Bette Davis Takes A Fall

Monday, October 20, 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

We've started around on the virus again. Arlene was running a temperature Saturday and Sunday but wouldn't stay in bed. Yesterday was such a beautiful day, though, that we didn't want to wait any longer. Before I went to church with Arlene at 10:30, I gave the Boehms a call and told them we would pick them up about 1:00. Came back from church a bit piffed because I missed Communion for the first time since New Year's 1945--on a Sunday, that is. Don't know what happened; when the bells rang at Communion time the altar boys hopped up and went for the water and wine instead of the plates. The people looked at one another but no one attempted to do anything about it. We left home at 12:15, just Ann, the little ones and myself and went in at Cousin A's and Cousin C's for a minute to see their newly decorated kitchen. We were back at 2:30, gave them a tour of the place and sat around and talked. They stayed and ate with us and didn't leave till 7:15. I made the round trip taking them home, taking my time, and was back in the house at 9:10. I'm glad we did it yesterday; it was 65° and the route all the way is lined with trees that have just turned. You no doubt had a quick glimpse of autumn as your winter set in with a bang. Over night the temperature here fell to 40° and when I called Ann this morning to tell her Aunt Til had called me to say hello, Ann said it started to snow at 9 this morning and at that time - 12:15 - it was still coming down. I'm sure it won't lay. Tonight, the weather man says 26° so we're getting into your territory. The only thing is, yours is there to stay and ours is so changeable. I think Cousin A and C. liked the place except they wouldn't want to live out there. They acknowledged that with a car town was very accessible. Cousin Anna even took a glass of our special blend $1.69 a half-gallon sherry.

Arlene got her pup on Saturday morning and I have to admit it's a pretty nice hound. Four months old, housebroken, even though it stays in the cellar, and all white with black dots and a black ear. Name of Lady MacBeth but we call it Mac for short as everyone refers to her as him. Mike tolerates him, I mean her; Kathy loves her and leaves her; but Stevie eats it up. He trails it around the yard and shares his cookies with her. I don't think it will grow as large as I mentally predicted as we find it is dalmatian with just a dash of bird dog. In her gallops around the yard, every once in awhile she'll stop, raise one paw, straighten the tail and point a bird perfectly. Maybe you'd get used to her.

We did the usual grocery shopping in Jacksonville on Saturday, I mean Friday night, but drove in as far as Parkville Saturday afternoon to the 10-cent store. We got around to TV promptly at eight so as not to miss Jimmy Durante with Frankie Sinatra. It was a very good show and Frankie kept out of it most of the time. Somehow Show of Shows continues just as good and the guest hostess was a bit different this time - Alicia Markova, the ballerina. She did a 15 minute bit toward the end from Les Sylphis or whatever that ballet is. Gunther's Playhouse had another 2 hour film "International Lady" with George Brent, Illona Massey and Basil Rathbone. It was an A, with nothing but familiar supporting actors but I managed to see a 1942 copyright date. A little earlier in the evening we missed "Bicycle Thief" which I told you was presented last summer for the first time on TV. So, as I've said, they're going around again and you'll be just in time for some good ones.

In one of the envelopes or in with the movie review of the Times I'm going to put a review of Bette Davis' new "Two's Company" show I mentioned not having heard when I wrote about Tallulah last week. Coming in to town in the car this morning - I have the radio on for the news and heard that Bette collapsed in Chicago last night where Two's Company was putting on its first performance. She had to be carried from the stage in the first scene by two stagehands, the commentator said, but was back to finish the end of the show and made a curtain call to tell the people "You can't say I didn't fall for you."

Streett Baldwin died yesterday afternoon; was only 58, the papers say. He was coming around Saturday even though he couldn't speak but contracted pneumonia and that finished him.

That last paragraph of yours, Andrew, about the visit from our mutual "cousin" was something. The letter just came this morning. I couldn't resist telling Ann about it lunchtime. I asked Cousins, A & C if they had heard anything and they said no, their trip to Chase never materialized. We'll have to have Aunt Hannah out sometime and see if she will tell us the score because I'm sure she knows.

The postman dropped by the house the other night to ask if I would buy stamps or if I could buy stamps for Doctor from them and not here in town. I told him Ca-Ma-Sil used a postage meter and that the rest of the stamps didn't amount to more than 10 or 15 a month. He said that strange as it may sound that would mean a lot of business for him. So I've gotten permission to get most of our regular stamps out there. I noticed they have an Esso gas dispenser next to the store so I dropped by Friday, being pretty low. Mr. Sewell was coming out of the store with a pan of something as I went in and I said I wanted to get some gas. He said just to help myself and give the money to Ma; that if she wasn't in the store, just to yell and she'd answer. And that's what happened. I also found the mail doesn't come out on the Ma and Pa. It comes twice a day, delivered by truck, morning and afternoon. The postman's route, he told me, measures a little over 50 miles and he has 1,475 stops or potential ones. That's really something and I'm glad we're about the first on the list.

Stay well till you get the heck out of there and I'll get off a few more letters until I hear from you that you're sure you're moving out the end of the month.

END OF LETTER

Next Posting: October 21, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

A Trip to Hydes and No Room in the Bed

Friday, October 17, 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

We've been having such beautiful weather, it must be due for a change. Each day the paper has predicted rain or cold and it has continued to warm up in the morning and today is another in the seventies. The warmth of the ground and the condensation has caused early fog, though, and wait till you see it. Coming in toward town or rather until you hit the road to Towson there are several mile stretches where you couldn't see one car length in front or behind. But you only find this during the fall or spring or perhaps some warmer winter weather. Did you notice the flowers advertised on the back of the Times movie section of last week; to bloom from November to March.

If this weather and our health holds out, we plan on getting Cousin Anna and Cousin Claire Sunday for the afternoon. I haven't called them and don't intend to until Sunday to see how things turn out. We did get a 'phone call at home from Cousin Claire on Wednesday just to see how things were. I haven't talked with Cousin Anna since week before last.

