[Headlines from The New York Times (page 1, above the fold) to place the letters in context of the world around them.]
1/13/21
FRENCH CABINET IS OVERTHROWN, 463 VOTES TO 125
Chamber and Country Demand Aggressive Stand on German Indemnity Issue. MILLERAND'S HANDS IS SEEN
176 SHOPLIFTERS CROWD COURTROOM
Multitude of Women, Young and Old, Arraigned for Holiday Season Thefts. NINETY-EIGHT ADMIT GUILT Grandmother Among Those Fined, While Twenty Are Sentenced to Day in Tombs.
St. George Hotel
Chas. Hinds, Proprietor
Avon, N.Y.
January 13, 1921
My Darling:
Last night was the first night since I have been out that I failed to do my writing. Didn’t get here until
9:30 and had been on way since 5:30 from Prattsburgh and had no supper. The hotel man here gave me a cup of tea, two pork sandwiches, hunk of cheese, piece of pie and cakes all for two bits. I had a headache and went to bed. Caught postmaster last night and he kindly gave me my mail which pleased me very much. Three letters from you including the girls’ letters, three from Co. and the Big Bulletin of last Monday and The Standard. Have read all your good letters but have not done anything with the other mail and must now get to work as it is nearly nine o’clock. Don’t pay the Norwich Garage bill and no hurry about Dr. Lamb [I believe this is the veterinarian]. Why didn’t Lloyd [the farmhand living at the farm south of Earlville] go to the doors?
I got only two orders in Pratts yesterday for $26.15 and $140.63 Two of my last year’s customers wouldn’t buy this year. Don’t look for me home till I get there. It is quite probable that I’ll be away for two more Sundays. It costs about $16 car fare to go home and back here, just about double what it used to cost. We need all the change we can keep. I am going to try to keep all expenditure down to the lowest point I know how and am quite sure you’ll try to do the same. Am worried about some things. Don’t like being way from home and I don’t propose to travel until I am an old man.
Love unbounded,
John
Editor's notes
John has been on the road, travelling mostly by train, from January 2nd through today, the 13th. To give you a sense of his territory and roads travelled, I've Googled
a map of his route to date this year. He’s getting further and further from home.
John used the term “all for two bits” a phrase we would never use today. Two bits is an old slang term for 25 cents. One interesting aspect of this project is discovering the different language used by our ancestors, just 100 years ago. It explains so much to this NOT history major about how language evolves.
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