2/13/39
(Monday night. About 10:00 P.M.)
Darling:
You were a very brave little girl and I do appreciate it. I’ve got that smile of yours tucked away where it must last me for some time.
Sat out in observation car and read the “Newsweek” and the “New Yorker” for some time. I suppose we are someplace in dear old Indiana now.
Johny can say what he pleases about advances in railroading. The noise in here is louder than the engine roar in a plane, and the vibration makes writing almost impossible. In addition to this, the check valve in the radiator is popping off. As for room, if one doesn’t get boffed off trying to navigate, one may walk to the observation car, but the tortuous passage has many hazards.
Baby girl, I miss you a great deal, but somehow I don’t have any fear of the future. We have gone through a period of almost unbearable self restraint. We have made most of our more conservative friends love and respect us. And most of all, we have regained our own self respect. Looking back from last April, I may have to blush a little. But looking forward from that time, I can safely say that we have every right to be proud. Never have I tackled a more complex situation and been able to handle it as well.
Perhaps the only explanation that I can offer is that I haven’t had to face my problems alone. Time years ago, when my life tempo was much slower, I could take my time making a decision, and usually made them rather well. After a while, the number of decisions increased, and I got behind schedule. I then relied on snap judgment, which I inherently got wrong fifty percent of the time. You know the things that that got me into. But recently I have had the rare privilege of consulting with one whose ultimate interests were co-incident with mine and whose integrity was above question. As a result I have been spared a million serious mistakes. I’ve frequently heard that what counted was “what a man did with his experiences, and not what they did to him.” I see the wisdom of this statement now. On this basis, with our mutually broad background we should get along famously in all respects.
We have at least four big jobs ahead of us, any of one of which is sufficient to swamp an average person. This means that two of us could be twice-swamped. But I’ve seen little evidence to indicate that either of us approached “average,” so I am not worried. Tonight is a climax to something most difficult. We have come through a great deal together and I feel that we can now over-ride any obstacle. Together, we apparently have the patience and the persistence necessary for conquest. I’m leaving my honey, but I’m getting closer to my wife. Well precious, let’s keep our eyes on the bright side while we work on the darker one.
I just doused the light and looked out. There was only one familiar item—an AIRWAYS MARKER BEACON. I guess I must be sold on slow travel.
If you can’t read this, I won’t take but half the blame. The rails are apparently made of hack saw blades, teeth upturned. The wheels must have about four flat spots each, and the engine has asthma. In addition, the coaches are coupled with rubber bands. The only difference between this and the C.A.B.E. is the distance to the whistle.
Well, Honey, don’t worry. I’m having a nice trip in spite of the Pullman Co. I’ll add to this in the morning. Nighty night. I’ll wait for you.
(Damn! They took up the rails along here and we’re rolling on the ties.)
CBS
P.S. I’m sleeping in gray p-j’s! you fished out for me!!!! What a coincidence—oh yeah.
Tuesday A.M. Precious:
I have just finished breakfast and I am full. Baked apple, milk, eggs (scrambled) and muffins did the trick.
You can rest in peace today as there are no beautiful women on board, and the “stewardesses” are male and a little dark.
I woke up this morning as we pulled into Pittsburgh—it is the most unpretty place I have ever seen. It even looks worse from the ground than from the air.
So far, I have seen no snow or ice. Just passed a stream with a bunch of wild ducks in it.
The night’s work-out apparently didn’t wear off any of the corners on this thing’s square wheels.
This is all mining country through here. For a while, even the soil was red. Don’t laugh, but it is the same coloring material, iron oxide, which is in your rouge and lipstick. We passed the Bethlehem Steel Works a while back. Also, and of more interest to you, we stopped at Johnstown, of flood fame. The Army Engineers Corps is working on the river in a couple of spots.
A few miles back we apparently passed out of the mining section, and it now looks more like the rolling hills of Maryland. If I stay out here, I have a lot of hiking to do. Well, Darling, I shall stop until more of interest passes. I’m going to write Bob Burke a letter and see if I can persuade him to hit some of the steel companies here for a job. Steel was his major at Purdue. Then would have only you to bring East. By-bye, baby girl.
11 A.M. What a dull trip. Next time I’ll walk. I think I shall close this and Air Mail it to the office, possibly from Harrisburg. Watch that cold, kitten, and take care of yourself.
Better get those books from Bill and hold them until I get settled. They are: A.C. Theory: Bryant & Correll; Principles of Direct Current (or something) Timbie & Bush
Lots of love, darling, and will write more later.
Your guy. Cy