Crackers, Beer and Tomato Sandwiches

Monday, September 29, 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

Standard time again as of yesterday. Couldn't have wished for a nicer, quieter week-end. We did our shopping Friday evening at the store in Jacksonville and I puttered around early Saturday morning till about 10 a.m. when Abe walked in. It was like old times sitting around the kitchen table with crackers, beer and tomato sandwiches. I sent him your greetings and he says likewise and stayed till about 12:30. He's pretty worried about his father and doesn't like to stay away long. About four Ann and I went to confession; Arlene had to stay home because she turned her ankle again Saturday while talking to horses but she's up and around on it again. Confession was crowded with one other person besides ourselves and it was extra special because yesterday was Forty Hours. But they really turned out yesterday morning. Eight o'clock Mass yesterday let out at exactly 10:14. I rushed Ann hone and came back with Arlene at 10:20 and we were home from our Mass at 11. Ann says if we're still here when our ship comes in, first donation goes for new kneeling benches. In the afternoon yesterday we left Arlene with her foot and took the kids up church for a visit. Afterwards, Father Doran was outside and I introduced Ann. We stood there talking for over a half hour. We had noticed what we thought was a plaster statue or the Blessed Mother on the church lawn as the church is back about 300 yards from the road. He gave us the lowdown and a closeup view of the statue which turns out to be of one piece of Italian marble carved in Italy. Wait till you see it. It weighs 4,000 lb. and was donated by a woman in Towson whose son is a priest. The Archbishop blessed or dedicated it the same day in 1950 as the school. Father Doran says during the summer they have the rosary services there on the lawn Sundays under the trees. Just about that time, Sammy pulls up and says Pud is down the house. So instead of a little drive we went back and sat around. They stayed for a meal, our first guests, and Ann suggested a movie, which she hasn't seen now to five weeks. So she and pud went to Hamilton for the Will Rogers Story. When they returned at 7:15, Sam and I came in to Baltimore as he wanted to see A Minute or One Minute to Zero and the Walcott fight pictures. We left home at 7:30 and were buying the tickets in front of the Town at 8:05. I liked the show but wondered how many persons Howard Hughes killed in taking it. We were home again by 11 and found Mommie with another touch of the virus in her tummy. She still has it this morning as I 'phoned her noontime but not so violent; so does the gal next door.

We saw a couple of TV shows Friday and Saturday. Friday we didn't go up till 11 and saw the movie "Tonight Or Never" with Melvyn Douglas and Gloria Swanson. It was supposed to be a drama but we laughed till our sides hurt. Gloria had bobbed hair and would walk over to a doorway the way they satirize now, throw out her chest and place her arms, palms outward, windmill-like against the wall and groan "Do you want me'?" This masterpiece was before censorship. I'll give you an idea how old it was. Boris Karloff had black hair and three lines as a waiter who told Melvyn Douglas that Gloria was going to visit his apartment. Alison Skipworth had co-starring in the billing. To top it off, the jerk at WBAL kept calling him Melville Douglas. Last night I didn't go up at all, being in town, but Saturday I saw my first complete Show of Shows and it was wonderful. Ella Raines was guest Hostess. Immogene's solo was a musicale with chorus boys, swell music and dancing and called Give Me a Ragtime Turn or I Want a Ragtime Band something like that. They wouldn't stop applauding. If nobody else suggests it I want to ask that they bring back on film some of these shows or parts of shows that are so darn good and so many people miss. And Marguerite Piazza's number was her portrayal of that page-boy part Rise Stevens has been doing at the Metropolitan the past few years with Aariana Knowles singing opposite her. We were so contented after Show of Shows that we enjoyed Gunther's following movie--"Intrigue" with George Raft and June Havoc. It was made in 1948 but I don't recall it being around here. The Century usually gets stuck with G. Raft. She is the boss of a black market operation in Indo-China and in one scene sways in with a sprayed on gown and admires his shoulders. He says back, "I can see you ain't packing no rod neither". Next week, Abroad With Two Yanks with Wm. Bendix and Dennis O'Keefe.

At the Town last night I was thinking it was my first time in Baltimore to a show on Sunday night since we've been married. We've been down during the week but not on Sunday. They showed a special notice on the screen to the effect that in a month or two they're going to offer the new three dimensional Cinerama and that it's being installed right now. I don't remember if I've told you the Hippodrome is For Sale and has been for several months with no takers yet; it has been closed since the little fire they had back stage around April or May.

Ann berates herself for not writing but I told her I've stepped up my pace to a couple a week and she has been pretty loaded. She has a pencil written letter I forgot to pick up this morning but will get it off tomorrow sure.

Got a long letter from Brother Bertin this morning and he's at St. John's Prep for another year as principal. He's coming down around Christmas for a short stay at St. Joe and promises to come out and see us if Brother Nilus will provide transportation. Br. N. is now stationed at St. Joe once again. I told him we'd see that he got there as long as he gave us a call.

I'll be on the lookout for the boxes and will probably put them in the storage room on the third floor till you get here to open them.

Three weeks and three days....

END OF LETTER

Next Posting: October 2, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

Father Doran

Friday, September 26,

Dear Andrew and John,

All is quiet and not much news but Wednesday night, when I drove to the store for bread, I decided to drop by St. John's on my way back and had a nice long talk with Father Doran. First of all, the door was opened by his brother, Mr. Doran, a layman, who is principal of the school. While waiting for Father to come down he told me how he came out of the service in 1945 (he looks about 50 now) and had to get out of business on doctor's orders. He came to St. John's when his brother was transferred from. St. Thomas Acquinas on Roland Avenue in Baltimore and is still there. It was just in 1945 that they started the school. They took an old building not much larger than a couple of chicken houses along side the church and fixed it up to accommodate the first 26 children. Father Doran looks a lot like a Brother Patrick (not Thomas Patrick) we had at St. Joe but taller. He's swell and I told him all about you. He says if you have time, one thing he'd like you to do when you return is put on a play for him; they've never had one but evidently have the auditorium in the new school. The new school was put up in 1950 and cost about $300,000. It doesn't look like more than a half dozen rooms and maybe the hall, but you know prices. He said when they first started the school idea in the ramshackled building people didn't really believe it. They set aside two days in August for registration and he said, would you believe it, up to five minutes of twelve on the second day, the only registrants were five Protestants. However, they started off with about 26 and now must have many more for the sisters whipping by in the station wagon seem to number six or seven; and they have two new buses which cover the area and, according to their schedule, make several trips each. Father Doran also told me they have a congregation of 500, counting men, women and children. The little chat lasted over an hour and both were so darn nice I am sorry for doubting them; in fact, Ann called Peterson's store to find out where I was.

Today is very warm, about 80°, but the nights are cool and we've had the heat on--down to fifty. The fog was so thick this morning I had to creep along till I hit Loch Raven.

Saw just one more TV show from 9:30 till 10:00 Wednesday when I got back; called "The Hunter" with Barry Nelson. Very good! And then Ralph Belamy stuck his fat face in at the end to say he is coming back next week with Man Against Crime to replace it.

END OF LETTER

Next Posting: September 29, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

Good Dreams Or Bad Dreams

Wednesday, September 24

Dear Andrew and John

One month from day and I hope you'll be out of Seoul bag and baggage and by 24 hours. We're still having nice days and cool nights and it's supposed to get warmer later in the week; but no more of that humidity. About a week and a half ago, on a Saturday, it set a record around here with 97° but we didn't even notice it out there because of only 29% humidity.

I can't tell you anything more about the TV programs because I haven't been up to the third floor since Sunday night. Monday I had school and got home about 10:05 but had a sandwich and milk and read the paper while Ann went up to see "The Big Kill" on Westinghouse Studio One. I purposely left the radio and TV pages in the Times this week so you can get acquainted with the programs and any switches. Your good friend, Jackie Gleason, John, is on CBS Saturday nights the same time as the All Star Review, so that takes care of him. I just remembered the guests on Eddie Cantor next Sunday--Eddie Fisher and Lisa Kirk. Last night I was home early, which means 5:45, so it isn't much later than Catonsville, but after supper I ran Ann in to Parkville to Reads as she had to get some cheap nylons for Arlene. The school rules called for those ribbed lisle stockings for the high school girls but they took a vote on it and came up with nylons, I'm sorry to say. We were home again by eight but Tuesday is a poor TV night, so I invested a dollar in six beers and we sat in the living room talking and eating peanuts till about 9:30. Stevie wasn't feeling good yesterday; nothing serious, we hope, but some of what's going around, as they say, and he'd get those pains in his tummy. Mike and Kathy had long naps in the afternoon so they played on the floor. Mike had shown me a picture from that Currier and Ives book we've had from Book-of-the-Month Club days, of a horror depicting a bad man's moment of death as he lay in bed with bulging features and satan came through the window jamming him in the stomach with his fork. Mike wanted to know when that man came around and I told, him that was only a dream and had to explain further that dreams came from maybe eating something, like peanuts, before going to bed and some were good and some were bad but they couldn't hurt you. This was all several weeks ago. So last night he picked a peanut out of the can and looked at it and said he was going to eat it and I said OK one or two wouldn't hurt him. He sat there holding it and finally put it down and with a sigh said he didn't think he would as he didn't know if the dream would be bad or good. It didn't hold Kathy back though and she wedged all we'd allow her. Her eyes continue deep blue with the blackest lashes but when you see her be sure to remark on her "red" eyes and she now insists her lashes are red also. The Walcott-Marciano fight was also last night but they had it off both radio and TV in that theater arrangement. For $2.50 you get to see the feature and the fight. In Baltimore the Stanley and the State carried it and to 31 other cities in the country.

I called Cousin Anna yesterday noontime and she said they had been trying to get in touch with us. I had given her the 'phone number but they couldn't find it and when they called Catonsville all they could tell her out there was that the number had been disconnected. I called the Catonsville office later and asked them how come but they didn't know---said they were supposed to give the new number till the change was made in the books. Anyway, I said we'd pick them up some nice Sunday and let them see the place. Cousin Anna was all nervous over their kitchen. Their sink was falling apart so Cousin Claire offered to replace it and at the same time put a cabinet around it and paint the kitchen plus a new Celotex ceiling. They nearly dropped dead when the fellow said $1200. They've finally decided on just a new sink and painting for $300.

Cousin A asked again if we've heard from Mary as they were supposed to visit her and summer has become autumn.

I have it from good authority that Thanksgiving is on November 27 so we're figuring how you can make and be with us for both then and Chrristmas, that is Christmas and I think it can be done. There ought to be plenty of good country cider in those parts and just wait till you taste what Mommie does with electric cooking. She has been making apple pies that never grow cold.

END OF LETTER

Next Posting: September 26, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

We're Not Presbyterians, We're From Catonsville

Monday September 22

Dear Andrew and John,

Shades of Bloomsbury Avenue: the toilet was stopped up Saturday night and it was my fault partly. Mike has long been housebroken and Kathy is for her water burps but whenever we see her standing cross-legged we know it's a more odorous affair. I relieved her of a baseball sized object and tossed it in the bowl and believe it or not it clogged the works. It was late so I couldn't do anything till Sunday morning. On the way from church I dropped up to Richard's-the maintenance man--but he was away and his plunger was locked up. The fellow at the general store didn't know what I was talking about I asked Ann what she thought he used - his foot. Another, fellow at my last hope store said his wife always took care of those things and he didn't have one to sell or borrow. The solution was right next door where Mrs. Baldwin kept one for just such emergencies. The Barbours who lived there before us, she said, were constantly losing their teeth or the children's plastic toys in the darn thing. But it's working fine again as though nothing had happened. Hope I'm not disillusioning you.

On the Television matter again, a surprise. Friday I gave Geipe a call, went out to the Edmondson storehouse and loaded your TV in the back of the car and took it home. It's in perfect condition and Ann gave it a coating of Preen wax just for good measure. Then we carried it up to the third floor but thought we'd try it out before putting it in the store room. It works much better than it did in Catonsville. WAAM comes in picture clear no matter how you fool with the inside aerial. But the best thing of all, you don't have to change the antenna and the sound is wonderful, too. Besides the 3 regular channels there's pictures all over the place but I haven't had a chance to try them to find out what they are. I didn't watch it Friday evening but looked forward to Saturday when Jimmy Durante was on with Margaret Truman, at 8 o'clock. So at 6:30 in walks Aunt Alice, Jeannie and Uncle Lawrence, followed by Annie and Earl Clapsaddle, who didn't come in that new Chevy I told you about because Saturday he traded it in for n Mercury. They gabbed through J. Durante but Aunt A and Uncle L left at nine and the C's at 9:30. So we raced each other up the stairs to see the last part of Show of Shows. Saw the Hamilton Trio and Cid and Imogene in solos and for the finale, Marguerite Piazza singing a ten minute role of the Haben-what's-its-name from Carmen. Swell. Sunday I picked up Aunt Til in Towson at 1:30 and we didn't go upstairs till 8 p.m. The papers last Sunday must have been wrong for Martin and Lewis were on and were great. Their guest was Rosemary Cluny in her new short hairdo but she didn't mess around with them at all. Sang "If you Love Me Half as Much" and that "Botcha Me" thing. We're locking the third floor during the day to keep the kids down and keeping the TV for a special treat. Before all this happened, I had gone down to Johnson Brothers on Thursday afternoon and had a nice talk with Mr. Lucas. He sends hello. Speaking of the Capeheart, which the B's said they could get at 40% discount, he said they won't allow one in the door of the shop. They had some big Magnavox's that were beauts but the prices made me do what I did about your set. And even though your picture is a little smaller than the popular sizes now adays you can't find a better picture than the one we get on your set. So, if it's OK with you both, as Andrew said, we'll take good care of it. And Mr. Lucas said Johnson Brothers has their own service man out in our area, paid by and acting only for Johnson Brothers. They also service Annapolis, Westminster and all points within about fifty miles. I forgot, the one other thing we saw last night--Philco Playhouse, was a good dramatic play called "The Thin Air" with Joan Lorring (remember her) and Scott Forbes. The sets keep getting better and they must have used a dozen. After that I took Aunt Til home and the rest went to bed.

We tried the new food store at Jacksonville Saturday and Ann loves it; a regular supermarket, big, too, and a general store, also, but all on more of a citified plan. It's evidently tied in to a chain that specializes in country stores called the Cloverdale Farm Stores. This one in particular is run by a family of Miles. A nice looking woman about 50 was marking prices and smiled at the kids. She introduced herself as the grandmother and I suppose she meant she was the mother of the three giants behind the meat counter. I bring her into the story because she came out with, "Are you folks by any chance Presbyterians?" And not wishing to get started in a religious scramble, I came back with, "No, were from Catonsville." Every time I think back on it I realize how asinine it sounds. It's only about ten minutes drive from home and in miles I should say not five, compared to Towson's ten and Parkville's nine but no traffic and good roads this way.

In one of your envelopes I'm putting a sample of the mimeo pages they give out in church every Sunday. Arlene and I went to 10 yesterday and were out by 11:10 but Ann got the visiting priest at her Mass from Baltimore and he whizzed through in 30 minutes. I'm also enclosing a map I tried unsuccessfully to mimeo with one of the stencils I had left from National Radiator.

END OF LETTER

Next Posting: September 24, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

Spiders and a Cocker-Poodle

Friday September 19

Dear Andrew and John,

Pretty quiet the last two days. Ann got a call from Aunt Tillie that she'd like to visit and will meet us at the movie in Towson on Sunday at one o'clock; so that saves me ten miles. But you really don't notice it after a while. I just sit there from home to Towson and listen to the radio or just think about some problem and you don't have change gears once. I'm still experimenting with York Road vs Charles Street and find that the shorter way, Charles Street down to Guilford and then over to Calvert Street to downtown is a steadier pace. I'm still going at school and plan to continue for the first couple of weeks in October now until I see how things settle down financially. Counting our expeditions to the grocery stores, we're burning about 15 gallons of gas a week at 27¢ & 29¢ a gallon and traveling nearly 300 miles each week. So that's what I want to adjust to our new way of life where before the speedometer didn't show a 50 mile a week jump sometimes.

We have issued an ultimatum for one thing to leave the house, especially in anticipation of your return--spiders. If you have some beauts over there, wait till you've seen ours. Stevie had one cornered in the hall on Monday larger than his big fat hand and it took me a half a can of Flit and an old comic book to subdue him. I think it's getting ready for the fall that has them looking around inside. Yesterday morning Ann was making our bed and as she brushed the sheet smooth up under the pillows, she felt something. She flipped over the pillow (mine) and there was another with a four inch wingspread. They are wasp waisted with very large and very black upper and lower bodies and have those muscular and hairy legs you see in pictures of tarantulas, they must he related. Ann told me about the one in the bed just as we were turning down the spread last night and I spent the next quarter of an hour with a flashlight under the bed inspecting each of the springs and any likely hiding place. Where they come from I do not know for the floors are new and solid and the screens are on like storm windows from the outside but we'll get them or get ourselves in the process. What I mean by that is that we don't know if the tummy aches Ann, Arlene and I had the first three days of this week were from a virus that's going around or if we're inhaling too much of these sprays. We have no worry from the usual mice or rats as Doctor has the place under a five year contract with Baltimore Fumigators. Arlene was laying on the lawn in the backyard and letting the kids roughhouse with her when we heard her yell Wednesday. Kathy said look at the cute little worm and Arlene turned her heard I mean head to find a garter snake looking her in the eye. They're harmless but it startled her and the kids are apparently fearless of anything and are getting used to dogs. Stevie always has loved them and slobbers all over every one he meets.

Arlene was sitting on the front parch after school Wednesday with Mike and Kathy and a kid came tearing up Long Green Pike in a hot rod. She didn't know him but he leaned out to yell something at her as he turned into Hydes Road at our corner and went straight through the fence on the opposite corner, owned by this Mr. Flaccus of the telephone number mixup I told you about. Arlene jumped up to see if he was hurt but by that time he had backed the car out of the mess and away he went. He tore down enough fence to drive a tractor through and as this Mr. Flaccus puts some of his small Black Angus cattle in that field Ann gave him a call for which he was thankful. I saw the car that did the job yesterday morning when Arlene yelped as she was going out the front door for her bus and it was and is a combination of a Chevy chassis of the 20's mounted on an old Ford, is painted bright red and has "44 Junior" lettered on the back; so Flaccus shouldn't have any trouble finding him.