Annie Clapsaddle called me here at the office to say they were back from Texas. Does not intend to call out home any more since they charged her 75¢ for the last call. They brought Earl's mother back with them and Earl does not know whether he is going back to Bridgeport, Conn. to work or perhaps somewhere in Canada.

It was such a nice day Wednesday, that Ann took the kids for a walk to the Hydes Post Office, which is where the Ma and Pa Railroad crosses Hydes Road on the map. I paced it off with the car and it comes to 7/10 of a mile so it isn't too far but they got a ride back with the postman which didn't hurt any. I believe I have already told you that Peterson's said they open at 7:30 and close around 9:30. I asked the feller at the Post Office-general store for his hours and he called to the back room, "Hey, Ma, what time would you say we close up evenings?" She yelled back, "Oh, about midnight". So there you are. You never have to worry about running out of anything with him that close. Suprisingly enough his things are fresh though they do cost a penny or two more. Ann and I laughed at his window decoration-several boxes of Kotex piled atop five or six shotguns and dozens of packages of shells.

I find I haven't another darn thing to tell you. The little ones are still sleeping beautifully from about 7 or 8 p.m. till 1 a.m. Then we start playing checkers: in comes Mike to our bed. Kathy can climb over her lowered sides and she will appear next or Stevie will use one of his three words and call me. I can't fit any more so I go in the other room to Michael's bed. Or if Stevie and Kathy monopolize our bed I take to the couch. When it gets colder I'm going to protest.

I'll get another out on Monday but just like you to hear from us. Ann says she'll talk your ears off when you get home.

END OF LETTER

Editor's notes:
Ann Clapsaddle is Ann's friend from high school.

Next Posting: October 20, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

A Dalmation and News From Catonsville

Wednesday, Oct. 15.

Dear Andrew and John,

Here's another I hope you never receive unless you're on the way back. You each actually received a piece of mail, forwarded from Catonsville. Ann opened one (they're both alike from outward appearances) and it's a wedding invitation from someone in Philadelphia; very fancy and even embossed paper. I forgot to look at the date and can't remember the name other than it being Italian sounding. Maybe I should have sent one to you but we thought and still hope you might be on your way.

Just got finished wrassling with Metropolitan Life Insurance. They cancelled policies on Ann, Mike, Stephen and Kathy because their office reported they hadn't been paid for September and October. I had been worrying them every few days since the last of August and they kept saying wait, that they had a collector out in our area. We waited and waited but he never showed up so last week I called the head office and they advised me to pay by check to them which I did including an extra month to keep us ahead. Now I find we had to or rather have to send everything by mail but they can't find the check I sent last Monday a week.

Streett Baldwin is still hanging on by a thread and Ann was over next door in the back yard taking the clothes down for them yesterday and had taken Stevie with her. They have a full sized sliding board for their kids and Ann says she was reaching for a clothes pin and saw something flash by out of the corner of her eye and it was Stevie head-first. She dropped everything to go to him but he had somersaulted and was halfway up the ladder again, this time to come down the conventional may. She said in five minutes he had worn himself out and that was his first experience with such a contraption.

One of Arlene's relatives 'phoned her that if permission was granted, they had a dalmatian puppy as a gift. I kept my big mouth shut and Ann gave with a hesitant OK. We had to go to Peterson's store for bread and while there an animal that just came to my belt-line walked out of the back storeroom and Ann asked Mrs. Peterson if it was hers. She said Oh yes it was their six month old dalmatian puppy. Ann just looked at me with her mouth open and I continued to say nothing. Now Ann is busy talking Arlene out of it. At breakfast she said we'd have to keep it outside and down the cellar and putting out food and water would be a big complication for you-know-who Stevie would toss the critter for the food every time, gentle lad.

Ann's letter from Mrs. Bellis was a nice long one. She has been trying to get out our way with Ruth but Clyde has been using the car. Mary has managed to get a pass to see Francis, her husband, at Bainbridge; and a group of her classmates from last year gave her a huge shower, with another one coming up next week.

I saw no TV Monday or Tuesday so I have nothing to report there but I picked up a News this noontime and am enclosing several articles from it. I thought Louella had retired when her husband died but you can read her column in one of these letters.

More tomorrow or Friday.

END OF LETTER

Editor's notes:
The Bellis' were next door neighbors back in Catonsville. Mrs. Bellis' daughter Mary married Francis in August.

Next Posting: October 17, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

A Fire In Baldwin and Tallulah Does Durante

Monday, October 13.

Dear Andrew and John,

We're working naturally and so is school tonight but the banks and most of the business offices are closed down today honoring your birthday on yesterday.

One Friday, I mean on Friday afternoon I 'phoned Abe and he is feeling much better since he found he has only a tendency toward diabetes and not the actual stuff. Noontime Mommie told me she got a letter from Mrs. Bellis but didn't read it because I have to keep these calls from the office to home short. Got the 'phone bill Saturday and Arlene had called her friend Mary Margaret in Catonsville to the tune of $1.19 worth. For other news of Catonsville, Virginia called Ann to say she was dropping in on Sunday and Dee called again Friday to say no they wouldn't. And yesterday afternoon we have a - I can't even think straight - we had a short visit from Ellen and Gerry Bures. They are anxious to get out of West Edmondale where they bought their new house but can't find cheaper quarters elsewhere. They're so darned on edge they're nervous wrecks.

It was raining Friday evening so we postponed our trip to the food store till Saturday morning. It cleared Saturday noontime and I fixed the back door and wiped off the car and then drove Ann and the kids as far as Woolworth's on Harford Road. We were gone a little over an hour and came back Long Green Valley Road way to find fire engines racing past us to a big fire. If you still have a map or remember my describing Peterson's store and packaged refreshment shop, it's right next to that. Burned down into the ground with not a beam or shingle standing were the post office (Baldwin) general store and hardware and a good part of Baldwin Motors, a combination garage, repair shop and sales agency for tractors and farm equipment. Doctor's property ends down that way - it's almost a mile from the house really -- and one of his barns full of hay was partly burned. Arlene went with her friend Ann Woodward, our second neighbor to the south, and her father who is a member of the volunteer firefighters. She said they had eleven fire engines there but it got too much of a start. Ann didn't see the results but I drove past yesterday morning with Mike and Kathy when we event to pick up Arlene from Mass. Ann and I went to 8:30 yesterday for a change as it was Holy Name and in memory of our 8:30 Mass six years ago. Father Doran takes his good old time and has a sermon no matter how long he talks on the matter of Propagation of the Faith or the particular problem for the Sunday. We got home from 8:30 Mass at 10:02 and it started on time. Arlene was out in half an hour. We could go over on Harford Road to an earlier Mass or in to Towson but I think it's better to stay in the parish and they need our two-bitses.

