January 24^th, 1943

Carrollton, Ohio

Dearest Hubby,

How are you getting along by now? I hope you’re O.K. and safe. I suppose you have gotten some of my mail by now. I have sent three letters, 1 card and a box of different things. Why don’t you write and tell me what you are doing where you are at? I hope you like it in North Carolina. I wish I was with you. Do you? I miss you more every day. I’m going to work for Scott’s Monday morning. That will give me something to do. The only place I’ve been since you left is to Harlem once and last night, I went to the card party with mom. I didn’t win the prize last night. I got acquainted with a nice girl there. Her name was Lois Shepherd before she was married. She was married New Years Day and her husband is in the Army at Columbus as yet. She said she had only 1 other girl friend in Carrollton. She also said she didn’t associate with girl that drank and smoked and ran around with other men. I told her she was the kind of girlfriend I liked.

Well Ralph I finally got the tires inspected today at Bell’s Garage. They said the spare tire needed recapped, but since I was using it wouldn’t be necessary right now. The others were all O.K. It only cost 25 cents. They said when I wanted to get the spare tire recapped, to come in and they would fix the papers for me.

Well today was the first gasoline I got since you left and the tank wasn’t empty, (but almost.) Pauline went with me.

Have you wrote to Eliza since you went to North Carolina? I called her on the phone and told her where you was. You should write to them more often because they are awful lonesome down there. I’m going to stay there some when I get working. Johnny even shoveled out the snowdrifts so I could drive in. Johnny was tearing the papers off the bedroom. They are going to paper it, I guess.

Honey I asked in one of my letters if you needed some more money. If you do, please tell me. I’ll do the best I can.

I worry about you Ralph but I guess that don’t help matters any. It’s awful lonesome without you but it’s for the best. When you left we (or I) thought I was not going to come sick but I did the next day. That made me feel a lot better. Maybe I’ll learn to believe you some day. Do you think so? You’re the best and nicest boy I ever me but I’ve told you that before and you laughed at me. I mean it Ralph. I still think of you every day. You never told me in your letter that you still loved me. All you say is you miss me. Are you being true to me? I want you to be as nice a boy as you was when you left.

Pauline is here and she said you wouldn’t have much of a chance to be untrue to me unless you stepped out with a…pine tree.

Harold has never wrote to anyone here yet. They didn’t know nothing until you said in one of your letters that he was sent to Texas. If he has written it’s been the last couple days.

Every one here has been sick with the cold but Jackie and me. Daddy missed 3 days work this week with it.

The final gas and electric bills came the other day. The gas bill was 55 cents and the electric bill was $2.35. I paid them and got my $10 from the gas Co. I got weighed today and I gained a pound. I lost 5 pounds last week though. I weigh 103, now and I weighed 107 when you left. I’m still taking my pills. There about all gone already. I’m going to get another box as soon as possible.

Ralph there was the write up in the Canton Repository tonight about Camp Davis. Write back and tell me if this is what you’re doing. I’m sending you it. I sent you the picture that was in the Carrollton paper of the boys that left when you did. Did you get it?

Harold and Alice were married last week. I thought he was supposed to leave when you did.

Mom and Daddy and the girls said to tell you they said Hello. If you get time write to them. They’d like that. Well honey it’s time to go to bed so I’ll quit now and I might scribble some more in the morning. Well be good honey bunch and write to me every day if it’s only a card and I’ll do the same.

Your one and only

Marge

These are all for you-

XXXXXXXXX

OOOOOO

XXXXXXX

Saturday Morning.

I just woke everyone up so now I’m satisfied. They said they was going to give me some of Linn’s pills tonight so I’d sleep. I just got my bed made. If you were here we’d be tearing it up. I can’t think of any thing else to say so I’ll close for this time…I write just like I talk don’t I? You don’t.

Your wife,

Marge