Council Grove, Kansas

October 28, 1942

Dear Brother,

Had thought I would get a letter written to you yesterday but I was kept busy all day and didn’t get it done. I did remember that it was a year ago yesterday that you enlisted. Does it seem like it has been a year to you? In lots of ways it seems a long time and than again the time has gone quite fast. We still have lots to be thankful for and are lots better off than so many people. Mother called me Monday evening and said they thought maybe you had sailed but since they didn’t know for sure I am going to write and hope it will get to you. We are getting a package ready to send you for Christmas so I hope it will reach you okay. There isn’t much we can send so it won’t be very  large but we are thinking of you anyway and wish you the best of luck. I hope you will see lots of interesting sights and enjoy all your travels. Be careful and don’t take unnecessary risks.

We had a hard freeze Monday night and the leaves are all falling now. It is nice to walk these mornings through them. The temperature went down to 22 that evening. It has warmed up since but it is cloudy today and seems to be getting a little colder. I hope it doesn’t freeze.

Gloyd’s dad has been sick with pneumonia since Thursday but he is getting better and is able to be up some now. He was quite sick though. Wayne left Friday morning but he is still in Leavenworth as far as we know. He is to be sent to Fort Worth. We were over there for supper Thursday evening and Harry’s were down. Dad took so sick that Harry’s stayed all night and I stayed all night the next night. No one stayed Saturday and Sunday but Harry came back Monday.

We went to Americus Saturday evening and Gloyd went to lodge. I stayed with Thelma. Irma hasn’t come back yet and doesn’t know if she will come. Howard is stationed in New York and they told him he might be there for the duration so she is staying with him. She still is not very well but had thought she would come back and get their car if Thelma would go back with her. Thelma said she couldn’t go back there just to buy her a ticket on the train and come home.

We went to the show last night and saw “True to the Army” with Judy Conova and Jerry Collona. It was a good show and one I enjoyed a lot.

We have been up so much lately and on the go all the time I hardly have time to get my work done. We went up to Ingmires Sunday for dinner and came home and went to Gaston’s for supper. The rest of them went to the show but we went home and I ironed and Gloyd went over to his folks awhile. Monday evening we went back to Gaston’s and stayed while the men went to drill then they decided to play pool after the drill so it was quite late again. Tonight we are going to stay home and wash. Last week we didn’t have a night when we could wash so we sent it to the laundry and I am going to send it every once in a while but I think I can do it this week. I don’t think I will do much of it this winter. It doesn’t cost much to get it done and everything comes back ironed except the starched things. It doesn’t take long to do them.

I asked Gloyd last night if he cared if I asked Mr. Kling if I could work Saturday evenings and evenings before the Christmas rush. He said he thought I had enough to do but if I wanted to to go ahead. Oh I musn’t forget to tell you I got a raise today. Starting the first of November, I will get $2.75 a day. That isn’t bad for just working a month and getting a raise but some of the girls are getting over three dollars now so I hope to get another raise some day. This will help though. They are going to start taking ten per cent out for war bonds though. But that is perfectly all right with me. If I could I would buy more.

We are invited to a Halloween party Friday night at Dikes. We will probably just play cards until late then have lunch and go home. I can stay up all right at night but the next morning is when it is hard on me. Gloyd had to go to work at six this morning so I went back to bed awhile. It doesn’t get light until so late now that it really does seem early. We will be coming to work in the dark one of these mornings.

Seems like I can’t think of much to write these days. There really isn’t much doing around here. Everyone registered their trucks, trailers and pick-ups last week and registration of cars and trailers is coming next month then I guess there will be less than ever doing when every one has to stay home.

Some of the wives think they will go with their husbands when they leave but everyone looks at things differently. Gloyd and I both feel that as much as we would like to be together the best thing is for me to stay here where I know people and where I have a good job than to go along. We would have a hard time living on army pay in a big city and I would have to work anyway so I might as well stay here. We probably wouldn’t get to be together very much anyway. If I can keep things together here we feel it will be better than breaking up entirely. It is hard to do but at least we will still have our home and if Gloyd does have a furlough or get to come home anytime he will have a place to come. I don’t feel that I want to go back home and just sit down and wait and I know the time will go faster if I am working. I do hope I can get someone to live with me. I don’t want to stay alone if I can help it.

Well I guess this is all for this time. Hope we hear from you soon. Write as often as you can and take care of yourself.

Love

Frances and Gloyd