Tag Archives: Emma (Lawhead) Foster

Neighborhood News (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
June 26 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Another hot sultry day. It looks like rain and once in a while there is a breeze but days like this makes Mother awfully weak. I stopped in to see Dr. M. and asked him about her and he said Bepron was a fine tonic and for her to keep on taking it. While I was there he asked me if I wanted to see the X-Ray of Ruthie Parttens – He showed it to me and was he mad – Mary wanted a bone specialist to see her a few days after Dr. M. had taken care

[page 2] of her and that insulted him but he told them to get someone else – they had Berkhiser from Chicago and he said everything had been done that could be – Dr. M. said he got so sick and tired of people spending their money on specialists. At any rate he says Ruthie is getting along first rate and the rumor that she wouldn’t walk again was rumor there was nothing to it. She is so lively they can hardly keep her in bed. I want to go over and see her but the car is in the garage today. Couldn’t start it yesterday so we pushed it and got it started and stopped at Sondergrath.

[page 3] Will report later on the trouble.

Had a letter from Ruth M. and she wants me to send J. & M. over for a week or so and then the rest of us come for the 4th but Mother doesn’t feel well enough to go any place now and as hot as it is I really would rather stay home with David. Zell’s are going away Wed. for a week and they want J. & M. to mow the lawn while they are gone. However if they want to go to Ruth’s I won’t keep them home. Ruth & Floyd are going to C.C. for the 4th & wanted us to got too so they could take some more movies of David, but I don’t want to go on such a long trip when it’s so hot, and I can’t plan to go

[page 4] any place while Mother doesn’t feel so well. She said for us to go ahead & go but I wouldn’t want to leave her alone.

Glenn called us yesterday. He talked and his wife talked – he talked to all of us. Had the baby by the phone and we could hear him. I wrote and told him Mother didn’t feel so well and I think he was pretty worried about her. He wanted your address; you may hear from them. His wife’s name is Pauline. The picture enclosed is I think good of David but John says David is better looking than the picture. However I think you can get a good idea what he is like because he laughs so much. After his bath he

[page 5] has curls but after a while they fall down. There are two teeth in front but one show plainer than the other. He is in his bed now singing a song. It is time for him to take a nap so he is in the nursery alone.

Parr’s were in town yesterday. Harlan is having a vacation but has to be back in Tuscola July 4 for work. He is very tan and so is Carolyn, more so than Dorothy & Nancy. They thought David was a pretty fine boy. Harlan still wants a boy. Dorothy said she thinks she has all she can do to take care of two girls.

[page 6] Dorothy Krull said yesterday that Bill Funk wants them to go on a vacation trip together. Dorothy said they would have to close the restaurant and she doesn’t know whether they will or not. I told her if they go to be sure Bill knows where he is taking them.

Had to stop and take baby clothes off the line – a storm was brewing and what a storm – this one took a good portion of the tree by Statons driveway – They have gone to Indpls. And will have to get the tree off their driveway before they can get in when they come back.

[page 7] Mrs. James & Jimmy went along and Bobby was sent home from Zells for misdemeanor so before the storm the neighborhood was rather quiet. It vibrates at times when things get going good.

After the rain started Mark put on his bathing trunks but he didn’t stay out long. It is cooler now since the rain – something we all appreciate. If this summer continues like this we have a lot of hot weather to look forward to. I had to repot a cactus plant – It was on the window sill and the strong wind blew it over and knocked the cactus out of the pot.

[page 8] The storm has let up and the Zell girls & J. & M. are out playing hide & seek. There is still a lot of thunder so maybe it will rain more.

Your mention of the shells makes me think of the box you sent from Noumea that didn’t come. The one that had the necklace you thought prettier than the one I rec’d. I doubt if it ever comes now – it has been so long.

I must get this ready to mail, so John can do to the P.O.

