St. Paul, Minn.
May 17, 1943
Dear Myron,
Your welcome letter came some time ago and
I am a little tardy in answering because the letters and cards have been
so numerous from over-seas that it keeps me humping to keep up with it.
I think I received about 24 cards and several V-mail letters from George
in the past ten days and Bob wrote about 5 letters. The mail from
England has been reaching me six and eight days after it was written.
I begin to think the British must have a long range gun which they use
to shoot the mail over here, it comes so fast. Bug wrote in a letter
to Rosemary and received by her on Saturday of last week, that he was sending
his watch home to be fixed and Monday morning I received the watch, eight
days after he mailed it. The letter came six days after it was mailed.
In comparison to that speed, my letters to England have been a very long
time on the way. George received the first part of May a letter I
wrote the 10th of March and altho' it was a V-mail it was sent in its original
form. I have written four or five letters to Evelyn and up to May
1st, she had received none of them. It is a mystery to me where they
could go as I sent them air mail at 30 cents per half ounce which should
have insured their going Clipper mail. She must think I don't want
to write to her unless she takes my word that I have written as I have
told Bob in my letters to him. Her father and mother each wrote me
a very nice letter and I answered them and hope they will be lucky enough
to get the letters. From their letters I imagine Evelyn has a very
nice father and mother. Bug writes that he likes Mr. Humphrey very
much and that he has a fine sense of humor, which of course would appeal
to Bug. Mrs. Humphrey, Bug says is a bit on my order when it comes
to dishing out the food. George seems to have taken full advantage
of the generous hospitality of the Humphrey's and is glad he can get into
a home for a change from camp life. Evelyn's young brother Ray is
somewhat of a scamp and Bug says he can lick any kid in the neighborhood.
He and Bug are pretty good friends and Ray is very proud to have two American
soldiers at his house. He didn't take kindly to Bob at first because
he said that before Bob came around Evelyn used to take him to the movies,
but now she didn't know he was around. (Just went out to see what
the mail man brought me, there were eight cards from Bug, the last sent
May 6th, and today is the 17th). George evidently writes a card every
day now. I am sure glad to get them, the oftener the better as far
as I am concerned. Here we go down hill again. This invariably
happens when the bottom of the page looms up. I will have to ask
Rosemary how to remedy this condition. [Referring
to the typewriter she's using]
In one of George's letters he told us he was
to go to london to be secretary to a colonel and was to have been on the
job the Monday after Easter but later a card informed us there had been
some impediment to his leaving and it would be ten days before he would
be on his way. Up to the 6th of May he was still in the old place
but may have been moved since. That should be a good job and would
give him the opportunity to be with Bob oftener and to get to many places
of interest to him as a history student and to many forms of cultural entertainment
not available in army camps. He was lamenting the lack of the knowledge
of shorthand but maybe he will be able to get along without it. I
do hope the delay in his going doesn't mean the job was given to someone
else. It would mean a promotion, so Bob tells us and of course Bob
was delighted to be going to have Bug so near him. It would also
insure Bug's being best man at the wedding. I am waiting anxiously
to hear that George has at last reached London and is on the new job.
Yours Sincerely
Mrs. E. L. Martin
Evelyn's address is-- Miss Evelyn M. Humphrey
Just in case you want to let her know the bum she is marrying or to
congratulate her on same. No wedding gifts to be sent over there.
The wedding is to take place the 5th of June
at St. Frances de Sales Church in London and the bride will be all decked
out in white satin gown and veil. They will honeymoon in Cornwall,
a very pretty place according to Evelyn and one place Bob has not been
to in his treks around England. Evelyn's brothers were evacuated
there during the big blitz. The 15th and the 16th Evelyn was to spend
at Malvern with Bob to attend a V for Victory ball given for the benefit
of something or other. Bob said she was to wear a pink formal and
he knew she is going to be belle of the ball and he thought he would have
to carry a club. He certainly is in love with the gal. He never
has told me whether she is going to continue to work or if she is going
to be with him where he is stationed. He says she can cook and sew
and is a wonder in more ways than one. You better find yourself one
of these "wonders" and join the ranks of the benedicts too. Or are
you going to stay single and sit around and laugh at the rest of your friends
when they are quarantined with the measles or worse and can't get out for
one of the poker sessions? George says he had a very humorous letter
from Bill which afforded him no end of laughs and amusement. I guess
Bill could put out something in that line to perfection. Haven't
seen him for a long time. It must be pretty near time for another
daughter to be appearing on the threshold of the Emerson manse, don't you
think ?
I had a letter from George Knoll in which he
was crabbing the high price and poor quality of the whiskey in Waco.
Told Santa to have a snorter on him. Art hasn't had any letter from
him since he left. Now how do you like this D--- typewriter.
Talking about whiskey must start the paper down hill. I suppose George
is busy writing all his letters to Marion and I hope to his mother.
I felt so sorry for Mrs. Knoll the day George went away. I had gone
to the depot but missed seeing George because one of the callers gave me
a bum steer. I then went up town and later when I went to wait for
a street car there was Mrs. Knoll waiting too. I had walked down
to Sibley St. to get the car and then I saw her there. I asked her
if she was just coming from the depot and told her I had been down there
but was told that train was gone. She was just coming from the depot
she told me. I couldn't get over the fact that she was all by herself
after going through what must have been a terrible ordeal to her, seeing
her youngest son off to war with the knowledge that it might be the last
time she would ever see him. It meant more to her I suppose because
George was certainly closer to her than any of the rest because he had
been with her the longest and I believe was more considerate of her than
any of the rest, altho' I think Lil is pretty good to her. The thought
that she was left to go back home all by herself to be alone with her grief
made my heart ache for her. After rearing seven children under great
difficulties and then at this age of her life to show her no more consideration
than they did on this occasion seemed to justify the statement that children
are soon forgetful of what their mother has gone through to rear them.
Especially in Mrs. Knoll's case. It seemed funny some one of them
could not have accompanied her home or have invited her to one of their
homes for supper and helped to ease what I know from experience she must
have been going through after bidding George Good-bye. "Taint funny
McGee".
We were at Mrs. O'Donnell's yesterday for dinner
and saw for the first time the Nachtsheim baby. Ruth came home just
after Easter and plans to stay a couple months if Henry doesn't get too
lonesome. He is coming for ten days Wednesday. The baby, so
every one says is 100% Nachtsheim, therefore not being a pretty baby.
But she is a very nice baby, healthy and bright and her looks will change
so quickly it isn't worthwhile to worry about who she looks like.
Ruth being the apple of both her Ma's and Pa's eyes makes it a little difficult
for them to admit that there are babies around (and to be born) who outshine
their Pat's baby in looks. I have never seen Katherine's new baby
which is only two weeks older than Ruth's, but I am told she is a very
pretty baby. And here's hoping "Mike" will be better looking than
all of them. The A Martins are expecting "Mike" in the first part
of June. Cathy will have to play second fiddle when the new baby
arrives I suppose but it will be pretty hard to displace her in our affections
for she is certainly very dear to us and no matter how many there may be
each one will find a similar place in our affections. Cathy is getting
so big and talks so much you would be surprised if you could see her now.
She is beginning to take note of the nice things people say about her,
which irks Mary no end. Someone in the grocery store said she had
pretty black eyes and upon returning home she said to Art, "I have pretty
black eyes Daddy". Last Sunday (Mother's Day) Art called for Mary
at church and Cathy greeted her mother in French and handed her a package.
Yesterday Art and Cathy called for Mary at church and when she was getting
into the car Cathy said, "No package today Mommy". She has a remarkable
memory which I believe her mother and father have helped to develop by
teaching her so many poems and stories which she knows by heart.
She must easily know a hundred rhymes and songs by heart. She recognizes
different musical compositions now too. Art thinks this is about
tops for a child her age. Of course, Mary says Art thinks she is
a wonderful child Prodigy and falls for all her antics. I am going
to have her with me when Mary is in the hospital and would like to keep
her for a while after Mary gets home, but I am afraid that will be a hard
thing to do when she knows there is a baby at her house. Kaiser has
nothing on the O'Donnell girls when it comes to production, if you get
what I mean.
Gerry graduates from St. Joseph's on the 4th
of June and will go to St. Katherine's next fall (I hope). She has
a small part in "Midsummer Night's Dream," being put on by the senior class.
Gerry doesn't worry much how things go and marks high or low in her school
work never perturb her. She just takes everything in its stride and
worries about nothing. A good book and a place to curl up and take
a nap are the only two things Gerry asks of life except for a small portion
of food occassionly. I suppose she will fare just as well as those
who get hot and bothered about everything. She doesn't know yet what
she wants to take up for her life's work, but I'm betting that whatever
it is it will involve a minimum of work.
Rosemary is well pleased with her work and
is now getting around $155.00 a month. She is in the office her father
was in before he went on the road as Travelling car service agent.
She has donated two pints of blood to the Red Cross so far and does some
kind of civilian defense work. When I kid her about being an old
maid she says she certainly doesn't want any of the 4 Fers who are at home
now and after the war maybe she can catch a fellow. She seems
to have a pretty good time without a man. Gerry is decidely not
interested in the boys.
Bob has been recommended for a first lieutanant's
rating and George tells me there is a very good chance of his getting it.
If he does he may be moved and will do less technical work, more on the
order of the work he did with the CTC. He is and has been since taking
up his commision with the US Army, been on detached service with the RAF.
He has sure had the life of Riley over there and not long ago he was asked
to tea at the home of Sir Stanley Baldwin. The old boy showed him
his gardens and estate and Bob says he is still very spry for his 79 years.
He was much surprised at Bob's knowledge of the country's history round
about his place and added a great deal to what Bob already knew.
He sat next to Lady Baldwin at tea and she told him a very dear friend
of hers used to send her tea and chocolate every month. But he died
and she could not look forward to that pleasure anymore. Bob told
her that was very thoughtful of her friend to do that and she replied,
"Yes, Mr. Morgan was a very fine man." Meaning of course J P Morgan.
Bob says "that shook me." He has attended many teas in the homes
of lords and ladies. He says an officers uniform and especially those
in the kind of work he was doing gives you Entree into the beat places.
Bob certainly gets around.
I want to thank you very much for your picture. It is very
good of you. I note you are now a corporal upon which I must congratulate
you. You must be well fed for you have that well-fed look in your
picture. I talk to your sister in Schuneman's once in a while and
she told me you are coming home for a visit in June. I hope you will
come to see us then.
My better half was gone out west all last week
but expects to be in town most of this week except for a day or two in
Duluth, maybe. He likes his new job as well as ever and is glad he
passed up the one in the car office. Keeping the cars moving and
in the right directions with the right cargoes is keeping Pop pretty busy,
but he likes it.
I have been at this the better part of the
morning so had better quit and get something done. The weather is
so wintry-like the past weeks a day like today is rare. The sun is
shining and I think it may be warming up a bit. Art is coming over
to help me garden tomorrow, the weather permitting. Trusting you
will pardon all errors in typing, grammar, spelling and other things I
will say Good-bye for the time being. Will be glad to hear from you
whenever you may find time to write. Thank you again for the picture.
64 Flexmere Road
Tottenham N 17
London, England.