Letter #27 Bountiful, Utah
June 9, 1918
seven-twenty car. Israel Barlow called here to take them up to see Myrtle, but it was car time, so he took them to the car
Henry, in the last three days, I have come to find out as never before what a vast and huge place you occupy in my life. Don’t take by this that I didn’t understand until now, but it has increased so much. I don’t know hardly how to tell you on paper, because it seems so peculiar to be separated from you.
I went to meeting, as I told you I was Friday. At night I went down to Ede’s and stayed all night. Afton was there with her little girl. It surely made me thing of the happy moments with you (the happiest in my life) when Ede was with Fran and I was waiting for her to go to bed. I never closed my eyes that night until 3:00 A.M. Don’t think I was worrying, for I wasn’t. I was talking. I don’t believe that two girls have ever have confided in each other as Ede and I have all our lives, but the other night was the best of all. That night I learned more of the innermost soul of Ede than ever before. I learned that night, for the first time, that Fran has been baptized since April, or since the Friday before Easter. This I’m going to tell you, Love, was told to me as only Ede and I can confide. But, you seem so much a part of my life that it seems as if I must tell you everything. Another reason is that you may see for yourself, as I see, the true character of her lovers. (Brother Bartholomew and Sister Tuttle are here, although it is 10:50 PM.)
To go on, at first I thought as you did, that Fran joined the church just to get Ede. I happen to mention that to her, and she said, “Vi, do you think that I am shallow?” She said there came a time last winter when she knew she had to choose between religion and him. Oh, sweetheart, what a fight for everyone. What would you do, and what would I do? “Love,” that thing that would perhaps mean lifelong happiness … against religion. Well, she chose what any girl of true Latter-day Saints would, she chose her religion and decided to go away and fight the battle of life.
The thing which impressed me the most, was that the last night, he asked Ede if she would kneel down by his side and pray for him. What a thing for a boy do to. I can tell you other incidents of the same nature, but he went and fought the battle of life and conquered, which was better, Ede said. He put her to shame in living religion and goodness, only now, she is a saint, thru and thru.
She surely is one of the most grateful girls that I know, and one of the happiest. She surely does love him with all her soul, but no more than I do you, Lover. I don’t know whether you will get any enjoyment out of what I just told you, but you always did like Ede, like the rest of us, and didn’t care for her lover, Fran. So, I thought I would just tell it to you.
Hearing that beautiful testimony was one means which made me realize more fully the jewel I hope sometime to get in you. Ede said, “Oh, Vi, how I have enjoyed knowing your companionship with Henry, and knowing there was no barrier between you.” May there never be a barrier between us. It is my most ardent prayer. I wish I could tell you all she told me, but you would not have time to read it.
Do you think I did wrong, Love? Well, then, we went back and he took Hazel and me to the Paramount. He said it was to pay back for your going to the war. Well, don’t worry dear, because you can trust me, and anyway, we were chaperoned.
Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you about our convention. Friday afternoon was the best session attended. Dr. Olsen talked on child culture and birth control. I enjoyed every minute of it, for it was solid truth. Friday and Saturday mornings were not so good as Saturday afternoon. After Hazel had met me, we went to the Salt Lake Theater. Lucile, Natolia, a girl with her, and Hazel and I went. The play was entitled, “Her Unborn Child.” It was an appeal to women and a play against birth control. Do you think I am bold by telling you this, Henry? For although, some may think I’m brazen, especially for a single girl, but I feel as if I belong to you and you to me, so pardon this, but I think it is so beautiful, I’ll give you a little of the play.
In the play there is what would be called an old-fashioned mother, living with her three children - a boy of nineteen and a young girl about eighteen. The young girl has gotten “in trouble” and no one knows about it yet. Her lover comes back after being away for four months. The day of his return, his ‘supposed’ aunt visits his home and lectures to the lady in favor of birth control, and she tries to get the girl to hear, but the mother doesn’t care for her to hear such things, so sends her out. That night the young girl sends for her lover and begs him to marry her, but he is depending on his aunt, and she says she will disinherit him if he marries her. At last, the young man persuades the girl to go to a doctor and see what can be done. She goes to an old family doctor. The ‘supposed’ aunt has gone there before, and the young man goes up first, and hears them talking, and finds out that that woman is actually his mother, and that his mother has married a servant, but she was ashamed, so no one knew about it except the doctor. He was that baby!
Well, anyway, the doctor, being a man of high morality, will not do what the women (the ‘aunt’, actually his mother) asked of him. When the boy hears this of his mother, he turns against the vile women and goes to his sweetheart. The reason he did not do this before was because he thought he had no name to give her. The brother was fine in protecting his sister, but silly in his own love affair. The gist of the play was to show what most of the young couples, and old ones, are getting in to, and the ‘aid’ some so-called doctors are doing.
I don’t know whether I told this very clearly, but it was surely great. There have been special performances for women and talks between acts. If this is too much, which I know it is, read some the next day. Thank you, love, for the pictures. The folks send their love, so do I, just bushels full, Violet
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