Chapter 11 

Wichita, Kansas Veteran’s Hospital, First Hospitalization

July 20, 1937 – August 28, 1937


July 20, 1937
Wichita, Kansas
Dearest Hazel – children,
	We have just had our dinner and I thought I would drop you a letter, although I haven’t anything to tell you yet.
	I got here 4:15 p.m. and after waiting 2 hours, they gave me a bed and supper.  Russel Davidson came to see me, and later in the evening, Ed Klager came to see me.  They are visiting here from Texas and are going to Chanute from here.
	I haven’t been classified yet and can’t tell you anything yet.  Dr. Curtis came in to see me, asked me some questions, and he said he thought most of my troubles comes from the gland.  Russel is looking fine and is taking treatment.  It has rained much more up here.  The streams are full.
	They have a wonderful place here and they treat us mighty fine.  I am in a large ward.  10 beds in it, and we are all confined here until 4 p.m. looking for a call every minute from the Doctor.  We all slept under Army blankets last night and it is nice and cool here today.
	I am wondering how you are making it by yourself, and I am wondering how long it will be before the peaches will have to be picked.  
	I am going to close this now.  It is time for the mail to go out.
	Love to all of you.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
July 21, 1937
Dearest Hazel – kids,
	1 o’clock.  It is 1 o’clock.  Just back from dinner.  Am still in receiving ward.  Had an examination this a.m.  Am going to laboratory in the a.m. for blood test and expect to be moved in a few days in to the class where I belong.  
	I just saw Mrs. McClaus’ son.  Just came in.  Prindle and Darlington brought him up.  Russell brings me the Tribune every morning about 11 o’clock.
I am a litle weak today.  I called for laxative last night and they gave me milk of magnesia.
We never know anything here.  We are called on ever so often for ex (rays?) but I think that in 2 or 3 days they will have me located here.
2 o’clock.  Since I started this they called me to Xray room and took pictures from my waist up.  They have tested my urine already, so I guess they will soon know all about me.
How are you getting along, Dear?  I know you are going full speed from early until late, and I hope you will not over do yourself.  Have you decided when you will send for Max?
I suppose that everything is growing fine now.  I see in the Tribune where Brown’s tomatoes are fine.  I am going to write your Mother in a day or two, and this is Mary’s birthday.  I wish I could be home.  Is she having a party?  Tell Carl, Mary and Robert hello.
Love to all.
					Carl

Wichita, Kansas
July 22, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	Another day is slippinig by and they have kept me pretty busy this morning.  I have had 2 blood tests, one urine test today so far.  I haven’t heard yet whether there is any thing more for me today.  We never know until 4 p.m. and we are confined in our ward until then.
	The experienced patients said it is about time for me to be moved out of the receiving ward.  Mr. Pepper came in to see me yesterday afternoon.  I didn’t ask him any questions.  They won’t know anything until all laboratory tests come in.  Men are coming in every day, and I guess some are going out every day, but we don’t see them.
	Russell brings me the Tribune up every day about 10 o’clock.  He is taking short walks now in the morning.  I saw him through the window this a.m.  I am hoping I will be able to tell you something about my condition pretty soon.  Will write tomorrow.
	Love to all.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
July 23, 1937
Dearest Hazel – kids,
	I had sort of looked for some news from home today, but the nurse has just been through here with the mail and I have given up all hope for today.  I am not able to tell you much more today, except I have been examined by the Chief Surgeon today, and I am scheduled to go before the nerve doctor and the kidney doctor yet, and I am not able to tell you anything yet.  I am feeling better today than I have any day since I left home.  Some of the pain is leaving my body now, but I have been in misery.
	Russell’s Mother and Sister called on me yesterday.  This is the hottest day we have had here.  Sultry look and feel like rain.  I am getting awful lonesome to hear a litle news from home.  I do wish one of you could find time to drop me a few lines.
	Love to all of you.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
July 27, 1937
Dearest Hazel,
	I started a letter to the children yesterday when they came after me to take me to an operating room and took 6 or 7 samples from my spinal column, 1 between each vertebra.  It was not very painful.  They wheeled me to my bed and they just let me get up after dinner.  They have taken 3 blood tests since you were here.
	Dr. Curtis told me he was going to send me home a well man in a month or two.  
	If you have not sent Life to me, don’t send it.  I have found it in the library and also the Star.  Don’t send any reading.
	Your letter came this a.m. and I was mighty glad to have it.  Will write tomorrow.
						Love,
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
July 28, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	I am just back from dinner.  I didn’t eat much today.  I had to take milk of magnesia for my bowels.  Russell said this morning that I looked a lot better already.  My head seems to have cleared up some, and I have better control of my legs.  At least Russell said.
	Dr. Curtis insists he is going to send me home a brand new man.  I never have been a place where I have been treated as nice as here.
	I got your magazines and paper this a.m.  Don’t send the Star any more.  I can read that in the library.  You may send Life when you get through with it.
	I wrote your Mother a letter last night and am mailing it out today.
	I just finished reading Wright’s book (God and the Groceryman), and I am going after another one when I finish this letter.  
	It is resort weather here every day and I enjoy it so much.  It feels so good to sit and lay down.  I don’t know if I will ever get rested up.  Will write tomorrow.
	Love to all.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
July 30, 1937
Dearest Hazel – kids,
	Your letter of Tuesday came this morning and it is needless for me to tell you that it means more to me than anything else to get a letter from home.  
	I am happy to tell you that I am improving as fast as I dared to expect.  My head has cleared up a lot and I have better control of my legs already.  Dr. Curtis insists he is going to send me home a new man.
	I am staying close to my bed.  It still feels good.  I had just gone as far as I could and without breaking down.
	I wrote Mrs. Brillo a few lines this a.m.
	Don’t send me any more papers or magazines.  They have them all here at the library and I would not bother with sending or bringing up any peaches up here.  I really think it is against the rules of the hospital.
	I just can’t begin to give you any idea of how long I will be here yet, but I feel the way I am beginning to improve, I must not be in a hurry to get out of here.  I haven’t asked any of the doctors yet about my condition and I don’t think I will yet for a while.  
	The Boys are getting ready to go to supper, and I will close.  I would be mighty happy if I could see you Sunday if you should have a chance to come, but you know best.
	Love to all of you.

