Thursday[1]
Dear Robert[2],
Considering that Senator Taft has banned some even more innocuous books as reading material
for you defenders of our fair land and liberty I didn’t hang my head in as much
shame as I might of, at sending your those lovely little soporifics. Some of
them weren’t so bad, at that, were they? Having read that some of our best
brain trusters refresh themselves on mysteries I’ve gotten so that I approach
the Mystery Shelves in the Clovis Library almost with pride, even in the face
of the librarian who is continually overwhelming me with her own learnedness.
That name’s Mom (Webster’s Dictionary)
I can’t think of any news at the moment so I guess I’ll get
on to the gossip column, re, the P.S. to your letter. It was very interesting
in that it summarized the general attitude at home, and contrary to
instructions I let Billie and Elizabeth see it, as I thought they’d like to
feel there was some backing in our own deductions from a distance, too. The
whole set up is very confusing and upsetting, and I had made a vow that if
Marion came in spite of the very pointed letter I wrote to Walt (which arrived
the day after she left Chicago) I’d say no more about the matter at all, of
course I didn’t make any promises about writing. When Marion first arrived we
all felt that she had matured considerably and felt very kindly toward her,
except that her shrill voice and giggle were still a little irritating, and
while mama was in Los Angeles Elizabeth and the kids came and stayed with
Marion and Marion unburdened herself and then we all felt sorry for her because
it would seem that our brother Walt was a selfish brute. He is definitely and
by far the smartest person in the entire family, if not the only smart on (M’s quotes) but when he was moved to Chicago he decided that it would be much more
comfortable, considering Chicago living conditions and costs, for Marion to come and live with mamma, and Walt to live at the Illinois Athletic Club,
besides he wanted to be spared the bloody details of acquiring a child.
Note-this was planned entirely for Marion’s greatest comfort and out of
consideration for mamma, and it cost so much to send her here that she isn’t planning
on going back until next June, although Walt’s going to try to get a furlough
and come out here. In the meantime he’s joined the Officers Club and is short
on cash so he hasn’t sent Marion
her August allowance yet. I must say though that mamma and Marion get along beautifully, she honeys mamma around, but yells at their bridge playing, and does help around the
house much more than anyone had expected. But-there’s sabotage going on, too. Billie
was one of the strongest protestors on the ground that mamma shouldn't have
extra responsibilities, and B. has been wonderful in taking mamma around and
things like that, but mammas been taking some awful digs at her, in fact one
day she spent 11cents to weep literally, over the phone at the things mamma had
said to her, and mamma has been in her phrase making “cutting” remarks about
Elizabeth and the children, but when two and two are put together our little
sister in law is at the bottom of it, methinks. Are you still interested? She
told Elizabeth
that she can’t imagine how people as old as the older members of our families
could be interested in living in run down houses which have to be fixed up all
the time- she and Walt are going to build a new $10,000 home. When she was out
here she commented on the uniqueness of everything and laughed uproariously at
the odd library table we have, and “Imagine 12¢ muslin curtains in the living
room. You could only get by with it in a house as old as this.” The joke’s on
her - I had a bunch of gals out for bridge last Thursday, and they all made
unsolicited remarks of admiration for the 12¢ curtains. It seems Breuner’s are
doing somebody’s $10,000 home in cheap unbleached muslin. That’s my dig. Right
and left she yaps about John and William and their spoiledness, but that gets
nipped fast when any of the rest are around, except that mamma nods. Billie had
her out for the weekend and she was horrified at the smells, the flies, the mosquitoes,
the airplanes and the insignificance of their Victory Garden
Mrs. Gaines had a wire from Lyn yesterday saying that Art
was being transferred to Enid ,
Oklahoma Lydia wrote
that she’s definitely having her vacation in September, maybe Paul will be home
by that time, and maybe they’ll be in their own house, and it will be like old
times.
I’m going to San
Francisco next week- I’ve been threatening to all
summer, but Esther Mellin Heidrich is having a luncheon so now I’ll have to
yank myself away from rustic domesticity. Porgy and Bess is there, too. The
next problem is transportation – how and when.
Hubert‘s foreman for a winery now, did you know? And Billie
is getting ready to do her house painting. Did you know Jack Foyle? He was a
Lt. in the Coast Guard. He has passed the examinations or what have you and is
being admitted to training for the American Military Govt. He lived in the Philippines for
a couple of years, so that may have helped. Do you have any yen for that? We
had a most interesting letter from Bill Lockwood in England . He sounded like a moneyed
gentleman of culture spending a most delightful summer in the heart of England . I sure
wouldn’t mind that little branch myself.
Happy Navigations – keep a sailing
Cornelia[3]
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