| An exceptional relationship between mother and son, and the words between the lines that told how love and lives were shaped by the war. A great manuscript for the devoted reader. A true reflection, best I can type it into words for viewing. -Deb Barker Jan 12 1943 Agency Oct 8 1943 Oct 17 1943
| LORING LETTERS |
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Ottumwa, Ia. Jan. 12, 1943
My Dear Little Boy:-
When I get home here was your letter of Jan. 8th waiting for me and also the assessor was waiting at the door. Well, I got that job done and paid them $1.00 to send me Bobby’s tag. I had supper and fixed the fire and took Bobby out twice and I think I might get one dress hemmed if I hurry up, it is after eight now. Bobby Johnson came home on the bus as I did this evening and he is going to Des Moines soon to be taken into something somewhere, he don’t know.
I went to the Metropolitan today on my noon hour and the dividends were out again this year but it paid the insurance weekly up until March 5th with 25c left over. The 10% check will come as usual I suppose, I didn’t ask but I am sure it will so I will add that to the amount already paid so it ought to help out a little. They took Vernon’s two policies in and it will be back for him to sign in a few days and then that will mean Four Hundred and some odd dollars in cash Feb. 5th. Thus maybe we can have our new rugs, etc.
You sure have it soft when the officer gets stewed. Did he act mean on his morning after or is he pretty good that way? Pretty nice you don’t have to work until the next Monday. I wish I could get a day off with pay, but I will get along just the same.
Swell pay I should say. I am glad that you get it. Now get your shoes and what you need as I want you to be comfortable and happy. Bud do save what you can for the first opportunity to come home that you get. Nothing would make me happier than to have you again and I know that you would be so glad to get home and see the dear old place again and the lonesome folks that are living in it, Bobby and me.
Lucky that you have the newer saw there to help with the weed. Watch out for your fingers, you fellows. I am glad that you fellows have a cabin to yourselves and I hope it is all peaceable there now.
Yes I know about Vernon and you will see as I have written you about his coming down and all. He passed examination here and will go to Des Moines the 29th as that is why Richard is rushing payment on the two policies for me and then there will be one in Nov. 5th for $308.00 to mature on him then.
I’m glad you get the cards from the folks but sorry they were delayed as they ask about your getting them and I can’t tell them. They all think I should know. I have written you that Lotus took his first examination in Des Moines yesterday.
It will be fun to go to Vicksburg and see that town. I sure hope you do get to go and maybe you will be near or can go to a Full Gospel church. You will get to one yet, you just see. You will be there quite a spell if you work there at the rate of speed that you have been in Grangeville, won’t you?
You send your cards and letters home tied up good and tight in a cardboard box and I have told Mr. Chisman to put any mail that is too large to go into the mail box or anything important to put it in the little cupboard in the vestibule and I always leave the screen door on that side unlocked for him.
Gee, but I will be living in hopes that you can get a leave to come home when you get to Vicksburg and happier if you should get nearer home.
Page 2 There is oodles of Navy boys here in town and officers, too, and the funniest thing is the colored Navy boys. I can’t hardly keep from laughing them right in the face but they take it so seriously that it is pitiful, too. The most of the Navy boys which I have come in contact with act very nice and the one who comes into the store each evening is a nice little fellow, some times I have time to speak to him and sometimes I don’t. The officers are nice, too, when the bus is crowded and I get on it they jump right up and give me their seat.
So the girls really go after you do they? I told you so and what did Welshens tell you too, better watch them, they are bad eggs.
I had a laugh when I read about the shaving lotion being broken, I don’t see how it got that way all wrapped up in your under pants, but I’ll bet they smelled good and strong but it sure was the wrong end to use the shaving lotion on, eh? I’m glad that you have them so that you will sleep warm, you should have a long sleeved shirt now so that your shoulders won’t get so cold.
Nora just called to read your letter to me. Joe’s nephew in Hedrick who had the stroke died Sunday afternoon and he is going up there tomorrow to the funeral. Another man dropped dead at the air base today, that is the second in a week. This one was a truck driver. There is another air field being built over around Farsen and Linby and a truck driver who was hauling cinders for that drove on the tracks in front of a troop train going about 70 miles an hour and it knocked the truck into the railroad station knocking the station about three inches off line and wrecked the engine on the train, but didn’t kill the driver.
Avinell came to the store today, she hasn’t been feeling so good the last two or three days and she is beginning to ped out so that you can notice it. I hope that isn’t catching for it seems like every other woman is afflicted with that disease here. Our boss lady isn’t home yet and I haven’t got my pay for last week yet, so I will draw twice $17.00 Sat. I guess I start taking my lessons at Stoltz’s next week on Tuesday or Thursday afternoon at 2.
Paul Blew is at a camp somewhere in Missouri one of the Boxx girls told me. Ray Orman leaves for Des Moines the 29th. Charlie Thompson goes in about three weeks or so.
I don’t know much about how bad Ottumwa is because I am not in town only at the noon hour and that only to make the deposit at the bank and pay some bill for myself or get something I need and then hurry right back to the store as they are breaking in a new driver and it rushes us all to be there when Mr. Brough goes out on the truck with him. I have never stopped in town on an evening on the way home. I catch the first bus East and that is generally waiting for me or ready to pull in and I come right on home to get my letter that is waiting for me and then to tend to home and the dear little dog. My heart is right here under this little green shingled house believe me. I wish I could do more when I get home but it is dark and I can’t accomplish anything worthwhile on a night or morning but I have to do things like cleaning up on Sunday. That cellar is still the mess it was when you left. I really am ashamed of it, and the back bedroom is a jumble of boxes with this thing and that in them to be sorted out, mended, or discarded in one way or the other since I have sorted out the closets. I haven’t begun on the dresser drawers and things like that yet.
Page 3 Well, tomorrow would have been Dad’s 84th birthday, if he had been living. Can you imagine that? I would love to go down to the cemetery, but it will not be possible for me to. But my heart goes down there often.
I hope I can get new rugs, curtains for the dining room, dining table, and a few things like that before you get home. I would like for you to see an improvement in things when you do get home. I will have the car all set ready for you to put the key in. I have the new #10 oil in it and the anti freeze and the battery checked and the and the tires too. I guess the next move is to get my driver’s license. I wouldn’t think of taking it out now by myself as there is ice all around everywhere. It was thawing like everything Sunday or I wouldn’t have had Vernon drive it up to have the oil changed. We have had a bright sunny day today but now thawing. Oh, but it was cold with the coldest sharp west wind.
The seed catalogs have begun to come and that gives me the itch to look at them. I still have the box elder bugs here in the house. I would like to run them out somehow.
You remember Mr. Allen who runs the magazine shop where you bought your licorice, don’t you? He used to be there by the Ottumwa theater, well he has to leave for the army very soon now. Just about all the men who are left has something wrong with them physically or mentally or has a lot of kids.
Housebreaking and hold ups are coming out in style now. One was caught back of the store about six o’clock yesterday evening, some fellow as either holding someone up or housebreaking. I didn’t get the exact dope on it as Mr. Brough told me to take all the money to the bank that I possibly could each day and not leave it in the store because she only carries insurance on $200.00 in case of fire or theft, but we have over $100.00 in the cash drawer just for extra change and then what we take in the register each day which always runs over a hundred beside the deposit I take to the bank.
Well, believe it or not, it is almost time for the news, as I don’t get my dress hemmed tonight and my other one is so dirty I can’t hardly stand to put it on, but that’s that.
You had better still love me and Bobby and how we love to hear you say it dearest. I can’t hardly wait to see what he will do to you when he gets a glimpse of you. I’ll bet he just goes wild. I have been leaving the key on top of the little closet in the vestibule because it is so hard to find it in the clothes pin bag on a night when I get home, so you will know where to look for it if I am at work and then you can get the car out and come see me. Gee, but I am planning on this and praying for you to come when it is possible and is God’s will.
I, too, like home better the more I am away from it and I don’t care for the people and things of the world. It is just so good to scoot out of the store and head for home as fast as I can come, and I am glad that I have found work so that I am able to stay here alone because I like being by myself rather than to have strangers in with me. I just want my little boy and my little dog. I guess I am selfish, but I was contented and happy. Oh, so happy with just you and Bobby and I pray God how soon you can be back again.
Well, I must close too my dear and do what I can to my dress and some little things around home and then turn in for my rest. I am going to have to have my sleep, I see that. Midnight every night is too much for me when I get up at 5:30. Well, God bless you my dear and I am now waiting ever
Page 4 …for my letter which will come tomorrow already. So don’t fail me if you can help it.
God bless you and keep you well and safe for Bobby and me. That is his little benediction at night. We get into bed and then after he lays down I lay my hand on his little black silk head and say, “God bless Bobby and keep him well and safe for Boy and God Bless Boy and bring him well and safe home to us.” And he holds his little head so still and now expects it every night before we turn out the light.
Well, by by my little angel Boy, my sailor with the Navy Blue eyes and the Joy of my heart. Oh, baby mine, baby mine, how I love you.
Love from, Mother & Bobby Nora is sending you a letter to Grangeville. | |