Love Mother

YEG1943-06 Dunlop Street house

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/09/03/neighborhood-news-gladys/

Mail Received (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
Navy 60 F.P.O. San Fran Calif
June 2, 1943

Dear Mother,

Your letters of June 8, 9, 10 & 11 came today so there is lots to write about and as I said in yesterday’s letter the mail is always a good & welcome topic to write about. So far I’ve just read them once but will reread again later. In one of those letters you mentioned that you had received the travel check so that won’t have to be written of in any future letters. The $100 letter will probably be coming along later. I’ll send you the number, date of issue, etc. if it doesn’t come thru and we can get another. I think it is a good idea for John to drop his band during the summer (swing band) because too much is too much. I’m

[page 2] writing this on my knee out in the yard as the boy is giving the tent the usual morning cleaning.

Was that a battle Raymond Bower had been in or several? He left the states just about the same time I went to Norfolk. It also looks like Jim might be getting ready to do something from the way you wrote of his activity. I’ve received several notes from Joe R. and at present he is I think about 60 miles from me in an Easterly direction. That is only a supposition however and I believe Hicky is in that neighborhood also. I think I’ve probably written all that before.

A three page news bulletin came

[page 3] from the Home hospital. It came in the form of 3 v-mails. They were dated June 1. So you see v-mail is still slower by several days.

That business of Grandma carrying D. downstairs sorta gave me a little scare – There is no banister there and it might be a little dangerous. Maybe you could have one put in if the pocket book is sufficiently padded. That’s just an idea – Maybe D. will be able to walk up and down by himself and the problem will be solved and a banister would also help him. Do what you think best –

It would be trite for me to say I enjoy your letters because they are chucked full of things I like to hear – So when I write of my own being poor I don’t want

[page 4] you to get the idea I’m casting any reflections.

I saw by that Home Hospital news bulletin that Dr. Combs was still at Greencastle Indiana – That must be very rugged duty and to think he has had to suffer for nearly a year if my recollection is correct. I did notice that several of the Drs. had % addresses so they are scattered somewhat.

Took a trip this A.M. before breakfast – Just a sight seeing trip and was there a beautiful sun peeping up out of the sea! That made breakfast late and then your mail came and that made me late in getting this written – Hoping you are the same

Love Daddy

Russell Islands Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)

Russell Islands
Image by Kelisi at Wikipedia.com (Wikipedia Commons license)

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/09/02/mail-received-roscoe/

Summer Vacation (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
June 25 1943

Dear Daddy –

Another hot day – No mail today but have had several letters this week latest being June 12, We are doing our weekly wash – have half out on the line – It’s is nearly time to fix lunch – Mark has gone to Baking class – They are having a farewell party for Rupp. She is getting married. So many new teachers next fall – John just discovered he would have a man math teacher.

[page 2]I think he prefers women teachers. I don’t know why. Maybe they favor him – however he wouldn’t like to hear that.

David has been asleep and sounds like he is waking up – I hope not because he hasn’t slept long enough & it’s so hot today I know the afternoon will be hard for him if he hasn’t slept long enough. He is good up to a certain point but there are so many around him all the time he doesn’t play alone as well as J. & M. did – but that isn’t his fault. He is getting pretty handy with getting around his pen – Mother

[page 3] thinks he will soon walk alone but John did like he does and didn’t walk alone so soon.

Mother is still feeling not so good – She was feeling better with a few cooler days but it is so hot again and seems to take all her pep. She has taken nearly all the Bepron I got for her. I thought it was helping her but she doesn’t seem much better now.

Parr’s are coming to Funk’s for dinner this evening. I don’t know whether they are just on vacation or if he is being transferred again. They have been in Fla since Jan. I suppose I will see them while they are in town.

[page 4] When people around here complain about the weather I remind them you have to take it all the time and we do get relief now & then. Statons are going to Monticello for a week’s vacation – I think I’ll just stay home with David & let the boys go vacationing if they want to. Mark is planning to go to 4-H camp. He wants to go to Earl’s & fish sometime. Ruth wants us to come over for a week but the way Mother feels I am not going to plan anything.

