414 1/11/1942 Sadie Erwin to Helen Carlson

Sadie Erwin 1120 Cole St., Enumclaw, Washington Sunday, January 11, 1942

Helen Carlson 1140 Park Square Bldg, Boston, Massachusetts

My dear Helen, Received your two letters written last Monday and Friday. Have thought of you a lot and trust you had a nice trip back to Minneapolis. Too bad you had to leave the south while it is so cold in the north. You had one month in Waycross and will remember it as a very pleasant one. What did your doctor charge you for his service? Before you go to one in Minneapolis try to see Rose and learn who Gwen had when her baby was born. You might as well have a right thought with you. Our weather has warmed up again. It is 40° above and we like it much better. Today the sun was shining and was really lovely out. It was fortunate you had not paid your rent for another month. You did get over into Florida, didn’t you? If you did not go to Chicago perhaps you took in some more new states. Let’s hope Elmer can get something out here. It would be grand if you could be out here when the baby comes. I went over to Stella’s this morning to have her fix my hair. Papa held Sandra and she smiled for him and tried to talk to him. She is a lovely baby. I am sure her eyes will stay blue. Your gas bill was terrible. What would it have been if you had had some real cold weather? Well, I guess they do not have that done there. You will enjoy your waffle iron wherever you are. Yes, Jimmie hated to leave. He wrote after he got over there that most of the boys in the house said they hated to come back too. It is a shame wages are not better in the South. If the government did what was right they would pay more. In one of the town hall meetings over the radio sometime ago I heard a discussion. One man was from the South. He said that the conditions in the South were a disgrace to any country and our government would not do a thing about it either. Said he had worked to try to help conditions, but no one in the north seemed to care. Jimmie was glad to be able to work while he was home. He worked five days in all. Harold gets paid for that work the 15th, will then pay Jimmie. When Harold is on contract work at the mill and he puts in a full day he makes from $12.00 to $15.00 per day. Those men in the South would think that was too good to be true. Yes, I think Jimmie was supposed to have the help all thru the year if he played football. What he wanted to see the coach about was what kind of a job he could have if he didn’t play football, and the cost to him for living expenses if he moved out of the frat house into a boarding house. You and Elmer do lead a quiet life, but it is nice. I know I like it. Papa and I have had such a nice day today. We ate a lunch after coming from church. I then read the paper, washed dishes, made the bed and marked my lesson for next Sunday. Papa worked with his wood pile most of the afternoon. Radcliffs came about 4:30 and wanted us to come out there, but we said no, we could not go. I cooked dinner this evening, we have read and listened to the radio all evening. Just had a dish of jello and pineapple, and finished our beverage. Pop had lemon sour and I had strawberry. He has gone to bed now and I will go in a few minutes. It is nearly 11:30. I shall be anxious to hear about your trip and about what Elmer will be doing after you return to Minneapolis. Tomorrow is Stella’s birthday. I think I’ll get her a tea kettle, she needs one. I sent you a letter the 5th, 6th, and 7th to Waycross. The letter sent the 6th had a quarterly and your birth certificate. I sent that regular mail. Yes, I had a nice letter from Speck in with their greeting. Will try to answer it soon. She asked about you, Gladys and Mrs. Ellsworth. At first I was not going to send them a greeting, then finally did, but just signed it Al and Sadie. Did I tell you she said Ralph was married last summer? She said it would not keep him out of the army because his wife is working. Will quit now. Much love to you both, Mother. P.S. Did Bob get to go home as planned?