They have two dogs next door but they never let them out of the yard. One is a pedigreed cocker named Midnight and the other her son, Puddles. Puddles is about six months old and is the reason they're never allowed out. Midnight got out about a year ago and when she had six of what they thought were the cutest little cockers, they didn't know how, but they clipped their tails in good cocker fashion and kept one. As Puddles grew, they found from inquiries that Midnight had gone up the hill that night to see Pierre, also very high class but a French Poodle and now Puddles is the darndest looking thing with the silky coat of his mother and the long neck and legs of his father and the clipped tail when they thought he was a cocker.

END OF LETTER

Next Posting: September 22, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

A Settlement In Catonsville

Wednesday, September 17

Dear Andrew and John,

I spoke too quickly in the first paragraph of Monday's letter for John's letter came out to the house that morning, mailed the same day yours was, Andrew. Today I got yours of the 11th here, Andrew, about you all missing out on another good show--Eddie Fisher. I guess I'll make you feel bad by telling you some of the shows you're missing here (and we are, too). Last Sunday night I read where Martin and Lewis were back on TV and Arlene had them on last night (Tuesday) on their new radio show for Chesterfield. This coming Saturday Jimmy Durante comes back on the All Star Review with his first guest, Margaret Truman; and today's paper; which I read in the barber shop (my first haircut in 7 weeks) displayed a picture of Tallulah and scheduled her first TV appearance on the All Star Review for October 11. I guess you read also where she was supposed to go on TV with her Big Snow but the price was too high. I'll come out and tell you the truth now that one big reason we didn't bring your television, for our benefit and yours also, was that Mrs. B. had been hinting around and actually came out and told Ann she was going to present us with one which we would have to call our Christmas present. And knowing we could pull the other out of storage at any time gave insurance if one would go bad and might as well get something for nothing while it's going around. However, in talking with her this morning on the 'phone and telling her that settlement had been made, she said that's fine and that now we will be abel or able to pick up a set and she will see that we get it at wholesale. She was talking about the Harford Gas Company. Which is at Jarrettsville, some six or seven miles away. So I don't know what we will do yet. She also said this Mr. Henderson up there said not to take a service contract with any set as he guarantees the picture tube for one year and a 3 month certificate on the entire set. Also, that for service, they use a fellow who lives out that way but who works for Johnson Brothers and who does the repair work in his spare time and at very low prices. This part sounds pretty good; and I think we'll hold off for another week or so to see if she comes through with her first idea. She really told Ann not to tell ma but that she was going to give us a set as a surprise. From all appearances now, that's out.

As I mentioned in the above paragraph, the settlement was made yesterday; only took two hours and five minutes. I stayed home and brought Ann and the little ones in, arriving at the Fidelity Building a quarter to one. The Seicke's were waiting outside and we went up together. The offices are the law firms of Kohlemann and Dumler, Dumler being apparently the big cheese of the Fairview Loan Company who was granting the loan to the Seicke's. We had to sit and wait for another Settlement to be ended. The door opened and who should walk in but Mrs. Virginia Reyman Emerson. That's where she has worked all these years. Will is still in Frederick on business but she said she is living in their home on Cherrydell, across from 0verbrook Road at Dr. Gallager's. The kids were very good for the first hour but overcame their shyness and got warmed up before it was over. I felt so darn sorry for the Seicke's. I know they're getting a bargain for the little they are paying for the place but they had planned it so there would be a few hundred to spare for fixing up and as it turned out the extra fees took all they had plus two hundred he had borrowed from her mother and $38 they had to sign a note for. Last summer when Downes, the lawyer, had to search the title to the land when I borrowed on the house, bought the land from Mrs. Boutall and paid Mary off, he showed me why it had taken six months times to compile the three inch thickness of papers in front of him which brought the house and land clear and without encumbrances up to August 1951. For that he charged $60 which I didn't put on your expenses as it was strictly a cost to us for buying the land. For the one item of searching the title from last August, the loan company charged the Seicke's $95. The rest of the fees, recordings, notaries, etc. brought their miscellaneous expenses to $250. We had to pay $10 for half the revenue stamps required in these transactions and $7 for placing each of the powers of attorney on record but we got back $19.38 as credit on the property taxes which you and we paid in June so that balanced that. Let me know if you want to know the balances of your accounts at Catonsville as I went out there this morning and made the deposits. You may want to plan what you have to work with when you get back. We're keeping our checking account out there too because they don't charge for the checks as they do these banks around town here

Eden Terrace has been making the papers these days. Something I didn't know, up till now they had a private water supply from underground wells which was owned by a company out there. Recently the State Department made them hook into the city water supply as the wells were polluted and unfit for human consumption. They did so, or rather this company did so and continued its private ownership but didn't pay its on water bill to the city; so the city ups and turns the water off on them which affected all the people living in that area from Glenmore to Dunmore and over to Edmondson Avenue. I don't know if the people have worked it out yet or not but after several days the city ordered the water to be turned back on.

Coming in this morning in the car I heard the news report a terrible explosion near Seoul, about a railway train blowing up and killing a number of school children. Was it near enough to hear about; I hope not.

While writing this (noontime) I had a call from Annie Clapsaddle. Said she was calling me because she talked with Mommie a week or so ago and got her 'phone bill today with a 75¢ call. They must have talked a half hour. She just wanted to report the news which is not news that her hubby had just quit his job in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Also, the car he gave her, the brand new Chevrolet, he was taking back, because the car he was using, the 1940 Chevy, he had sold. He is thinking about going to Canada or on second thought thinks he will stay around Baltimore and find a job but realizes he will have to take a cut. OH, BROTHER.

You will be tenting by the time this reaches you; so take it easy and we'll continue to write up to the last possible minute.


END OF LETTER
The Burtons are Charles' employers.
The family has recently moved from Catonsville to Long Green Valley northeast of Baltimore.
Ann Clapsaddle is an old friend of Ann's.

