Chapter 9 – Chanute, Kansas
April 24, 1924 – December 16, 1936
Bartlesville, Oklahoma
April 24, 1924
Dearest Hazel – children,
Just got your letter and I called Weston to find out what he had at Chanute. He called Chanute and they said for me to come up and see them, so I am leaving now. It is 100 miles from here. Will write you as soon as I get there.
All my love to all of you.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
April 24, 1924
Dearest Hazel and children,
I arrived here this afternoon 4 o’clock. I made pretty good time. It is 90 miles from Bartlesville.
I went right out to the cement factory and met Mr. Gardner, the Superintendent. This is a mighty interesting place. They manufactured 4,500 barrels of cement every day, and employ 450 people. In addition to that, they own 1,200 acres of land, operate a dairy farm, milk 40 Guernseys, a hog farm of 600 head, and a poultry farm, and at the present time, they have 10,000 chicks weighing about a pound each.
What they intend to do now is to start out landscaping this ground. They have about 25 acres laid off for lawn and schrubbery border, and want to beautify it as well as around the buildings on the farms, also plant some small orchards around on the farms. This is just one of several branch factories scattered out over the country, and they have been studying on this for several years, but they never have been able to get appropriations from the main office until this year.
They have some mighty good ideas. Their place is 3 miles out of town, but we would have to live in town. They think real soon they would build a house and greenhouse out there. I haven’t met the main guy yet. Am to meet him in the morning. I don’t know if I can make a deal with them. Am going to try my best and I am going to ask them to give me $150.00 per month and furnish me a car.
Chanute is a pretty town, about the size of Pittsburg, and you can rent a good 5 room house here for about $25.00 to $28.00. But I am going to bed now and I will tell you all about it tomorrow.
All my love to you all. Mighty sorry to hear about your Dad’s accident.
Carl
Nowata, Oklahoma
April 25, 1924
My Dearest Hazel and children,
I just had to call you up and tell you the news. I just got in and had my supper, and called you up and now I am going to write you a few lines.
I made a deal with the cement people, and I am going up there just as soon as I can. I am to get $150.00 per month. They asked me if it was my car I was driving. I told them it belonged to the Company, and they said they always had a car sitting around, so I am going to sell it then we can pay up our debts and get some furniture. And I hope and pray that this will end my career as a traveling man so I can be with those I love better than anything in the world. Honey, I just can’t stand to be away from you and the babies, and it is not right that I should be. I am going to have a fine job. I am to have full charge of the planting and care of all their stock, and they told me that it didn’t make any difference whether I needed one man or 40. All I had to do is to go to the Superintendent and call for them.
Mr. Weston must have given me a good send off to them, for they seemed tickled to get me at the price. The General Manager used to live next door to Mr. Rock in Kansas City and we got acquainted right now. I only felt sorry that I didn’t ask for more money. They indicate that in the future, they may build us a house out on the place, and from what I could observe, living is very reasonable in Chanute. It is not always so easy to find a house there, for there are a good many factory workers living there, but I feel that we should begin to enjoy life more fully now Dear, as I will always be home and then I will be doing something that I like.
I am mighty tired. I have driven 100 miles since noon. I couldn’t get through by Bartlesville. The roads are bad, and I am going to have an awful time getting to Tulsa tomorrow. I will be up just as soon as I can. I expect in 3 or 4 days.
With all my love to you all, and kiss the babies for me.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 5, 1924
Dearest Hazel – children,
I arrived here Sunday evening at 8 o’clock after traveling all day. I missed the train at Pittsburg and had to take a train to Fort Scott, go from there to Iola on a bus, and from Iola to here in another bus, and I arrived here with .50 in my pocket.
I put in my first day here and I think I am going to get along just fine. They seem to be very fine people to deal with. They just turn the whole thing over to me and give me all the help I need. I am staying in a boarding house about ¾ mile from where I work, paying $8.00 per week for room and board.
I am wondering what you thought of the furniture at Jensens (?). I am going to look around here and see what I can find in the way of a gas stove, but you had better send that sheet to me of Montgomery Ward so in case we decide to get that. I wish you would send me that envelope of cox comb seed I forgot at once. I will not have much time to look for a house for a week or 10 days, and I would also like to get a payday first. I think they pay twice a month.
I had to buy me a pair of everyday shoes today $5.00, and a shirt $1.00. I am pretty tired and will close, but will write again in a day or two.
Love to you all.
Carl
405 West Main Street, Chanute, Kansas
Chanute, Kansas
May 7, 1924
My Dearest Hazel – children,
I am so awful tired tonight, but I will try to write you a few lines, for I know you will be looking for a letter.
I am working mighty hard these days from before 7 a.m. and sometimes until after 6 p.m. I am trying to get all this stock in the ground. It is way past planting time and while I can have all the help I want, but they are just in the way. I never did see so many helpless men as they have around here. If it does not rain, I think I can get everything planted this week, then I can begin to breathe and take it easy.
Did you have a good visit at Neosho? I haven’t a bit of news to write about. I haven’t been down town since I came and I am too tired to write any more, but I will again in a day or two. I am awful lonesome to see you all. How’s your Daddy? Hope he is all right. Write me real soon.
All my love to you all.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 9, 1924
My Dearest Hazel – children,
I thought I had better write you again tonight. I feared that if I waited until tomorrow, you would not get it until Monday.
If anything, I am more tired tonight than I was last night. I have planted 1,100 schrubs today, and I think I will get through planting tomorrow. Then I can begin to take it easy. But I am feeling fine, for I am doing what I like to do and that makes things a lot easier. I am sure we are going to like it here. It strikes me as a mighty nice place to live. Everybody speaks to you when you meet them on the street. I am going to write Mr. Fortier and see if I can hire him to crate and pack our stuff at Tulsa. It would be cheaper for me to pay him for it than for me to go over there.
It is awful cold here and has been for 2 days. I see they are having a snowstorm in Nebraska.
This is going to be all for this time. I am going to bed. I get up at 6 every morning.
Good night, Dearest. With all my love to all of you.
Carl
405 West Main Street
Write me soon.
Chanute, Kansas
May 12, 1924
My Dearest Hazel and children,
I have just had my dinner and a fairly good dinner as they run in a boarding house. I had my first dish of strawberries, but they were not good at all.
I received your letter Friday evening and was just awful glad to hear from you. Yes, I knew you would have a nice visit in Neosho. You can’t help but enjoy visiting such splendid people as we had for neighbors up there, and I fear that Neosho will always seem more or less like home to us.
I am mighty glad that you are pleased with your new furniture, but I hadn’t expected you to ship it so soon. However, it is on the way now and I will either find a way of storing it or rent a house. I want you up here just as soon as possible, but by the time we pay Jensen $106.50 freight on furniture from St. Joseph, house rent, $15.00 deposit on gas, water, and electricity, we will perhaps have to wait until June 1st or 5th.
I am sending $2.00 to Neosho Savings Bank today, and I will send the order for the range tomorrow.
You didn’t say if you got the check from the nursery. Let me know how you are fixed financially. Be sure to pay your Mother before anyone else. How is your Dad getting along, Honey?
I looked at 2 houses this morning, but I didn’t want either one. They were old and just partly modern. We can get a good house here for from $25.00 to $30.00, and I am not going to grab the first thing that comes along. It is not always so easy to find a bungalow here. Would you want anything with an up stairs if we could find something nice?
I like my work better every day. I worked mighty hard last week but I am all through planting now, and can begin taking it easy. The Superintendent said yesterday, he didn’t want to see me do any digging. They have plenty of laborers to do that, but I can do more work in 3 hours than 3 of these men do in a day, and I get sick watching them. It is mostly Negroes and Mexicans they use for laborers around here.
I know you are going to like it up here. It is an awful pretty town. Not as large as I thought. A litle over 10,000. Just an old fashioned town with the finest schools and churches. You remember the editorials the Star used to write about Kansas. They told the truth in them.
If I can get Mr. Fortier to pack our goods at Tulsa, it will save me a trip over there, and I have no desire to go to Tulsa any more. I am better satisfied than I have been in a year here. I miss you and the babies dreadfully, but it will not be long until we will get settled again and I hope it will be for some time.
5 p.m. I have been out for a walk since starting this, and I looked at an awful nice 5 room house. It is for sale, but they said they might rent it. It has a front room, dining room, kitchen, closet, and a toilet down stairs. All very large rooms. And 2 large rooms and large bath room up stairs. It is in the very best of shape, and in the best neighborhood in town, but I know you would rather have a bungalow and so would I.
