Ethel to Lester, Aug 16, 1936

Aug. 16, 1936 Cleveland O.

Dearest darling most adorable hubby:

I love you, love you, oh so much honey, even if you don’t write. See how I wish you were here. I don't know what to do about your brother-in-law. He is getting too damn fresh, more than I can handle, and guess maybe he is a little peeved at me. He took Loretta and I out for a ride last nite and after we left Loretta’s he started in. I told him he had to behave cause I wasn’t going to cheat on you. He seemed to insinuate that you aren’t so crazy about me and I told him I thought you were and that I was more in love now with you than when we were first married. I guess he didn’t like that so well and promised to behave, but I know I’m not going out with him, money or no money. And besides I’m not feeling any too well and I just can’t stand it when he kisses me. You know why. And he talks so damn dirty all the time too and keeps telling me how bad (sick) I look. And now he tells me that he was going to put that Eugene thru college. And he gave him $25.00 a month. Pretty soft, eh? And when they had that fight Eugene throwed the key at him and told him to stick it. I never saw anybody change so, a Wirt has.
I saw Joe Neubelles today and he has a Ford Coupe. Not a brand new one, I guess it is around a ‘33. I was up at Producers and he gave me a lift home and wanted to know what boat you were on and is coming to see you this winter.
Well our company was here today and they brought the 2 kids. And they brought the oldest boy. He is 26, too. He is taller than dad and has his own orchestra. He says if I come down to Zanesville over Labor Day, he will have a party for me and of course even if he invited the whole town to it, it would be all relations so I don’t think you'll mind will you? He was telling me that Charlotte’s brother got married about a year ago and although he has a very pretty wife she has been in the hospital 4 times and is sickly. He should have known better don’t you think, but then they say love is blind and it must be true if you married me. Honey do you realize since they sold to the Hanna Co. you haven’t been to Cleveland once? I think it is a dirty shame. Honey please write and tell me, you believe I am true to you. You do believe it don’t cause if you don’t it will break my heart. Cause honey I adore you and I believe in and hope I’m right, and honey I do so want to get well and be fit to go places and do things when you get home to stay. Honey supposing that boat doesn’t ever come to Cleveland any more? I sometimes get tempted to write and tell you to quit it and get on some other boat but maybe that one would be just as bad. I saw in The Marine News where the [?] Maine, was to be laid up for 20 days for repair. Wouldn’t that be wonderful if such a thing happened to yours? Honey, when get home for good I don’t know how we are going to sleep. It seems I roll all over since you are gone, but then maybe when you are here – put your arms around me it will be different. Don’t you think so. Well sweetie I hope this reaches you at the Soo and will write you another so you get it at Detroit with Loads and Loads of Love and Kisses from your wife Ethel XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX