Battle
Creek Mich. March 15th ‘16.
My
dearest Florence
Your
last letter I got yesterday morning, and the one before the
last,
this morning. So of course after I read your letter this
morning I
had to read the other one again even though I had already read
it
twice. The only time I am not cross because you do so much
letter
writing is when I am away. You don’t know how hungry I get
just to
see your hand writing on the envelope. You dont know me yet
anyhow. Its so hard for me to say things that sound
sentimental yet I
sometimes think I am more sentimental than anybody I know of.
I
imagine you get tired of reading letters to me sometimes when
I dont
seem to care about them. Well just let me tell you something
maybe
you don’t know. So many of our letters lately have had sad
parts
to them and I without really wanting to, have been forcing
myself to
appear indifferent just to hide my feelings. I remember
especially
when Cora’s letter came after they lost their baby. That time
I
pretty nearly exploded. I don’t know why I should want to hide
my
feelings but I have always been so and I imagine that many
times when
you have thought I was cold and indifferent was just when my
poor old
heart was almost ready to burst. At such times there is only
one
thing that gives me relief and that is music. I believe it
would
make an interesting book if I could describe clearly what goes
on on
the inside of me when I am at the organ. I have found a lot of
interesting material in the town library here and spend most
of my
afternoons there copying. I didnt bring anything from Chicago
because I wanted to do something toward getting ready for
speaking
but when I am alone in my room I get so lonely I just cant
stand it
so off I go, and have done nothing. I hope I will be able to
settle
down to business when I get home again. Now when am I going to
get
home? Well I finished all my planning last night when I got a
slip
telling me there was a registered letter for me which I got
this
morning. I am going to leave here Sat. morning and go straight
to
Brunny’s. I’ll get there about 1 o’clock. Then as soon as we
can settle plans I’ll go to Riebes and stay till Sunday
afternoon
and then go back to Brunny’s again and start home Monday
morning,
and come straight to Stearns. Maybe you can come and get me.
Any
how - dont you be in town and I out there. If you should be in
town
and cant let me know in time, why just meet the train and I’ll
get
off but if you are not at the depot I shall expect to find you
at
home and you know where home is. Its the little old place I am
looking to for a dandy time. If Emil wants to come to meet me
and
its nice you come with him with the boys but if he is busy you
can
come alone. I dont know what Cora’s trunk will be like but we
can
manage it I am sure but it is breakfast time so I’ll finish
later. Well breakfast is over but I am just as hungry as I was
when I went
down. They measure out ones meals and we can have only what
they
give us and it’s mostly sloppy tasteless stuff so I never get
satisfied but I am kinda beginning to believe in it so I am
going to
get some literature on the subject even if it costs a little
and try
and see if I cant improve my diet at home. I have heard some
good
lectures and am beginning to think we know very little about
really
valuable foods. I have also been through all the food
factories here
and have a number of samples and price lists so maybe with
your
Montgomery Larkins order we will have to put in an order here
once in
a while. But we can talk that over later. I’ll still have some
money left but dont know how much. You can imagine it wont be
much
when I tell you my bill last week without the reduction would
have
been $43. But I guess I must close. Keep well for we are just
going
to begin to live when we get in our home.
Yours,
as ever John.
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