I guess it was about 5:30 when we got back Saturday and I didn't look at the paper till after we ate so were we surprised to see Tallulah listed for All Star Review at 8 p.m. We were up and waiting for the beginning. You remember how Jimmy Durante used to and still does close by walking off as though into the distance. Well, Tallu comes from way back walking slowly and playing with her hair, right up into the camera and croaks "Hello Dahlings". We loved it. Her support all through the show were no less than Ethel Barrymore and Groucho Marx. But the show was all Tallulah's. She danced, sang and had several skits to herself as well as with the others. It was from New York as she remarked Ethel and Groucho had flown in from Hollywood. I liked her semi-final, a solo of how she had gone from her place at 59th Street to visit some friends in the country -- way out at 181st St. on a thing called the subway. Maybe it's old stuff but we enjoyed her applying at the money changing window for a drawing room and saying of course they would take her check. She pauses and gives her name as the fellow has evidently asked who she thought she was. She says, "I'm Tallulah Bankhead", then another pause listening to him and reaches her hand through to shake saying, "I'm so glad to know you, Mr. Bonaparte". Just as she is about to board the subway train, the camera follows her past a big paste up ad featuring the head and shoulder picture of Betty Davis and "Two's Company" which is apparantly her latest. Tallu goes past, does a double-take and then comes back to whip out her lipstick, hunch over the pic and step aside to show her decorations of glasses, a mustache and beard; no talking. Her ending of the show was a reversal of the beginning; saying "'Bye Dahlings" in front of the camera and walking slowly to music off into the rear center. Show of Shows did everything right as usual, this time with a host, Dennis O'Keefe. After this Ann retired but Arlene and I sat to watch Louis Hayward, Joan Bennett and George Sanders in "Son of Monte Cristo". I didn't realize it was such a big production and lasted just five minutes short of two hours.

We sat around all yesterday and had finished eating and cleaning up when Gerry and Ellen came. I guess they were here from about 5:30 till 6:30. We went up to TV for This is Show Business which was fair and Colgate's Comedy Hour had a pretty good show in Bob Hope with Fred MacMurray and Connie Haines. Phil Playhouse which last night was Goodyear Playhouse came on with some gypsy offering O Ramany. Ann said the author is a good one but we didn't care for the beginning so turned it off for the evening. Ann heard Mrs. Baldwin next door calling and I went down and read awhile. Ann came back and told me she had promised to go next door to stay with the kids in the event Mrs. Baldwin would be called back to town. Her husband's father, Streett Baldwin, had suffered a heart attack and stroke on Friday. So far they have kept it out of the papers for some political reason or other but as of this morning he's hanging on. The doctors now say there's no hope whatsoever and he is paralysed except for the fingers of one hand.

On our ride to the ten cent store Saturday we had to go past the Maryland School fort the blind on Taylor Avenue. They have their annual sign out advertising apples and cider. Ann says, from past experience, there's none better. They'll have it for some time but we don't want to get any as it might turn or that might be for the better also. It's only twenty minutes away by car.

That Stevie slob at the table will shovel in three helpings of meat, potatoes and vegetables I couldn't come near downing, then sit back with his shoulders slumped and mouth omen and wait for the monstrous bubbles that usually follow. Right after eating his stomach hangs down the way Kathy's used to. Nothing new on Kathy this week but Mike is due one of my famous haircuts no later than tomorrow.

END OF LETTER

Editor's notes:
October 12, Columbus Day, is Charles and Ann's sixth wedding anniversary. It is also the birthday of twin brothers, Andrew and John.

Next Posting: October 15, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

Jimminie Head

Friday, October 10.

Dear Andrew and John,

Ann waited till I got home late last night to let me read about the cancellation. Will it do any good to write a congressman? Here we were hoping for Thanksgiving and now we got to keep our fingers crossed about Christmas. They have to let you out by the 6th of December or am I just being silly.

Here's last Sunday's church notices which I've been carrying about with me.

Whether or not they change shipping schedules or what have you, I'll keep writing through the month of October and though I know the Army is not that efficient, maybe they'll cut off some of the letters and reroute them at San Francisco. So in the event they surprise you with a hasty evacuation our way, this may be one of the last letters Korea bound and we'll he only too happy if you're already on your way and miss this one.

Have I or has Mommie told you about "jimminie head". That's a game Mike and Kathy play with Stevie and he loves it. You recall the "Jimmie's" chocolate variety on ice cream cones; outside, they use dirt; in the bathroom, water; and in the kitchen, it's cereal. Luckily the little slob has one of my special whiffles and Ann has to shampoo only once per day. He sits outside as patient as can be while they shovel on the dirt in the one corner of the yard that is not grass covered. It's only when it gets in his eyes and mouth that he protests.

END OF LETTER

Next Posting: October 13, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

The Previous Tenants and Mickey Mantle

Thursday, October 9th.

Dear Andrew and John,

Haven't much to tell you but like to get something off anyway.

When I got home Tuesday I found that Virginia had called and cancelled her trip to see us. She and Connie were supposed to come but one of them couldn't make it.

Kathy's virus in her tummy persisted through this morning and I called home noontime to find out how she was and Ann says she's much better, having produced her first burp in three days. Stevie, the slob, is back in there shoveling in the food with both hands. His face is getting fat and he's going to outgrow Kathy in the weight department. But she's getting taller, I'm sorry to say, though I do think she'll still be in the cute stage for a couple of months till your return. Mike is all legs and has his spells of eating like a horse and staying away from everything but you can't call him unhealthy. Arlene we don't have to worry about. In the Christmas Card we chose for this year, I put her name next to a caption of Food Editor. Stephen is saying just a few more words but understands everything. His pronunciation is not as good as Mike's was at the beginning, as he calls our little girl, Kaki and has a few other wild expressions but you can't cross him up. I think you'll find Kathy changed most for she was just saying a few words as I remember it when you left and now she'll string an endless sentence into 5 minutes without faltering or stammering. But she's got to warm up to you first. And that'll probably take a couple of hours. When we went out to see Abe last month, while Ann was downtown shopping that day, Kathy wouldn't even look at Abe for the first hour; she buried her heady in my shoulder even when he tried to give her a little china dog. Abe is having a bit of trouble right now, too. I guess it's the combination of his father and I'm sure there are financial difficulties. He was feeling so bad he went to see our Dr. Gallager who gave him a thorough physical and suggested he take hospital test for diabetes. So Abe tolls me he was at Mercy Hospital for 5 hours on Monday with some sort of glucose test and there is a show of diabetes. His father is on the first floor at home, apparently to stay and the bathroom Buzz has half-built is still unfinished as you know Buzz. I asked him Monday what's new in Catonsville and he said nothing that he could see.

Tuesday evening I sew about an hour and a half of TV. Milton Berle has gone the way of the many others and is now on only every other week. In his place we saw the last half of a show sponsored by Buick with the regular performers apparently being Joe E. Brown as a clown and Dolores Gray and a John Ratti as singers. I don't know if the circus is to be the continual scene but that's what I got from it. Last night we saw the first half of Godfrey and Arlene switched to a new show starring Frank Fontaine and Patti Page with some very good dancers and sponsored by Scott. They played up their Cut-Rite wax paper and paper towels and Scotties but no mentions of the toilet tissue; Ann says they probably don't think that good advertising.

It turned quite cold Monday night. Western Maryland had temperatures down to 28° but we went no lower than 42°. Today it's raining but I'm sure we'll have nice weather again in October.

Andrew, you mentioned you'd like to get out of uniform as soon as you can when you get back and I've been thinking about fast ways of obtaining something decent to wear inexpensively and if we could run out as far as Sam the Tailor in Catonsville, I noted he is now carrying a full line of suits as well as slacks, coats and other men's wear. And knowing him, he'd put the cuffs on and make the alterations while you wait. In an hour I bet you could get pants and a coat, if necessary. And if either or both of you don't have company and intend to go on a shopping spree, I'd like to take off and see what they're offering these days. I'm down to one pair of shorts myself which I'm washing out at nights and those dacron socks I bought in the spring of '51 are still holding up pretty well. The rest of my wardrobe is good enough for another year, except for ties and there my last additions were what you two gave me last Christmas. So I'll provide transportation if things work out and I also know your credit is OK at Katz for when Ann talked with the fellow the last time he called to say he had received your remittance, Andrew, he said he was glad as you no doubt would want to use the account when you got out.

We've been learning a little more about the Barbours, the people who occupied the house before us. Jean Baldwin next door and Mommie lean on the fence or hang up clothes together. Mrs. Baldwin said one day this past spring she came over to what we occupy now to pick up laundry that was left while they were out and Mrs. Barbour was stretched on a couch smoking and reading while one of the smaller girls was dragging dump trucks full of dirt in front the outside and dumping the loads behind the pillow on an armchair with no correction from Mrs. B. Also, Mr. Barbour made all the clothes for the family in the garage and in the cellar and also sponsored a baseball team which met several times a week in the back yard or the Pasture across Long Green Valley Road. The kids were never supervised And one night in early summer, when Mr. Baldwin was on the verge of trying for his bar exam, at 2 a.m. in the morning the kids were whooping it up in the back yard. He asked them to quiet down a bit and Mrs. Barbour stuck her head out of the window and yelled, "Ignore him, he don't own the place". And just before they moved, referring to Mrs. Burton she said, "We're going, but I called the old bag up and gave her hell."

I heard the last two games of the World Series on the old radio here at the office and the papers around are giving Mickey Mantle the hero role. I mention this as I went down to Peterson's store last night for some bread and one of the farmers was addressing a small group and saying, "I was with the Bums and if it wasn't for that wop, Mickey Manuel, we'd have beat 'em."

Take it easy with the final moving. Mr. Pearson here at the office picked up a bag of Micalith at the mine and got himself a hernia which he has to have operated on in December.

Two weeks from today!

END OF LETTER

Editor's Notes:
Two weeks from todayis the deadline for John and Andrew to leave Korea!
Charles' employers own a mine that results in a product called micalith.
Abe is a longtime friend of Charles

Next Posting: October 10, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

Frankie and Ava Have Split

Tuesday, October 7th,

Dear Andrew and John,

I'm late this week; had a busy day yesterday and could only get off the Times. We got a letter at home from you yesterday, John, and we hope the cold has cleared up. Wouldn't want anything to delay departing for either of you. Nothing has come to the office yet in the way of packages but I think six weeks is the minimum we can expect service. We had a little trouble with our mail but I think it has been corrected. When we didn't received our 'phone bill or Hochschild's by the end of September, I called and found they had been mailed out. Ann asked Mrs. Baldwin next door and she said oh yes a little girl down the road, the same one who had gotten in her deep freeze in the cellar, has been caught reading the mails in the neighborhood and then tearing up the evidence. We hope nothing of importance has gone that way. Hochschild's and the C & P are mailing out new bills today and the postman is now going to toot his horn when he puts mail in the box as it can't be seen from our part of the house.

