West Allis, Wis.
My dearest little Sweetheart:
Please excuse the stationary I’m using for this letter but that’s all I have at hand right now. I’m writing this letter from the office and it’s a ¼ of eight. I did not get a chance to write to you last night. I was over to Mrs. Quades’. When I got ready to go home the clock was quarter of one so I then decided to stay there overnight. And that’s just what I did. Did not get any letter from you yesterday and that always gets me so worried and blue. I always think of the worst I wonder if I’ll get a letter today! If I don’t then I know there’s something wrong. I had a nice visit with Mrs. Quade I heard lots of news I’ll tell you about that in my next letter. I’m just writing this letter so that you don’t get scared & think that I’m sick. I’m not sick otherwise but I feel sick around my pump. I mean the heart aches for you. I wish you were here with me I feel I could do so much for you. Please believe me dear I miss you more than I would miss my right arm. Won’t you please hurry and come back to me? I wish everything would be over with so we could be side by each again. Then our little nest would be complete again. I’m sending this letter special delivery so that you won’t miss out on any. I’ll write a great big letter tonight. With you every inch with all my heart I am your hubby
Wallie
Wausau, Wis.
Dearest Wallie:
I just received the letter your wrote Sunday — you are my “devoted lover” aren’t you? You will think I’m careless, but please don’t — I love you more and more.
Really Dear, my letters have been anything but enjoyable ones — I can’t think straight anymore and then there’s always some one talking, so please overlook the errors you find, won’t you, Dear?
You slept the greatest part of Sunday I notice, so you’ll be caught up on sleep for a while. You know that was our usual style anyway. Monday morning I slept until after nine & this morning until almost eight. I still have that pain & Mother doesn’t think it will go away before I’m confined. I feel like a cripple, the way I limp around. They want me to sit all the time but I think I ought to move around a little at least.
They’re planning a shower on me this week Thursday — Mabel Hein & Marie. Of course, it’s supposed to be a surprise to me. I wish that day was over already but I’ll manage to live through it. I wish you could be here in the evening because most likely Carl & Rudie will come. Carl called me up last night and teased me a little — asked if we got that “combination” at Yellowstone? I told him “certainly.” They don’t know how soon it’s coming off and believe I’m only going to be here for two weeks. I’ll have to be careful so as not to give it away — that I’m going to stay until it’s all over.
First it was going to be a miscellaneous shower, but I really have so many things already that Mother told Marie to have each one give money so I could buy what is needed. I think that’s best too because we can use money for anything, don’t you, Sweetheart? I’ll tell you all about it on Friday?
I’ll drop Mrs. Schultz a few lines today or tomorrow. I like her pretty well and can just as well do that.
Sweetheart, you asked about taking the money from the Credit Union? I don’t suppose we could get it from the Bank now since I’m up here, could we? Maybe if we borrowed it from the Credit Union, they would take more pity on us and pay you full time sooner, but maybe it wouldn’t help either. What do you think? Mother says the doctor doesn’t have to be paid right away, so we can leave him wait a while, and then we don’t have to pay him all at once. He’s quite patient I guess.
Yes, Dear, your penmanship surely has improved a great deal. Mine is getting worse and worse. I’m writing this in a hurry.
Regarding the water, the baby will only get boiled water for some time, so it won’t effect him when we take him to Milwaukee because I’ll have to boil it there too. And it won’t get much water, only for hiccoughs, etc. I’m drinking cocoa & malted milk every day so I guess he’ll have enough.
We’ll try not to spoil him. Mother has given me several pointers already — not to feed him during the night and not to have him in bed with me except when nursing him. Isn’t it funny how we all call it “him.” I hope it will be that.
It’s a beautiful day — just like Spring. Is it nice down there too? You surely can drive up with a car because the concrete must be bare with the sun shining like this.
Sweetheart I’d certainly like to have you come up Saturday more than anything else in the world, it’s only because of the money that I think we ought to wait a few days longer. I’m pretty sure it will be next week (don’t write that though) and you will come then, so it would only [be] a few days longer. I know Sunday’s aren’t very cheerful for either of us when we are away from each other. Don’t you think you could wait until then, Dear?
I’m sorry about that coal, it should be the same as we had before. Yes, it will soon be two weeks since we got that last ton. Maybe it will last longer than five weeks — that’s good for the “purse,” isn’t it?
Mrs. Drew has been coming here quite a bit lately — she knows now why I’m home (to do some sewing) and has been real nice. She’s going to be invited to the shower too.
When are you going to see Mrs. Quade? You won’t forget about the skates will you, Wallie? We can get a few dollars for them anyway. But not if we wait too long.
Mother received a letter from Natalie today. She mentioned that she had written to me and expected an answer but I just haven’t any ambition.
So Schultz’s have to pay the bill themselves. That seems funny, doesn’t it? Is she doing the bookkeeping herself now? I suppose they wouldn’t have paid the $20.00 if you hadn’t asked to have it deducted from the rent. Is that the amount you are going to give Mrs. Quade? I suppose you better.
I’m out of ideas again — after I have it sealed I usually think of more. I’ll write again tomorrow, Sweetheart and Pal. It will be wonderful to see each other again, won’t it?
I am and always will be,
Your loving sweetheart & wife,
Mabel.
Shower on me
Anna Sebastian
Esther Klug
Loretta Schaefer
Amy Matherich
Mrs. H Hein
Loretta Remmel
Agne Mohelnitzky
Mrs. Aug. Passehl
Mrs. Dan Harding
Esther Bloomquist
Ella Passehl
Grandmother Passehl
Aunt Martha
Aunt Tena
Mabel Hein
Mrs. Lilah Drew
West Allis, Wis.
My darling Mabel:
I wrote you on just a sort of an excuse for a letter this morning. I wrote it at work so I didn’t have much time to write much of any thing. First of all I am glad to acknowledge receipt of two letters from you. I got them both at noon.
Last night I had a hurried supper & then went to see Mrs. Quade. Dearest, she was so happy to see me. We sure had a long talk together. She told me that she couldn’t stand not seeing us for such a long time so that’s why she ventured out here last week. She told me that even though we did try to accept her invite for Christmas we would have been forced to go home again. Bobby had chicken pox right during the Christmas holidays so that spoiled her entire Christmas. So also told me, amongst many, that Mr. Reichert did not derive any benefit from those treatments which you tried so hard to get some information from those people at Wausau. Also Oscar’s grandmother is going blind Isn’t that too bad? She’ll be 82 years old in April. I was getting ready to leave for home about 10:30 so Mrs. Quade made a cup of coffee and fried two eggs for me. I actually was hungry so I didn’t refuse anything. While eating we again started chewing the rag & then when I finally was ready to go home it was 12:30 so I thought it best for me to stay there for the rest of the night. I got up at a quarter of six – for breakfast I had eggs, oranges, oatmeal & coffee. That was the only decent breakfast I had since January 23 & 24th. She also gave me a frying pan so now we can fry eggs without half of them sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Referring to your letter of Saturday. I suppose by this time you received the package I sent to you. If you didn’t please let me know cause I mailed it Saturday afternoon. This old jerk town seems to have rotten mail service, I think in that package I sent you all the papers which had the stories which you’ve been reading. I’m going to write Harry a letter & impress upon him that in order for that baby furniture to be of value to us, we’ll have to have it now.
It would be a better idea, I think if they shower would be one of money instead of the other things – I believe we have plenty of them.
If you would see the kitchen tonight you’d sure as anything change your opinion of me regarding my being a good housekeeper – it’s all topsy turvy. I clean up every other day so what’s the “diff” nobody’ll see it anyhow. Yes my darling I’ll send you the mazuma to pay on the bldg. & loan. The Boston Store bill is $2.23. I didn’t pay the milkman yet so I suppose he’ll get cold feet again. I gave Mrs. Schultz 56¢ to pay the paper boy so that pays up for last week & this week.
It was a real spring like day today but it’s cold in the shack but I won’t start a fire tonight because after I get this letter mailed I’m going down to Schultz’s & show them how to keep those books. Grandpa & Mrs. Schultz. They did start another drug store. I passed their Third St store today but it’s such a dinky little dump – and they pay $200.00 a month rent for it. Dear heart two weeks after the baby is born or maybe three then will you come home? You know how anxious I’ll be to walk the floor.
You’ll try to come home then, won’t you dear heart? It’s so lonesome & empty without you dearest little pal. I’m craving for food that’s cooked & not just shuffled together. You know what I mean don’t you dear heart? It’s 7:30 now so I’ll have to downstairs soon – first I’ll hike down to Greenfield Ave & mail this letter. Don’t be angry with me that you didn’t get a letter from me today will you darling? With all my love for you
Your true Sweetheart
Wallie
With a Carload of Love... 