A letter from 1951

Click on any of the pictures to read them better.

In this envelope, I found a letter my mom had written to her mother in 1951. She used to wallpaper people's houses, to make extra money.


In the first page of the letter, she tells all the work she's done before she leaves to paper somebody's house. She doesn't mention the fact that she and my dad were "Central", the switchboard operators for the community telephone company. A job that could be a handful, all by itself.

Here's what cracks me up, on page two: "I've been feeling so punk. Don't know if I'm tired, lazy, or sick."

Good grief, Mother. You've done more in that morning than I usually do in a week. You're tired!

And she had to mention fried chicken. Hers was the best. Actually, it was about the only meat we ever had when I was small. I got the job of plucking the scalded chicken. Wet, scalded chicken feathers... one of the more unpleasant odors I know of.

Oh, and I can't believe my mom wrote to Grandma and didn't even mention her darling, beautiful little seven-year-old daughter... me. Since she was so busy, I guess I'll forgive her.

Another letter from 1938

I'm not sure about the date my mom wrote on this picture; this letter is dated 1938, and Aunt Ruby is calling Gerald her baby; but if the picture is dated correctly, Gerald would have been six years old when the letter was written.

I sometimes refer to my 38-year-old daughter as "my baby", though; so who knows?

Here's the content of a letter to my mom from her sister, my Aunt Ruby, written in December, 1938. It just tore my heart out the first time I read it. This was before antibiotics, and you can see that she thought her baby was dying. I mostly used her spelling. See if you feel what I felt, reading this. By the way, my cousin Gerald is still alive and kicking. Before he was born, Aunt Ruby had lost an infant daughter to pnuemonia, which probably is the reason for her concern.

Rippey, Ia.
Tuesday nite

Dear sister Lola:
I was sure glad to get your letter today, Lola. You don't know how much good it done me. It's so dreadful lonesome so far from everyone I know and my dear baby so sick. He has pnuemonia. We have had the doctor twice. He is coming back.
Well now it's Wednesday morning. That's as far as I got when Gerald took suddenly worse. We worked with him till 10:30 then called the doctor back again. He has had convulsions and was out of his head, talked so crazy. He had pluercy and Lola he is still awful sick. The Dr. is coming back again today. Can you every realize how awful it's been. We never got stritened up even and in a neighborhood and don't know a soul. Even had to get a strange doctor. He's from Rippey & he sure seems nice. He has been so good every time he cam but what I want is my baby to get well. The Dr. says he is doing alrite but that it takes time. I wish I was close to some one I knew. Mrs. Hank has been up the last two nites & stayed with us but she has 2 little kids and can't stay away. Poor little Gerald is so sick I haven't wrote Mom yet. We are a mile from the mail box and I can't get away u no. But I thought maybe L (her husband, Lloyd) could go at noon and mail them.
Lola, Lloyd wanted me to tell you to be sure and not mention him not being well when you rite post cards because our mail is rite with theirs and they bring it when they get theirs so don't mention it ever on a card. I think he is improving but we can't think of anything now only our baby.
If little Gerald gets well that's all the Xmas L & I ask for. It is costing a heap but what's money. If you can't have your Lovin little babies so our Xmas won't be what it might. but just so Gerald gets well. I sure did wish for Dr Gunn. It just made me sick to call a strange Dr. but we couldn't wait to get one so far.
I'll be so glad to see you kids come up.
I will stop and send this to the box by Mrs Hunt. The Dr. came again while ago & Gerald is an awful sick boy yet. The Dr will be back again. I'll let u know when I can but u write and come.
Your blue sis
Ruby

These days Gerald is retired, and restores old cars as a hobby.

A letter from 1938

That's Daddy, Mother, and my Uncle Leo in back; and my sister and brother (from Daddy's first marriage... their mom died in childbirth). I didn't make the scene until five years after this picture was taken.