We shopped again at the grocery Friday evening and had things cleaned up for some TV by 9:30. It's dark at 6:30 now but we're getting used to it. We saw some quiz program and then Ann and Arlene were almost asleep and gave up but I sat through an English mystery called "Tangled Evidence" with nobody I recognized. I worked on the car and played around with the kids Saturday as the weather stayed in the seventies. We didn't have a visitor or hear from anyone as usual. It wasn't until after supper however, that we looked in the paper and saw WBAL had taken off Show of Shows for a darn pro football game. We put the Stevie to bed and pajamaed Mike and Kathy when Arlene called down she had it so we went up and found Show of Shows coming from Washington and clearer than we used to get it at home. Following that, we switched hack to Baltimore and enjoyed Abroad with Two Yanks with Dennis O'Keefe and William Bendix. The hostess on Show of Shows, I forgot to say, was Wanda Hendrix. She has changed her hairdo or let her jaw dawn or something for where she used to have a heart shaped, face, it's now square: looks like Kathryn Grayson. Speaking of show people, I heard on the radio this morning that Frankie boy and Ava have split up--Ave giving him her wedding ring back, of all things. Sunday, Arlene and I get home from church at twenty minutes to twelve and the 'phone rang two minutes later, which I answered. It was Virgina asking if we'd be home Tuesday (today) and I said of course, so she said she'd be out this evening. She talked to Ann about two weeks ago and was supposed to drop by but came down with a bad cold. Kathy picked up the virus on Sunday that we've all had but wouldn't stay abed, just wanted to be held. It reached a peak yesterday when she tossed her breakfast but this morning woke bright and happy. Sunday afternoon we left Arlene at home with the World Series and took an hour's ride to Jarrettsville, which was new to me. It's only 8 miles and we circled back around the farms and home as Kathy was restless. It was another lovely day and nice and peaceful. We ate early and brought the little ones upstairs with us for TV. Red Skelton is on at 7 p.m. Sundays this year and on film. I don't think it's as good. He was followed by Jack Benny's monthly appearance and I had forgotten to look who was to be on the Colgate Comedy Hour. At 8 o'clock they flashed the station break announcement saying next in line was Colgate Comedy Hour. There was a 15 second pause and the announcer came in to say "We're waiting for the Colgate Comedy Hour from Hollywood". Still nothing, and here's where it got good. Again the announcer came in to say while they were waiting we'd have a film of something by Schubert. The music swelled up in the background but they must have pushed the wrong projector for on the screen came the regular motion picture makeup " The Thief of London" starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Valerie Hobson; that faded to "With" and pictured Alan Hale, nodding, and the rest of the cast; then fade-out and as the first scene came on everything went black for a moment, then there was the conductor leading the Schubert symphony. That was followed by another short and finally at 8:20 the announcer returned to say that we would watch Tanhauser for the next forty minutes as there had been a "disagreement" with the engineers in Hollywood and the Comedy Hour would not be seen and heard. We switched over to Ed Sullivan who was having an ASCAP show of all famous composers in person, playing their own melodies and it wasn't bad. Philco presented a pretty good one--Jeffrey Lynn in "Black Sheep". After that we turned it off.

Ann found a cleaner who seems to do good work. Anything sent on Wednesday is returned Saturday and pick-ups Saturday come back the following Wednesday. I believe he charges a dollar where I was paying 75¢ before but we can't be too particular when you're off the beaten track. You'll have to look forward to seeing the place next spring as you're missing a lot of the good scenery right now. The only thing around in the roar of flowers seems to be something out front which we're not sure whether it's a rose bush or a blackberry vine. In the back yard are three or four lilac bushes. Maybe we can add something that will bloom right away. We have searched the store room for your tulips and as I've said to Ann, I still believe the movers made off with a lot of stuff as I can still remember making the last trip to the truck and he slamed the door before I got there and said that's all. They may be at the bottom or some of the carton boxes and I hope so. In the last days at Bloomsbury with Mike and Kathy, and Jane, Edward, Susie, Tyson Ann and many others roaming the house, they broke the radio-record player combination and Mike's little record player as well. Some of these quiet evenings we've wanted to listen to the few records we managed to save. I shouldn't really say few because there are about 50 or so. In transit, our Nutcracker Suite and part of the Carmen Abe and I bought were broken but a lot of individual records are left. You mentioned in a letter a month or so ago that one of the boy's father had sent him a 45 r.p.m. I played one for the first time at Ann Clapsaddle's and I remember telling you I liked it but now they've added something new to that, what they call 45 extended play records. Each side of a regular size 45 plays about 8 minutes. At Parkville last month I noticed Read's was selling a big counter of popular 45's at four for a dollar so they must be overproducing.

I'm copying this last paragraph from a Prentice-Hall Accountant's Weekly Report which came yesterday and the case is listed as true:

A New Orleans lawyer sought an RFC loan for a client. He was told that the loan would be granted if he could prove satisfactory title to property offered as collateral. The title dated back to 1803 and a had to spend 3 months running it down.

After sending the information to RFC he got this reply: We received your letter today inclosing application for a loan for your client, supported by abstract of title. Let us compliment you on the able manner in which you prepared and presented the application. However, you have not cleared the title before the year 1803 and therefore before final approval can be accorded, it will be necessary that the title be cleared back of that year."

Annoyed, the lawyer replied: "Your letter regarding titles in Case No. 189156 received. I note that you wish titles extended further back than I have presented them. I was unaware that any educated man in the world failed to know that Louisiana was purchased from France in 1803. The title to that land was acquired by France by right of conquest from Spain. The land came into possession of Spain by right of discovery made in 1492 by a sailor named Christopher Columbus, who had been granted the privilege of seeking a new route to India by the then reigning monarch, Isabella. The good queen, being a pious woman and careful about titles, almost, I might say, as the RFC, took the precaution of securing the blessing of the Pope upon the voyage before she sold her jewels to help Columbus. Now the Pope, as you know, is the emissary of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God, who, it is commonly accepted, made the world. Therefore, I believe it is safe to presume that He also made that part of U. S. called Louisiana, and I hope to hell you are satisfied."

END OF LETTER

Next Posting: October 9, 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

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 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

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

Four Is Not Enough

Thursday, August 14.

