Tag Archives: Cliff Shandy

Aunt Minerva Died (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
1-27-44

Dear Daddy –

Rec’d yours of Jan. 16, 17 & 19 today. David is taking a nap just now, I have lunch cooking and thought I would write the daily line while I have time to sit and think. That is quite a job when David is awake and going. It seems to me he is much more restless than either J. or M. Before this last cold I could pen him up in the nursery and get something done in the mornings, but last week when he had a temp I kept him on the couch and was with him constantly, consequently he doesn’t want to be alone now. This morning I finally put him in his bed and he went to sleep. I was getting along fine on the thumb business until last week and not wanting him to cry when it caused him to cough, let down on the breaking business and the past two days he has been keeping a thumb in his mouth almost constantly. I pin his sleeves shut at night so he can’t get to them at night but the first thing he does when I take his sleepers off if to stick either one or both thumbs in his mouth. I have one thumb guard on today so he is using the other thumb. I took him out for a long walk yesterday. It was so warm out I knew it wouldn’t hurt him. He still coughs but so many people do. There must be a cough bug around this year.

[page 2] John is coughing now. He told David he got a cough from him. I think John’s cough may be an allergy. He had one such last fall. When I took him to Dr. V. he said it was hay fever. John went back to school this a.m. after taking yesterday p.m. off. He had a terrible headache but it was due to reading a book & writing a review – working too constantly on it. He reads all the time but not quite as steadily on this book. The way he like to read it, is too bad his eyes bother him. However, I wish sometimes he would get out a little more. I think he would be happy just to study all the time without any activity and that isn’t normal. I am glad he has to take physical ed. in school. Mark on the other hand studies just as little as possible and is always ready to play something out of doors. He gets out in the yard and kicks his football around if he doesn’t have anyone to play with.

It has been so warm the past week, yesterday was just like a spring day. It is too dry for the good of crops in the spring. The government is already predicting crop shortages next summer, or if not shortages, the crops won’t come up to last years. We haven’t had much snow or rain either this winter. Of course this is easy on the present coal supply but that isn’t all to think about. I do hope they get in more of the better coal but am afraid they won’t. I think we have enough yet to run us thru the coldest part of the winter, providing we don’t have an unusually cold March, which we may have since it is so warm now.

[page 3] The Democrat had the acc’t of Mrs. Kindall’s death. I didn’t know she was ill but the paper says she had been down two weeks. She used to stop and visit with me once in a while, and had been here not so long ago. I suppose it was her diabetes.

Bun Walkup hauled the clinkers yesterday. I had been trying to get him to get them for weeks. We had quite a pile, due to that Ind. coal we used in Nov. He says he will have to go in Feb. for his physical. He thinks he won’t pass. I told him he probably would. He seems to think he has enough wrong with him to keep him out but apparently he is enjoying good health.

Had a letter from Juanita. Ralph is in the Navy now. He was due to go in the Army but joined the Navy instead. She also told me Aunt Minerva had passed away – I don’t know when – the family didn’t let me know. I sent Aunt M. a birthday card (Nov. 14) and I had a letter from her after that but that was the last I heard from her.

– – It is afternoon now. David is awake, has been fed and in and out of everything he can find. I finally penned him up in the nursery and he is now dragging his bath towel around to amuse himself. His favorite place to play is the downstairs bathroom. He had his nap this morning so is full of pep for the afternoon.

[page 4] It is raining now. I hope we have more and tho I don’t care for cold weather, would rather have it now than later in the spring.

While walking yesterday met Mrs. Krull. She had been with Louise, but Father Krull died and after attending the funeral in Ohio, Mrs. Krull decided to remain home. I told her D. had a cough – She said “Are you greasing him?” I said “What good would that do?” She said “You young mothers.” – She related some experiences at Louise’s about using some home remedies on the new baby – of course on her own – Louise doesn’t share her mother’s belief in the curative powers of goose grease, etc. She said I should use goose grease on David.

Margaret Kruman is taking her yearly vacation in Fla. I see in the paper that Mrs. Shandy & son have gone to Miami to join Cliff. I imagine Marg. went with Mrs. S. – They both left Monday. Also Mrs. Dixon & Nettie have gone and I saw in last week’s paper that Mrs. Dye, son Ross & Gladys Webber had gone to Fla. together.

Lucile just called and while we talked D. went from one thing to another, the last thing he did to get me to stop talking was get some bread out and scatter it over the floor. Lucile was having similar trouble with J.E. David is being unusually – whatever you want to call it today.

“Love Mother”

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/11/02/aunt-minerva-died-gladys/

Spreading the News (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Jan. 16-1944

Dear Daddy –

Yours of Jan. 3 & 4 came yesterday. I told Mark he could tell people you are in N.Z. He was more than delighted and said right away he would tell his teacher.

I took a walk to get David out of doors and stopped at the Shandy’s to leave a snow suit she had loaned me. It was too small for David so thought I would take it back to her. Cliff is gone and she had word he had arrived – I think Miami. She showed me thru the house. They have the downstairs pretty well furnished but nothing much up but beds. She is going to stay there with the baby. He is past 2 now and quite a good size boy. She spends a lot of time with him and is training him not to touch their new furniture. They have a coffee table in front of the fireplace with a white wooly rug under it and she says he doesn’t step on the rug. I told her she may be able to train him not to touch their davenport and chairs, but I would hate to try and keep J. & M. off of ours. Of course we had furniture the boys could be raised on. I have got David so he will leave the coffee table alone. He keeps taking the tidies off the chair arms. We make him put them back on but he will repeat the same offense. He is getting better all the time about leaving things alone when we tell him to. He used to get into the lower parts of the corner cupboards but he would be scolded every time

[page 2] he got near them, so suppose he decided it wasn’t worth the effort. He walks very carefully and his left shoe isn’t worn like the right. He seems to favor that foot, but I think when he gets so he can run he will overcome that. His leg never seems to bother him. It really shouldn’t because the bone was only cracked and that not over 1/3 or ½ across. David has gone to bed. J. & M. are at Youth Fellowship. John is leader tonight. He was elected pianist for the Jr. Dept. and assistant for the adult Dept. Harold Reiger is John’s assistant, so if he has to play for the adults, Harold will play for Jr. He plays for youth fellowship too. John has changed more I think since you left than Mark. He seems so much more grown-up – He is almost as tall as I am. There is fuzz on his upper lip – He doesn’t like it – Says he will look like the Remsburg boy who used to live here. His voice is still changing and he gets so mad sometimes when his voice goes up high. Says that doesn’t happen to him at home but if he is somewhere else. However we notice it once in a while. He has almost outgrown the suit I bought for him in Mar. I can still let the pants out but the coat sleeves are beginning to look short. Mark is much the same. Like to get out and play football. He spent the afternoon at the pond skating. I walked over to see about the ice and it is still solid. Mr. Z. was there with their 3 girls, Bobby & Jimmy, pulling them around on sleds. Bob Schurtter was there too. He told me he didn’t get a commission in the Navy due to no vacancies

[page 3] in his line. He is classed as 2-A until July 44, so he will get to finish his year teaching. I suppose Dot will have to work if he has to go in the Army as a private. She had a chance to take the office job with the County Agent (Mr. Z.) but Steve is still so small she could hardly take the job now. Mr. Z. had her do some extra work for him and he said she was the best help he had had in a long time. He had quite a time keeping help for a while, but Evelyn Kudig is working for him now. Office girls seem to be as hard to find or keep as any kind of help. The factory still can get the help because of the good pay. The subject of the factory makes me think of Irene. I suppose she is still in Chi. Trying to find out what the trouble is. Last week her mother said they had not found anything. I still think it’s a lot psycologic, and I am sure you will agree with me. Last year when she went to Mayo Clinic they told her to quit work. After that they had their house for sale and Dr. M. had it bought, that is he was all ready to buy and had a buyer for his place when Statons decided not to sell.

The Funks had their new baby christened today. She will be 3 wks. old Tues. I saw Rosemary when I was coming home with David from Shandy’s and she said she had been one of the sponsors. One of the other Funk men had been the other. Carl was sponsor for either Bobby or Donnie so he couldn’t e with Rosemary for Joy Selene. Carl and Rosemary had been out walking with Tommy. He is eight months old and looks almost as large as David. He isn’t as tall of course but is on the heavy order.

[page 4] I noticed the Foulkes’ car in their driveway. They have been on a business trip east. Their house has been in the redecorating process while they have been away and I noticed they still haven’t their drapes up yet. I cleaned a little but didn’t try to take drapes out. This year’s coal is so dirty. It isn’t treated and certainly makes a difference in the dirt we get in the house. I wish and have wished so many times now we had put oil in, but that is a waste of time, so won’t harp on it any more. Harping doesn’t help things.

I rec’d a long letter from Marie so I must give her an answer – ant to do that yet this evening. She has been busy helping with Isla. I hadn’t heard from Marie for such a long time I was sure there was something wrong. I was glad Isla hasn’t T.B. – tho thyroid trouble isn’t anything to be treated lightly.

Had a letter from Jewell and she sent me a picture of Dot’s baby – Dot’s husband was rejected, so a present he is still home I told you all this before but this is a repeat in case my other letter didn’t get to you.

David broke my glasses and I keep mending them with airplane glue but I am afraid I will have to get new lenses – or one new lense. I keep feeling eye strain – just got new lenses last fall but I thought if I didn’t have the lenses straight it could cause the headaches.

I am about run down so will call this a letter & sign off.
Love Mother

P.S. Saw the enclosed clippings in the paper & thought you would be interested.

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/11/spreading-the-news-gladys/

Another Saturday (Gladys)

Letter transcription:
Kentland, Ind.
Jan. 8 – 1944

Dear Daddy –

Another Sat. and opera on. I have been having a splitting headache the past two days and the piano and radio aren’t any help, but our John loves his opera. About this headache I think I’ll have to start taking shots again, Thelin, or something. I took a few the first of last year but haven’t had any now since about last May or June. I had my glasses changed and I think the headache isn’t from eyestrain due to occurance around the 28 day cycle, which is oftener sometimes (the cycle). The lump that was removed white you were in medical school is growing again. Dr. Cole made an examination and said we would watch it closely and if it grows too rapidly would remove it again. I haven’t been to see Dr. C. for some time but thought I would go in the near future due to the recurring pains, which seem to be more constant and severe. Now don’t worry about it, I will see the Dr. soon and he will do what should be done. However I don’t want to have anything done now, and won’t unless he think necessary. I am sure it isn’t large enough to be alarmed about at present. About the original size.

I have been trying without success to break the thumb sucking habit and I pinned sox over David’s hands, onto his sleeves this afternoon when I put him to bed for his nap. He cried and fussed around a long time but finally gave up. I told John with all his (John’s) stubbornness he was easier to train than David. I remember it wasn’t any

[page 2] trick at all to break John of his finger sucking habit. I spanked David yesterday for getting things out of the chest of drawers in his room. He knew what it was all about and cried very loudly for w while, but it took effect and he left the drawers alone. He has a very winning smile and knows how to use it. He is like Mark, never sees a stranger. I knitted a pr. of mitten to match his snow suit – He won’t leave them on, but I think most babies are like that about having their hands covered. I want to knit a spring outfit for him. I started a sweater for Romaine last night. It is white and to be plain in design so won’t be hard to do.

Mark is out playing with some boys from his room. I wanted him to stay in and work on a plane he is building but the urge for action was too strong. I haven’t had an X-ray made yet but will try to get him down one day next week. He is better again. I haven’t noticed any signs of nervousness the last few days. He made all kinds of New Year’s resolutions. John didn’t make any – guess he thinks he is good enough as is. The difference in those two – They are certainly two extremes.

Cliff Shandy & family are home. He has been assigned to Miami, but evidently to be there temporarily, because Mrs. & baby are going to remain here. I was just thinking about his former boss and how he worked to get a C.P.O. and Cliff is now an Ensign. And also I wonder why Cliff could get a commission and Newell couldn’t. I suppose Cliff must have had more college work than Newell, tho they are both grads from law schools.

Mrs. Lonce called me for your address. Her son (the one you visited on Christmas eve) wants to write to you. He is still in N.C. I am forwarding the greeting Dr. M. sent and due to lack of address was returned to us. I gave Ellsworth W. your address and he said he would write, but I am not so sure. He says you will probably get back in time to shove his off.

[page 3] More and more are going from here all the time. I told you Jack Sullivan is one of the latest. He was put in the Navy. I wonder how he will get along with his “lisp”? I think I failed to mention Lloyd Tilton’s discharge from the Army. He went A.W.O.L., then claimed to have a nervous breakdown. All the above info from D.K. However he is out and has been around town. Bus Daily got a medical discharge from the marines. His trouble was a nervous stomach.

David woke up cross. I wrapped him up and put him out in his buggy – so will have to hurry and take him for a ride. He doesn’t like getting along without his thumb but think we will make it break.

I just looked at the bank bal. and with bills pd. and Ins. that comes due this month deducted I have a bal. of $91.oo

It was has been snowing in Chicago today and looks like it will snow here. It is clouding up now. Must get along.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/09/26/another-saturday-gladys/

Everything Excepting David (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 2 1943

Dear Daddy –

No letters today but had June 21 – 22 & 23 this week. Some are still enroute earlier than those but they will come – they always do. It is still chilly enough to have heat in the house. The fire went out last nite so had to clean the furnace & start a fire this morning to get wash water hot. I want to take Mother down to Dr. M. this afternoon. Would have this

[page 2] morning but didn’t get around in time. David didn’t wake up till 7 a.m. so that made his next meal come at 11 – by the time I got him taken care of it was getting on past 11:30 and I didn’t want to go in so late before the noon hour. Everything (excepting David) is so quiet around here with J. & M. gone – the Zell’s gone – and Jimmy kept inside. Mrs. James is getting ready to go stay with Margaret a while – She is expecting her baby any time. She told Mother she didn’t know how long she would stay – She has had such a time with Jimmy this summer

[page 3] I know she is glad to get away for a while. She has been taking liver shots and doesn’t seem to get much better but I think it’s the strain she is under. Irene is taking a 2 week vacation. They are going over to Monticello for a week and then stay home a week. This will be the first time Mrs. J. has been away from Jimmy for about 2 ½ years. I intended to give you a complete acc’t of our finances today but haven’t had time yet to figure things out – have been doing week-end work all morning. Will try to get it for next letter then if you get this one & not the next you will wish it had been in this one.

[page 4] My checks came this morning, so will have to go the bank today. You know they come in ants of 170 & 30. I have been moving around all morning & getting hungry so will stop & get something to eat. – after a few minutes pause I’ll try and add a line. I glances thru the Newton Co. E. and saw a letter from Vincent Clark – he is in North Africa. John Ade and Emory Richards are in the Navy Training Station at Purdue. I told you before Cliff Shandy is in Harvard Navy Training School. He got an Ensign. – Speaking of rain – we have had over 12 inches of rain since May – It hasn’t rained since last Sat. – It has been too cool –

Love Mother

YEG1943-06 Dunlop Street house

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/09/15/everything-excepting-david-gladys/