John is begging me to get lunch so will stop this which doesn’t seem to be much today –

Love Mother

YEG1943-06 Dunlop Street house

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/09/01/summer-vacation-gladys/

Canning Peas (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
June 23, 1943

Dear Daddy –

David is nine months old today and balances the scale at 20 lbs. I traced his weight course on a chart given in a baby manual and he done a little better than average baby should do. He isn’t gaining so fast now – but he is so active he works his fat off. Of course 20 lbs at 9 months is plenty. He has a good appetite – takes a can of milk & egg yolk a day besides cereal, vegetables & fruit. It has been so hot today he has only his diaper & shoes

[page 2] on. I wouldn’t put shoes on him but he stands up so much & walks around his pen or bed and his shoes help him keep his feet steady.

Mark has gone to take a piano lesson & John is practicing. John used up the accumulated egg whites from David’s formula and made an Angel Food cake this A.M. He is going to be an expert if he keeps up.

Arlene came up yesterday about 5:30 P.M. to borrow the pressure cooker – had a bu. of peas to can. I asked her if she knew how to use it and she didn’t – I told her I couldn’t tell her how to use it, I would have to show her – so I was to

[page 3] go at 7 P.M. and we were to start – well as it usually happens when one wants to get started – bill was late for supper and we didn’t get started so soon. I had to stay until one cooker was finished – also stayed to get the second one on – It was 9:45 P.. when she started to time the second batch – and had two more cookings to do. I came home at 10 – and was so tired – Had been canning peas with Mrs. Zell in the afternoon – so after a shower I got to bed – had to feed David at 6 this A.M. then went back to bed and slept till the mail came and there was a letter from you dated June 9 – had

[page 4] one yesterday of June 10. I feel fine now that I got caught up on my rest. It is hot & sultry today. Of course not as bad as where you are but it is pretty much for this climate. Mother hasn’t felt well since this intense heat started. It has rained almost every day for so long – I can’t remember how long – then between rains the sun is so hot. One day the humidifier was as high as it will go – 80⁰. So much for the weather. Back to the peas – It was 3 A.M. this morning when Arlene finished the peas and in addition to everything – Donnie was sick in the night and she had to give him a enema – I told her I remembered once when she stayed up till 3 A.M. to decorate for a Christmas party.

I am enclosing a greeting from the Ind. State Med. Assn –
Love Mother

YEG1942-06-18 David

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/08/29/canning-peas-gladys/

Wind & Lightening (Gladys)

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1943-06-22Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S.YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
6-22-43

Dear Daddy: Yours of June 10 came today – Five came yesterday – I’ll repeat again all three checks came. We had quite a storm last night – lot of wind & lightening – Took the top out of the tree by Foulke’s terrace and the tree back of Zell’s house. Just took branches off ours, but the whole yard is a litter with leaves. Zell’s were going to a pea field and glean where the picker had been and asked me to go along. We went but the rain last night made the field so muddy we didn’t do much. People had been going out & pulling up vines and getting quite a lot but we went at the wrong time – However we got about half a bushel and didn’t stay but about an hour. John & Mark are helping Mrs. Z. & Virginia hull peas now. We pulled up the last of our pea vines last night. We have tomatoe vines in bloom, also potatoes are in bloom. Mrs. Roberts called me to tell me Joe had had direct word from you, then in your letter today you mentioned hearing from him. She has been getting late mail recently. The storm kept me awake a while last night and I am rather sleepy – My eyes feel so heavy I think I’ll have to have a nap before the day is over. Mother has David and in the yard but it is about nap time for him. when he wakes me in the morning for his 6 a.m. bottle he is up walking around his bed. John has gone now to take a music lesson and it’s time to start lunch.