Wichita, Kansas
August 1, 1937
Dearest Hazel – kids,
	I didn’t write you yesterday for I had sort of looked for you to come up tomorrow.  Since talking to Russell at noon, he said Bertha wrote that you said you did not think you could get away, and so I do not dare to look for you for fear that I would get terrible disappointed.  
	It is pretty hot here today.  The hottest we have had since I came.
	I feel I am gradually improving and gathering some strenght, but the newness is wearing off and I am pretty lonesome.  I am getting pretty well rested up and I can’t spend all day in bed any more.
	I am beginning to wonder and worry how you are getting along by yourself, and I shall be happy when I learn that Max has come home.
	Several of the men who live close by have gotten a pass and gone home for the weekend.  There is practically nothing doing here from Saturday noon until Monday a.m., and it is lonesome here.  I have just had one short letter from you since I left home.  Of course, I know you are awful busy.
	Russell said Bertha was going to stay until Monday and, of course, I knew then that you could not come.
	We had a concert on the lawn last night by a Legion band from Wichita.  I have just finished pulling the last dewberry throns out of my hands.  I can’t find any more.
	I will close this now and write you again real soon.
	Love to you all.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 2, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	I just got your letter at noon and I sure was glad to hear from all of you.  I had almost given up hope of hearing from you.  Just 2 letters in 2 weeks.  I also had a letter from you Mother and Max in the same mail and I was particular happy to know that Max was coming home today, for you need him so bad.
	Mrs. Davidson is here today and I guess she brought Mrs. McClain with her.  I haven’t seen them.  Russell told me at noon that Bertha would stay here until morning and they thought Mrs. McClain would stay here for several days.  Sunday is a mighty long day here when you don’t have visitors.  A good many of the men who live close by have gotten passes and gone home for Sunday.
	I can still report that I am gaining health and strenght just as fast as I dare to expect it.  Dr. Curtis said if all the men would be as good patients and obey orders as well as I do they would go home sooner.
	I am going to the administration office this week and see if I will have any chance of connecting my case with the Service.  The Legion keeps a man here for that purpose, and I know him well.  He is a past Commander of the Iola Post.
	Dr. Paine, an ex-service man from Humboldt, died here yesterday morning.  He was 68 years old.
	I was awful glad to hear from the kids, and Max sent me a nice letter, and your Mother sent me a fine letter. I am not looking for you and Brillo today.  It would be too much of a trip for all of you.
	Bert Lay came in to see me yesterday.  He lives in Wichita now.  He has some oil interest west of town.  He spent about an hour here with me.
	It is pretty warm here the last few days, but we always have plenty of breeze here and several big fans in every ward.
	If you can spare it, you might slip in a $1.00 bill in your next letter.  I need a haircut, some razor blades and soap, but if you can’t, I will get along without.
	Love to all of you.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 3, 1937
Dearest Hazel – kids,
	Just got your letter of Sunday evening and you sure had a day of it Sunday, and I am wondering how you are standing up under the load.  But with Max home, he will be a big help to you.
	I thought I had better write you this a.m.  They gave me an injection into my blood this a.m. and I think they may work on my spine again this p.m., and that will put me on my back for 24 hours.  I still feel that I am improving right along.  I have gotten rested up and don’t lay in bed so much.  My appetite is improving and I sleep sound at night, but can’t sleep in the day.
	There are a good many cases here like I had in ’28 and they are still paralyzed, and I feel I am pretty lucky.  I see them on crutches and in invalid chairs every day, and one man is completely blind.  Russell is looking and feeling fine, but I think Bertha is afraid to have him come home for fear he will go down.  I am not sure that he will ever go back to the meat business again.  Bertha came in to see me Sunday.  She said I looked so much better, and I am much better.
	I haven’t asked Dr. Curtis anything about myself yet, for I feel it will be another week or 10 days yet before he will be in position to tell me anything.  I am still under observation.  
	Russell just brought in the Monday Tribune and I have looked it over and saw your peach ad.  If they don’t ripen too fast, I imagine you can sell a good many right at home.
	I am really getting mighty homesick, but I don’t allow myself to think much about it, for I am sure they are doing me a lot of good here.
	It is pretty hot here now.  Close to 100 every day and getting awful dry.  This land around here does not hold moisture at all.
	You are sure doing fine with the peaches.  I expect Clive Taylor for the county treas. from Erie will be over.  He got 4 bushels 2 years ago.  You may have Max take some to Troga Inn.
	Ill close this and try to write you tomorrow.  All my love to all of you, Dearest.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 4, 1937
My Dearest Hazel – kids,
	Your letter Tuesday morning has just come, and I had a short letter and card from Helga Brillo in the same mail.  This finds me feeling fine.  We are having some awful hot weather, and it kept me awake until 3 this a.m.
	I am a litle weak this a.m.  The nurse gave me too much mineral oil last night, and Dr. Curtis told her not to give me any for a day or two.  They certainly are good to you here if you will just help them and obey orders.
	I am sending you Dr. Curtis’ address, and I wish you would pack one ½ bushel basket of peaches and express them to his family.  He is so good to me.  Put plenty of newspaper on the sides and bottom.  You can get a basket and lid from Graham.  (Prepay Express).
	You are doing awful well with the peaches.  I hope we will have 200 bushels but I doubt it.
	How are the tomatoes doing?  Are we going to have very many late ones?  It is getting very dry up here.  Even the Bermuda grass on the lawn is turning white.
	I would advise you not to carry too much cash around the house.  You had better stick it in the bank.  It is safer there.
	I was over to see the American Legion man this a.m. about my case to see if I can make Service connection.  He asked me to come back next week.  I visited about 2 hours with Russell in his ward last night.  
	I will write you again tomorrow.  Watch yourself, Honey.  Don’t over work.  Get some help if you need it.
	All my love to all of you.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 5, 1937
Dearest Hazel and kids,
	Bertha and Russell Davison just came in and said good bye, and left for home.  I will miss Russell.  He was nice company.  But Honey, it will not be so very long before I can come home.  I missed your letter this a.m., but I know you are just awful busy, and if you will just only be real careful not to over tax your strenght while I have to be away, I shall not worry.  I am feeling better and stronger today than I have any day since I have been here.  The Boys are getting ready for dinner and I will close and go to eat.
	2 p.m.  We had fried liver and onions for dinner and it was awful good.  I drink a glass of buttermilk and a glass of iced tea for dinner and supper every day.  I got the orderly to get my hat out of the clothes room today so that I can spend more time outdoors.  I haven’t gone out much on account of the sun.  Too hot on the eyes.
	There is just a steady stream coming and going here all the time, and it is a pretty busy place.  Do you suppose you could get Carl and Max to write me a letter and tell me what they are doing and how they are getting along?  It would mean a lot to me.  I am enclosing a letter to Mary and Robert that I wrote yesterday.
	I sent word with Russell to call Moody and send me the Tribune now that he has gone.  I haven’t seen McClain today.  His wife and one of the girls were here yesterday.  I do not suppose you are very likely to come up now that Russell has gone home unless Sharps should come up.
	But I’ll close this now and write you again tomorrow.  I am still looking for a letter from you in the afternoon mail.
	Love to you all.
						Carl 

Wichita, Kansas
August 9, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	It is an awful hot day here and things are pretty quiet, and according to newspapers, it is hot all over and I am just considering how you were standing it and doing all the hard work.
	This finds me feeling mighty fine.  I am so happy to tell you, Dearest, that I am slowly and gradually improving.  I have gained 4 lbs.  My appetite is improving.  My head is clearing up, and I am getting so much better control of my legs.  I feel I am getting an immense amount of good out of the shower baths here.  I get up 5 a.m., get under the hot shower and rub and massage myself all over.  Then I gradually turn on the cold water and repeat the performance, and then I walk around the hospital before breakfast.
	I had a long visit with Dr. Curtis this a.m.  He said I am improving faster than any patient on this floor considering the condition I was in when I came.  He just keeps on insisting that I need rest more than anything else and that my strenght will gradually come back.  My kidney and glands will naturally improve.
	I will close this and write you tomorrow.
	Love to all of you.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 9, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	It is just one o’clock and I was mighty happy to get your letter of Saturday a.m. this a.m.  Sunday is a lonesome day at the hospital unless you have company.  There is not much going on here from Saturday noon until Monday a.m.  
	The Sharp family called on me last night at 8 o’clock and stayed about an hour.  They were going to Manhattan and spend all week in Kansas.  Said they would be home a week from night.  It was mighty nice to see them.
	It is needless for me to tell you that it is very hot and dry, but I am standing it very well.  I have gained 3 pounds since I came here.  
	You ask me to explain my treatment.  So far, it has consisted mostly of rest and medicine and 2 spinal injections.  Dr. Curtis said he would give me some more treatments just as soon as I were ready for them.  They don’t tell you anything here about what they are going to do to you.
	I knew you would be disappointed at Russell coming home.  It gives you no chance to come over, and Honey, you know I would love to have you come, but I think it is too hot to try it now, let alone all you have to do and look after at home.  
I am getting hungry for some good peaches.  Could you manage to send me some, and I wish you would send me a litle money.  I am spending the last 3 cents I have for a stamp to mail this letter.
I neglected to write you yesterday, but I will try to make up for it in the future.
Love to all of you.
					Carl
 
