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John Writes Home-Letter out of Order-Mar. 3, 1920


 

COUNCIL CONSIDERS LOAN TO GERMANY TO AVERT HER RUN

Radical Change in Policy Is Attributed to England, and Lloyd George Especially. TALK OF FIXING INDEMNITY Hint That Conference May Take Over This Prerogative of Reparation Commission. FRENCH ATTITUDE CHANGING Said to be Less Uncompromising Than When Clemenceau Was in Power.

WILSON INTERVENES IN W. VA. CONTEST

Asks 2 Democratic Senators to Change Votes to Give Suffrage Victory. BOTH SAY THEY WILL NOT Decisive Ballot Expected Today —Washington Governor Calls Legislature.


 

Hotel Taylor

Harry L. Smith, Prop.

Electric Light and Steam Heat


Mansfield, PA, Mar. 3


My darling,


Salesman letter home 1920

I was delighted to get your good letter when I reached here at two o’clock. Was also glad to get Mr. Champion’s letter and was sorry to hear of their trouble. Think you better send him another calendar-a damaged one is no good at all.

I realize that I am away from home a good deal but I can’t help it and I don’t know when I’ll get home. You are comfortably housed and enjoying the winter and guess you are getting along pretty well without me. In case you are asked for Mrs. Morse do as you like and give about as others are giving. Don’t talk to me about teaching any Sunday school class for a time. I am in no frame of mind for that job and simply can’t do it. It doesn’t matter to me what anyone thinks about it either. It will be very nice for me to be the inspiration for another sermon. He might as well preach on that theme as anything else.

Have been so sorely tired these three days that I am tired and pretty near useless. One order Monday, skunked yesterday, and one order today for $27.00. Have worked very hard and don’t know what to do different. Called on Third National Bank this afternoon and I had some hope of making a sale but I guess its another failure. Cashier has just come to hotel and thinks he will not decide. I wanted to leave for Elmira in the morning but have decided to wait over until afternoon and make a stab again. He will think it over and will show the picture to help in bank and see what they think. Don’t dare go without going to the limit to get the order even if I fail or if it takes all day. Really my disposition has been sorely tired. It’s a terrible change from what we have had and the reaction is not pleasant. I am not planning to come home Sunday and am not planning to stay away. It all depends where I am Saturday night and how things look. Guess you don’t care much about my coming home. Apparently, at least, I have worked just as hard as ever but simply no business results. Can’t explain it. There’s somewhat of a change in sentiment all over the country from what it was a few weeks ago.

Remember that whether I am home or away I love you and think of you very often. Sorry that I have missed seeing Marion. The cow that made the 28# second is the one I wanted taken to Borden’s bull. If Lesna Rex deKol’s [name of cow] daughter has not been bred–Bessie de Kol Rag Apple– she might be taken over there, too. Have not much mind to help direct farm operation. Have my hands full on the road at present.

Better have a letter for me at Binghamton for Saturday. Can’t begin to tell you how fearfully disappointed I am in business these days.

Your loving,

John

 



Editor's notes


This letter is out of order by one year. It was in the pile with letters from 1921 and I didn’t notice the date was off until I began transcribing. This is one of the consequences of just opening the letters along with you. There will continue to be some mistakes in the chronology. However, it reminds me to look back at where the family was a year ago. The letter follows John’s emotions of a year ago. He can’t understand why his business if failing and is concerned about being away from home. He teases out Sue’s feelings for him by writings “guess you are getting along pretty well without me.” He also seems to imply that his minister referenced one of John’s failings in a recent sermon. I find this highly unlikely but who knows?


If you're new to this project, please consider going to our site and catching up with a few letters from the 1900-1910 era. The letters only take 3-5 minutes to read and you'll find the characters more fully develop if you read the letters chronologically.


John has excellent handwriting. However, in some instances, I cant decipher it. If I can't, I simply mark the spot with "xxx"s to signify thank the word isn't decipherable.


Check out our article in the New York Times!


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