Love Mother

YEG1943-06 Dunlop Street house

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/08/27/wind-lightening-gladys/

Father’s Day (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
June 20 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Sunday and rain again. John has kept check on the rain on Sunday’s since Easter and this is the 8th Sunday. It rained on Easter and he wanted to see if there was anything to the old adage about rain for seven Sundays – I think he said today disproved that because this is the 8th. It hadn’t rained for a few days so I think this rain was beginning to be needed. However some of the farmers will need to replant corn because cut worms have ruined entire fields of corn around here. Washburn’s lost one field and everyone was so late in getting corn planted due to the continued rains. The cut worms

[page 2]  have kept Mr. Zell on the jump. He has helped us with our garden and the boys in turn help him around his place. They moved the lawn for him last week and Mark helped him plant late potatoes last week. I don’t remember you ever ridging potatoes in our garden, but that is his method so he run the garden plow thru our potatoe and J. & M. hoed up the ridges. Now they will help him ridge his. They haven’t a pressure cooker so I took our cooker over and helped her can peas one night this week. We didn’t raise enough peas to can but I have been buying canned peas each month with our points. I bought some canned pineapple last week – and a medium size can takes 24 points – or half of one’s ration points for a month.

[page 3] Oranges are 55¢ a dz. – but we don’t use many because David hasn’t been able yet to take orange juice and J. & M. don’t care for it all the time. I still give D. Vit. C tablets. I tried to give him juice one day this week and he threw it up. We have a Baby Care Manual that was given to me at the hospital and in it are listed the achievements of 3-6-9 & 12 mo. olds. We checked on D. and he can do some of the 12 mo. things – like walking around his pen. It doesn’t say anything about a baby standing up in the buggy  & holding on to the top. That’s one thing he has on the book. He tries to climb out of his play chair and got so I couldn’t feed him he was always twisting and squirming around and climbing over the side so yesterday I decided it was time to do something about the situation and I spanked.

[page 4] He cried and kept on so I spanked again – he cried a while then settled down and had his breakfast as nice as he should – now we have no trouble at meal times. John & Mark were both present at the time and both agreed it was the thing to do. They are both very much attached to David but agree he must be corrected when necessary. John said we corrected him when he was small and must do the same with David. J. & M. say they don’t want David to be a “mean little kid.” John is entertaining him now. He woke up too soon from his nap and has been a little cross and it’s getting near his 2 P.M. feeding.

I went to church this morning. Mother said she didn’t feel like going. It was getting cloudy when we got out of church and a few

[page 5] minutes after we came home it was so dark we had to turn on the light, such a black cloud in the north spread over and then it poured down for a while – now it just a steady sprinkle.

After our garden work yesterday we cleaned up and went to town – I told John it was silly for town people to go to town on Sat. nite – I wanted to get a gal. of wax – I got it at Childress – He had his office open but he wasn’t selling gas. We parked the car there. He closes every evening at 6 P.M.

I rec’d 18 letters last week – the latest being June 5 – Also the 100⁰⁰ ck – I paid the Ins. loan. At present I have a bal. of 189.70 but will have to pay ins prems. Next month $83.66 altogether, also have some other bills amting to 21⁰⁰ – However I will get 200 the first of the July & your Ins won’t have to be pd till after I get that – also will have to pay Link for the bicycle – The auto ins. will be due in Aug but will have two cks before it is due. David has had his vegetables and is asleep now.

Love – Mother

(over)

Just came from Arlene’s – she told me Marie Steinbaugh’s breast operation proved to be a very deep cancer – they took off her breast and cut into her arm. She will have to take radium treatments now – also Rosemary is in the hospital for an appendectomy – her baby is 7 wks old.

