May 2, 1943: Speak to Madge

Hi Darling:

     Gee toots I'm glad you got a letter when you did, I'll die if you ever got a divorce.  I had a pretty rough weekend, that is the reason I haven't wrote since Thur. night.

     I got my pay only $12.00 bucks, but now I'm all even with them, so from now on I'll get my full $19.85.  We all went to town Fri. and got portdy stinks, there were 7 of us got a room together and stayed till Sat. Conkel and I lasted long than the rest, we got back at 9 pm but we had to shave, clean up the barracks and stuff.  We sure had a lot of fun we had some more of those little pictures taken, how do you like them?  That kid with Conkel and I, is Norman Hansen, he's from Utah, Syracuse I believe.  It's 10 miles out of Ogden.  Boy he's the best kid in this camp.  I've just started going with him, about the last 2 weeks.

     I've never drank so much beer, or shot so much pool in my life.  We were down to the U.S.O.  We also burrowed a camera from the U.S.O. and took some pictures, I'll send them later.

     We bowled about 4 games in the afternoon, then went to a show and slept.

     Darling by this time you should have received 4 or 5 letters I wrote last week.  So am I safe from that divorce for a while?  Of Madge, I miss you.  I beginning to get so damn lonesome and homesick for you, I hope I can stand it till I get a furlough.  If not, I'll be tempted to go over the hill.

     Honey, how come you work so much in the lot?  I though I told you to take it easy, do you want me to come home and kick your bum?  I'd sure have liked to been with you when you took the trip up the canyon, I sure miss those days.  I'll bet it was fun.  time for school.

Monday, May 3rd.

     Hello again, here it is another blue Monday.  Honey, I'm having 6 photos made, I don't know the size.  Hey toots I made another 85 average for the 3rd phase.  If I can make three more I'll have a chance to go to a specialist school, after I finish here.

     Madge don't worry about me liking it too much here, I'd crawl to you on my knees if there would let me.

     The girls, Lela, Wanda, Bernice, Bessie and your mother have all told me what nice things you have made for the baby.  I"m sure dying to see them.

     Princess I"ll always think your the best soldier in the whole world.  So don't let me catch you thinking different.  I know Jr. will think the same too.  the cute little cuss.  Does he still keep you awake at nights?

     I don't know if I'm going to like this shift or not, it's too damn hot to sleep in our barracks.  It's nearly 3 pm so I think I'll try it again.

     Darling I sure wish I had a lot of money to buy you something nice for Mothers Day, but I'm sending you both tons and tons of love.  Maybe next year it will be different. (I hope)

     Please believe me Sweetheart when I say I'll always love no matter where I go, or how long we are apart.

     Honey, I just got your letter telling me about Ed and Lela.  Gee isn't that well.  I'll bet I"m as thrilled as they are.  I got some cards over at the PX.  I'll send them today.  But you tell them how happy I am for them.  I'll write them real soon.

     As for our child, I still don't care if it's a boy or girl.  I'll love it.  But I'll always love you the most. (I bet a buck it would be a boy, I kinda hope I lose it)

     I sure hope the army don't get Ed or Murray, they really got enough of us.  We waste a lot of gout, money and equipment here, and I guess it's the same all over.  So I don't see what they need more men for.

     Well my darling, I better sign off and get some sleep.  So until tomorrow I'll be thinking of you every minute.  I remain your homesick husband and little boy.

     All my love,

     Speak

Madge, I'll call you between 8 pm and 10 pm Fri.  If I can't get a line I'll try again Sat. So remember either the 7 or 8th.

     Bye Darling.

April 17, 1943 Quartermaster Form

Front side of Quartermaster Laundry Form:

Little Poem written on the back:

I'm glad that I'm an American,
I'm glad that I am free
I wish I was a little dog
and Hitler was a tree

April 1943 - Easter Notes from Speak

April 20, 1943 Easter Card: Madge to Speak

April 7, 1943 - Just a Little Go-Between: Madge to Speak

January 25, 1942: Madge to Speak

My Darling:

     Today I received a post card - and with it your love.  I'll feel all warm inside, almost as tho you yourself had arrived here.  It's such a relief to know at least where you are.  Altho, I don't know how I know, but I was sure you had been sent to Florida.  Imagine, you spending the winter there - won't our kids be proud?

     You really must have had a trip.  Did you enjoy it?  I won't ask you what branch of the service you are in, because tomorrow I'll probably know.  Excuse this shaky writing, I hurried home so fast I am still puffing.

     Honey, I am sending you the word to two songs, Please don't think that I am silly, but they are so real that I just sing them over and over.  Have you read what I wrote on the back of that picture yet?  Hope it made you feel better than it did me when I wrote it there.

     I made $2.00 in tips today, pretty good huh?  Didn't work hard either.

     Heck.  I just love you so darn much.  I'd never have believed it possible that I could love you anymore, but I do.  When you come back, you'll have so much love waiting for you, you just won't know what to do.

     Hell, Sweetheart, I'll stop until tomorrow.

     With all my love
             and kisses - 

     Your wife,

     Madge

It says:

Darling Remember:

Some Where, some time

Somewhere, sometime,

I'll come back to you.

somewhere, sometime

when the sun shines through.

We'll find peace & joy dear.

When these dark clouds roll by

until then, remember the

dreams' we shared just

you and I.

Somewhere, sometime

though the days seem years

somewhere, sometime

we'll forget our tears

for though I must leave you,

Our love we'll keep us true

somewhere, sometime

I'll come back to you.

I sent these word to you once before when you first left, but I still want you to remember that no matter what we still have each other and J.A. and you are coming back to us.  I know that having Happy Landings.  All my love, Madge

Side note:

Whose silly? but I love ya! - Madge

January 23, 1943: Madge to Speak

Sat. Night, Jan 23/43

Dearest:

     When will I hear from you?  Soon I hope.  Maybe Monday.

     Did I tell you the Dr. gave me a cold shot to help throw off my cold and if anything it's worse.  How is your cold, is it worse or better?  Better I hope, 'cause after going as long as you did with no cold it would be a shame to have a bad one now.

     Mother is listening to "Thanks to the Yanks" and Dads in bed and it's 9:15 - and Madge is missing her yank like hell.

     It snowed a little bit the other day but the wind has blown ever since.  Boy was it cold for a few days.  I guess we just don't have any snow this winter.

     the wind blew so hard is Salt Lake yesterday it blew "Sunset beach" right down level and took a couple of roofs of off the Smelter at Garfield.

     Well Honey, I am going to stay with Jessie tomorrow night (sun) again.  So I'll finish that then.  Or I'll sure have to box this bunch of letter up to send them.

                                                 Good night Sweet.

Sun. Night
Jessies Place

     Hello Dear, here I am again as full as a tick.  Jessie and I just went to the A and W (it's open finally) and had a cheeseburger and a milk shake, I have to have my milk.  Then down to Dalebouts Bakery and bought a half dozen do-nuts, then had coffee and donuts.

     I slept until noon today again.  About 12:15 Murray and Brenda came up.  She is so cute.  She kept pointing at your picture and saying Spee - Spee.  Unitl I gave it to her and boy did she ever give you a nice sticky love and would I like it to.  The little cuss is 20 month's old and doesn't say a word.  Hope our baby is brighter than that.  Letsee - next month I'll be able to feel him, don't you wish you could?

     Ed and Lela were in the store again yesterday to see if I had heard from you.  Gosh, she really looks pregnant, she wouldn't look quite so bad if she'd wear a little powder and lipstick, I thought she had been sick but she said she felt swell - Heck Honey, I wore my black dress to the Drs. the other day and now no one believes I am pregnant.  They think it's a little rumor. - I guess I'll have to start looking haggy so I'll feel that way.  As I've said before I feel so darn good it's hard to believe.  Are you getting tired hearing about us two?  Hope not 'cause you'll be hearing more.

     I practically made myself out a liar in the Sat. edition of the letter - it snowed this morning, gosh it was swell to sit and watch the snow fall, maybe my cold will go now if not now maybe by the time you come home on your furlough it'll be gone.

     Mom informed me today that she intended to buy more of our babys things as their part in the local war effort.  I told her she didn't need to but she says - She'll take no sass from either of us 'cause it'll be her best grand child and they can if they want and you to keep that suit case as long as you need it because it will just kick around home and she wants you to have it and she hopes you don't remember her as she was that last nite we went over there with her hair up in curlers.  Honey, they are really swell.  I guess I just never realized it before.

     I worked the fountain with Lovinia to other night.  They started to paint the kitchen so I told Von I was going home, but as it was I didn't get within 20 ft of it all night.

     Sweetheart, it's awful not to know ever where you are or how you are.  I just have to shut my mind of when I start to think about it, but maybe I'll know soon. 'cause I miss you so.  It's not so bad during the day, but at night its awfull.  I'm kinda getting over waiting for you to come home at least I've quit watching for you.  I'm sending you the words to a song.  I have Butch play it over and over every morning, it's kind of a bright spot in the dark days.

     Hon. Be sure and tell me everything you do what army life is like and anything as long as it's about you.

     Well, I guess I'll close now for tonight and hope and pray I get that letter tomorrow.  As I said before don't worry about me.  I'm getting along wonderfully well and I promise as soon as I hear from you all my letters won't read Ill.

     So Good Night Lover for now.

     Madge

January 19, 1943: Madge to Speak

Thursday night, 8:30, 1/19/43

Dearest Speak:
   
     I received your wonderful letter from Denver and was I glad to get it.  Don't you wish we could have seen each other just once more? 'Cause that was sure a little, tiny, hurried, goodby kiss that we squeezed into that last minute.  But I guess it'll have to last us for a quite awhile, huh?

     This is the first night that I have slept home since last Fri night we stayed in Salt Lake, Saturday night and I stayed with Jessie Sun & Mon nights!

     Mon night we collected all that war widows (except Grace) and sat around and tore everyone apart had babys operations and were just cats in general.  I think we were all bored stiff. - I am all the time.  Nothing seem to matter to me except our baby and when you get home again.

     Daddy went down to Kings today and told them about the stove door.  He told him he'd better fix it 'cause it was sure a gyp.  So he sent a man up to fix it.

     I think I'll get a permanent Thurs. night.  My hair is so darn long it too darn hard to do.  so it gets cut off.

     Honey, this sure is a screwy letter, but if I asked you all the questions I want to, I know you'll have already told me the answers in the first letter I get so it's all me and I.

     I am awfully glad you were sent our with some of the fellows you know.  I imagine it makes it a lot better for you all.

     I saw Polly, Ella and Ed uptown today.  They all wanted to know if I had heard from you yet and then when I got home there was a letter from you, for me.

     I sent Scotty a birthday card from us today.  Did you know that Wanda is going down to see him? (wish I was goin to see you.)

     Mother and Dad sure think I'm good and when I am I don't seem to have anything to say. I don't want anyone to even talk to me but I suppose I'll get over being so lonesome in awhile and then I'll be nicer.

     It's now 9:00, and nothing to do.  So I guess I'll go to bed too.

     Oh yes, your letter was postmarked at just the time Jessie and I were up to the Fort, having the M.P. phone all over for you at 6:00 on the dot.

     Well my darling, I'll close for now and hope that we soon find out where to send these.

     With all my Love,

     "your Princess"

January 21, 1942

1/21/42, Thursday night

To the best beau in the world.  

     Well Dearest, I went to the Dr. today, I'm still just grand except that I have lost 2 1/2 lbs.  But he didn't seem to be worried, so neither am I.

     I went down and paid $25.00 on the stoves and told them that if they didn't fix the door I wouldn't pay any more on them. - I have the money for the hospital plan.  I'll get it paid one of these first days.  Our light and water bill was $3.84 or something like that.  I almost had a fight to keep Mother and Dad from paying half of it.  I bought a head of lettuce and a bag of shredded veg. that came to $0.30 the other night and Mother practically shoved it down me to make me take the money.  I haven't bought over $0.50 worth of groceries since you left.

     Oh Honey, you should see me, my hair is so short and curley, I look like a teenage gal.  I don't look like your girl you left.  But I am and always will be.

     Honestly Speak, Mom keeps this place so clean and shiny I hardly know where I am.  they still won't take our bedroom.  So they are sleeping in the little one.  I believe they both like it here.
     Murray went to work at the Steel plant at Ironton - he gets paid about the same except not for lunch, he surely likes it, he is doing mostly pipe work (threading them).

     Gosh Sweet, if I don't hear from you soon I'll go slap happy, this is just like talking to myself.  When on earth are you?  Down in the Everglades of Florida? (Heaven forbit) - if so watch out for crocodiles and wild things, especially women.  I'm only fooling, that the last thing either of us have to worry about, and especially don't get blue and decided to change your luck like Ganman used to say.

     Lordy. Boy.  You should see the Silver fox coat Wanda showed up up in tonight to go see Scotty in, good lord she looked like Mrs. Astors horse.  I'll bet she paid $300.00 for it.  Blanche Kirk had to pay $40.00 luxury tax on her coat, so I can imagine what Wanda had to pay.

     I got a card from the telephone co. in Salt Lake with $0.50 in it, for money incorrectly deposited in one of the pay phones, was that you?

     Well beloved, back to the envelope for this, until I hear from you, until then, good night and sweet dreams.

     As Ever,

     Your Madge