Mary Eloped On Moving Day

Wednesday, August 27

Dear Andrew and John,

Your prayers have been answered. We're in and Ann's happiness is catching up to the past several weeks of worry. The only thing we need right now is you two. I kept my word on the pictures; laid the six I took on the table so I wouldn't miss them and then walked out this morning without them.

First, I've got some news that overpowers our moving. Mary Bellis is married. She left for work the same time Monday morning, met Francis (King) and they drove to West Virginia and were back to tell Mrs. B. by four o'clock that afternoon. Aunt's are laying all over the floors. We heard about it when Debbie called Arlene yesterday morning, then Ann called Mrs. B. last night and had a long talk with her. Mrs. Bellis said she went up to her room after we left Monday morning and cried for almost an hour and had pulled herself together and was going about her work when Mary walked in and she had to retire again. I don't know how Mr. B is taking it but I'm afraid it's a little bit his fault. Ann said Francis would come over there to visit Mary and I've told you how big and quiet the kid is, and Mr. B. would come out of the house, walk up to him and say, "Well, boy, why don't you say something; don't just sit there with your mouth shut." As I understand it, he figured he would be drafted in a few months so he went down and enlisted in the Navy, counting on having a little time, but he has to report this coming Friday so they're honeymooning in Frederick for a few days. Now I'm beginning to feel old for I can recall Mary yowling on the side porch right after she was born and you can almost remember it yourself.

Back to the weekend, Mr. Beesemyer called us on Saturday and, I dropped by the office Sunday to pick up a letter from you, John, and this morning I got Andrew's of August 17 so I hope things have eased a little by the time you get this. We got your stuff out there OK and stored up on the third floor. There's plenty of room for stuff in that unfinished section; in fact, I believe we could get everything we own in there. If it wasn't for you-know-who we could have everything of yours there right now. They were supposed to come out to supervise the moving in but we called the movers on Saturday and told them to make it as early as possible Monday morning, so we were out at the new house and the last piece of stuff had been carried in by 12:40 and they didn't show up till one o'clock. Things have quieted down mow but Monday was something. We had eaten early--about seven and had to skip lunch, rushing and helping with the things as they were on an hourly basis, and when they showed up that didn't give a chance to breathe. On top of that, they stayed till a little after six and then we had to go to the store. We ended up with sandwiches and Pepsi's and off to bed. By Tuesday noontime, most of the essentials were in place and they came out again in the afternoon till 5:30. Today Ann is not supposed to have their company but Ann Clapsaddle called last night and offered to help wash dishes and is dropping over some time this afternoon. Wait till you see the little 'phone booth under the stairs and this 4 party line is not so bad after all. Annie Clap says when she called the operator said their line is busy now but just give me your number and when the line was open she rang her back and then rang us. Same thing happened when Debbie Bellis called in so it must be a regular feature. The weather couldn't have been more cooperative--the days are just right in the seventies and the nights cool and fiftyish. Peterson's store is one mile up the road past the church. It's fairly small but large enough to be a self-service, push-around-the-basket type. People know where your live and who you are before you meet them; the word certainly gets around fast. And the store stays open till 9:30 at night. On the way there last night we dropped off at St. John's to see Father Doran. His full name is J. Leonard Doran. He wasn't there but we talked to the housekeeper, a Miss McGovern for awhile. She said she's a city girl but has been out there for the past seven years and wouldn't go back for anything. The church is very small. Just one aisle, about twenty pews on each side, holding about four each. I believe there's a small balcony also. She said Father Doran has a mission parish at St. Mark's in Fallston or someplace where he visits weekly and says a Mass on Sunday. Masses there at St. John's on Sunday are at 8:00 and 10:00 during the summer and 8:30 and 10:30 from October on. They also have a daily Mass and one of the Masses on Sunday is said by a visiting priest.

I also dropped in at the Post Office yesterday and made ourselves known but there was nothing there for anybody. When we left the change of address card at Catonsville, we marked it for "entire family" and I noted it is in effect for two years. I dropped at the P. 0. yesterday because we were going in to Hochschild-Kohn, Belvedere, but everything was too high so Ann came back and got out the Ward's catalog. Driving slowly, Towson is twenty minutes away, but you can easily make it in fifteen. This morning I took my time coming to work, went out the back door at eight o'clock, got the car out of the garage and was here in the office by nine-fifteen -- I meant to say a quarter to nine. The big hold up is after you pass Towson and run into traffic coming down town. On week ends you can make the run from office t0 Garage in forty minutes. Mrs. B says it never takes them over half a hour from Guilford. Doctor went down and got us a new mail box yesterday that you can put Kathy or Stevie in without any trouble. The Evening Sun is delivered at 3:00 in the afternoon and mail comes at 10 a.m. just like at home, but at home we got the morning Paper and no afternoon; here, we're reversing it.

In a way, I'm glad your stuff is stored. As careful as they were with wrapping and padding your TV and refrigerator, they beat our stuff all to pieces--same boys. The refrigerator is full of scratches, dishes are broken and Ann's card table set has the leather or plastic torn and the paint pulled off where they piled heavy objects upon it. They also dropped a couple of cartons we haven't unpacked yet so we don't know the damage . But we have all your small stuff, the contents of your drawers, John's uke, etc.

END OF LETTER

Editor's Notes:
The Bellis' lived next door in Catonsville.
Mr. Beesemeyer also works for the Burtons.
Annie Clapsaddle is a high-school friend of Ann's.

Next Posting: August 29, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner