Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Aug 4 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Yours of July 22 came today. It is hot & sticky today – It has been cloudy & raining for two days now the sun is making the ground steam. It is more oppressive out of doors than in. It is very pleasant upstairs. There is a good breeze thru and isn’t as hot as I thought it would be. Mother doesn’t feel so well toady – I would fix her a bed downstairs but she would rather be up. She stays in the little bedroom most of the time. I try to get her to stay in our room but she likes that bed in her room the best. It’s softer and also I put a feather bed on for her. As cool as it is I thought she would feel better today but she isn’t so well. She ate about as much today as usual which isn’t much. She is entirely on a soft diet and I sometimes think I’ll run out of things to fix because she soon tires of one thing.

David is taking a nap. He is coming along fine in his cast. Doesn’t seem to mind it. He certainly knows how to get people to admire him. He smiles so much & seems to like everyone who will smile at him. He stands now that we will allow him to. He pulls up very good considering the heavy cast on his left leg. The worst thing about it right now is the odor – can’t help that but I keep him powered & that helps lots.

[page 2] I haven’t been away from home except to take D. to the Dr. & get Mother’s medicine, so don’t know much news. Ellsworth Wilson called me about the renewal on the car Ins. He says his no. is 13 and he thinks he will have to go this fall. There were headlines in the paper to the effect that all pre-Pearl Harbour father’s would be subject to call. I told him I thought the Army would be a good place for him and some others. He said you women just wait until the men are gone – and I said “What do you think I have been doing for the past year.” He said “Oh you have an officer’s salary to go on” – I said “yes, you people think we get rich off our salary.” He said it was better than a buck privates, and soon and on. He said something about the allowance for each child being $1⁰⁰ per mo. – said he would have to go into mass production to get anything at that rate.

I gave you the finances yesterday but will give a little repeat – With the ck you last sent and my allotment I have a bal. of $444, but haven’t paid the groc. bills yet – I bought 7 – 18⁷⁵ bonds lost month & pd 100⁰⁰ on the piano – wrote to the Ins. Co. for the amt. to pay off that loan but haven’t heard from them yet. Will give you a full report when I get the bills all pd. & Ins. loan pd. off.

Mark had his cornet out in the yard – I think I’ll have to call him in. He makes too much noise & not enough music with it. He says he is going to band practice tonite. If I can find a reed instrument for him I think he will do better. John says a reed is easier to blow and I think he would practice better on something not so hard.

Love – Mother –

Gladys, Mark & David, 1943

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
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