Dear Andrew and John,

No more news-no prospects. At this moment I'm not sure whether we're going to complete the transaction and not just because of not selling 25. I guess I shouldn't put this on paper, but I will anyhow. Yesterday, Mrs. B. called Ann at home to confirm our meeting scheduled for tonight in the country and got around to what was evidently planned as her reason for calling, told Ann we had such a lovely family there and that four was enough; also, that when we met them out there, she and the Dr. wanted to talk to Ann as to what we could do about it. Well, Ann controlled herself till the conversation was over, had herself a good bawl, not because of any effect the proposed lecture would have on minds already made up, but because everything was so near, and by the time she called me, she had herself well under control and was going out there to say her piece in return, regardless of the outcome. Ann's reply was going to be if the house hinged on our personal and religious beliefs, then they could stick it up the nearest cow. This morning she was still determined and I continued to back her up. We were ordered to leave the kids home and Arlene was down in the mouth over missing out on a championship soft ball game this evening. Then, I got a call at 9:15 this morning, Mrs. B. herself, canceling tonight's meeting due to a headache. Ann's happy we don't have to go and doesn't attach as much significance as she did yesterday, but the thing's still there and she firmly intends to have it out before we make the break.

Turning to something a little lighter, I may or may not have told you about Mike and Kathy's daily excursions to summer school. Ann says it would do your heart good to see Kathy get snazzied up, tell Stevie she's going to school and go trotting down the yard. Arlene, already over there, waves an arm out the window when she arrives safely, and Kathy spends the morning, if she feels like it, with checkers, paints and games. Yesterday, right after lunch, Mike came home from over school and got ready to take a nap. He had his shoes off when he remembered to say "Mommie, I'm on Mrs. Van Sant's list to go to California." Ann said that was nice and that she would miss him, being away so long. He said that California wasn't far, was it. Ann told him it would be two or three weeks and hoped we would be out in the country by that time. He thought it over for a few minutes, then sat on the floor and began pulling on his shoes. And asked what was up and Mike said, "I gotta get my name off that list" and went sailing out the back door.

[Editor's Note: The bottom half of this letter is damaged. Read the remaining part by clicking on the image at the top of this letter]

END OF LETTER

Editor's Notes:
Charles' family is moving from Catonsville. Charles' employers, the Burtons, have promised him the use of one of their houses in Long Green Valley.

Next Posting: August 15 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

Swimming Pools and When To Say "Excuse Me"

Monday, August 4, 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

I don't have such to tell you. No sale for the house as yet and I'm starting to getting a little of the jitters. I 'phoned Cousin Ann today and learned that Cousin Claire has been ordered to stay home for a week or two and was just then leaving for the doctor's. Right after that (noontime) I called Aunt Helen and told her we hoped August 18th was a definite moving date and she said she had heard from you and that Uncle Andy was doing very well, better than they expected.

I picked up the family at Annie Clapsaddle's on Friday. Or rather I stayed to dinner first and when Ann suggested we leave a little after seven I noticed there was no objection from Mrs. C. Stevie, they said, had the time of his life. They had one of those inflatable swimming pools and he would run across the yard and fall full length in the water. Every time he takes a bath now he buries his head in the water and bubbles away. When I walked out in the back yard out there I found Kathy two inches away from a pit black wasp blowing in his face. The wasp didn't hurt her but went right over and bit Mike. I put iodine on it and it is still sore but not painful. By the time we got one block away, they were all asleep and didn't awaken till seven on Saturday morning. Stephen was standing on the back seat of the car looking out the window, too quietly I thought, and when Arlene turned to investigate from where she was reading, she found him sound asleep standing up.

Saturday it was rainy in the morning and hot and humid in the afternoon. We stayed close to home except for store shopping for groceries. Sunday was also quiet and we took a short ride about six coming back the new highway at Montgomery Road where the Varsity has opened a new place called the "Pig'N Whistle". I read an ad in the Argus about an opening special on home made ice cream at 95¢ a half gallon and as I had my rider money I treated the family. For some reason I have been off ice cream for about a year and I bet you're ljst the opposite, especially if you can't get it. Back to Saturday night movie TV, the two non-commercial movies presented by ABC were pretty sad; No. 1: Almost Sixteen with Gale Storm and Robert Henry; No. 2: Criminal Investigator with Robert Lowery and Edith Fellows. The Gunther Playhouse was a little better. You may have seen "Raw Deal" with Dennis O'Keefe, Claire Trevor, and Marsha Hunt. One of those he breaks out of jail and they hunt him down while he's hunting somebody else.

We were still laughing over Aunt Hannah's Monroe Street slogan and John's back slapping. The slogan has also been going around, Edmondson Village by Christmas. I don't know if Ann told you about Mike and his children's bright saying, but I'll repeat it. He was engrossed in a book and Kathy was sitting beside him on the couch. She made a very unladylike noise through her little bottom and Michael, without turning away from his book said, "When you do that, Kathy, you're supposed to put your hand over your mouth and say 'Excuse me'."

More as the week and other things progress, we hope.

END OF LETTER

Editor's Notes:
Charles' family is moving from Catonsville.