Wichita, Kansas
August 6, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
Your letter of Wednesday evening came this morning, and I expect I had better answer at once in order that you may have a letter Sunday morning.  I am not much looking for you up here Sunday, for I can’t figure out how you can get away from the place.  Are you bothered with any body stealing peaches from you?  Do you still believe you will have from 150 to 200 bushels?  Ask Mr. Washburn what we owe him, and I don’t feel that I owe Brown anything at all.  Could you find someone to help you pick and handle these peaches?  It is an awful job in this hot weather.
I asked Dr. Curtis this morning when he was going to send me home, and he informed me that he was just going to start treating me now.  He told me that he wants to send me home a well man and in order to do that, I must give him all my support.  He said that he had waited until my nerves settled down some, and until I got rested, and began to gain some strenght before he begin.  If I let you go home now, he said, you will be back inside of 5 years with your left side paralyzed and dragging your leg behind you.  He said the fact you have never dissipated is the only thing that saved you, and he thinks I can come home in 3 or 4 weeks.  He said I must not get impatient.  This thing has been a long time in coming and it is going to take some time to get back, and we have to make allowance for the weather.  So I have just made up my mind to stay here and listen to him.  I am sure he knows what he is doing.  There is a whole lot more to this rest cure than many of us realize.  They haven’t worked on my spine any more, but Curtis indicated he might give me another treatment.  They keep feeding me mineral oil and milk of magnesia and also other medicines 3 times a day.  
We had an awful strong wind last night, but litle or no rain with it.
I am hoping your Mother will be able to come up.  It will be a lot of help to you, saying nothing of the company.
I am going to close this now and will probably write you again tomorrow.
With love to all of you.
					Carl 
P.S.   If you don’t come up in the next week you had better send me $1.00.

Wichita, Kansas
August 10, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	It is about 2 o’clock and I am going to answer your nice letter of Sunday nite which came 9 o’clock this morning.  I am enclosing here also a letter from Mr. Pettit that came in the same mail, and I hope it will make you feel as good as it did me.  He writes a good letter.
	I am feeling a litle weak and dizzy at times.  I had an injection in my arm this a.m. and it has gone all through my system and don’t ask me what it is for because I can’t tell you.  I am learning to take things just as they come and not ask any questions.  I have been here long enough and have seen enough of the work they do here, that I have every confidence in their ability to help us.
	McClain left here yesterday after hehad a rave with Dr. Beardon, Chief Surgeon.  He was mighty foolish.  He was a long ways from being well.
	I spent a part of the morning at the administration building with the American Legion man to see what I can do to establish Service connection, and I have to go back there tomorrow.
	Honey, I get a litle lonesome once in a while to come home and see you all, but then when I realize what a fine place I have here and how they are helping me, I feel ashamed of myself, for I have certainly learned a valuable lesson in coming over here and see how I and a lot of other Veterans were slowly walking in to our graves.  
	I had a comical card from the Brillos this morning, and I will try to write to them tomorrow.
	Dear, I won’t dare to come home to you until the weather gets some cooler.  We don’t get out in the sun here at all, and I don’t know how I would feel getting out there now.
	The Boys have been going out of here pretty fast yesterday and today, and of course, new ones are coming and taking their places, and of course, the older I get here I begin to feel more like a Veteran.
	Will write tomorrow.  All my love to all of you.
						Carl
P.S.   I am going to write your Mother and Dad right away if I don’t hear from them.

[NOTE:  The following letter from L.H. Petit, Chanute School Superintendant, was included with the above and was dated August 9, 1937.]
Dear Carl:
Last evening while Mrs. Petit and I were riding I stopped at your home to see you on a litle business matter.  I was surprised to find that you were in the hospital at Wichita.  You see, I have been gone on a vacation nearly three weeks and a good many things excaped my notice in that time.
We had a very lovely time with Mrs. Hanzen.  She told me how well you seem to be getting along and what high hopes the doctors have for your full recovery.  She said that she and the children are busy, but that everything is coming together nicely and they are getting along all right.
Carl, I think this is the smartest thing you have ever done, just to lie up there in the hospital until Old Mother Nature gets a chance to put your body and nerves into functioning order again.  I know how hard it must be to give up your work and to give up your family for a period.  But, believe me, brother, it is a whole lot better to give them up for two or three months than it is for good.  I hope you ar taking the attitude that this period of enforced idleness will mean a restoration for you in your full ability to work and the full ability to enjoy yourself as the head of your family.
You know, there have been a good many times in the stresses and strains under which I have worked during the last two or three years that I have wished that I could get off to some such place myself for a sort of a withdrawal into a hole, if you please, and then draw the hole in after me for a week or two.  Most of us try to live a life that is under entirely too high pressure.  So my advice to you is that as long as you are going to be there for a period of some weeks yet—that you do the doggonest, hardest job of resting and relaxing and being satisfied about it that a man could possibly be.  There will be plenty to occupy your mind and your body after you get back.
Really, Carl, I am so glad that you have this opportunity and this privilege of getting this fine chance to rebuild yourself.  I will be mighty happy to see you when you return secure in the knowledge that you feel so much more like yourself and so much more like taking up the day’s work.
I wanted to see you on a litle business proposition.  I talked to Mrs. Hansen about it and she told me that on her next visit to Wichita, she would discuss it with you.  I wanted your reaction as to the type and kind of grass seeding we should put on our Senior Trade School grounds.
All right, boy, take it easy while you are there and give your doctors and Old Mother Nature every chance in the world at you.  I know they will all do their part.
With sincere good wishes, I am
Sincerely,
Roy

Wichita, Kansas
August 11, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	It is almost 11 o’clock and I have had my first Electric Light Treatment on my back and legs this morning.  They put you on a cot and turn the rays on you for about an hour.  It feels very nice and healing.
	We had just a litle sprinkle last night but a lot of wind and I guess it must have rained somewhere, for it is nice and cool here. 
	Dr. Curtis came in this a.m. and thanked us for the peaches.  I guess he distributed them among his doctor friends here, for half of the doctors has been in here to thank me for them.  It seems most of these doctors come from Tennessee, and they used to grow them down there.
	I hope you got a good rain down there.  It looked good from here.  
	I missed your letter this morning, but I realize how awful busy you are.  I can’t hardly realize that I am going on the 4th week here.  It hasn’t seemed a bit long.  It is about 11:30 now and I am going to wash up and get ready to eat dinner.  We eat at 11:45.
	We had roast pork for dinner.  Mashed potatoes, pineapple salad and apple pie – cheese.  I am still a litle dizzy from the serum they give me yesterday.  They give us this serum, they tell me, to ward off arthritis, rheumatism and other ailments.  They seem to spend a lot of effort to find syphilis in the blood of every man in order to get out of paying compensation.
	Are you still intending to send Mary Paul to Kansas City before school?  How many more peaches are we going to have?  Enough to pay Graham?
	Yes, Mr. Jenkins has gone home some time ago.  They fixed him up in good shape with Electric Treatment.  He was in here to see me one day last week.  He is custodian of the schools at Mulvaine.
	I hope you had some rain.  It has rained somewhere.  There is the nicest cool breeze coming across the prairie.  Really the nicest day we have had since I am here.
	I am closing this now.  I think I will write Brillos today.
	Love to all of you.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 12, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	Thanks for your Tuesday letter.  This is just a perfect day here.  We had a litle rain here last night, and it is nice and cool.  I spent an hour under the Electric Waves this morning, and I really believe that it is going to help me a lot.  The sweat is just running off me all over when I come out.
	You don’t need to worry about me getting fat.  There is no danger.  I am not built that way, and while I may gain some weight, they will sweat it off me again before I get out of here.
	Dr. Curtis came in and spent an hour with me, and in our conversation, I asked him about the hospital at Wadsworth, Kansas, and he said it was not a hospital but a soldiers home.  He said it is located at Leavenworth, but it is run separately from the Veteran’s Hospital.  So I gather from that that Mr. Bickhart has taken permanent residence over there.
	One man left our ward for home this morning, and 2 more are going tomorrow.  I moved my bed this morning to a location I like better.  I think in about a week I will be the senior patient in this ward, the way they are sending them home.  Dr. Curtis said they were going out and coming it at the rate of about 12 each day.  
	The man who was accused of picking up my pocketbook and taking the money out of it got in to the drug room here yesterday and stole a bottle of bay rum and 100 aspirin pills and got drunk on it, picked up a pair of overhauls and a shirt somewhere, changed in the toilet room of the recreation building and got on the bus.  The guard caught him before the bus started, brought him back and put him in a cell this a.m.  They gave him a new suit of clothes, hat, shoes, told him to leave and never come back.  The Wichita police picked him up in a gutter and brought him out here.  Don Pepper told him he picked the wrong crowd.  
	Honey, I am closing this.  I am going to write your Mother and Dad.  Wrote Brillos yesterday.
						Lots of love, Dearest.

Wichita, Kansas
August 13, 1937
Dearest Hazel – kids,
	I am going to start another letter to you.  I don’t know if I will ever finish it.  Things are getting somewhat monotonous around here.  We are short 3 patients in our ward.  One went home yesterday.  2 today, and no new ones has come in and we run out of things to talk about, and it is getting a litle lonesome around here.  They are all asleep here now but me.  I haven’t been able to sleep any during the day yet.  
	It is nice and cool here.  Had about ½ inch rain here since 5 o’clock this morning.  I hope you have had a good rain down there.  
	No, I don’t read books any more.  I found they were not good for my nerves.  I go over to the library and read the Star-Times, look over Life, Colliers, Country Life and several other magazines.
	Dr. Curtis says he is mighty well pleased the way I am improving in every way, but he does not say anything yet about me going home.  I have to take a good deal of medicine to keep my bowels open.  I am continuing my Electric Heat Treatment every day.  I am not going to ask Dr. Curtis anything more this week about my condition.  The less you ask him, the more he will tell you when he gets ready to talk.  He never ask you much about how you feel, but he will come and sit by your bed for an hour and visit with you, and while he is doing that, he will watch every movement in your body.  
	I just had a birthday card from Mr. and Mrs. Squier, the first time I have had mail come in the afternoon.
	It is 2:30 and I am going to close this now and go to the library and get some reading for Sunday, for the library does not open on Saturday.
	Honey, I am hoping that by this time next week, I may be able to tell you something about coming home in the near future.  I will write to the children during the week end.  All my love to all of you.
						Carl 

Wichita, Kansas
August 16, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	It is about 2 o’clock now and I have sort of hoping that some of you were on your way up here to visit me through the courtesy of someone.  The fact that I haven’t heard from you since Thursday, I thought perhaps someone had offered to bring you up here, and that you were planning on surprising me.
	It is a mighty lonesome day here and not many visitors here either.  I haven’t seen a person I knew since Russell left.  It is awful hot here today, although we had 2 days fairly cool.
	Next Monday I have put in 4 weeks up here, and I don’t know how much longer I will have to stay here.  I have made a big improvement since I came here, but somehow I don’t seem to gain strenght very fast.  Of course, I don’t get any exercise, and it is too hot to go outdoors in the daytime.  I have an awful good appetite.  I just weighed myself.  I weighed 130 when I came, and I weigh 137 ½ now.  I am still taking Electric Heat Treatments and they help me a lot.
	I will have a talk with Dr. Curtis this week and tell you what he said.  I am enclosing a note he wrote you and asked me to send you, and I am hoping to hear from you tomorrow, and I will write you again tomorrow.
	Love to all of you.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 17, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	I didn’t get to write you yesterday.  I had a sore arm, and was a litle dizzy all day.  I gen an injection in my arm every Monday, and it leaves me pretty weak for about 24 hours.
	I got your Thursday and also your Saturday letter with some mail yesterday noon, and I got a greeting card and a short not from Mary Paul in this morning’s mail.  I can still tell you that I am getting along fine.  I thought I was about ready to come home Monday, but Curtis said he was going to keep up the treatment as long as I kept on improving.  Between giving serum in to my blood and giving me medicine 4 times a day, Electric Heat one hour a day, they keep me pretty well going.  I am full of dope all the time.
	I sent a short letter to Russell this a.m., and I am going to try to answer Petit’s letter soon.
	I visitor here this afternoon told me they were having the same trouble with their peaches here that you are having.  I do wish we could get a good rain.
	I am going to close this.  I will try to write Mary and Brillos tomorrow.  Can you send me $1.00 in your next mail?
	All my love to all of you.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 18, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	Your letter, Max’s short letter came this morning.  Our mail was real early today.  It came before I went to take my Electric Treatment.  They call it physio therapy and it is sure doing me a lot of good.  I am beginning to feel like a new man.
	Well, honey, I have some good news for you.  Dr. Curtis volunteered the news to me yesterday, that if I keep on improving like I have so far, that I can go home about September 1st and that is just 2 weeks from today.  So if you see any of the men of the school board, you may tell them that I will be home in plenty time to go over it with them.
	No, I haven’t seen the American Legion contact man, and I won’t see him until they complete my clinical record and decide whether I have any disability.  I don’t know what that tax bill is you are writing about.  I can’t think of any tax that is due now.
	The Legion Auxiliary is putting on a bingo game for the men at the recreation building this afternoon, but I am not taking it in.  In fact, I don’t leave the hospital building at all during the day, except going to the library and read the Star-Times.  Our ward was filled up this morning with new patients coming from the receiving ward, and I am beginning to rank some seniority and being counted among the old timers.
	It is a good deal cooler here today, and we have a nice breeze.  They had a good rain southwest of here, but none here.
	I was reading in the Tribune where Goodrum telegraphed his resignation to the school board, and he is giving up educational work.
	I will close this now and write Mary Paul and Brillos.
	All my love to all of you.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 20, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	Your letter of Wednesday came this morning.  You noticed that I did not write you yesterday.  I think if a person stays at a place like this too long, he gets careless and lazy.
	We had a big rain here last night.  Over 2 inches.  I hope it reached Chanute.  The Times didn’t say if it reached you.  It is nice and cool here now.  I don’t know if the rain has come in time to do the peaches any good.
	Yes, dear, I got the peaches and I was certain that I wrote you about it.  I see in the Wichita paper where Kingman, Kansas had 6 inches of rain last night.  That is Dr. Haynes home town.  
	The Boys in this ward seems to think that I am the next one to go home from this ward.  Since I have began to get some strenght, I have been around and expected this place all over on the outside, and it seems to me that they could use a good landscape man here, and while I am here, I am going to look in to it.  I would like to land a job with U.S.  They are steady.  Mr. Pepper is in Ft. Riley now with the National Guard and won’t be back until next week.
	I still think that I am improving pretty fast, but it is just going to take some time to get over this completely, and I think the only thing just now is to stay a week or 2 more now that I am here.  My back is in fine shape now, but my legs are a litle slow in coming back.  Dr. Curtis says that out of 45 patients that have the same ailment that I have, I am leading them all in recovery.  He tells me not to get in a hurry and he will send me home a brand new man, and he said I sould have come up here 8 years ago.  
	I’ll close this now and write again tomorrow.
	With love to all.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 21, 1937
My Dearest Hazel – children,
	I have just had dinner and it was a large dinner.  I do have an enormous appetite and often go back for seconds, and I think I am gaining some weight now.  I am still feeling fine and improving right along.  My back is all well and my legs are improving and getting stronger every day.
	I didn’t get a letter from you this a.m., but I had one from Mary Paul and that helped a lot.  I am enclosing her letter.  She acts like she is having a good time.  
	It is nice and cool here after the rain, and I am going to take a walk after I mail this letter.  I am mailing Mary a letter too.  I also had a card from Mr. Lawrence this morning.
	I am starting to take walks both mornings and afternoons since cooler weather set in.  I need to get some strenght in to my legs, and after a walk they get tired and then I can rest better and also sleep better.
	All my love to all of you.
						Carl
[NOTE:  The following letter from Mary Paul was enclosed with the above letter.]
Friday P.M.
Dear Daddy,
	I hope you get this letter Sunday so it will not be so lonesome.  I wish I could see you and it is awful lonesome at home.
	I am having an awful good time and I am seeing so many beautiful big buildings.
	I am glad you are gaining strenght, health, and pounds.
	We have been out to the cheese factory out in the country where they make cheese.
	Mrs. Brillo has 2 litle birds and a dog.  I am having a very good time.
	2 girls took us to lunch the other day and we had Chinese food.  Then in the afternoon they took us to a picture show.
	I hope you can come home by the 1st of September because I want to see you.  
	I am going home a week from Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.  We can’t tell if the boys get off of work or not.
	We got 1 inch of rain Thursday.  I just hope and hope that we got it up home because it will help Mother an awful lot.
	There is an awful lot of traffic here and cars are going both ways all the time.
	I guess everybody is just fine up home.  They said it is lonesome without you and me there.
	There is an awful lot of buildings here and they are plenty of high ones too.
	Brillos showed me where you were before you left to war.  We are going out to the zoo and see if your deer are still there.  Fondy and Holger said they haven’t heard wither they have died or not, but they are sure they are still alive.
	We have 3 filling stations right by us so I have plenty to watch all day long.  I have a lot of fun with the dog and the birds.  Mrs. Brillo has a piano and I play on it quite a bit.  They have a Victrola, a radio, and a piano.
	There is a lot of peddlers here that try to break in but Brillos have night locks on all of the doors.
	It is awfully cool and nice since it rained and I just hope we got it up home and I hope you got it too so it will be cool too.
	Mrs. Brillo is making an awful pretty rug.  
	I don’t know how much I can write but it doesn’t matter.  I am hoping you get this Sunday because I know it is lonesome on Sunday.  I must close now.
						Your loving daughter,
						Mary Paul

Wichita, Kansas
August 23, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	This is Sunday and the longest day in the week for us who have no visitors from home.  I had sort of looked for someone from home to bring you up today for the fact that I did not get a letter from you this a.m., but I have given it up now as it is after 2 o’clock, and then I thought maybe your folks came up.
	I sent Mary Paul a letter yesterday at the same time I mailed your letter.
	I have had a card from Mr. Patterson, Mr. Lawrence, also a letter from the church, and I am enclosing them all.  
	This finds me gradually but slowly improving, and I feel I am gaining some strenght every day.  I have on Dr. Curtis’s recommendation started to take 2 and 3 walks every day and I am increasing the length of them each day.  There are a great many patients that leave here as soon as they begin to feel a litle better, and they make life disagreeable for the doctors until they discharge them, but I am sure that I will always be glad that I have listened to Dr. Curtis, for I don’t think I ever met as good a doctor and as fine a man as he is, and I know I am getting better every day.  I am the oldest patient in the ward now, outside of the Indian from Oklahoma who was here when you were up here.  He is going home next week.
	They are still coming and going every day.  It is sure a gathering place for broken down men.  You see some pitiful sights here.
	Are we going to have any corn and sweet potatoes?  And how about late tomatoes?  What did the beans do that I planted before I left? 
	I am going to close now and will write you again as soon as I hear from you.
	Love to all of you.
						Carl 

Wichita, Kansas
August 23, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	Your Saturday letter came this morning and I had not intended writing you today, but it gets pretty lonesome here in the afternoon along about 2 o’clock.  About everybody goes to sleep for a couple of hours.  I never have been able to go to sleep in the daytime yet, and even reading gets old to me.  I am beginning to itch to get out and do something.  That ought to be a good sign that I am improving.
	Yes, Honey, I will be home before school starts.  It may be just a few days before, as I told you before.  I want to see and have a talk with Mr. Pepper about the job of taking charge of the landscape work here, and he is in Ft. Riley with the troops.  Somehow, I feel quite sure I can land the job, but I have no idea of what there is in it or if we could afford to consider it, but I am certainly going to investigate it while I am here.  I feel this is one place where an ex xervice man with my record should be given preference.
	I am just getting ashamed of myself staying over here so long and putting all the rustling and hard work on you, but really Honey, I felt that while I am here I had better get a complete rest and gain back my strenght in order that I might be able to carry on when I do get back.
	Mary Paul is sure having the time of her life in K.C.  I suppose they will bring her back next Sunday, and I wish I could be back and see Brillos, but I am afraid that is not possible.
	I will close now and write you tomorrow.  All my love to all of you.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 25, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	Your Tuesday letter made good time.  It came this morning.  I am enclosing a letter from your Mother.  It came yesterday.  Also a card from Mary Paul.  
	I am trying to figure out who this Mr. Crawford is who is coming in to see me.
	It seems to be almost impossible to find anything to write about from here any more.  We are the same bunch in the ward and we have run out of anything to talk about.  
	As far as I know now, I should get home a week from today, September 1st.  Curtis wants me to continue the Electric treatment and I am still taking medicine 4 times a day, and he talks about giving me another injection of serum for rheumatism about Tuesday.  I have had 4 of them already.  
	I am getting mighty anxious to come home, Dear.  It has been a pretty long fight, but I believe it has been worth it.  The days are getting awful long now, but I am on my last week now.
	I will write you tomorrow.
	Love to all of you.
						Carl

[NOTE:  The following letter from Hattie Atkins dated August 21, 1937 was enclosed with the above letter.]
Dear Carl,
	We have had two letters from you and it is time I was answering.  Hazel said she had sent you my letter is one reason I have not written sooner, and then too, I don’t ever seem to get through with so much canning, and it has been so awful hot this month.  But we are having some rain now which we hope will bring us cooler weather.  It has gotten pretty dry down here too, which has damaged the tomato crop some, but the cannery is running every day canning tomatoes, corn, beans and putting up pickles.  Never was there such a fruit crop in our part of the country.  I have filled every jar and have up ??? lot of good things to eat.
	Millard has a steady job at the cannery.  Wages arent’ enough, but he said he’d better make $40.00 a month as not anything.
	We had a letter from Hazel Tuesday.  She said Mary was in K.C.  I’ll venture to guess she is having one grand time, but school will soon start, then they will have to settle down to study.
	Don and Opal left last Tuesday for California.  They should get through today if everything went well.  We have had one card from them.  
	We are mighty glad to know you are gaining in weight and improving every day.  It won’t be long now before you will be coming home.  We know you are anxious to be at home, but we have to do what is best for us sometimes, even if we had rather have it another way.
	Bert is working steady now.  Has his permanent glasses and can see remarkable well.  He is lying here reading the Dispatch as this is Saturday and he is not working today.
	I don’t have any news of interest now.  We are kind of lonesome since the kids left, but it won’t be long before they are back.  As Don said, he only intended to stay a week.  He lft his truck on the works which makes $6.00 a day.  They will be back about the 6th or 7th of September.
	Well, this is all for this time.  We were glad to get your letters and hope you are still improving and feeling better and better every day.  Write when you feel like it.
						Love, from Burt and Hattie

Wichita, Kansas
August 27, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	Your Thursday letter came this morning and of course, I was mighty glad to have it, and I thought I would kill an hour or so answering your letter.  You asked me what time I am coming in.  Well, I can’t tell you.  There are 2 busses leave here daily, 9 a.m. and 3:40 p.m.  If I can get out of here in time to get the morning bus, I will be home by 1 o’clock, but you never know.  You have to go before a board of doctors.  They try to meet at 8 but often they are late.
	This is going to be the longest weekend I have ever spent here.  Pretty near everything closes up Saturday noon until Monday morning.
	I am looking for Don Pepper in tonight.  I think they are breaking camp at Ft. Riley today.  I will write you again Monday and that will perhaps be the last you hear from me until you see me.
	Love to all of you.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 26, 1937
Dearest hazel – children,
	I don’t know if I can find anything to write you about today, but I don’t have any thing else to do, and things are getting rather monotonous around here.  The bed don’t feel as good any more.  I have been all over the reservation here.  I have seen every tree, schrub and flower on the place and been through almost all of the buildings, and I am not allowed to go outside of the fence, or I would go and look at some of the many new houses they are building on all sides of this place.
	It is cloudy here and thundering now.  We had a nice litle rain this morning, maybe ½ inch, and I think we will get some more.  Hope you are getting some of it.
	Mr. Lay came in to see me and spent an hour with me late yesterday.  Said he came back from Chanute a few days ago, and he said everything looked good down there.
	Everything is going about the same as usual.  One man is going home in the morning.  The Indian from Texas is going Monday, and I think I will get away from here sometime Wednesday.  I don’t expect I can get away from here in time to get the bus in the morning.  You have to go before a board of doctors before you leave, and they don’t meet until 8:30 a.m.
	Dr. Curtis just came in for a visit and stayed 30 minutes.  I enjoy him immensely.  He is always the same.
	I will close this and try to write you tomorrow.
	All my love to all of you.
						Carl

Wichita, Kansas
August 28, 1937
Dearest Hazel – children,
	I didn’t get a letter from you yesterday nor today, and the Tribune didn’t come today.  I saw in the paper where the Santa Fe had a wreck at Welda (Wela?) and that service was held up, and then I know you are awful busy.  I had several cards from Mary Paul this a.m.  I am enclosing them here.  She said they were bringing her home this evening, and you will surely have your hands full for the weekend.
	I would like to be home and see Brillos.  This is going to be a terrible long weekend with no visitors, but thank goodness, it is the last one here.  It seems almost a year since I left home.
	My legs are still a litle weak from the knees down, but Dr. Curtis thinks I had better go now.  He said I may have to come back once more in the next year, and perhaps go through another period of treatment.
	I will mail this out so you may get it Saturday.  Give my regards to Brillos, and love to you all.
						Carl 