Ethel to Lester, October 25, 1936

Oct 25, 1936 Cleveland O.

P.S. Higher’s is advertising for men for Santa Claus. Here’s your chance. E.

Dearest Hubby:

Well, sweetie mine this will be the next to last letter you’ll get from me, and of course you won’t be getting any funny papers either. Sweetie, I don’t know if you are thinking I don’t want you home when I go to the hospital, but if you feel as if you would like to quit and come home it is entirely O.K. by me. I would love to see you, but I figured it out this way, you can’t do any thing for me, and by the time you do get home for the winter, I would be quite on my feet again and I do need some money. I can pay the hospital bill alright, but will have to give the doctor a little money and if you could spare some I would appreciate it a heap. I have the surgeon a hard luck story and told him you were a deck hand. He’s taking my appendics out too and there seems to be something wrong with the left side and if it is what he thinks (he can’t tell til he opens me up) there can be no children. So sweetie if it will make you feel better to come home, --- come, but of course then I would have to worry about you flirting with my nurses. Darling when I said I was scared, it wasn’t because it is a serious operation, it’s the idea laying alone in the hospital and taking ether.
Darling I guess I misunderstood your telegram. According to the one I got it said “Catch next interurban from Sandusky if possible.” I even had It repeated for the one word “from.” It should have said “Catch next interurban to Sandusky if possible.” But darling couldn’t you when you get to Buffalo and you know for sure you are going to Sandusky, couldn’t you make it home to see me for a few hours I love you so.
Charlie was over to charge your batter Friday. He brought you a bunch of Moscow papers and magazines. I was hoe from work and he stayed till 3 o’clock. We gave him toasted cheese sandwiches for lunch and he seemed to enjoy himself.
Wirt came over Friday nite and insists on Miss Ropell being with me the first two nites, so I don’t know if she is going to be there or not.
Mother and dad bought me a pink wool bed jacker and a pair of warm bed room slippers. I told them I would rather have that than flowers.
Darling I wish you knew how blue I feel. Your letter was so sweet it made me cry. If you only knew and realize how much I love you. You mean everything to me and you’ll have to have patience with me this winter cause I may be crabby.
I had to laugh at Charlie, he called your father up the nite of the scheduled hold up and you father says “Charlie I can’t talk now, I’m going to be held up” and Charlie thought he had suddenly gone batty.
Well sweetie, will close now and write the day I go to the hospital. So think of me with lots of love on Oct 29 – the morning of the operation, but you’ll be sleeping, but before I go under my last thought will be you. Loads of Love and Kisses your loving wife Ethel