Tag Archives: Kentland

Too Much Noise Not Enough Music (Gladys)

: August 4, 1943 envelope

: August 4, 1943, p. 1

: August 4, 1943, p. 2

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
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/11/18/too-much-noise-not-enough-music-gladys/

August Finances (Gladys)

1 Reply

: August 3, 1943 envelope

: August 3, 1943, p. 1

: August 3, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Aug. 3 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

No letters today but had July 21 & 23 yesterday – Some more unusual weather we are having. It started to rain last night and it’s still raining today and much cooler – Before the rain it was hot. We have the doors & windows closed today so you know it’s cooler. I am glad for Mother it is cooler – She suffers so when it’s hot. Dr. Cole said yesterday to continue with the same medicine. She doesn’t seem to do anything much either way. Only on hot days she feels worse. With John gone this week it’s rather quiet around here and with the rain today the neighborhood all around is quiet. Mrs. James & Jimmy are back & so are Arlene & Bobby but so far Bobby hasn’t been around this week. He had a start of hay fever but as soon as Arlene got him to Green Bay it stopped. While Arlene was gone the Lubberty girls took care of Donnie – Sunday Theresa had him out and stopped here. He is the picture of Bill – He is still larger than David but D. has more hair. When they get together they take each others’ toys – not exactly exchange – if one takes a notion for the toy the other has he just reaches, grabs & pulls – the one that can pull the hardest wins. Of course since D. is in his cast he isn’t a match for Donnie. I believe Donnie will like to fight when he gets old enough. I think Bobby has taught him a few tricks.

[page 2] Sister J. said it wouldn’t hurt David’s leg for him to stand so I allowed him to pull up today and enjoy standing and did he love it. He sat some but that breaks the cast across his bottom so I try to keep him from doing that. I was surprised to see how well he handles himself with that cast on but it doesn’t bother him any. Margaret Kruman brought him a soldier doll from Culver – she said she didn’t know whether he could have a soldier’s doll or not. It’s about half as big as he is but he like to pound it.

I checked on our finances this a.m. Our present bal. is $455 – but I haven’t had a reply yet from the Ins. Co. so I am sure about 180⁰⁰ will come out of that bal. I went ahead & got the piano & hade a bal. of 188⁰⁰ to pay on it by Dec 1 but think I’ll clear it off before then – I pd. 100⁰⁰ on it and got 15⁰⁰ for the old piano but had to pay 6⁰⁰ on the hauling. I bought 7 – 18⁷⁵ bonds last month and will try now to keep buying one one a month. That makes a total of 21 – 18⁷⁵ bonds & 6 – 37⁵⁰ we have – and John has 2 – 18⁷⁵ – David 2 – 18⁷⁵ & Mark one 18⁷⁵ – The difference there is that Mark didn’t save his money & John did. I have car Ins. to pay this month and your Laf. Life pol. Comes due in Sept. and as soon as the Lbr. Co. gets coal in we should get a supply – I am no on the waiting list. Of course I won’t pay for coal until we get it – I haven’t been to town yet and our monthly groc. Bills will have to come out of the bal. above. If I see there will be a surplus I’ll buy bonds. I ate some sliced tomatoe at noon and feel a little itchy so I won’t eat any more if I can help it – and I think I can.

Love – Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/11/16/august-finances-gladys/

X-Rays (Gladys)

1 Reply

: August 2, 1943 envelope

: August 2, 1943, p. 1

: August 2, 1943, p. 2

: August 2, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Aug 2 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Yours of July 21 & 23 came today – I went to Laf. today to take David to Dr. Cole – He reinforced the cast around the top – He rolls around on it so much and has managed to sit and breaks the cast above the leg. He wanted an X-Ray – said he wanted to see how it looked after “mauling” around a week, so we went out to St. E. and Sister J. took and X-Ray and showed it to me – everything fine – There wasn’t anything really to get out of place, and there is a metal piece in the cast to hold it firm. I asked if it would be alright for

[page 2] him to stand and Sister said it would be. When Dr. Cole puts the cast on, she was helping and said to tell you “Quack” helped. I think I forgot to tell you that when I wrote from the hospital. Dr. Cole said he couldn’t stand or sit and he has done both. I am to take him down again next week. Mary Parttens went with me today. She is more or less worried about Ruth – In case you didn’t get the letter telling you about her – She was kicked by a colt on the hip, breaking her pelvic bone on both sides. She has been in bed six weeks and has two more to stay. She hasn’t been in any kind of a cast – while in the hospital 3 wks she was in a swing. Matthews & Ross have been taking care of her. Mary is wondering if she will be able to walk. I had to get Mother’s prescriptions refilled today – Bacillus acidophilus broth and another medicine to take after meals. She doesn’t seem to change much either way.

[page 3] Sister J. asked me if I had written you about David & I said yes – she thought I shouldn’t worry you with it – I said when you knew the extent of the break (a crack not half way across, at the angle of the femur) I didn’t think you would be so upset – Also he may be out of the cast by the time you get this – at any rate I am doing all I can for him. He really doesn’t mind the cast as much as an older person. He is just as active as ever – the only thing he can’t get around quite as well – and this is going on the second week – times passes quickly and it won’t take long until it’s time to take the cast off. Sister J. X-Ray’d him several times to be sure there were no other breaks.

Mark stayed home with Mother today so I brought him a new belt & 4 pencils. He tried to bake a cake while I was gone and it was a flop.

Lucile was out with Jimmy Ed yesterday – His exczema is about all gone. She suns him every day for about an hour but he isn’t nearly as tan as David. He is fair skinned. I’ll give you a financial report in next letter –
Love, Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/11/14/x-rays-gladys/

Smelled Rags Burning (Gladys)

3 Replies

: July 31, 1943 envelope

: July 31, 1943, p. 1

: July 31, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 31 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

The last day of July – The folks went home this morning and John went with them to stay a week. Mark and I have to take care of things. After lunch I was all set to take a nap but David insisted on staying awake and is still singing to himself, so thought I might as well write. Dad said he never had seen a better baby than D. He has been very good to have a cast on one leg. I am to take him to see Dr. Cole Mon. I put some fresh tape around on the cast this morning.

Had a letter from Ruthie. Floyd had a nail accident and had to have a tetnus shot and got a reaction from it. It got red and itched terribly. Ruth had a letter from Herschel Steiner.

No letters today but the 28^th got your of the 20^th Also have the big. ck deposited and bought 7 – 18⁷⁵ bonds to make one a month for this year.

[page 2] It is cloudy today and not so hot. It got so hot yesterday, Mother felt it so much. It is quiet around here today so I think she will rest better. There was a lot of confusion yesterday with everyone around & the piano coming. Ruth & Romaine left in the afternoon and Dad, Wilma, John & Mark went along so it was quiet all afternoon yesterday. This morning when Wilma got ready to leave she couldn’t find her coin purse – we haven’t found it yet. Thurs. after the folks arrived they put some things in the garage – among them a package of sheets Mom brought along so I wouldn’t have so many extra sheets with all the company – I told Mark to take a sack of garbage to the furnace I had put in the box by the door – well we couldn’t find the sheets at bed time – you guessed it Mark took the package of sheets and put them in the furnace. We all laughed about it – the best thing to do – besides buying new sheets which I will try to do as soon as possible. Dad was sitting in the yard and said he smelled rags burning.
D. has gone to sleep so think I’ll go try and get some shut eye.

Love – Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/11/11/smelled-rags-burning-gladys/

Grand Piano (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 30, 1943 envelope

: July 30, 1943, p. 1

: July 30, 1943, p. 2

: July 30, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 30 – 1943

Dear Daddy,

Fri. and no letters – but had several earlier this week and won’ be disappointed about none today & yesterday. Ruth & Romaine went home – Wilma, Dad, John & Mark went along – Wilma driving our car – otherwise Ruth & Romaine would have had to go to Chi. On the bus then down to Wilmington from there on the train – I talked to Ruth M. about getting the piano – she thought it was the thing to do so I had it brought up today – and they took the old piano back so you won’t need to worry about the old piano being in the garage when you come home. It is sitting in front of the French doors and looks very “grand.” I paid 100⁰⁰ down – got $15 for the old piano and had to pay half the hauling which cost me 6⁰⁰ – so I still have 185⁰⁰ to pay – I am going to pay the Ins. loan off when I get a reply to my letter and if I have enough

[page 2] left will finish paying the piano now. Your Mother stayed with David & I while the others went to Ruth’s. I fed David and thought he would go to sleep but he is still awake. We all agree he is very good to be in a cast. He just about manages to sit up and I imagine he will manage to stand before the cast is off. With all the rubber protectors taped on around the edges he is “smelling.” There was a little skunk in the movie “Bambi” called Flower – That was what Ruth said we would be called David before he got the cast off. Dad sat out in the yard with him this morning and would blow smoke to entertain him. David would laugh every time. Dad says he is the best baby he ever saw. He gave him his bottle last night. Mom, Dad, Wilma & John are going home in the morning. I don’t know yet how John will come home but they can take him to T.H. and he can go to either Laf. or Watseka.

Helen Washburn is home for a few days. She lives in Omaha, Neb. Now. I promised to take the baby down to see her tomorrow afternoon She wanted to know if you had seen Hickey.

[page 3] Funks have a camp at the Fair Grounds for the detasslers. Nick is managing the meals. The cooks are from the Frat houses in Laf. (By the way I think most if not all the Frat houses at Purdue have been taken over for Military.) There was a broadcast from the Fairgrounds today – Al Cast, Bill & Carl Funk & Mr. Zell all had talks to give – I don’t know what else I was too busy to know anything of the kind was going on and after it was over John said he knew about it. It was on the Dinner Bell hour. Nick just keeps their restaurant open certain hours now – so he can run the cooking out there. Bill wanted Krulls to go on a vacation with them. Dorothy said if they did they would just close up while they were gone, but so far they haven’t taken said trip.

I hear David still singing – He can reach up and get the bottom of the venetian blind and swing it. I wish he would go to sleep so I could catch a nap but he seems to be wide awake.

After the first of Aug. will give you a financial report.

Love – Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/11/09/grand-piano-gladys/

Company Arrives (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 29, 1943 envelope

: July 29, 1943, p. 1

: July 29, 1943, p. 2

: July 29, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 29 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Thurs P.M. – no mail this a.m. but have had up to July 20 this week so can expect a few days without mail. Again rec’d ck. and deposited – Bought 7 – $25 bonds and wrote the Ins. Co. for the amt. of loan due on my policy. Will pay that as soon as I get an answer. I think it’s just as well for you to leave the allotment as it is at present & send when you get an extra amt. on hand. I agree you should keep enough to travel on – I certainly would hate to think you had a chance to come home & no money to travel with.

Mark has D. out in the buggy getting some sun. Theresa Ann Lubberty had Donnie in his buggy and she and Mark are talking while the babies exchange toys.

[page 2] Dorothy came out to see D. yesterday – She asked me in a tone full of question if I had written you about D. I said of course, with all details. In case you have missed previous letters she popped off to me about the accident – casting the reflection I had been careless with him. I squelched her right in the start so she doesn’t say any more but from the way she acts would like to. I believe she can be the most unfair about things of than anyone I know. Well enough of that – You will wish I wouldn’t write if I don’t change the subject, but I hardly think she has a right to criticize anyone on child care.

I am looking for your Mother & Dad, Ruth & Romaine to come some time this afternoon. John is making a cake. He has made ice cream & squeezed oranges & lemons for the drink. Mark picked beans & dug potatoes. He brought the potatoes in dirty and I sent him out to the faucet at the east side of the house to wash them – he had the

[page 3] beans in the same pan and I just looked out & saw a pile of green beans on the grass –

Well the co. has arrived. Mom, Dad, Ruth, Romaine & Wilma. Wilma is going to take R. & R. to Wilmington tomorrow in our car. John wants to go home with Grandma so I think I’ll let him go – since Mark is planning a 4-H outing in Aug. My co. are all keeping me with green beans to can so must get the cans ready.

Will write more tomorrow.
Love Mother

Yegerlehner, John with unknown girls - c1934-1935

John with his cousins, Romaine and Wilma, mid 1930s

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/11/07/company-arrives-gladys/

Check Received (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 28, 1943 envelope

: July 28, 1943, p. 1

: July 28, 1943, p. 2

: July 28, 1943, p. 3

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 28 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Yours of July 17-18 & 20 (Thanks for all the compliments I need a few) so you can relax now about the ck. I’ll deposit it this a.m. and figure how to spend it to our best advantage. I think I’ll buy an $18.75 bond for each month so far and pay off the loan on my ins., then put keep enough on dep. to keep our bal. up to 100⁰⁰ and may yet try to buy the piano – I mentioned several times before. However I would like to start paying Ruth & Earl off it I can manage it. Rest assured I’ll try to be sensible about it and not spend any foolishly – I have thought about this piano business for a month and can’t decide what to do – if I could only get a word one way or the other from you. I wrote you about it some time ago so maybe an ans. will be coming thru one of these days.

[page 2] I got your first reply on Mother’s condition. She has decided she will go back to the hospital if it’s necessary – however I am hoping it won’t be necessary. She had a good night last night and it’s cooler today. We had a hard rain and hail that cooled things off yesterday. We were needing rain. The sun was so hot yesterday before the rain the flowers in the yard wilted. I hung sheets out to dry & they were ready to bring in in a short time – It was like an oven out in the yard.

I called your folks last nite & they are coming up Thurs & bring Ruth & Romaine this far. I also called Mrs. R. She doesn’t know yet where Joe is. I shudder to think what my telephone bill will be next time. I must have 8 or 10 calls on it and you know what they mean.

I have hit the jack-pot in letters from you this week – what makes me feel good is to hear you have our letters. I am anxious for you to get the last pictures I sent. Glad you finally got the box I sent in Jan. or Feb.

I must study-up something Mother can eat for lunch – that’s a problem now. Also it’s about time to take care of David

[page 3] Just in case my letters haven’t reached you I’ll repeat again about David’s leg. The femur at the angle was broken – not all the way across and he is in a cast up to his hips. Dr. Cole said he wouldn’t be able to sit but we found him sitting once yesterday. We were eating supper & he was in his bed – we kept running in to look at him and once John went in and he was sitting up in a corner. I don’t think it will hurt the bone but I imagine it wasn’t too comfortable. Hope you have my letters explaining all the details about the fall. David is doing fine and doesn’t mind the cast – he crawls around his bed or pen and plays as before.

John wants to go home with the folks for a week – Mark is booked to go to 4-H in Aug. & John thinks he should have another week too – He said Mark could do a little work around here if he went – I think I’ll get a lot more out of Mark if John is gone – Mark is a lot to “let John do it.” John’s voice is changing – Jim & Thelma noticed it while they were here. There has been so much going on around here I haven’t had time to keep up on outside news.

Love – Mother

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/11/05/check-received-gladys/

Third Day in Cast (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 27, 1943 envelope

: July 27, 1943, p. 1

: July 27, 1943, p. 2

: July 27, 1943, p. 3

: July 27, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 27 – 1943

Dear Daddy,

Yours of July 7-13-14-15-16 and 19 came today. I suppose the 17^th & 18^th will come along in a day or so. Of course the 17^th would be delayed. Jim & Thelma left this morning about 10:30. They are going to T.H. and leave their car & go back by train from there. I think it helped Mother for Jim to be here. I do hope she gets better. When she came up here she notified the Dept. so her pension could be transferred. They came out and wanted a budget so they could make a smaller amt. so I just told them to drop it. I talked it over with Jim & he agreed with me. He & Thelma both said they would help out any time we needed any money. I told them at present it isn’t necessary but should there be future hospital bills I would call on them if necessary. Jim is getting more now that he is a C.P.O. and should I need help from them I won’t hesitate to ask for it.

[page 2] This is David’s third day in his cast. He is doing fine. I took the top off his buggy so he can be taken out in the sunshine for his daily sunning. He is unusually good about it and so far eats as much as ever. I heard the 6 a.m. church bell & he heard it but I dozed off again & he played until almost seven – then I got up & gave him his bottle – glad now I didn’t have him entirely off the bottle – it’s much easier to feed him liquids from his bottle. I think he has gone to sleep now. I thought he would go to sleep much soon but he kept playing in his pen. In spite of the cast he can get around his pen when he wants to. He acted like he was going to pull up on his feet but Dr. Cole said not to let him do that. I had started to break him of sucking his thumb but I won’t try to do it for a while. He has a new tooth – not one of the upper front but the upper left next to the front – The front one next to it is about through – In fact both upper front ones are. I sent a bunch of pictures in yesterday’s letter and hope you get them because I think they are good – however as usual John jarred the camera when he took mine and it’s not so good. Dorothy has a bunch she took with her Kodak and I

[page 3] can’t get the pictures or the negatives so can’t send them. Maybe some day she will get around to getting them for me, but I am not going to ask her any more because I asked her for the negatives and she said she would have Jack Byrnes (the druggist) take them and that’s the last I have heard of them. Dorothy probably is a little peeved at me but I don’t need to do any explaining about her to you. I feel like I have done all I can to keep things straight but I don’t feel I should be reprimanded by her. I told you all about it is yesterday’s letter & hope you have it or get it. I stay home and try to be a good mother to our children (sometimes I wonder how good I do) and I don’t leave them to run around & play cards or do anything else and because of an accident that happens while I am right here, I hardly feel she has any right to tell me I am careless with David. I guess that’s enough of that – I am going to forget it – I have decided as Arlene said the other day you can pay any attention to what people say.

Had a letter from Ruth M. She is in C.C. and Mom suggested she & Dad bring Ruth

[page 4] and Romaine this far and they could go on the bus to Chi – then down to Wilmington. She wanted to know if it would be alright, or if I though company would be too much on Mother – I am going to tell them to come on. When she wrote she hadn’t had time to receive the news about D. I wrote to your mother, Ruth & Ruthie Sunday when I wrote you.

I told you in yesterday’s letter the boys had letters from you but it was from Comdr. Fredericks – two 4^th menu’s and a note written on each noet menu – one for J & one for M. Do you know what he wrote to them? He certainly thinks you are “O.K.” Now beat your chest some more – If you pound it every time I tell you to you may have some knots raise up –

It is hot & humid today. We washed all the white things – Have to keep sheets washed. Tried to buy sheeting in Laf. last Wed. and Loebs didn’t have anything but unbleached. I did buy two ready made ones. Don’t have much washing for D. now but diapers. With the cast on one leg and around his hips I don’t put clothes on him – It seems a shame to have all that cast one for such a tiny break. Jim took some pictures and if he ever sends them I’ll send them on to you.

Love,
Mother

©2014 copyrighted owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/11/03/third-day-in-cast-gladys/

Hospital Trip (Gladys)

2 Replies

: July 26, 1943 envelope

: July 26, 1943, p. 1

: July 26, 1943, p. 2

: July 26, 1943, p. 3

: July 26, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 26 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Home with David from the hospital – He is doing fine. I asked Dr. Cole about the break this morning & then went up to X Ray & looked at the pictures. Dr. Cole said it wasn’t a bad break – I’ll draw a picture at the end to show how small a thing it was. However small it still has to be in a cast. I wrote you all the minute details yesterday and hope you get the letter. I supposed the first thing people would say that we were careless and you might know the first one to say anything was D.K. She called shortly after we came home today to inquire about David and right off started to tell me what she would do to me if she ever caught me letting children handle the baby again. I was tired from two restless nights and two days in the hospital standing over David trying to keep him quiet and in no mood to take any scolding from anyone and especially from her, so I told her right off it was an accident and we weren’t careless with D. and everyone sorry it

[page 2] had happened – the main thing now is to get the break mended which it will no doubt do in due time. Dr. Cole said to bring D. down in another week for him to see. I am enclosing a picture of Virginia with David. She feels so badly about it. She baked a cake & brought it over this afternoon. She is a nice little girl. She has two younger sister – one three years old. She is so used to handling children was the reason I would let her hold David – She is the same age as Mark and he is used to taking care of David. I wouldn’t allow Betty, who is seven, to handle David any. As I said yesterday none of the children handled him much because he played in his bed and pen a lot. The children would often push him in the buggy, but as much as they wanted to hold him I always reminded them we didn’t want him spoiled – (too much).

Yours of July 5-6-8-9-10 came today so that was a lift – I got a kick from yours telling me to spank D. He had has been getting some correcting – I don’t want him to be “rotten” when you come home – or any time. I’ll admit I was a little low and I needed a few letters from Navy 60. The boys got letters too but haven’t had time to read them

[page 3] You mentioned money in one of your letters rec’d today – I was trying to figure out how much you get a month now but haven’t quite figured it yet. Our bank acc’t is low now but the Ins. loan is paid and all bills. I am still trying to figure a way to get the piano I mentioned. I suppose I shouldn’t think about it but they are so hard to find and this one is in first class condition. I’ll let you know what I do. As I said I probably won’t get your reply until after I have decided what to do.

Mrs. Washburn came up this afternoon to see David – That family has the breaks too. She can’t get over how much fuss John & Mark make over David. John said they were so much in love with D. because he looks like you. Adding that David is the best looking baby & you the handsomest man – Beat your chest.

Jim & Thelma came about 9 P.M. yesterday. They came to the hospital to get me today. They have to be back Thurs. eve, so will have to leave here tomorrow. Jim’s new uniforms are very good looking. He first got his when the new color came out but he says he can use it another year yet. I’ll do my drawing on the back.

Love –
Mother

Virginia Zell holding David, July 1943

Drinking Cream (Gladys)

1 Reply

: July 24, 1943 envelope

: July 24, 1943, p. 1

: July 24, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
July 24 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Another day without any mail – but probably will get a load Mon. Haven’t had any now for several days – the last was of July 11. It is warm again today and a little cloudy so we may get rain. Have clothes hanging out on the line. It is past noon and we haven’t had lunch yet but I was a little tired and thought I would rest a bit then would feel more like eating. Fed David at 11: and sent Mother’s tray up a few minutes ago. Someone she knew in T.H. had stomach trouble and a Dr. there had this person drink cream. She wanted to try that so I got cream this morning. I haven’t much confidence in it but will give it a try. Jim & Thelma are to be here tomorrow so maybe she will pick up a little.

[page 2] I sent John down to the basement with the kitchen waste basket & he has come up so I imagine he is getting hungry. He usually has a good appetite.

I went to town this morning and bought meat for our company. I was in Ford’s yesterday – They had dressed chickens – I asked the price – 57¢ a lb. – I got steak – it’s a little cheaper – 50¢ lb. If I had wanted chicken enough would have gotten one on foot & dressed it myself. I got bananas 16¢ a lb. – apricots 37¢ lb. – That gives you a fair idea about the cost of groc. I won’t buy any more apricots. One thing now we don’t have to buy potatoes & green vegetables.

David is fussing a little but it’s time for him to take a nap. He stood along about a second yesterday – He is a little afraid yet, but more daring than J. & M. were.

The clock just struck 12:30 so must get out to the kitchen & get something ready to eat.

Lloyd Tilton is home on furlough. I am going to try & collect what he owes us, thru Geo.

Love Mother