Oshkosh, Wis.
My Dearest Mabel:
I received your very wonderful and beautiful letter this morning. I got up this morning at seven o’clock and by the time I got through shaving and snapping out of my sleep it was about eight bells. When I turned in my key at the desk, I immediately spied some mail in my “key coup” and I knew right then and there that it was from my most wonderfully charming “honey” living in Wausau. And when the clerk handed me the letter my joy was completed. My dear, I worked like the dickens today. And why shouldn’t I and I will continue to do so. Do you know the reason why? Here is the reason and the reason is a downright beautiful one. I now have somebody to work for. Yes, I mean that. I now have an inspiration. Something every real honest to goodness right and well meaning young man should have. From the moment I saw you that feeling came over me. And I just know that it will continue. I must confess one thing to you, my dear heart, and maybe you won’t believe me when I tell you. The fact is this. I think you might feel the same way about it. My meeting you and immediately smiling at you (they were all smiles direct from my heart), just simply proves one thing. With me, it was a case of love at first sight. Forgive me, if my telling you this so soon offended you. But that is the honest-to-goodness truth, and always the truth will come to light.
I just was counting the hours as to how long it would take my letter to reach you and how soon your answer would reach me. We both worked like clock-work. Oh, my dearest Mabel, I am so happy. You ask if there is “someone else” No, my dear heart, there is no one else who has a place in my heart, it is you. I also very glad you told your mother about me. You did the exactly proper thing. And I shall be very glad to meet your mother so she can look me over. I hope she’ll put the “Okeh” on me. Don’t you hope so?
Here is some very good news for you. I’m leaving Oshkosh either Tuesday or Wednesday. And I’ll be in Chippewa Falls by Thursday. And I’ll come to Wausau on Saturday Feb. 9th. If I’m there in time Saturday I’ll immediately call you up. Will I be glad to see you? I’ll tell the “cross-eyed world.” I hope you’ll have picture for me of yourself. Here’s a secret. I’m going to have a picture taken of myself so I’ll have a very recent one to give you. I trust that it’ll be a good one. Those I do have of myself are not of a recent date. I’d like to come up to Wausau tomorrow, but I have some important details to tend to in Milwaukee tomorrow. I must pay my taxes on my car. I forgot all about them. So they must be paid promptly otherwise WE, you and I won’t have no car to ride in. The sheriff might take it from me if I don’t pay up.
My dear, you should call me exactly what you did in your letter. Everybody calls me “Wallie” so when someone calls me “Walter” I must stop to think first who they mean. Wouldn’t that be just glorious if you did come to Milwaukee? I promise to take good care of you. You’ll soon find that I’m a square shooter and you need not be afraid of me. Everybody who knows me will vouch for that.
I’m writing his letter on Fluour Brothers’ time. And it is now ten minutes past one so I’ll have to hurry and sign off otherwise they might get hip to me. But I’ll write you some more tonight, my dearest. Tell me if you object to my calling you that. I’ll sign off now. With the happiest memories of you and looking forward to our glorious “date” I am, always and forever and someday I hope to be more than only your friend, but for the very present I’ll still sign off, as,
Your true friend,
Wallie
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P.S. The young gentleman in this office, the timekeeper, is wondering why Ethel don’t answer his letter.
ALSO EXCUSE THE POOR TYPEWRITING I was in a great hurry.
Oshkosh, Wis.
My dearest Mabel:
I suppose by the time you received this letter you already have had plenty of time to turn over the things I told you in my letter which I sent to you this afternoon. Honestly my dear Mabel, I sincerely trust that you feel the same toward me as I told you, I feel toward you. Everything I said was the honest truth. I talked to you straight from my heart. As I told you I worked like a Beaver today. I worked so hard, but still smiled so much that I really must say as Al Jolson’s song goes – There’s a Rainbow ‘round my shoulders and the skies are blue above because I’m in ____ You know how the song goes – then you’ll also know what I meant by the ____. I’m so anxious to hear from you as to how you feel about it.
“There’s a Rainbow ‘Round My Shoulder” - "There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder" from There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder by Al Jolson (1928).
I bet you think “I can typewrite better than Wallie can with my hands tied” I really can do as well on that with my own hands tied. Next time I’ll prove to you that I can do better than that. The reason that I made so many errors was that I had to write it in such a hurry. And besides I had to cover the typewritten matter up all the time because everybody was trying to get a glimpse at what I was telling you and they all told me to put in a “kiss for them.” But the fact is I forgot their suggestions. All those I sent you were my own to you. But the only deficiency about those kind is that they are not real. But that kind ought to follow later.
So Mr. Barthels wanted to give you a little kidding about our affair. I suppose he did do so by this time. Let ‘em we should worry about that. Eh! Wot? I’m sure “Steppert” is putting his two cents worth in too? It couldn’t pass without that. But tell him sometime that I’m very grateful to him for arranging this much. That is — the most wonderful girl in the world, the train & the plane. But don’t you worry my honey if he would not have done it I would have arranged it all by myself. I believe in the Indian saying “Faint heart never won fair lady.”
I’m invited over to this place I’m Auditing at this evening they have the most wonderful game of baseball which they play. It’s just as exciting as the real thing. We’re going to have Limburger cheese sandwiches, hot bow wows & ——– beer. A regular bunch of happy go lucky fellows they are. While you’re sleighriding & feel cold just think of me or radio me I’ll come up & try and hold you warm. I really & truly wish I could be with you — to see you all the time.
Tomorrow (Saturday) I’m going to the Dutch City (Milwaukee) but I’ll be back here Monday morning at 2:30 at a spooky hour, I hope I’ll one or more letters from you before I leave this City which is Tuesday or Wednesday. Oh joy I’ll see you a week from tomorrow. Will I be happy? h-a-p-p-y is right.
Please my dear heart, don’t get sore at me for talking to you as I do but I can’t help it because it’s this way – I faw down & go boom for you, Sweetheart.
“I Faw Down an’ Go Boom!” - "I Faw Down an' Go Boom!" from I Faw Down an' Go Boom! by Eddie Cantor (1929).
I guess I’ll sign pretty soon because it’s seven bells and I didn’t have supper yet. And besides I’ll have to go to the tailors to get my trousers. But I gas a hunch that he’s closed by now. If I can’t eat very soon It’ll be so close to the time of our game which I told you about that I won’t be able to eat any Limburger Cheese Sandwiches – they are some of my favorites.
Well sweetheart I’m going to close now & sit back to hear from you. Remember I’m still making my headquarters, or to be exact about it, I’m still hanging my hat at the Raulf.
Bye L’long, dear honey
from your (yes yours for the asking or taking)
Wallie
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Remember Saturday, February 9 & 10
Goodbye L’long again honey
Wallie
With a Carload of Love... 