Tag Archives: Danny Richards

Glenn Returns (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

St. E. Hospital
Sept. 11, 1943.

Dear Daddy,

Writing from the hospital again. Glenn & family returned last night – got in just before Juanita & I returned from the hospital. Glenn, John & I came down today. John had an appointment with Dr. Van Buskirk and we spent some time in the clinic waiting. No seemed to be in a hurry. Alma had taken John with Jimmy two weeks ago and we had this appointment together too. We went to eat lunch and had a little time before our appointment so went out to Cole’s office but he was so busy we couldn’t see him – I will talk to him on the phone before going home. Mother seems better but is so weak & pale. I noticed Dr. Cole had two ampules of coramin of C on the dresser so I think he must be expecting another spell to come on like Mother had yesterday morning. I was afraid to leave her last night so got a special nurse to stay during the night. She said this morning she didn’t want her to stay tonight – she bothered her – but I am afraid she will have another spell and won’t be able to call a floor nurse. While in the Clinic I talk to McClelland about the X-Rays but he said Mother didn’t have enough barium to get good pictures & he couldn’t make a diagnosis from the X-Ray. There is a lot of fluid in the abdomen and he said that could be caused from a lot of things. However Cole says there is a mass in the abdomen – I am not a Dr. and I can feel it when I press on her abdomen.

Juanita & Pauline are holding forth today with Danny, Mark, David & James L. Juanita was going to pick tomatoes & makes catsup. Also help Mark dig potatoes. Just so they take care of the babies & do the necessary things – I don’t care about the extras.

[page 2] John has been “hacking” around with an irritating cough so had Van Buskirk look at his throat. He wanted to know if John had any allergies. I said he had day fever – he said this cough is an allergy condition and it wasn’t anything serious. I think I wrote you last year about this time that John would cough & sneeze every morning during hay fever time. He had been doing that some this year then the cough got more persistent and goes on thru the day. The Dr. listened to his chest – looked at his nose & throat. He gave me a prescription – bromides, but said John is on the jittery order & thought a good sedative was indicated. You know how jumpy John is about having anything done to him. Dr. Van kept telling him to relax when he was trying to look at his nose & throat.

This weather is still on the cold order. This is the first third of Sept. gone and as cool as we expect in Oct. Glen says it’s probably cold in Nev. now. He isn’t as bad as when they left to go to Penn., but says he will be glad to get back to the dry air in Nev.

John & Glenn are tired of sitting here in the room so are going to walk down the hall & mail this.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/02/03/glenn-returns-gladys/

 

Almost Gone (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

St. Elizabeth Hospital
Sept. 10 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Am writing from Mother’s room. She had a bad spell this morning. Dr. Cole called me – said he had come in to give her a hypo – was giving her shots of Betalin complex – and when he came in the room she was almost gone – she told me the gas was hurting her so – but he said it was her heart. Anyway he gave her coramin injection as soon as possible and she came to. I met Juanita at the train this morning at 4:25 so we came down together. Dr. said he thought I should come down. I tried to get Clara Molter to stay with David & Dannie – she couldn’t come till noon but Mrs. Zell said she would stay till Clara came. Their two older girls are in school & Mr. Zell could take the youngest girl with him. We got down here about 10:30 – Mother is awfully weak & pale. Dr. Cole is sure she has an obstruction but McClelland says no – However she is bloated and I think Cole is right – there is an obstruction there causing the distention. We went out to get some lunch & of course the Dr. came while we were out. However I think he will be back – says he has two O.B. cases going here today, so I’ll probably see him sometime before we go back home. I called him before we went out to eat and I talked to him over the phone, but I want to see him personally.

It is cool today – a coat feels very good. I hope Chet gets some coal in soon. We have enough to last a while but if this cool weather continues it will soon exhaust our coal supply. I have had an order in for coal – weeks or maybe months, but Chet hasn’t been able to get any. I hear that Harlan’s did have some but I imagine he had more orders than he could fill. I was going to have him send me some but Van Scoyck told me he had me down for coal as soon as a shipment came in so I

[page 2] didn’t say anything to Harlan.

I thought Juanita & I would get the washing done & clean up the house and come down this afternoon but when I got the call this morning – before I was up – we got ready & come one. Dr. Cole said I had better stay all day. I told Juanita I was in the garden yesterday evening and didn’t have time to get all the things gathered that need to be – She said she would dig potatoes tomorrow. There are beans & tomatoes that need to be picked. This cool weather is pointing toward an early frost, if it doesn’t warm up soon. Was almost that cold this a.m. Mark’s garden wasn’t quite what it would have been had he had better supervision – but I couldn’t devote the time I wanted to and as much as he likes to do things he needs someone over him all the time. I told Juanita I felt like we got our seed back. We didn’t have to buy any vegetables all summer, canned more than 30 qt. green beans, so far several qts tomatoes & more coming on. Had some cabbage & onions all summer. Will have carrots to store for winter and tho the potatoe crop wasn’t very good have had potatoes to use along. I found in digging yesterday that the hills didn’t have very many potatoes in them. Mark wants to do things but needs company when he does the. His nervousness is at present is completely gone & he has a better appetite. I believe the tonsils were guilty of that trouble because he runs & plays just as hard as ever and has no reaction, so from all appearances the tonsils were harboring infection.

The new bond drive is on & John wanted me to buy him a bond – or rather give him the money to buy one at school – I told him I would give him his allowance in advance but he said he just wanted it outright – however I think he was just trying me out – I told him he could buy our (yours & mine) next bond for us – he said couldn’t he add another name[?]. I said that wouldn’t be fair to Mark & David. Jim sent your letter on to me – Thanks for all the nice things you said about me – so

Love – Mother

St. Elizabeth's Hospital

St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Lafayette, Indiana

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/02/02/almost-gone-gladys/

Midnight Train (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Aug. 27 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

It has turned cloudy & very cool. I did get a washing dry during a brief clear spell and a good breeze. Have to keep the washing done – can’t let it accumulate. Took Mark to Dr. Altier today to have his hand dressed. It is healing in good shape. Should be good as ever in another week. We took Juanita to the train about midnight last night. It was late. He heard an engine coming and started to get out of the car and an engine & caboose whizzed by so fast it left us speechless for a second but when Danny saw the train going by without stopping for him he began to cry. – We had a good laugh over it & Juanita told him it would come back so he was satisfied then. I was so sleepy this morning I could hardly get up. This train goes thru Robinson and that is 7 miles from where Juanita lives. She is the only one of our relatives that can make such good connections in coming our way – and I didn’t know that until she came.

Was looking over the paper for news items – Betty Lohr & her soldier friend (now Sgt.) were married Sat. night. He is still stationed in La. She is going to remain at home with her Dad & brother.

[page 2] Dr. Altier’s office woman said Ed Barce was home last night and went to Laf. today. She thought he was being sent there but didn’t know for sure – and said Betty is working in Laf. at the Aluminum Plant. I didn’t ask her how long – Betty never stayed at any job around here very long at a time – as you know.

The Russell Schultz have another baby girl – Yes, they haven’t paid for the last delivery –

Mr. Webster the band teacher is leaving, going to Middletown (near Muncie) – I’ll bet Al is frothing trying to get a new band instructor by next Wed. – that’s when school starts – Sept. 1.

John Funk has been admitted to Dental School. Under the university’s accelerated program he will graduate in May 46.

The Tuell’s (Mamma & Boys) are back in Kent – rented Nesbitt’s apartment – They have been in Logansport – I think they had sold their house.

I seem to be overlooking something I saw in the paper I wanted to mention – Maybe I will think of it later.

I asked Link to send in a load of stone for the driveway – I asked him for a bill after Holley delivered it this afternoon – Link said it was a load left over from some street work they are doing around town & N.C. – so our driveway is ready for winter. – The way it feels this evening winter is giving us a preview.

Mother is about the same today – not much change.
Love Mother

FOS1940s - Emma & Juanita

Emma Foster and her granddaughter, Juanita

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/01/05/midnight-train-gladys/