Dec. 15, 1943

Dearest Hal,

Honey, have I been such a poor correspondent lately? I have written regularly but I doubt if the letters have been very interesting. It seems there are not very many things to write about but I’ll try to do better.

I’m delighted to tell you that all the six rugs have come and I am crazy about them. I have the four that match in the dining room and you should see how lovely they look. I am not an authority but to me they just seem perfect. What a lovely home we’re going to have with all the beautiful things you are getting for us.

I was distressed to learn from your letter that the little box with the opals in it has not arrived. I certainly hope that they have not been lost. I am so anxious to have them set.

I think you will be a fine house keeper by the time you come home. Servant troubles are just a little out of your line aren’t they, darling? I imagine you can handle them all night.

You ask what Sis and Sara were alluding to in their letters. I don’t know much about it. Then I was at Elizabeth’s last fall we were talking about Pauline and how she liked the men. Elizabeth said some thing about the way she acted about Frank M. and several other men and I most unfortunately remarked that she had even made some kind of play for Billy. You may not remember her though you told me of it at the time. I did not tell it except in confidence of course and I was distressed more than I can tell you when I learned that it had been enlarged and repeated and tall to Bits. I do not understand they hoped to gain but I can not blame them too much I should never have told something unless I had positive proof of it. I am very sorry for Bits and I wish he could get things straightened out. Elizabeth seems to think that instead of opening his eyes, he was more infatuated than ever. I can promise you that I shall take absolutely no part in any argument they may have. I sincerely hope that any action Bits or Pauline may decide on will not be influenced in any way by his family. He will always hold it against us and he is grown and has to live his own life.

It seems that Pauline tells him, his family has never liked her and are all working against her, I know that in our case this absolutely not true. He certainly made every effort to be friendly. I tried hard to like Pauline because she was Sam’s wife, but she did not make it easy. Now I feel nothing but indifference for her and right much sympathy for Bits.

This doesn’t seem very clean but if I say more I might say too much. Someday when we can talk it all over I think you will see just how it was.

We are having some extremely cold weather and it’s quite a change from the almost spring like weather we had in Nov. I had anti-freeze put in the car some time ago. The car is running very well. I bought a new battery last spring before batteries were frozen so I have not had trouble getting it started these cold mornings.

You spoke of sending Sam a knife. I have heard of them and think it would be a wonderful souvenir. I will try to see that Sam doesn’t handle it, so send it if you can.

I am finding these days just before Xmas quite hectic as usual. This year I have school on my mind too but I will try to send you some nice long letters during the holidays.

I must go to bed now but I shall dream of having you home again I hope and if I do the night will end much to soon.

All my love,

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