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Note: LETTER FROM DORIS TO SELMA DIEHM.
Bayard Nebr Tue Feb 10 - 1919* Dear Selma How are you we received your card yesterday so I thought I would write a line to answer it we was sure glad to get your card. here I am sending you a picture of some little japs I like it out here pretty well and I like the weather too we didn't go to school Monday because we was afraid of the flu. I guess we won't go this week Oh yes I nearly forgot to tell you that we got that big box too when we got your card and got a letter from Julia How is your school? have they got the flu Mamma painted some chairs today and we had to keep Marvel out of the kitchen so she wouldn't get in the paint and get against the chairs I sure wish you was here well I guess I must close so good by from Doris * This letter is dated 1919, but Marvel says it was written in 1920. This must be true as they did not move to Bayard until 1920.
LETTER TO MARVEL DEVAULT
Tuesday A.M. Dear Sis -- Clarice called last night. Mom was feeling horrible again & she had written & torn up a letter to me. She is afraid I'm going to be so shocked when I see mom, but having seen Erma taking a bath I'm sure the shock isn't going to be worse that that! I told her your tentative plans, hope I didn't do wrong, actually she seemed glad we were both coming. She said she'd try to hold herself & everything else together until we could both get a decent fare (I will call for mine this A.M.). She really wants me to stay for the wedding & I really wanted to come home but I didn't want to tell her that I wanted to come home for my play (Porgy & Bess) & a chance to go to the National African Violet Convention in S.F. I'm sure it would sound very trivial. Anyway I will take a dress & shoes and play it by ear. I am going to see if I can take my walker for mom. It folds & I think I can check it thru. Clarice said they'd been trying to find one, she didn't know I'd kept mine. They are really expensive and I decided to hang on to it in case anyone needed it. It's a Jr. size & should be right for mom. I was just getting ready to cut out a mu-mu for mom and Clarice said not to. She'd found another one. I asked her about the shawl & she said no to that too. She says mom doesn't need & can't really appreciate very much right now. I'll come up with something for Mother's Day though. Bob still hasn't called & Clarice said it would really thrill mom if he did. Clarice said mom really wants to go to the wedding. She bought her a dress (she refused to wear the one she wore to Dad's funeral). She said it's sort of lavendar & goes with the shawl Selma knitted so she has it whether she gets to go or not. I've really been gimpy the last 3 days. Yesterday I forced myself to walk over to Julie's & get a haircut & set. I was almost home when I got a ride. It isn't any worse today but I really expected it to be better. Probably tension affects me also. Well anyway Kliban is doing fine if he had a bigger allowance I'd have him send flowers to "Good Kitty." Of course he'd have been more interested in "G. K." a week ago. Looks like I cut a violet label out of this paper. Oh well, I gotta cut it short anyway. I really should write Erma a note but it's so hard. I want to pour my heart out to her and if I did it would be so tear-soaked she couldn't read it. I couldn't stand get-well cards when Clair was sick -- they seemed such a mockery and I can't see any that I could send Erma, except religious ones. I'll leave that to Wanda who means it so sincerely. Here is a check for part of the phone bill. Whoever said "talk is cheap," evidently said it before Alexander Graham B. came up with his little bomb shell. I heard on T.V. they are raising it again. Do you realize if you'd dumped everyone else on this phone bill you could've come to visit me. Course getting back might've been a problem anyway. I'll call you soon Love, Doris
P.S. -- just called T. agency: They priced the ticket on Republic at just under $200 (Regular fare $300). I protested because that's what they quoted you from L.A. So she looked up United & found that I could go for $149 so I took it. The earliest I can go is Apr. 21st & return May 20. (I can change that if it seems necessary)
POETRY
When the doctor said, "Where do you hurt?" I answered him quite pathetically.
Shall I start at the head, shall I start at the toe, or would you like it told alphabetically.
Let's take "A" for ankle, the one on the right, yes that is the one with the plate.
If you took out the hardware it wouldn't hurt much, and then it would look like it's mate.
"B" is for brain which is functioning fine, except for the memory lapse.
Is there some magic potion that you could prescribe that would help me fill in the gaps.
Oh dear, I must finish this some other time I don't have an ailment for "C".
You either have cured it, or I have endured it! I'll come back next Tuesday at three.
Christmas Poem
Long years ago one winter day there lay a baby dear. Within a manger on the hay with oxen standing near.
His mother smiled, the oxen lowed and loud the bells did ring. The people came to welcome him and hear the angels sing.
The wise men came on camels three across the desert far. They brought with them great gifts of gold and followed one bright star.
Because there lay a baby dear within a manger on the hay. That's why we have once every year our happy Christmas Day.
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