I haven’t sent Jensen a check yet. We won’t have money enough until the 20th of May, but I think I will send him $50.00 now and the rest when I get paid. I am just afraid, Honey, that we can’t get to housekeeping until June 5th. I will try and see if I can see me (?) around. I won’t rent any house until I hear from you.
I will close this now. Supper is ready. Write me real soon, Honey. Did the hail hit Neosho?
All my love to all of you. Kiss the children for me.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 16, 1924
My Dearest Hazel and children,
I haven’t anything new to write about tonight, but I thought I had better send you a few lines or you may not have a letter from me until Monday.
I looked at 2 houses this evening, but I didn’t want either one. They were both 5 rooms and had bed rooms about the size of MRs. Geer’s house we lived in when we first were married. The other one had real nice rooms, but it was an old house that had been made over. It had such awful small windows and doors. I am going to look at another one tomorrow. I am told it is an awful nice one. Dearest, I am not going to take the first thing that comes along. I want something where we can be comfortable, for we are going to be here for some time.
I like my job here better every day. They are mighty fine people to work for. I have lots of work to do, but I have plenty of help, from 2 to 10 men every day.
It has been awful cold here almost since I came, but it warmed up some today, and it looks like rain tonight.
I haven’t written Fortiers yet. I am going to wait until I have seen that house tomorrow, and if I rent it, and if it has a built in cabinet. Then I am going to have him sell the one we have in Tulsa.
But I am going to close this now, and I will write you again in a day or two. Write me often, Honey. I am getting awful hungry to see you and the babies. Kiss them for me. With all my love to all of you.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 14, 1924
My Dearest Hazel and children,
I just got your nice letter and I was mighty glad to have it. I got the bill of lading and I guess the furniture will show up pretty soon now. I got a letter from Fortier today. He said he would be glad to crate and ship our goods from Tulsa, and I am going to write them tomorrow and give them shipping instructions. I sent for the gas range last Monday morning.
I haven’t been looking for any house since Sunday but I don’t think I will have any trouble in finding one. I am trying to find a place not too far from the Plant.
I got a statement from the bank in Tulsa today. It shows a balance of $56.97, about $20.00 less than I thought we had. I must begin to check up and see how soon we can go to housekeeping.
No, I haven’t paid McGintys yet, and I had another bill from them today, and I will mail them a check right away.
Thursday a.m. I got sleepy last night and went to bed, and I will finish this up bore I go to work. It stays awful cold here. Things are not growing at all. I am afraid you will have some awful poor strawberries this year.
I haven’t any news to write, and will close this now. I will write you again real soon.
Love to you all
Carl
P.S. I borrowed this envelope.
Chanute, Kansas
May 17, 1924
My Dearest Hazel – children,
I was rather disappointed when I didn’t get a letter from you today. I have just had one letter from you this week, but I suppose you are pretty busy.
The furniture you shipped has come, and I am storing it for a week or 10 days.
I think I have a house. I will know tomorrow. It is a new 5 room bungalow. It won’t be finished for about 10 days yet but I never have heard a word from Mr. Jensen and I think you had better call him up right away. It seems to me I ought to have the bill of lading by this time. Did you tell him to send it to me? Call himup at once and find out.
I haven’t heard from Montgomery Ward yet. I sent a check to McGinty yesterday, one for $4.00 to the storage company in Tulsa, and a blank check to Fortier to pay freight and for his work. I am enclosing you a check for $15.00. If you need any more, Dearest, let me know. I will try to find it somewhere.
I think you will like the house if we get it. It has all nice large rooms except the kitchen. It is not very large, but it has awful big front and dining rooms. It cost $30.00. It has a 2 car garage we can get $5.00 or $6.00 for.
I am getting awful anxious to see you and the children, and again, I don’t see how I can have you come until we get another check June 5th. However, I will see how I can manage it.
I will close this now and mail this out tonight. Maybe you can get it Monday. Be sure and call Jensen.
All my love to all of you.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 19, 1924
My Dearest Hazel – children,
This has been a mighty long day. I took a long walk around town this morning, slept 2 hours after dinner, then went to the Public Library and spent a couple of hours, and have just had supper. The folks here have asked me to go to church with them, and I think I will.