TAGS

Next Posting: September 17, 1952


Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

A New Number and A Visit To Catonsville

Monday, September 15, 1952

Dear Andrew and John

From now on you can send mail to either place; the only thing I will say is that it is delivered one day sooner here to the office. The letter you wrote on the 10th, Andrew, holds the record so far. I'm enclosing the postmark to show it was mailed on the 11th and was delivered here at the office about 8:15 this morning, the 15th. I believe I told you we have a big fat mailbox out there on the Hydes Road side of the other house, that will hold six or seven full Sunday editions of the New, York Times and if something comes that is too large, the man brings it to the front door.

On the TV set, I think an aerial is a must in our location. The Baldwins next door have a contraption with a dozen arms on it waving atop the roof. I'm sorry in a way we didn't bring the set along but there were so many circumstances at the time. Everything we thought we would smash we took with us in our car and with the family it made quite a load. I understand from Geipe, however, that any time we can go out there, sign for and take away anything; that is stored or they will deliver free. Maybe the set would work on the third floor with the indoor aerial which we have with us to prevent the, boys in the warehouse from playing with it.

Our telephone number has been changed. It is now, FORK 3690. We're on the same line; just the last digit to 0 from 4. How come is that we were getting six or eight calls a day for a Mr. Flaccus, of Three Cousins Farm, a big horse place on the other corner of Long Green and Hydes Road. I looked in the Harford directory and sure enough he too was listed as Fork 3694 so I thought he no longer had the number and that it had been given to us when he was disconnected. But on Friday I happened to look in the Baltimore suburban section where we shall also be listed with the new book and there Flaccus was as Fork 2694. I called the C&P in Bel Air and they had made an error in the Harford book so they thought it best to give us the O. This now means that instead of two, short rings we now answer four short rings. You only hear the rings of two of the four parties on the line. But yesterday (Sunday) morning the 'phone gave two shorts and I thought maybe I should try it. It was for us - Frances Seisor wanted to know if we would be home. She and Albert came at 3:00 and stayed till 6:15.

Nobody else from Catonsville has come to visit us so we visited there on Saturday. The kids were down to rags for p.j.'s and underclothing so Ann came in as far as the bargain basements and the rest of us continued on to Bloomsbury Avenue. I dropped in at the bank (it was open Saturday as Friday was a holiday) and put in your latest check, John, and then Kathy and I went to see Abe while Mike, Arlene and Stevie met Jane and Edward in front of the school. Abe walked down to the Bellis' with us and after saying hello to everybody I went over to home and looked in the cellar windows. I was relieved to find no water but they haven't let the people in yet to clean up. Schatz called on Friday again and we made definite arrangements for the settlement tomorrow (Tuesday) down in the Fidelity Building at 1 p.m. I plan to stay home tomorrow morning and bring Ann and the kids in at noontime. Arlene will be at school. About Catonsville, they're digging up the whole schoolyard. They have bulldozers and tractors all over the place and someone said there were complaints of smells from the sewerage system. Someone else said they are planning a road from the other side of the school near the Amoco station across the field to Bishop's Lane. I don't know if it's permanent but they have a road there right now of gravel. They are also making preparations for the fence they always talked about. Arlene said she walked in the Bellis' back yard and Mr. B was up on a ladder as usual painting. She said hello and he gave back a casual "Hello, Lene" and then did a double take as he realized it wasn't just an hour before he had last spoken to her. Same thing with Mrs. B. They couldn't believe we had been away only two weeks and five days.

Ann still can't get adjusted to St. John's after St. Mark's. I went with her to 8 o'clock Mass yesterday and I think it's because they take everything so easy. You never saw so many big fats slumped over pews. Actually, the Masses aren't crowded--there's plenty of room. Yesterday was Holy Name Sunday but everyone sits just where he or she wishes. Kids, parents and several nuns are all mixed up over the church. The organ played and a couple of Mrs. Garveys entertained. At communion time the men crawled over each other and went to the altar rail first, then the others. As soon as Mass was over we got up to go and I was already out in the aisle when the fellow at the end of our bench started the Litany of the Holy Name. If I had known, I would have stayed. He gave out with three or four lines and no response. A dozen or so men had remained in their seats but none had player books. This fellow got up and turned around and yelled, "Come on, let's hear it, cancha?". Eight o'clock Mass began at 8:05 and was over at 9:15 but Arlene went to the 10 and they were out already at 10:50.

Friday night we shopped in Parkville, far the last time I hope. It was worse than, Towson the week before. It took us an hour and forty-five minutes to get out of the A & P and we had to walk three blocks to their parking lot. Our plan beginning next week is to try a place called Jacksonville, about 4 miles up the road where the prices are supposed to be pretty much in keeping with the big places.

We read in the papers that the temperature hit 97° in town on Saturday late in the afternoon but we were back at Hydes at 1:45 and thought it just pleasant. It went to 90° yesterday but we didn't notice it, so if the winters aren't as cold as the summers aren't hot, it will be all right with me.

You probably won't hear from me tomorrow but try to get something out on Wednesday about tomorrow's meeting and anything else I've forgotten from this hurried thing.


END OF LETTER


Next Posting: September 17, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

A Bad Haircut

Thursday, September 11

Dear Andrew and John,

I sent for fifty of these back before we moved and, they've just come. They were very cheap, a dollar and something, and you could have had your name printed, also which I omitted. We plan to send them only to people who are far away, like Peg and Mitch and Jerry, and Len so you can send those I send you to any relatives you may think of because we've shown them to no one, not even the girls last Thursday. They're rather bulky so I'll get out a few more to you under separate mailing.

Had a long talk with Mrs. Bellis over the 'phone. It just flashed into my mind to give her a call as I remembered she and Ruth and Aunty Edith go out at least once a week and usually look for a new spot; so I thought it would be a good idea to surprise Mommie. She said probably next Tuesday would be the day. She also said we had no doubt heard about her daughter and I asked how they were coming along. He went into the Navy 4 days after they were married as scheduled and Mary won't see him for eight weeks while he is in boot training. Mary went right back to work at the Blue Cross and is living at hone. Our last Argus was forwarded to us and right beneath the huge write-up on Will Emerson and Virginia Reymann was a couple inches devoted to Bellis-King and I think they did it very nicely. They mentioned the double ring ceremony before Reverend somebody at Arlington (which could have been Maryland, Virginia or West Virginia) and said the bride was residing at the home of her parents until the groon came out of the Navy, not saying he was stuck for 3 years.

