Year: 1939

5/3/39
Darling:
I wonder how long I can hold out on the letter every other day business? I doubt if it will be long (10 minutes), although it probably will be better if we do it that way. I don’t know what I would do without one from you every day, so if this is too tough, we’ll say “to hell with the postman,” and I’ll write every day. I write every day anyhow, but I only mail them once every other day.
Fine business on the shorthand. Once learned well, it will be worth a good deal to you. I’m glad to hear that Fritz called when he got in. He’s nuts. I look keen. The light was just bad. I haven’t heard from Doc Maynard yet, but shall seem him when it’s convenient for him, and let you know how healthy I am as soon as he tells me.
I get a vacation this year. It will be the first week in August—July 30 to August 5th. I only get one week this year (with pay), and the date is set since the entire plant closes down that week. I can’t get over it. Of course, if hell should pop loose on some of the contracts, I might not get it, but that is a chance I have to stand. The chances of not getting it at that time are slim.
“Midnight” was a good show, although I am yet lost without you. It just doesn’t seem to be half as pleasant, no matter what I am doing.
I got a nice letter from Chucky yesterday, along with Mother’s. I hope he gets into the habit of answering his mail, for it is a grand hobby.
This month we’re even. I have a back ache too. In fact, after yesterday’s baseball, I ache all over. But it is a grand feeling to have again, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Lack of exercise is probably the only thing wrong with me.
On second thought, because of the vacation notice, I shall mail this today. Don’t say anything to the folks for they would want me to plan to be out there, and we may have better plans. I may mention it later after I figure a good out for any suggestions.
Take care of yourself, little girl. Your husband, Cy.

5/8/39

Baby Girl:

I hope that you got my “special” sometime today, and also that nothing is wrong, as I haven’t heard from you since Saturday morning.

It was sweet of you to drop me the line on the progress of the project that we both hold nearest to our hearts just now.

Boy! When summer arrives in this dump, it arrives in no uncertain terms.  Friday, it started to warm up, and it has been 90 and better ever since!  Add to this a humidity of 75% and you have a nice little stew pot for all of the people.  Thank heaven hot weather doesn’t bother me like it does most people.

I played 16 innings of baseball on Saturday and had great sport.  I even picked up a little tan.  Until the sixth inning, I did a bang up job of catching, but then I blew sky high and made four errors in one inning.  You would have gotten a big kick out of seeing me in my baseball cap—squatting behind the plate and trying to keep up a line of chatter to keep the infield on their toes.  That’s the only thing I do well—talk.

Sunday brought out a show, Dodge City, and a stage show with Ella Logan and Hugh Herbert.  The picture was excellent, and the stage passable.  Uncle Hugh and his “woo-woo” were most interesting.

Darling, why aren’t we together.  I feel like a rotten spoiled brat asking that question, but I’m pretty fed up with being a bachelor.

I can’t make connections with Aiken’s friend, so I shall have to look up another doc around here.

Is the 15^th soon enough for the $10?  You haven’t answered yet, and I don’t want you to do anything foolish for lack of it.  I have it in savings and can get it sooner if you need it.  If you have already answered this, just forget it.

It’s time to quit, precious.  I have to meet Al tonight and I don’t feel in the mood at all.  Be a good little girl and take care of yourself for me, because I want you very badly.

Your little boy, Cy.

5/9/39
Precious:

I wish you were here to cool me off. I am sitting here with little but pants on, hot as hell, and swearing a blue streak. You could slice up the air and carry it out like paving bricks.

Darling, it isn’t fair. In the past two weeks, I have sent out all but $5 of what I have saved in the past three months. If I had sent even a small part of it to you, I wouldn’t have minded, for that is a privilege and a pleasure. But you are only getting 1/8th of the total, and that is all wrong. I almost feel like I did once before when every cent I owned was borrowed for worthy purposes. I spent every penny I earned for months afterward. Honey, I won’t do that now, because the money is no longer mine. But I wish to hell people would get it into their heads that I am going to get married soon and need my dough a hell of a lot.

Now that I have raved all over the place, I suppose I should explain myself before you get the idea that I am perturbed over the $10 I am sending you on the 15th. Dad just hit me for $25 for rent and other essentials. I suppose I am lucky not to have the entire burden, but I’m getting damned sick and tired of being money bags for the family. I don’t really feel that badly about it, for I know that none of them ever ask for a nickel until they need a dollar, but it does upset me to be just about ahead and paying myself out of debt and have this pop up. The thing that hurts most is having to miss a check to John. Darling, we’re going to come out on top and start our married life with a bank account if I have to move heaven and earth to do it. But if it is the last thing I do, never let me tell anyone again how much I make. It is too much of a temptation.
Well, let’s forget that. I wish that I was sending you a thousand rather than a damned ten. I shall send it five dollars at a time spaced a day apart. Please let me know when you receive them so that I won’t worry about their being lost in the mail. I don’t want to put any money orders on record.

Saw “Confessions of a Nazi Spy” with Al last night. It was propaganda, but interesting. Also started reading “With Malice Towards Some”, which is funny as the dickens.

It is late, darling, and I must hurry to the post office to draw out almost all of my savings to save the dear old family. Just remember this little picture darling when I am in the prime of life and we start spending as much as I earn. I hope to heaven my kids never have to face this situation.

You’re mine precious. Beware of Romans bearing gifts, or something. In other words, after everything is all over, warm up to your Mother, for I feel that she is perfectly willing to forget wpk any old day. But until then, be careful as hell. She may be friendly just to find out your plans and spike your guns.

I miss you like the dickens, but I guess we’ll make out ok soon. Don’t let this little tirade worry you, for just being able to talk it over with you has made me feel better all ready.
Your husband, Cy.

5/10/39
Darling:
Three times a week, say I, so I write to you every day. Let’s see if I can’t turn out something more delectable than that funereal dirge of yesterday.
Everything went along swell today. I found a couple of boidies* that I have been trying to isolate, and more astonishing, I found ways of eliminating them. Yes, precious, your little boy has a lot to learn, but he is gradually getting into the swing of things.
Our team played at baseball today, but since the score was 23 to 13 against us, I shan’t say that they played. Of course, I should explain that they got the lead before I went in, but that wouldn’t be fair. I only fielded two balls in the five innings that I played. I was stuck out in center field where I couldn’t do much harm.
The old boy here, Mr. Brooks, isn’t doing so well. I shouldn’t be surprised if he passed on the way in a couple of months. It shall be unpleasant, but for the best all around.
Having only had a lettuce and tomato sandwich for supper, I am going to play hooky and go over to Philly for dinner. One way to make me feel good is to play hard and then eat heavily, after a bath and a suitable lapse of time. I shall be only half of this tonight for I didn’t have the opportunity to play hard and the old state of the exchequer won’t permit the heavy eating.
I received a great shock today. I actually had a chance to use some material which I learned in college! It was amazing, as it was the only equation I remembered from a course which I nearly flunked! I’m afraid to look it up for fear I didn’t remember it correctly.
Baby girl, it can’t be much longer. I’m just spoiling for a little girl back home. I sure do wish she was going out to supper with me tonight.
Pohle’s, the tea-room of which I am so fond, has closed. I have known it for some time. The same people have one a couple of miles from here, so when you come out, we can drop in on them. Among other things, my gastronomical guardian angel is getting married to a young doc in town this spring, and they might be an interesting couple to know, as they seem to be our kind of people.
It’s time to stop and get some supper. Two hours of baseball on a sandwich isn’t such a hot combination.
Your husband, Cy. XXX—more where this came from.

P.S. I sent Mother a screwy card for Mothers’ day & didn’t dare sign your name too. The enclosure is the first M. Day present you have gotten I presume. Have a good time on it, precious girl!

*I think “boidies” is Cy’s way of saying “birdies” with an east coast accent, and I presume he’s referring to a problem he solved at work, i.e. killing a couple of birds with one stone, for example?