course, it is not too satisfactory, as there isn’t room to write much, especially if you write longhand. And you can’t send enclosures. But I would appreciate one once in a while, when the other mail gets held up and I don’t here for two or three weeks.

 

            Aunt Sadie wanted me to tell you that today she is carrying one of the hankies you sent her for Christmas. She hasn’t carried one before, because she is saving them for special occasions. And I have not used mine much, either, because I am very choice of them. But I believe that I, too, will carry one today.

 

            I must close now and go get ready to go out to dinner. Auntie and Sylvia and my dad will be returning from church any minute now. Elsie is not eating with us, but is going up to her house with her sisters after her church. I will finish letter a little later in the day, darling.

 

            At early service this morning I picked up one of the leaflets of the 11:00 A.M. service which I thought you might find interesting. I will enclose it with this letter.

 

                                                                                                            Easter Evening.

 

            Well, just before we started over town to eat, we thought we would take a few snapshots, as I mentioned earlier in this letter that we expected to do. As we stepped out the front door, it started to sprinkle, but not hard enough to do damage to our clothes, so we took a few pictures anyway, but it was sort of dark and gloomy, so I don’t know whether or not they will come out. There are two more to be taken, and then I will get the film developed, and hope for the best.

 

            A soldier from New Orleans was in the office recently, and I asked him how the weather was in Louisiana. He said that it was awfully hot down there, and that for some time they had been wearing summer uniforms.

 

            A day or two ago, Roy was going to the stare on foot, so he took Rover along for a walk. (Rover loves to go to walk with anyone.) When they were passing a house, a little bull dog tied out in back saw Rover, and started to bark. Rover didn’t pay any attention to him, but the bull dog broke the rope, ran out and jumped onto Rover. Well, Rover never starts a fight, but if anyone wants to start a scrap, he knows how to take care of himself. And he is such a big dog that the little bull must have been crazy to want to fight with him. Roy had quite a time. He couldn’t get the two dogs separated, and was afraid that Rover would kill the small dog. Rover has long hair, and so he has the advantage because the other dogs can’t grab him enough to hurt him through all that hair. He bit the bull in several places. And Roy got bitten trying to get the dogs separated. It happened over on Oak St., near the doctor’s office, so he went in there after the fight was finally over, and got his arm fixed up where it was bitten. It is coming along alright now. Did I tell you that some time ago, the dog next door, Terry, came along and started to fight with Rover when my dad was standing right there. My father managed to get them apart, but not until after Rover had just about put Terry in his place. Rover and Terry are more of a size. But my dad says that after seeing them fight, he knows that Rover can take care of himself anywhere. He is usually so gentle and lazy that it is hard to imagine him fighting with any other dog.

 

            It is raining rather hard tonight. It rained a little while we were in the restaurant, but was all through by the time we were ready to come home. I took a short nap after we got back and I had read the paper. When I awoke, it was raining rather hard, and everything outside is drenched now. I’m glad it was nice this morning, however, and didn’t rain until later in the day.           

 

            As you remember, the second Sunday in May is always Mother’s Day. I will take care of it, and send your mother some flowers or something from us.

 

            I’ve just been talking on the phone with your dad. He said that they all went to church at 11, and that there was a good crowd there. There were a lot at the 7:30 service also. There are always so many people who never go to church or even think of going, except on Christmas or Easter. Of course, those are the most important church festivals, but people should realize that there are really more that two church services per year to attend.

 

            I hope you are well, dearest, and continue to remain so.

 

            I miss you so much, sweetheart, and I hope that soon you will be returning safely and well. It seems as you have been gone years and years, instead of not quite one. I love you with all my heart, darling. All my love and kisses to the most wonderful and sweetest and best husband in the world. God bless you, sweetheart, and keep you safe, and bring you back to me soon.

 

                                                Most affectionately,

                                                            Your loving and devoted wife,

Jeannette