They are having Baccalaureate Service here. 94 students will graduate here next Thursday. They have the finest schools here you ever saw.
I got word today that we can have the house I mentioned in my letter last night. It will be a week or 10 days before it is ready. They have the papering and some painting, the bath fixtures to put in, but I think I can put the furniture in the house in one room next Saturday, and I hope some of the furniture from Neosho and St. Joseph will be here by then.
I haven’t any news to tell you this time, and I will close this. I sure hope to hear from you tomorrow.
All my love to all of you.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 21, 1924
My Dearest Hazel and children,
I was rather pleasant surprised to get another letter from you today. I also got a letter and duplicate bill of lading from Mr. Jensen, and I got a bill of lading from St. Joseph for the living room suite, but I haven’t heard from the dining room suite yet, nor have I heard from Montgomery Ward Company yet, but I guess maybe all the things will be drifting in here the last of this week. I am not sure that I can get it in the house by Saturday, but if not, I think I can get it in the garage.
Yes, Dearest, there is a payment due on the car today, and if all the goods gets here this week, I’ll try and see if I can’t have you come up some time next week. Rest assured, Honey, I want you and the babies up here just as bad as you want to come. I get so dreadful lonesome evenings, and I would give anything to be able to have you with me evenings, but it won’t be long now, Honey.
I got paid today for the first half of May. $70.00. They paid me for the entire half although I didn’t start until the 5th.
I will close now and go to bed. Honey, I just can’t get to your dress until Saturday.
All my love to all of you.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 23, 1924
My Dearest Hazel – children,
Your nice letter came today and I surely was awful glad to have it. I am mighty sorry, Honey, to hear about your Daddy and I have been worrying about him for some time. He has worked so hard all his life and he will have to give it up before long, or it will cripple him up. He can’t keep up that garage (?) much longer. But then you know, Dear, your Dad and Mother will not suffer as long as I am able to do anything.
I am pretty tired tonight. I have been planting 5,000 cabbage plants. They asked me to supervise the patch. They are going to use them for their chickens next winter.
I was over to see how they were getting along with the house. They have been delayed a litle not being able to get the electricity in so they could sand the floor, but he said he was sure I could put in what furniture we have here if it was not finished, and he knew they would have it done by the middle of next week. Yes, the house has a built in cabinet, but I told Fortier to ship it to us anyhow. You would have no dough board, rolling pin, and a good many other things you would miss out of it.
I haven’t heard a word from Montgomery Ward Company, nor have I heard any more from any of the furniture. I am going to quit at noon Saturday and go to the station and see if most of it is not laying down there. I was hoping that the goods from Tulsa would come this week.
And Verna is finally going to have a baby. Well, I hope she has 3 while she is at it.
But I will close this now and write you again in a day or two.
I am so hungry to see you and the children, and I was going to have you come just as soon as we can get in to the house.
All my love to you all.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 24, 1924
My Dearest Hazel – children,
I am going to write you a few lines tonight for I amy not have time to write tomorrow or Sunday. I am going to move the furniture up to the house tomorrow afternoon. The living room suite has come, and what Mr. Jensen shipped is here, but I haven’t heard from the stove or from Fortiers yet. But I may hear from them tomorrow. The house will not be ready for pretty near another week yet. They have had trouble getting the electricity in to the house so they can sand the floor. I was down to the station this evening and saw the goods. It looks like it all got here in good condition. I think I will have you come just as soon as everything gets here and the house is ready.
I got a letter from the man who bought the car today, and he has paid the first $25.00. The other two payments are due June 5th and 20th, so by the time Fortier pays the freight and we pay him, we will have $20.00 or $25.00 in the Tulsa bank and $56.00 in the bank here. If you are going to need some more money, let me know in your next letter.
I am going to ship the bag to you tomorrow, and I will try to get your dress out and send it too.
We had a big rain here this morning and another this afternoon. The first rain we have had since I came here, and it was badly needed. The nursery company sent me a box of peonies yesterday. Wanted me to try and sell some of them to the druggists and florist here for Decoration Day.
It is awful cold here tonight. I must have hailed somewhere around here. I am getting so tired of this boarding house mush. It gags me every time I get to the table, and I am mighty anxious to get you folks up here. I like to get settled and live like a white man again.