YEG1943-06 Dunlop Street house

© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/08/23/fathers-day-gladys/

Didn’t Get His Nap (Gladys)

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1943-06-19 #2Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
6-19-43

Dear Daddy – John & Mark wrote v-mails as Father’s Day greetings. I am going to send you another large picture of David as soon as it is finished – David didn’t get his nap out and was cross until after his 2 P.M. feeding – then I put him in his bed and after some play he has gone to sleep – wrong – he just began to sing – but we are all in the living room & he is alone in the nursery. Mark is at the piano trying to practice for another music lesson. He took one lesson before his tonsillectomy and is just getting ready to start again. He and John hoed and weeded some in the garden but didn’t finish so will go back this evening when it’s cooler. It hasn’t rained now for a few days and it’s hot today. I have been taking Bepron and Mother is taking it too and I believe it is helping her. I am feeling pretty good but take something off & on to keep fit. The heat wave last week-end was pretty hard on her. I have rec’d 10 letters this week – the last being June 5. Also got all three checks & paid the Ins. loan off. Had a letter from Glen and he wants your address – Someone he knows is where you used to be. Their baby is 5 mo. old and almost as heavy as David – but D. is heavy enough to suit me. He should weigh 20 lbs. by his 9th month. All is quiet now. David has gone to sleep – John & Mark are readying & Mother’s mending sox. It is nice & cool here in the living room with a good breeze through. Greetings for Father’s Day.

Love Mother

YEG1943-06 Dunlop Street house

© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/08/19/didnt-get-his-nap-gladys/

Father’s Day Gift (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
6-18-43

Dear Daddy –

A real hot summer day & no sign of rain. We are going our usual Fri. washing – Mark weeded carrots this morning after baking class – he made a spice cake at 4-H this morning. We are going to sow some carrots & swiss chard this evening. I think we will soon have potatoes to dig. Ours did very good. I have about a tub full of spinach to clean – I cut it off so we could replace it with the chard. John helped with the wash work – his big job is to mow and he has that done for this week. He is good help in the garden if needed.

We had David’s picture taken this morning. The photographer who always takes Jimmy’s picture came here and took the picture. Dorothy Schurtter brought Stevie and had his taken too.

[page 2] I would have liked to gotten the picture to you for Father’s Day but it won’t make it by then – however you can consider it a Father’s Day gift – which is this coming Sunday. I have mentioned it before but you may not get the letter.

I sent in the ck to pay off the ins. loan. It was $243.91 – that inclues Interest $6.36. So we will be rid of any kind of payment of that policy after I pay the last prem. due this month. Now to get that loan off mine and cut down more interest.

I got a bottle of Bepron and Mother is taking it. I think it is helping her. She seems to have a little better appetite & not quite so weak. She stays up all day but goes to bed early. I think it is better for her to keep going as long as she feels like it. She doesn’t do anything but it’s better than for her to be in bed all the time. I am taking the tonic too. I feel good but think it will help to keep me feeling good.

[page 3]I see in the paper that Jerry Sondergrath’s have another girl – Judith Ann. That was one I didn’t know anything about until I saw the paper. One of Leo’s girls is working in the bank and the second girl works in the garage office. Mrs. S. told me the girls didn’t like to work in the office for their Dad, but those girls are taught to do what their parents want.

–Had to stop & feed D. – now I had to change his pants and stop working on the spinach – We have all been out on the terrace working on the spinach. Took David’s pen out so he would be better satisfied – He climbs around in his buggy so much we can’t work if he is in it. John doesn’t eat spinach so I let him quit helping – He is going to town to mail letters.

Love Mother

YEG1942-06-18 David

© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/08/17/fathers-day-gift-gladys/

Gardening (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
June 17 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

No letters today but rec’d 8 Mon. and two yesterday. The latest date was June 5. The 100⁰⁰ ck. finally came. The letter you mentioned of May 16 hasn’t come yet. It was supposed to get here in a hurry. I got a permanent this morning – and not before I needed it. I went to the shop where the Kent. Const. Co. used to be. The operator takes only one person at a time and is very good in her work. Quite a relief to get work done in a place like that after the waiting one usually has to do elsewhere. I think several people around town have changed shops for that reason.