No settlement yet. We were sure we wouldn't have to wait this long but that's how it goes. Tomorrow is supposed to be the last day they have under the agreement to close the deal so it just shows the agreement doesn't mean a darn think unless you try to get out of it.

I just spent ten long minutes yelling at J. Norman Geipe. Got a registered letter here at the office the day before yesterday containing your inventory list coupled with their contract and insurance agreement and showing the storage is at Rolling Road and Edmondson Highway, Catonsville. They got me riled up by enclosing a bill for $15 for hauling for 1 1/2 hours at $10 per hour and 46¢ for insurance. Ann and I went over the thing carefully and she said she talked to two different people on two different days before we left home (I think she also talked to everyone in the city for our last 'phone bill was $26); one Geipe representative was a woman and one a man. She said they each stated the charge would be $4.50 each month and that she particularly asked them if there was anything else and they said only a $10 down payment. Furthermore the bill goes on to say that storage will be $6.00 a month and not $4.50. This person I spoke with could only say that all this should have been explained at the time of one of our calls and didn't know why it was not. I'm going to write them a nasty letter today; think I'll make it to J. Norman personally as he was in my class at St. Joe. I paid the thing and we'll straighten it out someday so don't worry but it just makes me madder and madder because all this wouldn't have had to be.

The same Argus had an obituary on Mr. Joyce, who died the first of September. Maybe the mother will come live with Jean now and take care of the kids, for when we left Jean was working and Glyn Bailey is away all week in New York while the poor kids were locked out and all over the place.

Your allotment came yesterday John, forwarded OK from Catonsville and Andrew, you got a nice bill for the $6 not paid on your income tax which we filed in March, plus interest of 19¢ or maybe it was 49¢, as I left it home in the desk. Do you want me to keep it here or do you want to pay it from Korea with a bunch of yen or whatever that stuff is. They must have made some adjustment or other, I because as I remember it, I believe I wrote you in February that you owed the Government $14 but why worry about it. Let them try and collect.

Ann won't talk to me this morning; I cut Michael's hair last night. I honestly don't believe I did as bad a job as I did on yours but there are spots.... So it's my plan to add the clippers to the Polaroid and offer it as a package unit.

The Girls said you were anxious to see the old house at 25 again when you returned and maybe the Seicke's would let you walk through. I think at your age I would have felt the same way but now my only thoughts would be to look for this hole or that crack and think of the condition of the roof and the cellar and watch more paint chip off on the sunny side. But with a little time and effort this fellow Seicke should be able to put it in fair shape again except for the darn basement.

I have school again tonight and had a talk with B. Herbert on Monday evening about giving it up. I have agreed to go through September but will probably stop then so if you can think of any text book I can try and corral, let me know.

Figuring from October 23, and sixteen days on the long water trip, if they hurry the rest through you still might make it by Thanksgiving.


END OF LETTER

Editor's Notes:
The family has recently moved from 25 Bloomsbury Avenue in Catonsville and are living in Long Green Valley.
The Argus is the old name for the Catonsville Times Newspaper.
Mrs. Bellis was the next door neighbor in Catonsville
B. Herbert Brown ran the business school that Charles taught at night.

Next Posting: September 15, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

Five Lousy Tomatoes and Do You Bite Or Love

Monday, Sept. 8, 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

Got your letter of Sept. 1 this morning, John, and "Singin' In The Rain" was the picture Ann and I went to see in April when we went to Pierre's, the first and last time I was in the Century since 1949. We thought it was swell, too, and just the thing after a good meal, but the critics didn't give it much. It was also the first time since I saw Debbie Reynolds and liked her, too. I'm getting the movie section of the Times off to you this week and will be able to do so for the next six weeks till we lose contact for a while. They tell me Gene Connor is back and that they gave him a furlough immediately before release so looking at the calendar we thought maybe you'd make it by Thanksgiving which is either November 20 or 27.

After saying nobody was coming to see us, it was good to have Virgnia, Dee and Connie drop in on Ann last Thursday. I was at school but I hear then didn't get there till 9 o'clock after driving past the place for an hour or so. I got home at 10:15 because of the darn Thursday night traffic and they stayed till eleven. They brought some Pepsies and a box of Turtles which Ann indulged in but her greatest joy was the bottle of sherry as the third gift, We got real kick out of Connie's tale of wondering why you two were making all the fuss over five Korean women and then she found out that by five lousy tomatoes you actually meant five lousy tomatoes.

We came in to Towson Saturday morning for our weekly food shopping and patronized an A & P Supermarket. Towson has everything but parking space so next week I think that it will be back to Parkville which is one mile closer. That new Hutzler store at the York - Joppa crossroads is almost finished and will be something. There's about ten acres of parking space to the northward, on the other side of the road and entrance to Hutzler's from the parking area will be under the roadway and through a complete Edmondson Village like lineup of stores under the road By that I mean the parking lot is that much lower than the road and Hutzler's on the other side. We were back home at 11 a.m. and there we stayed for the day. I had them drop off the power lawn mower and cut that strip of grass you see in picture No. 1 to the front and side of the house but it took longer than by hand as I had to take the mower apart twice when it clogged--fuel line. After dinner Arlene's Uncle Orr dropped by the house to say hello. You've both met him--about my age with black curly hair; has a son, Jack, and a new daughter seven months with cheeks twice as big as Kathy's used to be. He's in the plumbing business, as I believe I mentioned before, and took another look at the heating system. We had just been talking about Show of Shows coming back so Arlene got herself invited to spend Saturday night with Orr and he brought her back Sunday noontime. We sat in the living room talking and Ann caught up on her sewing and you could tell and she readily admitted she missed the TV. Arlene said it was only fair and Pearson told me the same thing this morning. Sunday at 12:30 WMAR (Channel 2 to brief you for when you get back) had a movie I would like to see again: Barry Fitzgerald and Thomas Mitchell in "The Long Voyage Home"; lasted about two hours. Sunday afternoon Earl Clapsaddle dropped by again to buy the synchronizer for my Leica. He called up Saturday night and I promised it to him, thinking I would get cash as Ann had to take out of the food money for Arlene's shoes on Saturday: they have to wear a uniform type obtained in Towson. Sunday Earl gives me a check.