I am going to close this now. I have to write a letter to the nursery company before I go to bed.
With all my love to you all, and kiss the children for me.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 25, 1924
My Dearest Hazel – children
Just a few lines tonight. I am pretty tired. I have been up to the house since noon yesterday. The furniture from Neosho, St. Joseph, and Burlington, Iowa is all here, and I have it all uncrated and have it all in one room in the house. It all came through in fine shape except one dining room chair. The top piece on the back of it is split clear across, and I think it will have to be replaced. It is awful good and awful pretty. In fact, I think that dining room suite is the prettiest I ever did see. Personally, I am not so crazy about the living room suite, but it is mighty good stuff.
I am shipping the bag to you tomorrow, and also your dress. I found it in the dresser. What did you do with the mirror for the dresser, Dearest? I didn’t find it today, and I have everything uncrated. Did you select a refrigerator? Mr. Jensen sent one. I know it won’t hold more than 50 lb., but it is nice otherwise. I looked at one just like it down town last night and they asked $31.00 for it, and they wanted $200.00 terms, and $180.00 cash for the dining room suite, and $280.00 for the living room suite. A furniture man here had a living room suite just like ours come in on the same train and I asked him the price. So it looks like we drew a real bargain.
I am going to write Jensen tonight, but I am not going to tell him that the dining room wuite has come, for I am not going to send him a check until after June 5th. I don’t know about when the house. They haven’t got the electricity in yet. I called the owner today and told him to be sure to have it ready by next Sunday, or I will move out again. Now if that stove and the goods from Tulsa will come, and the house is finished, then we are ready to go housekeeping. It will be like a second honeymoon, won’t it Dear? In a new house with new furniture, and I am going to have you come just as soon as I am ready for you.
Yes, make the best of your stay at home, Honey, for it may be a long time before you see the folks again.
I am going to close this now, and I hope to have a letter from you tomorrow.
All my love to all of you.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 26, 1924
My Dearest Hazel – children,
I received your letter this evening and I sure was glad to have it. Why, it seems to me I wrote you 3 or 4 letters last week. One or two of them must have gone astray.
Honey, I am just as anxious to have you come here and just as lonesome for you to come as you are, but Honey, we will have to wait at least until we get something to keep house with. I think the house will be ready to move in to by Monday, and I hope that everything will be here by that time.
Litle Carl is surely having a hard time these days. He will have a nice place to play up here. Lots of shade and plenty of room.
You ask me what I am doing these days. Well, there is plenty to do up here in the way of cleaning up and getting ready for next Fall’s planting, taking care of the nursery stock and orchard, but I have all the help I want and I am not hurting myself.
I think you had better not bother with any strawberries this year, Honey. By the time you buy these high priced berries, sugar jars, pay freight on them, and then maybe have them sit on the shelf for a year, and they ??? them out, I think it will be much better to buy them when we want them. Wait until we get settled down, then we can tell about it.
I am afraid you won’t pick many berries. It would be good exercise for you, but I think by the time you pick all you can eat, your back would give out. Suit yourself, Honey, but I don’t think you will pick many berries.
I must close now. It is time to go to bed. Goodnight, Dearest. Kiss the babies for me.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 28, 1924
My Dearest Hazel and children,
Your letter came today, and I surely was glad to have it. And you are pretty sore from picking strawberries. I knew you would be, but if you would stay with it for a week or two, you would forget all about it.
I had a letter from Montgomery Ward Company today that they had shipped the stove, and it will be here in a day or two. But I haven’t heard from Fortier yet, and I am going to write them tonight.
And it has rained here all day yesterday and today. And no electric wire in the house yet. Of course, they can’t work in the rain.
I came home at noon yesterday and went up to the house to straighten up around the house and carried out the crates. All they need to do to finish the house is sand the floors, give the woodwork one coat of paint, hang the paper, and put in the bath fixtures. I think 4 or at most 5 days should finish them up as soon as they ..electric wire in so they can use the sanding machine. I called the owner today and told him if they didn’t get started at once, I would look for another house, and I will just as soon as the goods from Tulsa gets here. I haven’t got a thing to do these wet days. I have 4 men cutting and pulling weeds.
Lon must be feeling pretty prosperous. He is surely in a fine shape to invest in a car. He had better be making an application for entrance to the poorhouse.
I will close this now and write to Fortier and the nursery. Write and tell me, Dear, how much money you will need.
With love to you all.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 30, 1924
My Dearest Hazel and children,
Your letter came today and I was mighty glad to have it. No. If the weather stays like it has been here lately, you will not need any light dresses to wear. It has rained here all week and it is mighty cold. It has cleared up today and I hope the rain is over. I haven’t been able to do anything much this week. Finished setting out cabbage plants today. I am going out to the Plant for a while in the morning. The cement factory never shuts down. They run 24 hours a day, Sunday and every day, but the office force is going to work until noon, and I am going out there and loaf around.
I call the man who owns the house about twice a day. He is doing all he can, but he is waiting on the electric company to get a wire to the house so they can sand the floors. I am going to look around tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday, and see if I can find something else. Then I will move the furniture out again. Of course, we can’t go to housekeeping until the goods from Tulsa comes. I wrote Fortier again Tuesday night. I don’t know why I haven’t heard from them yet. It is two weeks tomorrow since I wrote them and sent to money to pay storage, freight, and money for his work.
I am getting so lonesome and hungry to see you and the children. It is about to drive me crazy, but of course, you can’t come until we get all our junk. But just as soon as it all gets here, if the house is not ready, I will get some kind of a house and have you come, even if I do have to move the furniture again.
Yes, I bought a stove with a lighter, but it has not come yet.
I will close this and write you again tomorrow.
With all my love to all of you.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
May 31, 1924
My Dearest Hazel and children,
I told you in my letter last night that I would write you again, and I know you will be waiting for a letter. This has been a lonesome day. I went out to the Plant this morning, and this afternoon, I went out to see if I could locate another house, but I can’t find a thing that I would have. But they dug the hole in the alley yesterday for the wire, and I am sure they will get the wire in to the house tomorrow. Then it will only take 3 or 4 days to finish it up, and meantime, I am sure all our stuff will get here. And I am hoping I can have you come Friday or Saturday, for I know I will go nutty if I have to live in this boarding house much longer.
It is a typical boarding house, and the grub is not very appetizing. I eat my lunch out at the Plant. They serve lunch for the office force and the foremen, and they serve a good meal for .30. That relieves the monotony somewhat from the boarding house style. And tonight I went down town for my supper.
So you had better hold yourself in readiness to come anytime after Thursday. I don’t want to have to spend another Sunday after this next one away from you and the babies.
I think the living room and dining room in the house are 13 X 17, and the 2 bedrooms 11 X 13. That is why I like the house. Most of the houses for rent here are very old and the rooms are so small, or there is an upstairs to them. This house I have rented was the only one I have seen that I wanted. They put a dandy kitchen cabinet in yesterday, about 3 times as roomy as the one in Metcalf’s house.
I am going to close this now and take it to the Post Office so you will get it tomorrow. You asked me in one of your letters how I was feeling. Physically, I am feeling better than I have in a long time and my nerves are so much better. That was what was bothering me. I got to worrying, and worried until it affected my physical condition, but I am feeling mighty good now and gaining weight every day.
With all my love to all of you.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
June 2, 1924
My Dearest Hazel and children,
I have just come back from town and supper. The folks went to the country today and I took my meals down town. It was a nice change. They had come back when I did, but I was glad I had eaten already.
I have been up to the house all day. The gas range came yesterday and the goods from Tulsa came Friday, and I have everything in the house.
The stove is awful nice and if it will cook as good as it looks, it will be a cracker jack. Mrs. Fortier wrote that Mr. Fortier had a sore hand, and they had to have Mr. Morris crate and pack it. He charged $11.00 for the work. Storage was $4.00 and freight was $9.50. IT sure cost money to move. I have unpacked everything but 2 barrels and everything was all right. But of course, the dishes are in the barrels. Don’t worry about the furniture, Honey. I have it all locked up in the front bed room and it will stay there until the front and living room are finished, and I am not going to let anybody move it unless I am there, and it is all covered with canvas and blankets and no dust can get to it.
I told the owner of the home today to have it ready by Saturday a.m., or I would move out again, and I think it will be ready. You get ready and come Saturday a.m. Your train leaves Joplin 8:40 a.m. and reaches Chanute 12:05, and I will have a place ready for you. I don’t want to move out of this house. It suits me better than any place I have seen here.
I mailed the bag the same day I sent your dress, and had it insured, and that reminds me. I had a letter from the insurance company today to the effect that they had cancelled my policy on account of a change in my occupations. However, they would accept me if I would except (sp) ½ of the regular benefit. I haven’t written them and will think it over for a day or two. They sent me a check for $1.25 which was coming to me.
I made the man buy shades for the house. Shades don’t go with houses up here. He bought awful good wallpaper. Paid .65 a roll. He is fixing it up awful good all over. The rent is a litle high in this town, and I could find just a lot of houses I could get for from $5.00 to $8.00 a month less, but this one is going to be so handy and convenient, and that is worth something. Most of the houses for rent here are on the order of the Kiddoo house in Neosho. I think your only objection to this house is a pretty small kitchen, but the dining and living rooms make up for it. And the bedrooms are 11 X 13, and I think we should be more comfortable in this placed than we have ever been before.
New get ready, Dearest, and get an early start Saturday, and don’t load yourself down with anything but what you just have to have. Send any thing you don’t need on the trip by Express from Joplin. It will get here on the same train if you get there early enough. Call all the taxies in town the evening before and find out if any of them are going to make an early trip. You might save 2 or 3 dollars. I could have made that train at Joplin the morning I left. We met Mr. Houff coming back at Reddings Mill. Am enclosing a check for $20.00 so you will not get stranded on the road. Be awful careful with the children, Honey. I know you will. I wish your Mother or Don could go with you to Joplin and see and help you on the train. I would be glad to pay their fare.
I will close now and go and mail this. All my love to you all.
Carl
P.S. Came near writing a book, Honey, didn’t I?
Chanute, Kansas
June 3, 1924
My Dearest Hazel – children,
I didn’t get a letter from you today, but I will write you a few lines anyway, for I know the days are pretty long for you and you are anxious to come.
I went up to the house after supper and worked on the crating, pulling out all the nails, and I am going to put them up over the rafters in the garage and take care of it. I hope we will not have to do any crating soon, but there is over $20.00 worth of lumber if we had to buy it.
I have been hoeing all day and I am a litle tired. It is pretty hard on a fellow’s back, but I like it, and I am feeling awful good. I will be awful glad when I get a real cook up here. I am awful anxious to see you and those babies.
They are working on the house now, and it will be all ready when you get here.
This is a pretty short letter, Dearest, but I will do better next time. Good night, Honey.
Love to you all.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
June 4, 1924
My Dearest Hazel and children,
Your nice letter came today and I can tell, Dear, that you are getting anxious to come. But you are not more anxious than I am to have you and the babies come, and the time is drawing near now. By tomorrow night, they will have all the floors sanded and paper hung, and Thrusday the chandelier and bath fixtures and kitchen cabinet will be put in, and I am sure by Friday it will be all completed. I put up the deposit for gas, electric and water today $15.00, and then I think I will stay home Saturday morning and arrange the furniture and clean the rugs and do a thousand and one litle things.
I don’t know what to tell you about cherries, Dearest, but by the time you get this it will be too late to do any canning and you may be able to get some up here. They are just coming in now, and there seems to be lots of them here.
I am going up to the house tomorrow afternoon and move all the furniture in to the back bedroom so they can finish the floors and the rest of the house. Then it will stay there until I move it back.
I am going to close this now and go to bed, but I will write you again tomorrow, Dearest.
All my love to you all.
Carl
Chanute, Kansas
June 4, 1924
My Dearest Hazel – children,
I am just back from the house. I go over there every evening after supper. I found some paint over there and I painted the white rocker, Max’s bed, the refrigerator and the kitchen table. I think they will almost finish up tomorrow. They have finished up the back bedroom and I will move the furniture in there in the a.m. before I go to work. I will not go to work Saturday, and go down and rent a vacuum cleaner and clean the rugs good before I lay them down and get the furniture moved around and try to have things in shape by the time you get here.
This will be my last letter to you Honey, for I don’t think this will reach you until Friday, and I am going to cut this pretty short. I am going to write Mr. Nolan a letter tonight, although he owes me a letter.
Will look for you Friday noon, Dearest.
All my love to all of you.
Carl