Letter #52
Boulder, Colorado
This was in Henry's envelope. It is a Boulder dance card. He talked about this dance in his last letter. |
Providence has been working in your favor again as we were all at the
ball park, but the rain drove us indoors.
So here I am. Take me. But only in words can that be done. I received your loving, sweet letters
yesterday and they sure made me feel better, for I was just waiting for one and
the love which you send in them.
I don’t know whether you will be justified
in thinking me selfish when you were making the candy you did not send, but
listen, dear, that letter was short, but oh how it filled my aching heart. Now dear, don’t think I’m wanting nothing but
short letters. They must be long and
full of that love you have always sent to me.
Now dear, don’t think I am of the opinion that you have not sent me your
entire love and heart, for you have. It
was only a selfish mode I have about me, but how can you blame a man when he is
in love with the sweetest girl in Utah?
That I can say without bragging one inch. It makes no difference what other people
say. [Many, many thanks for the sweater and the cake. How can I ever repay you, sweetheart?]
At noon today another thing happened to me which I did not expect. You surely did surprise me this time, for you
told me there was a box of candy on the way.
The candy did not arrive, but something else, for it shall be worn next
to my heart and, whenever I look at it, your smiling face and loving heart
comes into my life, and I seem to be tied to the ground. I don’t know how I can ever repay you or
thank you for the kindness extended in sending me the sweater and fruit cake.
When I
received it, the fellows wanted to know what I had. They said “Let us see.” I opened it and found
the valuable sweater and candy, which could not be bought for love or
money. So I showed it to some of the
fellows. They looked at it and said,
“I’ll bet it doesn’t fit!” I put it on
and it fit to the T and then they said, “She must have had her arms around you,
for she knew exactly how large to make it.”
Have you ever done such a thing, dear? If you happened to be in my
presence, nothing could keep me from putting my arms around you, and taking one
of those sweet life-building kisses. And
another thing, I would give you a half dozen more and it wouldn’t cost you a
cent.
Well, dear,
tonight is Saturday, and we are off until taps.
There are a number of things that seem interesting to do. One in particular is the dance the nurses are
giving in honor of the soldiers. This
morning, after drill, we were all told, “You who wish to the dance must sign
the paper before nine o’clock. No one is
allowed to take girl with them unless it is their wife, for the girls were to
be furnished when you get there. Now,
dear, just because I’m going don’t think I am losing my love for you, for I’m
not. I am going to try and see if I can
enjoy myself more than I have been doing.
For if I form the habit of not going out, I will always be at home. And
I’m, sure you wouldn’t want me to stay at home all the time, would you
dear? If I’m doing wrong by going,
please let me know, and I will quit, for your favors must come first, and other
things next.
I have taken
my blouse to the tailors to have the tail taken out a little, for it seemed and
feels like some of the modern waists the women are wearing now, when they are
pressed and fitted, they look very well.
My trousers, the second pair, which they gave to me, are too small. I am going to try and have them changed.
Tomorrow is Sunday. I am intending going to Denver and fulfill my
promise I made to Elihu Call the Sunday before.
I am just going
to ask you a question, which to me is wrong.
There are a number of married men here who are going out every night,
taking the young girls here and there.
It may be alright for them, but they should think more of their wives
and children at home than that. I have
enough respect for my sweetheart to remember her, and not in dallying in such
part time pleasure, as some of the married men here are doing. They seem to be worse than the single men.
Last
Sunday, I was talking to a certain young man of the company. It was on a very serious question. Now dear, don’t think I’m just trying to make
you believe I have lost my respect for you, for it is not, but only to show you
what some men are doing and how it appears to me. It happened to be a young married man with
one child. He had a young girl out
Saturday night. He told me, when I left the armory, I had my mind made
up that she would lose her virtue that night.
She talked and looked so innocent I felt ashamed of myself, and from now
on, I’m going to try to be a better fellow, for she taught me a lesson that had
never been taught to me before. Since then he had talked about it to
others, which shows to me he is a man to own up to it, after being so
vile.
Now dear,
don’t think I am getting hardened since coming here. Well, things are serious when it comes to
things like that. But what about his
pure wife at home, who is praying for his protection and guidance? How can such a fellow be given the blessings
of God? Now, sweetheart, thanks to God I
am not in that condition. I have my
temptations and passions, but I think I can control them by the help of God, and
you, dear. I must live for you, dear,
for I know you are living a clean, pure life.
If I have
written something you didn’t want to know, just forgive me and I will stop
writing such things. But I know, dear,
you can trust me as I can trust you.
You mentioned
about me telling George about what you said about marriage, well dear, I told
him you were willing, and it rested upon my shoulders for the rest. Nothing entered his heart that you were
urging such a thing, for you were not doing any such thing. I think you are a
very brave girl, and above all, the most dear and sweetest of all. Never think that you were urging me, for I
took it in a much different manner.
I must say
“Good Afternoon,” but please dear, just one more kiss … X … May God ever be near
you in the desires of your heart.
Your lover,
Henry
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