Abe called Sunday around noon to say he had been out to see us and we weren't home. I asked when and it was Saturday morning at 9:30 and we had gone in to Towson at 8:45 a.m. He said his father is better but he can't leave him and Buzz is fixing up a bathroom on the first floor while they are thinking about renting out the second floor. He again promised to bring Father Farrell out and we still haven't heard from this Father Doran at St. John's. Guess you won't find another bunch like that at St. Mark's. The girls said there are four permanent priests there now and 8 Masses every Sunday.

Sunday afternoon at 4 we went in to Parkville for a couple of magazines and some cleaning fluid Ann needed. We were back at 5 but no one had been there as I left a note on the door. I forgot to tell you we went out the back door to the garage on Saturday morning and we don't have a key as yet to the back, which is a Yale lock. Someone had hooked the front screen door and when we got back we were locked out--doors and windows. I managed to pull open the bottom part of the screen and get my hand in far enough with the key to unlock the front door, then put the metal leaf rake in to push up blindly till I struck the hook on the screen door, so it wasn't so bad. But Ann in the meantime was in Baldwin's bedroom getting out on the roof to see if the bedroom windows were all locked. We got the kids bathed and bedded early but they wouldn't go to sleep so we all retired early and Arlene started to school in earnest this morning. I was going to wait and see if the bus picked up her or her up and it did at five minutes to eight. We'll have to see when she got to school and what time she gets home.

I heard Mike bragging about you on Saturday in a sort of way. The Baldwin Boy next door and his sister come over our place but we haven't let Mike or Kathy go over there as we have a much larger yard. I was working on the mower and this kid, Marty, said he had a pony at his grandfather's; Mike countered with the fact he saw a pony once; then Marty had a coke and ice cream, he said, and Mike had a Pepsi and ditto; finally Marty said he was at Ocean City for two weeks and Mike came back with "Jody and Drew-Drew are in Korea".

Kathy is something too. She'll talk and talk two inches from your nose with those big blue eyes and dark lashes going and she can invent stories to make Aesop ashamed of himself. One of her favorite games with Mike is that Mike will come at her with his teeth showing and claws up announcing "I'm a tiger". She'll ask "do you bite or love?" He mostly says love and they go into a clinch but if he says "I bite", you can hear her scream for nothing at all way across the valley. Ann will say, "I'm exhausted" and Arlene and I come back with "do you bite or love".

Ann says again to extend her apologies for not writing but the house work so far has kept her running. When Arlene can get home a little earlier it will help but last week from Tuesday to Friday, Arlene and I came at the same time--about 5:45. The place stays much cleaner but it's the getting everything settled and falling back in laundry and ironing that has her on the jump.

Here's hoping they have an Indian Summer over there and that you'll get out before winter sets in.

END OF LETTER

Editor's Notes:
The Baldwins live in the other half of duplex that is The Inn.

Next Posting: September 11, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

Green Green and Sharp Doesn't Cut

Thursday, Sept. 4th

Dear Andrew and John,

Just got your letter of the 29th, Andrew, and to answer your question first, any taxi you took would probably have to be on a contract basis and I should judge the fare would be around $3.00 from downtown Baltimore. So don't plan to travel that way for the time being. Our transportation problems are working out, but slowly. I told you Arlene's first day of school was Tuesday and I took her home. Yesterday she had a half day and went to a Towson show till I picked her up. Today was a headache but I hope it's solved. She has a full day of school but I have to teach tonight and tell B. Herbert I'm going to resign with due notice. I was on the 'phone all yesterday evening but it wasn't till we went down the little store for bread that we met a mother and her Towson Catholic son in Arlene's class. It's my opinion we made arrangements for Arlene to get a ride with his rider as far as Glen Arm this afternoon and then his father will come get them from there-about four miles. Tomorrow I'm sure I'll be able to take care of and through talking with Father Doran (haven't met him in person yet) and a Sister Placidius I understand starting Monday the county school bus stops right outside our door and a new law passed last year compels them to carry Catholics as well as the public school students and FOR FREE. This I gotta see. We thought sure by now this Father Doran would drop by the house one day, especially since we were up there but he was out. Another thing, the sisters don't live in or near the new school. We noticed them beating back and forth on Long Green Valley Road in station wagons but thought they were out riding. Now they tell me they live at Notch Cliff, up pass Glen Arm on the way to Baltimore and come back and forth each day. If you still have that old map I sent you I may have marked Notch Cliff on there.

We were only out in the country for a few days when we noted Mrs. B. had a green fad on this year. She put several pieces of this rustic wood furniture in the yard and painted it bright green. The porch furniture that came with the house ditto and while the Baldwins next door were away (from Aug. 15 till Sept. 2) she had their lattice work, cellar door, backyard summer furniture as well as our own painted green. She also donated a trash can and a garbage can which were smeared with the same color. We had on hand at Bloomsbury a 20 gal. trash can from Sears which we brought with us loaded with dishes and breakables. As soon as that was spied, she had Richard, the maintenance man, slosh it green. We got a kick out of Mrs. Baldwin beating around the back yard yesterday talking to herself and caught the words, "You go away for a few days and come back and find everything green; two new trash cans---green!" as she booted the lid off so as not to take the green with her. Finally, Ann was washing dishes yesterday afternoon and you remember those nice natural colored peel cane chairs Ann picked up last summer which we used inside during the winter; well, she saw them bob past the windows and when she went to the back door Richard just looked at her and said nothing but carried them out to his truck; she tells me on the 'phone they came back this morning....green. We met the Baldwins Tuesday evening when they returned from two weeks in Ocean City. They seem nice, around thirty, with a boy age 7 and a girl, 4. She has spoken to Ann several times but haven't seen him since we shook hands. I understand he has a real estate and law office in Towson which he is just getting started and I may have told you he is Streett Baldwin's son which we hope will keep the roads open hereabouts.

I talked to Abe on Tuesday. His father is better and at home now which is why he hasn't been able to get out. He told me they had a SOLD sign on the house and as we hadn't heard a thing about the settlement, I called Schatz first thing yesterday morning again and he still says no word other than he's sure the loan has been approved.

The bridges were repaired yesterday and we could take the shorter route into Towson this morning. By the time you get here maybe the new bridges will be up as I understand they can't begin work on them until the bids have been posted for a certain length of time. I found out a little more about the schedule and the price on the Ma and Pa R.R. In the event we can't meet in town or Towson any friend who wants to visit, the Ma and Pa leaves the station there at North Avenue and Howard Street each morning at twenty minutes to eight and gets to Hydes at 8:25 a.m. In the evening it comes down from York and gets to Hydes about 5:20 for the trip to town. It's $1 a round trip but 69¢ one way.

The little Baldwin boy was over playing yesterday. The day before Mr. Hahn contributed an old three wheel bike of his grandson's and a bus with a seat atop that Kathy seems to like. The Baldwin kid called to his sister, "Come on over here if you want to see something sharp", and Mike ran after him saying, "No, no, it won't cut you". Mike just ain't up on his slang.

They're coming out tomorrow and Saturday so I may have something more interesting to report.

END OF LETTER

Editor's Notes:
Charles also teaches night courses at B. Herbert Brown's Baltimore Institute.
Mr. Hahn also works for the Burtons.
The Baldwins live in the other half of duplex that is The Inn.

Next Posting: September 8, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

A Hurricane and A Lake

Tuesday, September 2

Dear John and Andrew,

Got more letters from you at the office here this morning--two from you, Andrew and a two pager from you, John. By this time we're settling down and I hate to do an about face, but they've been very nice to us. Ann's 'phone conversation telling her just where we stood seems to have worked and there has been mention of the subject they were going to tell us all about. Since Friday, the house has blossomed out with rungs, that is rugs, chairs, pictures and little odds and ends which we had hoped to acquire if the house was sold at the higher figure. But we got them anyway showing our prayers were answered and this was evidently meant to be.

I tried everywhere to find a New York Times on Sunday but Baltimore is the closest spot and we didn't get in nearer than Parkville. I'm going to work out a little deal with Mr. Beesemyer starting next week where he can get it for me here in town an he likes it himself and can bring it across the street from his apartment on Monday mornings. I even asked the paper man on our route out there but he said he couldn't order it. I have a copy of LOOK I'm mailing today to make up for it and we should be back on schedule next Monday.

Don't worry about the monthly payments to J. Norman Geipe. We'll take care of them and work it out with you. In fact, I'd better cell them because they're supposed to start sending the statements here to the office and we haven't received their typed copy the inventory yet. I believe the down payment of the $10 takes care of the first month.

This was a pretty nice and a pretty bad week-end, the bad part being only the weather. Saturday was OK and we spent a quiet day putting a few more thinqs in place and looking for others. It clouded up by nightfall and Sunday morning was rainy. I took Ann to 8 o'clock Mass which they start when they feel like it. Ann says it got under way about 8:20. I went to 10 and that began on time but didn't let out till 11:05 with a long sermon. The church, as I said before, is smaller than St. Mark's but nice. It wasn't crowded at the 10; maybe due to the rain and maybe not that many usually are there as I noticed a number of out of town cars. Not a soul visited on Sunday and we left the house for only one hour, to go to Parkville for a little ride and some magazines. A hurricane that turned inland hit us Monday morning about 5 o'clock. The wind was so strong it forced the water under the weather-stripped doors and windows. At 6 a.m. the electricity went off and we didn't have water or cooking till five after twelve. But later in the day I found out we were lucky and that parts of Baltimore didn't get service until yesterday evening. You should see the pictures in the paper of Catonsville and Ellicott City. In Ellicott City the water burst the fronts out of almost every store on Main Street and washed the contents down to the Doughnut Machine Corp. One picture shows 17 autos that were carried down and dumped in a mess of silt. Abe (whom we talked to by 'phone last night) said refrigerators and electric appliances as well as watches and all sorts of jewelry and junk were floating over the place. Catonsville was hit almost as hard and till this morning and maybe still has only bus service to Irvington. I called up Schatz first thing this morning and he says the loan has been approved that all they're waiting for is the settlement. So if the house is still there, it is apparently going through.

Our lone visitors for the entire week-end were Aunt Alice, Sam, Pud and Jeannie, who came by yesterday afternoon for a couple of hours. I forgot to say that the storm abated as quickly as it began and by noontime the sun was shining. Now the papers say there's a big one coming in from the northwest that is supposed to hit this evening sometime.

This morning was school for Arlene. I haven't located the other girls we heard were going to Towson Catholic from out our way but I can bring her in all right. She was supposed to have a half day for this first day but at 10:25 she called me and said they were through. I drove out and picked her up and she's downtown with her weekly allowance right now seeing The Greatest Show on Earth at popular prices.

I see that your Show of Shows is due back this Saturday night and all the others are slowly falling in--Hit Parade, Dinah Shore and Perry Como. We never listen to the radio hut Arlene has it on quite a bit and gets around 30 stations. What the stations are I don't know, but two in particular have the same program one hour apart. For instance, Sunday night she listened to, and called me in to verify it, the Frank Fontaine show at 8 p.m Daylight Time and at 9 p.m. Daylight time heard the same show over again. Both stations are strong and clear and one is from Pennsylvania.

It took a little longer getting in this morning and the roads were tough going. The two temporary bridges they had built around the bridges that were knocked out by that big storm in June were washed out yesterday along with another bridge on the alternate route a half mile down the road so we had to come in by way of Glen Arm and the Joppa Road and found the Joppa Road cut off which necessitated more detouring; but there's many ways and a mile or two doesn't seem much when you're not in traffic. Mrs. Burton always wanted a lake on her place and this morning she has one which you can see from our windows looking out across and beyond the fence Mike was sitting on in one of the pictures we sent. It's about 160 feet in diameter but not very deep. The wonderful feeling is going down the basement and finding not a drop of water but I still worry about the house on Bloomsbury,

I hope they don't try to kill you off with pneumonia as a result of your messy set up and let's hope the cold weather isn't upon you too quickly after all the water subsides. If it takes all that time in transit, will they start moving you out in October instead of November. They do have to get you out by Dec. 6th, don't they, if nothing happens?

END OF LETTER

Editor's Notes:
Mr. Beesemyer also works for the Burtons.
Ann's Aunt Alice's children are Puddy and Jeannie

Next Posting: September 4, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner