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.

Hello Sweetheart,

Please forgive me for not writing last evening but I was too sick to hold my head up. I came home from work and went right to bed. I didn’t get up until 9:00 and came downstairs and walked right back up. Mom brought me some toast and cocoa to bed. Then like a damn fool I got up this morning and went to work. Don’t worry about me though as I’m feeling much better this evening. I might even take in a movie tonight. I still have an awful head cold but I’m improving.

By the way, is your pen wearing out? I haven’t heard from you since Monday either. I’m not angry as I know how tired I get working all day. At least I have regular hours and I don’t’ have my washing to do when I get home. Sometimes I don’t see how you kids stand it. Say, small favor you haven’t told me what you work in. Do you wear white uniforms or what?

Darling I’m so very, very proud of my future husband. You made me so awfully happy by sending me flowers I hadn’t thought about your mother. It almost brought tears when Alice told me you had sent flowers to your mother also. I wish you could be my husband and some. I’m sure I couldn’t have much to squacks. Always remember her. I love you for doing it. Hope you will always remember he as you do your mother.

Hi again,

Well it is about 7:00 bells and I just got back from supper, dishes and stuff. As the evening grows older I feel worse. I’m just going to finish this letter then I’m going to bed.

Darling, I miss you so darn much tonight when you would be with me, comforting me as you used to do. Oh! Darling I wish the war could be over so we could have all those days together again. We’ll make up for all the days we’re missing now. I’ll always try to be everything you want me to be. I know I’ll have to make a lot of small changes. I have a friend (or something) that is trying to unspoil me. She says every time I can’t have my way my voice goes up about 6 feet. You should hear her lay in on me. Say, I’m going to be model by the time you get back. I know we’ll both have to give many small points for me. I’m willing. I love you and I know we can be happy together. I must say goodnight. God bless you darling. I’ll write more tomorrow. See you soon.

Love,
DeLores

P.S. Try to keep your chin up and I love you and I’m taking care of the home front. I love you so do our best.

How is my darling tonight? I hope you are feeling fine. I’m feeling pretty good. It is hard to believe that I keep feeling so good because I’m around sick people so much. 

How is your Mother feeling? I hope she is much better by now. I’m glad you do your best to try and take care of her. What she needs is good rest. But that is against her make-up. I mean she just can’t lay off. I sure hope she knows that you can’t keep going forever without completely relaxing. Take good care of her.

I feel pretty tired tonight but that isn’t unusual. I’m getting used to it and I’m beginning to like the hospital. I guess it is what I have really wanted to do. It is a fine work. Trying to help ill mates is fine. I know you understand my feeling, sweetheart.

I hope that God will see fit to see that I get home soon. I love you so much, Darling! Don’t get disgusted that things didn’t come true right away. We’ll get our chance I’m sure. Our love is really true. I’m positive of that.

Darling, please forgive me for closing so soon but my eyes are quite sore. I just had to drop you a line.

I’ll try and write a big one tomorrow. Bye, bye, lover. Xxxxxx God bless you.

Your loving sailor husband,
Joe

Dear Joey,

Bess tells me you made it. You are in the service, eh? Lots of luck boy. Well Joey, tell me all about it. What branch you are in, what you are doing, etc. Let me know all about yourself. 

Here I am in the navigation preflight down in Texas. I am about 18 miles out of Houston. I just got 1 day from finishing my 1st 3-week period of a 9-week course when I had to go to the hospital for kidney trouble. I am in the hospital now. It is a swell place to lay around and rest.

Houston is a swell town with plenty to do and see. I met a beautiful girl on my first night in and have been seeing her since. She is really nice.

I get letters from Serp every once in a while. I haven’t heard from him since the 2nd. His mother and girlfriend were down to visit him.

I hear from Bess and Marge quite often. Everyone seems to be doing ok in Kellen’s Super[market]. They have the grocery clerks union in now. Marge wrote that Abe Kristal died. He was the produce buyer. I think you knew him. I knew him very well.

Joey boy, try to get a few minutes to spare and drop me a line. Be sure to tell me all about yourself and hope your mother is feeling, etc.

Lots of luck. Your pal,
Mickey

Dearest DeLores,

Please don’t be angry at me because I haven’t written for a couple of days. I have been working quite hard and I usually am all worn out by bed time. I had the weekend off and went to Spokane. I thought I could find a place to write you from there but the boys and I were so glad to get to town that we were on the go most of the time. I’ll explain what we did a little later. I know you understand, dearest. I always understand you and I know you do also.

I received your letters of the 8-9 and 10 today when I came to work. They are the first ones since I wrote the rotten news of my transfer. I was waiting to see how you took it. I know how hard it was for both of us. After planning and you making so many fine things in your room for me, it really was tough. I hope and pray and wish so much that I could be home with you to enjoy our bedroom set and have you. Darling, please don’t let your chin down. We are bound to get our chance and then I’m positive that we’ll have loads of happiness. Keep everything going back home and I’ll do my best to do good here at the hospital.

It is one of the toughest things we’ll ever meet in our life. But I know with all my heart that I love you with my whole body and soul and want you for my wife very much. I know that you feel the same and I don’t worry at all about our love. It’s the swellest feeling when you’re away so many miles, to know that you have the swellest girl in the world waiting for you. I’m going to try every which way to see if I can get a leave. If I do the only time you’ll know about it is when I’m on the train steaming home. I don’t want to disappoint you and make you cry. I love you so much that I don’t like to have you crying. We’ll see what I can do about it.

I hope your Mother is feeling better by the time this letter reaches you. I’m very sorry that she has been so bum. Try and do your best like you have in taking care of her. Rest and quiet is what she needs. Say hello to her.

About my insurance, dear. All of the $10,000 is in your name. It was that way from the start. I didn’t tell you because it really doesn’t matter because I’m coming home anyway. The reason you haven’t received any notice is because the insurance department is so short-handed they are 10 to 12 months behind. I don’t know when you’ll get the notice. The insurance is in operation anyway. It went into effect the minute I signed it. Believe me, dearest, I’m trying to run my end of the partnership just as if we were married right now. I know I carry the same responsibility as if I were your husband right now. I’ll do all in my power to straighten out your Mother’s silly ideas about the way I am handling our money out here. Enclosed is a money order for $50. I would have gotten it off sooner but I couldn’t find a place to buy it. I know you’ll manage it well. If you can save a little, it would be nice in case of an emergency. Do your best and I’ll be happy.

Here is what I did over the weekend. I got off the ward at 1 o clock and had to help clean the barracks so we could get our liberty passes. I left the station at 4:30 and went to Cour De Jean. There I had to transfer buses and I had to wait 1 hour. I didn’t get to Spokane until 8. Three other fellows and I went together. They are real nice guys. Don’t ever drink at all so I didn’t even touch any beer and I didn’t miss it. We ate a little dinner and started to look for a room. Every decent hotel was packed. We didn’t know what to do so we stopped at the U.S.O. and the Navy Mother found a private room for us. Really the people treat servicemen swell. After we had that off our minds we went back to the U.S.O. where they were having a Velentine’s Day dance. It was nice but I got blue as I wanted to be with my Valentine. I hope next Valentine’s Day I can be with mine.

We certainly had a nice place to stay. The lady fixed breakfast for us and she was very swell to us. It really feels good to have someone take an interest in you when you’re so many miles from home. We left her house about noon and went downtown and saw “Arabian Nights.” It was really pretty good. After we got through with the show we ate and bummed around town for a little while. It was nice to get away from the job for a while. I started home about 8 and got in the barracks about 11:30.

Well dear I guess I’ll have to close for now. I hope you don’t get tired reading this long letter. Take good care of yourself, darling. I love you very, very much and I’ll always be the finest guy to you. Keep your chin up.

Loads of all the love and have xxxxxxx to my swell wife.

Your loving sailor husband,
Joe

Dear Joe,

Well, we just got home from the show so I decided to drop you a few lines before I go to bed. 

Say young man, please don’t keep your mother waiting so long for a letter. She sure was worried. I called Delores Saturday night to see if she got a letter. We thought you were sick or something.

It’s been so darn cold down here that we are kept cooped up in the house. In fact it’s too cold for anyone to come over so I guess your mother will have a quiet birthday. I have been kind of busy running to my mother’s and taking care of her house. She is still laid up with her ankle. So all the plans for your mother’s birthday went haywire. But that’s the way when you plan something.

Well Joe, I sure am glad to hear that you are stationed at the hospital and that you like your work.

I took care of my brother’s kids Friday night so I called Delores from there. She works at the same place my brother works. He was feeling kind of good so he talked to her and was kidding her.

Bertha Kaufman’s sister came from Europe a couple of weeks ago but as yet they haven’t been to see us.

Your mother got a beautiful card from Rose but then she never forgets her birthday.

Bertha said to say hello and for you to drop her a line if you are not too busy.

Norman Ackert has the measles so can’t go to school. Alice is still working and I suppose you know she is the boss in her department.

Your mother got a card from the government, which was signed by Ralph, saying he had reached his new destination. I got so darn depressed sometimes I could just crawl in a hole and cover myself up with dirt. If I don’t hear from Ralph pretty soon I don’t know what I’ll do.

Your mother will write to you tomorrow as her hands aren’t very good. Did you get the cookies she sent?

Mr. Kroenke is working as a guard at New Brighton so he had to go to work tonight at eleven. He sure likes his work now.

Mrs. Stone told me that Charlotte is going to have a baby so she sure is glad after all the trouble she has had.

Well guess I’ll climb into bed now as I have told you all the latest gossip. Keep well and write soon.

Your sister-in-law,
Bernice

P.S. This notice came for you so your mother told me to send it to you.