This being Thurs. afternoon the stores are closed. That doesn’t make much difference to me because I never have time to go to town every day. I like to work in the yard after the sun isn’t so hot – I worked one side of the shrubbery in

[page 2] front of the house yesterday but the east side was still too wet – It has rained so much this week I couldn’t do much hoeing. Mark is with Mr. Zell planting potatoes this afternoon. When it gets a little cooler I am going out & cut off the spinach & plant something else – maybe sow carrots. Also pull the rest of the radishes for something else. The radishes are all going to seed.

I scanned the Democrat for news items but didn’t see anything I thought would interest you. John is out with the lawn mower doing some edges he missed yesterday. David is out in his buggy – should be going to sleep but isn’t. Mother is with him. Mother has been under the weather since the heat wave last week-end and I am having her take Bepron – in case you haven’t forgotten – it’s Beef liver & iron – I am taking it myself. I feel good but think it well to take something once in a while to keep in shape.

Had a letter from your Mother – The boys down there are about thru planting corn. I think they are up here now.

I must go out and see about David.

Love – Mother

YEG1943-06 Dunlop Street house

© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/08/14/gardening-gladys/

 

Dr. Matthews & Dr. Cole (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
June 16 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

The 100⁰⁰ ck finally came – two letters May 12 & 13 came today. At that time you were not getting any mail but in the bunch of letters that came Mon. you had been getting some.

Mark and I went to Laf. with Arlene & Rosemary yesterday – I wanted to have Dr. C. look at Mark’s throat. He said it was in good shape – healed fine. I never saw Dr. C. look so haggard. He looked like he hadn’t had any sleep the night before. He always asks about you and usually talks some. Yesterday he did inquire about you but he didn’t say much else. He looked like he could

[page 2] hardly move.

Marie Steinbaugh is in the hospital for an operation on her breast. I suppose she had the same thing I had. However, it started paining very bad all at once and she went to see Dr. M. She said she wouldn’t go to any hospital but St. E. so Matthews sent her to Arnett. I think Dr. M. didn’t like it because I took Mark to Laf. for his tonsillectomy. I had been taking D. to Dr. M. for his shots. Its such a job to take a baby to Laf. and Dr. C. is so busy. However I went in & talked to Dr. M. about it and he said that it was perfectly alright for me to do that. I had to take D. in for his last shot last week and Dr. M. wasn’t very friendly – didn’t even ask about Mark – but this is the way I looked at the situation – I didn’t want to have it done in Matthews office because I would

[page 3] have to bring him home the first night and I didn’t want to do that. So if I offended I am sorry, because Dr. M. has been very nice to us. So much for that.

We had a session with the telephone co. this morning. The phone has been going blank while using it. So many times that has happened lately and this morning it wouldn’t even work. I sent John over to Zells to call in and it was supposed to be working. I made a call & while talking out it went – that time I went over to Zells and called in and asked them to please fix our phone. Then the service man got busy and at present it is in working order.

Now that the other check is here I will pay off the Ins. loan. I’ll have to write in and get the exact amount first, but that won’t take long.

Mark is building models this morning. We worked in the garden last nite and a good

[page 4] thing – It has rained so much the boys couldn’t do much weeding but yesterday evening it had dried off just enough so Mark and I got rid of a crop of weeds. Then last night it rained again so it’s too wet to do anything today. John should be mowing today, but he is waiting for the grass to dry some.

I saw Hilda Barce in Laf. yesterday. She said Ed isn’t in Kokomo now, but is on the move. Going from one recruiting station to another. Judge came Mon. and got the books you had, Ed had loaned you. He said he would bring them back.

Mother & David are out in the yard. He is getting sleepy. I just looked out and he is trying to climb over the side of the buggy.

It’s our chow time so must go see what we can collect together. I think I’ll have to use some meat stamp today – but we have plenty –

Love Mother

YEG1943-06 David #1

© 2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/08/13/dr-matthews-dr-cole-gladys/