420 1/25/1942 Sadie Erwin to Helen Carlson

Sadie Erwin 1120 Cole St., Enumclaw, Washington Sunday, January 25, 1942

Helen Carlson c/o George Ducret, Box 582, Newburyport, Massachusetts

My dear Helen, Another nice letter came from you yesterday. I am so glad you and Elmer got to go to the Mother Church while in Boston. Would have enjoyed being with you. The First Reader you heard is Mr. Channing. He lectured for us here two years ago while I was clerk. Before becoming a practitioner and a lecturer he was editor of the Seattle Star. Yesterday was your birthday. Hope you had a happy one. I did not get a letter written to you, but thought of you anyway. I knew Stella had sent a letter to you Friday evening. I did not get over to sew with her in the afternoon as planned, but went over to stay with the children so she could go down to mail her letter to you. I had washed Jimmie’s clothes Friday afternoon, and yesterday ironed for him all the afternoon. Stella made some cookies for him. When I got the ironing done I went over to stay with the children while she went down to mail the laundry box to him. I told you about him being home Wednesday night and going back on Thursday. We had two letters from him yesterday. He said he had gotten into Spokane just in time to run and catch a bus for Pullman. He has been quite disturbed about school, feeling living at Frat and getting so little sleep he was not doing passing work. He felt better after coming home and having a talk with us. I am going to help him all I can. There is one week before finals. He says he is going to study as hard as he can and get as good grades as possible at this late date. This is what he said about you, “I feel terrible about not getting a birthday card or letter to Helen. She has been so swell and she will think that I have forgotten all about her. I want you to be sure and tell her how busy and confused everything has been here. I’ll try and get a letter off to her within a few days.” The kids had a nice time last night at the party given in honor of the Sorensen boys. Harold and Stella were the first ones to leave for home. They got home at 5:15. Harold had to be at work at the waterworks at 6. Bernice decided she would not stay with the nurse girl they had so they brought her here to stay with me. She was a real good girl so did not mind keeping her all night. When we took her home this morning she told Stella she was going to stay with me three days. Did you hear Henry Aldrich last Thursday night? We thought he was real good. I hope Gladys sends us a picture of Ruthie too. That was good to know you are staying in the same hotel Cully stays at when in Boston. If you had arrived a few days sooner he would have been there. Too bad you did not know about Bob being at Fort Dix. He would have been so glad to see you and Elmer. You all will be anxious to hear from him and learn where he is. Too bad Eden’s folks don’t write to her often. Letters mean so much to one when they are away from home and among strangers. I have not written to Speck yet. Don’t think Francis is in Detroit, but she may be. Speck said Bertal would not be able to return to work for sometime. Tuesday you and Elmer will have been married two years. As soon as you are settled where you are going to live I am sending you a package. Instead of sending you and Elmer something will make it a gift for the baby. Papa’s vacation has started. I hope the weather is nice this week. He wants to prune the fruit trees this week. One day we plan to go up to the cabin. We expect to have sugar rationed here soon. Now you can buy only 10 lbs at a time. The East seemed to have felt the shortage sooner than we have. They certainly hold the folks up in Massachusetts when they own a car. Will you be able to get by without buying a license there if you stay very long? You want to be careful and not get lost while out for a walk in Boston. Mrs. Osborn told me of a place in Boston where the streets were so narrow cars could hardly pass. You are certainly seeing a lot of things of interest. It should be nice to be by the water too. Hope you can find a nice place to live. I like the house coat Gladys sent me. It fits perfectly, but have not worn it yet. It will be nice for summer. What are you doing for clothes now that you are at the hotel? In the South you had that blue silk and could wash it out when it got dirty. Have you a skirt to wear with those smocks? I bet Elmer is glad he got his new suit while in Atlanta. He was fortunate to get two pair of trousers. The papers say the suit makers are going to discontinue making two pair trouser suits so to save wool for the Army. I’m looking over some of your letters written from Atlanta. I do not remember if I mentioned the hymns I had Sacrament Sunday. I enjoyed hearing about the Readers and Service there. I had hymn 1 and, “Saw Ye My Savior” – which no doubt they had too, for that always goes with that lesson. I had intended having 108 that they had, but changed to another before calling Miss Fontaine to give her the numbers. They have raised the price to 1.25 for cleaning dresses here. Can’t say they do an especially good job either. Imagine where you are now will be higher too. Have thought of that poor colored woman that wanted bread. She asked for bread and not money so must have been hungry. Mr. Swain has often told us how very poor the Negroes are in the south. Too bad something can’t be done to help them. The world is full of suffering in many ways. Heaven certainly would be where everything was perfect. Papa has gone to bed so guess I’ll go too. More later. Much love to you both, Mother.