My mother kept a lot of letters and post cards written in 1938-39; it was a bad time for her. Her daddy passed away then, and I believe it was also around that period that she lost a baby boy full term. Maybe that's why she felt compelled to keep so much of the correspondence she received.

When I read these old letters, I'm made aware of how easy we have it these days. This coming recession is child's play compared to the 1930's. I don't know all the people Aunt Gladys mentioned in her letter, but it's still interesting. Especially if you read between the lines a little.

Jobs were scarce, babies died of pneumonia, and evidently turpentine was used to abort unwanted pregnancies. Let's count our blessings, shall we? I left the spelling pretty much as it was.

Oh, the "Jack" mentioned here is my brother; when my parents first married, Daddy's aunt had raised him from a baby and refused to give him up. They didn't get custody of him until he was a young teenager.

January 3, 1938

Dear sister Lola and family

I got your letter today and was glad to get it. Hope this finds you all OK. We all have a cold and I’ve got an awful sore arm. I opened a pimple on my arm with my fingernails and infection set in. There were one big sore formed as a boil. It broke and run, and now there are more places started. I keep my arm wrapped good with poultices. It isn’t swelled quite so bad but it hurts all the time. I guess I’d better cut my fingernails off and learn some sense. Ha ha. I got a little wee letter from Ruth today. Dad isn’t feeling very well and Sadie is trying to get the county to keep Jack as an orphan child and if she gets any money you kids can sure get him.

Raymond got him a job for 30 dollars a month. He will begin March the 1st. He is working for a neighbor now. The place where he got the job is 9 miles south of Clarinda. They are sure nice folks but I’m afraid Raymond won’t stay with it. He is awful dissatisfied. Wanda Lou and Roberta are sure growing. I’ll send you the dress length for Wanda Lou, and Roberta Mae’s is about 1 inch shorter.

Yes Lola the kids would be tickled to death to get the dolls. I don’t think they could have too many. The other day Wanda Lou was in her rocking chair and she had both of the dolls on her lap and she was singing to them. She stopped all at once and gave one a little slap and said If I had a dozen like you I don’t know what I would do. Ha ha. I thought that was a pretty good one. It is sure fun to see them play. I wish you could see them now. Wanda Lou is combing Roberta Mae’s hair and washing her face. Ozel and Marie was up last night and we made ice cream. Mr. Fisher gave us a 280 pound hog to butcher. It is sure good. Wish you were here to eat a leg. Tell Everett that Sad Cooke married Mary Williams. She married Carl Cooper and they got a divorce. She has 3 children.

Verda has been sick. She had a misscarry (more turpentine I suppose) If that’s what she done it’s no pity. I haven’t heard from Bill’s folks for a long time.

Paul and Opal has another child that is very low. They don’t think there is any chance for it at all. It has bronical pneumonia. It is sure bad.

Well Lola I’ll finish this and get it mailed in the morning. I’ve got to scrub yet this evening. I scrub every day and don’t seem like I can keep my floors very clean either. Ed Lacys are wanting a job up here. They might get one I don’t know for sure. I know dad thinks we are foolish because we don’t save our money but that’s all right. I don’t care what they think or say, do you?

Just as soon as we get you paid and Dr. Propst we are going to get us a radio like yours, and in the spring I’m going to get me two new rugs. I’d like to get a linoleum for the dining room and a second handed wool rug for the parlor. I’ve got the cutest bedroom if I just had something to put in it. But maybe we can get some more furniture some day. I’ll sure be glad when we get moved in the rest of the house.

Say, you ought to live down here this fall if Everett could get a job and you could run the switch board. They sure have a time getting someone that’s any good at it. They tried to get Marie to take it. They pay $25 a month. I’d sure take it if it wasn’t for the kids. Well Lola, I’ll close. Answer soon. We sure enjoy your letters. We’ll come up when we can and say if you make them little dolls I’ll send you the postage to send them when you get ready to send them. Good bye Lola and try not to be lonesome. I know it is terrible.