And this, my friends, is the long awaited telegram of my grandpa coming home to St. Paul to get married.

Hello there Sweetheart,

How is my future husband this grand day? I bet your awfully angry at me for not writing all weekend. I’ve been so busy I just haven’t had time. I’m very sorry that I let other things come before you. Especially such unimportant things. I suppose I should start from the beginning.

I just don’t remember just when it was I last wrote but I’ll start back Thursday. Got home from work and went downtown with mom. I got one dress on Will Call, and she has at least 10. We came home and went to bed shortly. I’m to work again. Got home. Over to Minneapolis, shopped and went to see our girls from work at the hospital. I’m finally getting some thoughts of someone else besides myself. Sometimes I wonder the way I neglect writing.

I got home anyway about 10:00 and Dar was over. She finally consented to wash my hair so we did. I put it up and she left so I got to bed about 11:30. Saturday another day. Got up and went to work a shining example of what staying up makes you. Came home and mom was all in. She didn’t have the whole house clean so I helped her. We ate about 6:30 and I talked to Lucille. We had planned on going out together and so we did. We went downtown and saw “Life Begins” at 8:30. If you get the chance, see it. We had a chat matted and came home. Mom an Dad were papering their bedroom when I left and they were placing the furniture when I got home. Fast work. We all went to bed about 1:00 o’clock and she and I got up about 10:00. Mom was already half done with the washing.

I made breakfast for ourselves and fired the house up and I was expecting company. I mean more company. I had had a call the the curtis. That means only one person. Kate. She got over about 3:00 was here at 2:00. Lu went home about 3:30 o’clock and I went out with Kate and her friend. 4 of us to be exact. They had planned on going to the fort we were ended up at the Prom. Thank God. We danced from 9:30 until 12:30. I put the kids on the street cars and walked home alone. Or ran. Mom was so angry at me for not helping her again all weekend. Please don’t be mad too. After you work six days you want to let your hair down for a day.

Anyway it’s Monday evening about 9:30. I’m all tired out and just can’t figure out how I wrote this much. Mom and Dad and I were over to Wards this evening. I got my full supply of cloths Undies. So much for the life of one girl with a sailor sweetheart.

I received your most wonderful and unexpected letter Friday. I have the $50.00 and just about dropped when I saw the amount. Darling I sure hope you aren’t cutting yourself $ short. If you need money I’ll always have what you send me. That’s as good as in the bank. It’s our future start.

It makes me so happy to have you enjoying your work. I was sure you would but mom said, “Well maybe he likes the work but isn’t the type.” Well, you know Mom. All I can say is God Bless all of you. You in your work, those you help and those that are still helping us. I never worried much about Bud before but it’s been such a long time since we have heard. I worried about him. Mom would make anyone worry. We don’t know and I told mom tonight that no news was good news. The best news I could get would be a wire from a train coming to St. Paul .I will be soon and I’m still in fighting spirit. It makes me warm when you trust me. I’m trying to be just your future wife. I could go out and be mean when you were here. You were here to defend yourself but it’s different now. I just haven’t the heart to consider giving up what we have already built. I love you and I’ll write and promise tomorrow. God bless you and lead you forward.

Love,
DeLores

P.S. Yours til the end of the world. I’m so sad that it almostlooks as though I’m running after you insted of your running after me. Anyway, I love it. Bye, Bye.

Dearest DeLores,

I hope you understand the reasons why I don’t get as many letters off as I would like to. I really put in some long hours and I usually am so exhausted that all I can do is go to bed. I like my work, but it isn’t the easiest thing. If letters come a little slow please try and understand dear. I think of you always and I do want to write to you every day, but my energy just gives out.

Darling, your Valentine to me was beautiful. It made me cry. I know you think of me always because the box was so swell. The candy tasted swell and everybody certainly thinks I have a swell girlfriend to send me such a swell box. I love you very, very much and I shall always love you. I know you think the same towards me.

I received your card that you mailed from the Prom. Makes me feel good that you even think of me when you are out. I’m glad you enjoyed the flowers. I shall always try to give you nice things as it makes me feel good to know that you are happy. I hope you and Addie had a good time. Say hello to her and please apologize for me, for not writing. I have all I can do to write to you and mom.

I’ll try and explain a little bit of what I do. We take the patients temperatures and pulses, respiratory every four hours. That’s quite a job when you have 35 patients. We change bedding and give bed baths. At certain times we give the patients their medicines. If patients are restricted from going to the toilet we jockey bed pans. Those are the main duties outside of seeing the ward is clean and any other things that may come up. I have been working with a spinal meningitis case. Wen you work with something like that, that’s contagious, you have to wear sterile gowns and be very careful. I can’t worry about it because it is all in the duties of a medical coreman. Don’t worry about me. Just pray that I don’t get anything. So much for my job just know.

I received a letter from Lucy today. She said Dale is in Texas. At least he is where it is warm. She wondered how come I didn’t get a leave after Booth’s. Well, I guess Farragut just doesn’t give Booth leaves. The only fellow from the company that got leaves were the fellows that went to sea. There only were about 12 of those. Keep your chin up and let’s hope and pray that I can get one soon. If I do happen to get a leave I won’t telegraph until I get on the train so you won’t be disappointed again. They’ll have to give me one some time and then we’ll get married and I’m sure have lots of happiness.

I was glad to hear that your mother took a week off. I’m sure she needed it very bad. I hope she is feeling much better now. Say hello to her for me.

I hope Jerry and Dar and the baby are okay. I suppose they are sore that I haven’t written to them but I just haven’t any time. If I get any time I’ll sure have a lot of letters to write.

Well dearest sweetheart, I guess I’ll have to close for now. I love you so very much that I wish this war would end so we could be together and have our own home and happiness. I know you want the same dearest. We’ll just have to keep up hope and maybe things will break for us soon.

If I do get a leave I hope you have everything ready dear. I’m very happy that you have the set home. I’m sure we’ll get much enjoyment out of it. Until we use it together you certainly should have the comfort of it.

Bye bye for now, darling. God bless you and giving xxxxxxx in return until I can give ou a ooooo.

Your loving sailor husband,

Joe

Dearest Joe,

Received your loving letter and was very glad to hear from you. You know dearest one is nobody wishes you more luck than your Mother, and I know you make good with God’s help.

I pray day and night for my children’s welfare for health and happiness. I want to thank you for those beautiful flowers you sent me for my birthday. Hoping next birthday we will all be together with God’s help.

I had a card from Rose you know she never forgets. I wish you dropped her a line. Well that is all for now dear with loads of love and kisses.

From your loving

Mother

Hello Darling Husband,

Just a line this evening as I’m very tired and must get to bed. Mom and I just got back from town. She put 10 dresses on layaway. I put just one. It is rather nice. A black and white suit dress. As usual, it’s black, but darling remember we can only get black, white and 2 shades of brown shoes.

I saw Bernice downtown also. She still has t heard from Ralph. I wish she would hear. It is awful just waiting. We haven’t heard from Bud for a long time again. We hope and wait.

Darling I have an awful thought. I would like to join the W. Please forgive me. I know you don’t want me to, sometimes I think it would make waiting so much shorter. I am so lonesome. On the way home I let myself dream. Maybe Joe will be there when I get home. Maybe that’s why I haven’t heard from him all week. Then I get home and no Joe. Sometimes I wonder just what I’ll do when I see you. Will I laugh, cry or kiss you? Oh, darling, I just want to be in your arms.

We both want it and will both have faith to keep our love for the duration. So much for that. I’m feeling much better this evening but my eyes bother me. In the morning they are all pasted shut. I’m getting over it slow but sure.

Tomorrow evening I’m going to some hospital to see a girl from work. She isn’t sick, just had an operation.

Well darling it’s time for me to put my hair up and get to bed. I’ll try to write tomorrow. Keep your chin up and your spirits high. God bless you and please try to write.

Love,

DeLores

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

They will be better than this when you get home or when I get to your destination.