Dear Daddy – The Farm Letters

Dear Martha, Ruth and John,

I received your nice letters last night and you don’t know how thankful I am that you got home safe and that you found everything in good shape. I would of wrote so you could of got this today If I had been home but Fred asked me to go out to the farm as we were both marked off. We left here at 9:10 Thursday night and came back last night. I milked 3 cows night and morning and stacked hay most of the day besides, besides riding to Lakeville with Fred after groceries and after that Fred took his nephew and 2 other boys to Crystal lake swimming. The lake is 11 miles from the farm. We had lots of fun but the water felt cold. 3 of us only had our shorts on as bathing suits but there were no ladies present.

I had a night run on 34th-North Bryant tonight, 7:03 till 12:53. Today I got my hair cut and took some shoes to be fixed, after I got home from that I made a batch of cookies like you made and a sour cream cake. They all turned out good except the cake I had in the mess kit fell a little.

Oh say if you haven’t all ready found the soap it is in the box with the dishes and the screws for the table are in the tin box of tire patches in the tool bag. Try and keep the car in the shade as much as possible for the hot sun is bad on the tires and top. You might even throw something over the tires that are in the sun most. Don’t be afraid to buy plenty of eats and anything I can get cheaper here I’ll be glad to send it to you

As I was milking the cows yesterday I was wishing you folks could have been here too. They gave me a 2 qt. jar of milk to bring home so we have been drinking heavy today. I am sorry ice is so high but here we have to have it. Its terrible hot today but it looks like rain. I am glad you had rain there and the garden is coming so good.

Well sweethearts I must stop and get ready for work. Lots of love to all from Daddy.

Write often

P.S. Dearest girl I know why you were so upset so just forget it. I love you very much and hope you like me a little.

Better send all the books back right away and I will send you some more.

Dear Martha,

I received another letter from you today. I am always glad to hear from you and it answered a question that was bothering me. That was if you had the car on 4 legs again. I answered your question about what to do only the more I think about it the more I think you should come Thursday so as to be sure to make it and have a little time to shop altho money is scarce but we always get by (don’t we?). Say sweetheart I can’t hardly wait to see you and the kiddos and the Pup. Tell Ruth I have her order filled and I have something nice for John.

Today has been just terrible, the radio said 100 when I got home at 4 this afternoon. I worked a one-piece day run on Bloomington. I am glad you got the rain for it is going to be a life-saver for us to get the garden stuff and some grain. Things look pretty tough for a lot of folks. They are burned out in the Dakotas and some of the other wheat states. Wheat is over $1.00 a bu. now.

Well I think I gave you all the instructions you need for the trip, just be careful, and leave the car in a place in Camden so you can tell me where to get it and leave Mitzi in the car as you can’t take her on the street car unless she is in a box. Be sure to lock things up on the farm and have tools and things like that put away. Bring the car keys to the room here with you.

Well Martha I will try to send you one more letter before you leave. So by-by with lots of love to you and the youngsters from Daddy

Dear Martha, John and Ruth,

I was marked off again today and I have spent the whole day at the house working. Jack left for home last night and won’t be back until Sun. night so I am alone. This morning I slept till about 8 o’clock then got up and had an orange and toast and coffee for breakfast. After I did the dishes I went to the store and got 5 wooden boxes and I took down the big books from the shelf in the closet and packed them all away nice. I took all the mittens, mufflers, wool stockings, underwear, my winter cap and all the overshoes and after brushing the things I packed them in a clean wood box and I sprinkled smoking tobacco thru them so the moths would not bother. Then I went thru the things in the trunk and found them O.K. Next I swept the floor and got myself some dinner which was warmed potatoes, sausage, radishes, coffee, bread and honey. After that I washed up the floor, made up my bed, and washed dishes again. Then my package of clean clothes came so I took out part of them and put the rest away nice in the chiffonier and took a bath and put on all clean clothes and here I am now writing to you folks and its 5 o’clock and about 80 in the shade.

I thought this morning we would get a nice shower but only got a few drops and its cleared up again. Oh say, I also straightened up our things in the basement and gave the gas stove a genuine cleaning so now everything is in order. I needed more towels so I bought 3 yds. of toweling and cut it in the middle but guess you will have to hem them as I don’t know how to work your sewing machine. I sure hope you have rain so we will have a lot of garden things, for my work looks pretty punk but there are lots of others in the same fix.

I found our two big flags so I’ll bring them along for the 4th. My but I can hardly wait till I can see you and the children. Are the children tanned and how’s John’s freckles. Do they show on his nose? Tell him if they do I am gong to kiss every one of them. I have quite a few mosquito bites on my arms and neck from my fishing trip and also some sun burn.

(7:15 o clock)

I have just been to the Station and have a nice 2-piece day run on Selby tomorrow and I have been to the Bus depot. The bus leaves here at 12:10 noon and gets there at 6:30 evening, fare $4.15. I was to the hotel and I am going to see Ed Taig. He was out for supper, and I will try and see him when he gets back. I want to see about riding with him.

Well I don’t know of any more news so night-night to all and lots of love,

From Daddy Jim

Dear Martha Ruth and John

I got a nice letter from you folks today and I am glad you are well, but, don’t pump and carry water to the garden as that is too hard work. I think we will have plenty of rain. A little extra cultivating will do more good than the water. I was going to have a secret but I will just tell you folks and don’t you tell. I have my application in for the first 2 weeks of July and Bolin said he knew of no reason I could not be off then so I will be there to celebrate the Fourth, I will come by bus as that is the cheapest and I will let you know when and all about it later.

Today has been simply terrible 95 degrees. The sweat is running off me in streams as I sit here in the room writing. Its 8 PM and I intend to take this down to the main Post Office to mail it so you will get it tomorrow. I got in 8 hours today but am marked off with a morning pull-out tomorrow so Jack and I will go fishing.

John better make a mask for Mitzi so the old cat can’t scratch her nose. I will get part of the Fourth of July things here, like the Colts and caps and sparklers. Has John the belt and holster yet or are they lost? Would Ruth like one too or is there something else she would rather have? Well folks I have started counting days again till I will see you. Believe me I won’t run out of talk for a while when we get together again. I wish you lots of good luck and just heaps of love from

Daddy Jim. I’ll be seein’ you.

Dear Martha John and Ruth

Well Folks, I got your nice letters this morning and I was so homesick and tickled both when I got them that I had to wipe the tears away so I could see to read. I am well except for a little cold but I am doctoring it. Say mamma I am tempted to take the first two weeks off in July and come up and just have a good time. We could go around exploring some of the other lakes, take picnic lunches along and have one grand and glorious time. Before, when I have been up, there has been so much to do that I haven’t even had time to visit. Do you think the peas and beans will be ready to use by then? Of course if the work keeps like it has been I would not do this but if I am layed off 2 or 3 days a week I sure will come up. The 19th of June is the day the new time cards go into effect so I will know far enough ahead to advise you about the Fourth of July.

Say don’t worry about being extravagant. You needed all the things you bought and more too. I sent you five so use it. I would like to see those nice kittens. If you name them be sure to let me know what you call them.

I baked a big batch of biscuits for dinner so we had warmed potatoes, bacon, biscuits and honey and coffee.

Oh say I bought a cushion to use on the street car, it fits over the stool and is filled with curled hair. One of the ex-trainmen is making them to sell since he has been layed off. Its been real cool here since Sunday morning. I put on my longies to work my night run last night.

Let me know what you think of the 2 week’s vacation under the exceptions I mentioned, or if the garden stuff is not ready I can come later and you can come here for the Fourth. Well I must close and get busy. Give each of the youngsters a great big hug and kiss from me and here are some for you.

Love to all from Daddy.