Next Posting: August 6, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

A Tour of "The Inn" and Cousin Claire

Tuesday, July 29, 1952

Dear Andrew and John,

Sorry I couldn't get something off to you yesterday but with working for Doctor and cleaning things up in order to get over school the time disappeared. I guess I'd better tell you first about our tour of the house. When Mrs. B. told me Friday she would call on Sunday I thought she was going to put it off again; and more so on Sunday as it clouded up about midmorning and rained a little. But on the dot of twelve she 'phoned and only I talked with her and she agreed to meet us out there at 2:30. We left home at one so as not to take any chances and by the time we passed through town the sun was out and the weather as beautiful. Taking it easy I timed it out to the house in 1 hr. and 3 minutes. We were early so I also measured the distance to the church and school and it's a little more than the stone's throw I may have led you to believe. Its about the same distance as to St. Mark's but on the same Long Green Pike and sits back a hundred or so feet from the road. We went back to the house and parked out front till they arrived at 2:35. If time permits, I'll sketch a floor plan and put in one of your envelopes but this is the way it lines up. The porch is concrete or stone and is at street level. So is the entrance to the front door. Now the house is not on a grand a glorious scale for which we are happy; I mean by that the Inn, as it was called, was over 50 years old when Doctor bought it. But he has put in all hard wood floors and insulated it. The front room is maybe twenty two or three feet by about eighteen. If you come in the front door and walk straight ahead there are two large French doors with frosted glass. Opened, they make the front look larger and lead into the dining room. This is a strange sized room. It is about twenty some feet wide but only ten feet long or rather vice versa. It has a large buffet built in (probably part of the old Inn bar) with plenty of storage space. The main thing this room has to offer is the alcove on the south. There are two windows and it would make a perfect dining place for a small family but we intend to use the kitchen....which is nice and large. Mommie has her windows over the sink and built in cabinets. There is a Hotpoint electric stove with the automatic cooking features and on the opposite wall from the built in stuff, there is an arrangement for the washer which I will try to picture. It is about three times as deep as an ordinary sink and has separate hot and cold faucets and in our opinion is also very handy for washing dirty little ones. The back door goes one step down, I think, onto a cement patio--small---and then three more steps to the back yard which is wonderful. From one look, I'm a bit confused on the general makeup but I remember lattice work and an archway of wood and plenty of play space for the kids. There is a cement walk and a gate around the side and another walk straight ahead from the kitchen door which leads to the garage through another gate. The yard is fenced and then tree type hedges to a height of maybe ten feet have been allowed to grow over the fencing and three tremendous trees (oak I believe) provide shade and breezes. It is entirely grass covered even though the former occupants had 5 kids. The cellar, here we go again, has no inside the house entrance. There are steel doors on a concrete foundation and go down to a beautiful heating system. But the basement is only about as big as our kitchen at 25. In one corner is the three or four hundred gallon tank for the well water which is filtered and softened. The furnace is a good national Radiator special with a summer-winter oil hook-up. There is just oil for heating and electricity--no gas. To move on with the tour, there are doors out of the front room and midst room to a hall with plenty of closet space under the stairs and a small room which the former occupants used for a telephone booth complete with door. The stairs to the second floor lead to the bathroom on the right--built in tub with shower out of the wall, built in cabinet "for all of Ann's lotions and perfumes" and no plunger standing in the corner. There are two bedrooms on this second floor which was formerly the dance hall part of the Inn. They are not overly large as it would seem but more than enough room. Up again to the third floor, there is one large room, not all the way across both houses, but almost so. There is one nice little alcove with a built in book shelf. In the one closet there is a door which leads to the unfinished or storage part where they keep storm windows and other junk. Sunday was a warm day and walking from the third floor room to this uncompleted section was a noticeable change of about 20 degrees in temperature. So I hope you're back in time to help fix the place up for Christmas; better yet, I hope you're there for Thanksgiving dinner. Mrs. Burton called me this morning and said she's going out to the country today and will look around to see if she has a couple of old chairs and a couch which can be fixed up and donated. I think Ann 's pretty happy about it just as long as there is not too much interference from you know who. And I'm willing to go along just so they are satisfied. They have started to paint the downstairs again and are making everything white. I'm trying somehow to put across that we think everything is nice and much more than adequate but for you not to expect the smoothness of 20th Century design. Anyway, here's hoping things work out and we get rid of our present place. We received a nice letter from Schatz hoping the same before he gives up trying on August 24.

Now back to other news. Early Saturday morning Cousin Anna called and I answered, She was crying and said they had taken Cousin Claire to Bon Secours Friday night with pneumonia. I offered the car and she said she would be ready about 10:30. Stevie went to his morning nap and Arlene watched Mike and Kathy so Ann could go along. We found Cousin Claire in a private room with the window wide open and just a hospital gown on with her feet out. She said they had gone over her and didn't know what it was, but not pneumonia. While we were there she had a terrible coughing spell which continues, she says until chunks of something are expelled. We stayed till twelve and left Cousin Anna for the day. I called on Sunday, Monday and again an hour ago. Yesterday Cousin Ann was crying and said it was no better; that they had taken X-rays and tests and found nothing wrong but the coughing was making her so weak. They said it might be some kind of allergy from dogs or sheep. This morning Cousin Ann said she was somewhat better and they had her constantly inhaling the fumes of some electric device and would know more this afternoon. I offered to pick her up and bring her home this evening if nothing happens and will let you know the score in another day or so.

I filled in for Mrs. Brown again last week and didn't see much of home. There were only two classes on Tuesday and one on Friday but the staying around breaks up the night. Ann was disgusted with me because he pays according to classes and not nights and I agree it was not worth it, but I was helping Mrs. B. and not B. H.

Saturday night we saw three movies. To fill in time, ABC put on two shows - 8 to 9 and 9 to 10. The first was a mystery with unknown stars and 1935 vehicles and the second was James Dunn in another mystery titled, believe it or not, "The Luck of the Irish". The redeeming feature of both was that there was not a pause for station break or advertising in the full hour each ran. Then came the Gunther Playhouse which you may have seen: "Twin Beds" with George Brent, Joan Bennett, Misha Auer, Glenda Farrell, Una Merkel and Ernest Truex. We liked it. The rest of the week had been taken up with the convention, of which I saw a little bit on Wednesday. Last night, the summer Westinghouse Studio One was pretty good with "The Last Thing I Do" but the acting is way off from the pros.

A number of news dispatches have been issued on the violent rains you have been having. Another thing, I must have missed the Service Sun when they acknowledged your letter, Andrew. I don't know where they've been hiding it since I sent you that one clipping.

I'll drop you another note tomorrow or Thursday with at least the news about seeing Cousin Claire tonight.

END OF LETTER

Editor's Notes:
Charles works for Dr. and Mrs. Burton who have promised him the use of a larger house near their farms northeast of Baltimore. At one time the house was an Inn.
Charles also teaches nights for the Baltimore Institute - a business school.

Next Posting: August 1, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner

A Picnic at Loch Raven and A Trip to Otter Point

Monday, July 14

Dear Andrew and John,

We have had a fairly quiet week - not as hot as the nineties until yesterday and today. The rains of last Monday and Tuesday deposited over 7 1/2 in. in the two days. The record was set on Monday when 5.9 in. fell in a 24 hour period. I don't have to tell you I'm glad to say we didn't have to show the house on those days.

Cousin Claire dropped in during the day, on Wednesday if I recall rightly, on her way to Ellicott City for part of her vacation, and left a cute pinafore dress for Kathy.

I had to work out the Doctor's all day Wednesday and about 4:15 he asked me to pick up the Mrs. at the beauty shop on Greenmount Avenue. She was a bit startled to see me and when she got in the front seat and I was preparing to start off, said: "You know, Charles, it has always been my policy not to take chances or try to save a few seconds when you get there just the same by taking it easy." I assured her I seldom played speed demon and took her hone at a steady 25 miles an hour. The reason I mentioned this, the rest of the time she repeated the story that the maintenance man, a fellow named Richard at the farm, had it direct from the woman now in our house out there, that if Mrs. Burton wanted them to get out so badly they would do so. I could tell that Ann was on pins and needles to see if any progress was being made so I suggested she see about her eyes on Saturday and we take a few sandwiches and drive out to the country. So I got an appointment with the same eye Doctor for 9:30 Saturday morning and we took the picnic basket (2nd time it had been used) ful1 of sandwiches and potato chips plus the thermos jug of ice cubes and some Pepsis, together with the kids and Arlene's girl friend Mary Margaret Tucker. There is still is still nothing serious with Ann's eyes but a slight astigmatism in one but the doc thought a change in prescription necessary to the tune of $23.50 and that with the cheapest lenses; but it's good to know there is nothing serious. We headed out Loch Raven Blvd. and beyond, passing to the east of Towson and skirted Loch Raven itself to the other side where there is a fair-sized bridge and a stretch of pines with picnic facilities. We were the only ones there for the next hour while we ate end let the kids run around a little. Ann went to the water and dragged back a 50 lb. hunk of drift wood we brought back in the rear of the car which she intends to use for something or other. We then found the roads directly to Hyde (I received a letter from the farm this week and this times it was postmarked with Hydes) were closed and we had to detour around Glen Arm Road and then over Long Green Pike. We rode past the house to the church, turned around and back again. I could see nothing changed from the last time we were out that way maybe two months ago but Ann, with her woman's intuition, says everything is OK and she just feels it that moving is in process. She'll have to explain that to you herself. They didn't want to go home but suggested Otter Point, that is, down on the river by Edgewood; so we got there about 1:30. The river was beautiful and while the kids had no bathing suits and didn't go in, they got a kick out of standing on the pier that runs out for about fifty feet where the lawn ends 100 ft. in front of the house. The river there, as I may have told you before, is about a mile across. We left there at 3:00 and came back by way of the Joppa Road across Towson and by Emerson Farms and the Hilltop Theatre and home by 5:00. Ann finally got her ironing and baths out of the way so we sat down at ten to watch a little TV. The Oriole baseball game was just going off way ahead of time and the Gunther movie is not scheduled till 10:30. For the half hour in between they put on Snader Shorts of songs by Theresa Brewer, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Ginnie Simms and some colored gal whose named escapes me... We also enjoyed the movie, back to an English-made "The Counterfiters" with an English cast and then one of those things, all by itself, "Presenting Lon Chaney, Jr.". It was well made and well acted; the only fault I guess you could find was that the entire locale was supposed to be Los Angeles and they ran out of gangsters and bit parts without American accents. Sunday we sat around as it was very warm and Ann wanted to keep the little ones quiet. We saw Philco present "A Letter to Mr. Priest" which is another repeat from last year or the year before. Looking over the TV program I saw where we missed Joan Crawford in "Rain" which was on at 6:00 p.m.

A bit over a week ago Arlene wrote you a two sided letter on a 8 1/2 x 14 sheet of mimeograph paper which she gave me to mail. After looking it over, we don't see how she got out of the 8th grade and Ann made her take it back to do over which I see hasn't been done as yet. Last week's injuries to the babies was confined to a spider biting Stevie in several places on his ankle which merged and turned into a messy sore which took four days to get the half inch diameter scab it has on it now. Mike was bitten on the upper lip and under the right eye by something on Friday which had his face all out of proportion in swelling and redness. This time Ann got Stevie a complete-whiffle which I'd like to capture on film but probably wont. I'm enclosing a couple of prints on which Pavelle did a little better job than Ritz. The one of Kathy is anything but flattering, especially the dirty shirt, but it gives you an idea.

Today's news by Ann at my noontime call was that we received an announcement of Sally's wedding on Saturday, July 12. No doubt you have, also been sent one and it will arrive about the time of this unless it went by regular mail. Ann didn't, have it handy so I don't know the name of the fellow but we are going to send a congratulation card in care of Mrs. Hauge.

As for neighborhood news, there's not much. The filling station across the street is again open under new management, having closed down two weeks ago. I have been parking the car in the back yard and the birds and plum tree have been giving it a work-out. Ed and Marie Pierpoint are looking for a place; they can't stand Mrs. P's nagging and general attitude any longer. Ann is still mad at Milka and May Smith. Milka greeted her one day with "Why Mrs. Conner, my you've grown fat". And after Ann, had taken off a few pounds. And May called her over one day and very confidentially said, "We've decided not to raise your rent". Ann begged her pardon and she repeated it. Ann said she was sure she had the wrong party and May said, "You're Mrs. Batchelor, aren't you?" We drove by the radar set up at Rolling Road and the new Highway and it's a mess. A dozen tar paper shacks, a few big guns, and trash everywhere. The headquarters company stationed at old St. Timothy's has, as I told you, surfaced half the lot on Ingleside with stone for a parking place and has made a soft ball diamond out of the rest with the usual results.


END OF LETTER

Editor's Notes:
Charles works for Dr. and Mrs. Burton who have promised him the use of a larger house near their farms.
Ann has a cousin with a house at Otter Point on Bush River east of Baltimore County.

LINKS

Next Posting: July 21, 1952

Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner