Harriet: Jan. 14, 1931 Oak Park, Ill.

Dear Friends,
Well, my weekend was nothing I thought it would be. The husband still can not step on his foot. So I have to help him with other things around the house that he usually does. Like helping him feed his cattle. I'm hoping he will heal fast so we can get back to normal around here. I hope everyone's Halloween is a safe one.
Anyway, here is the next letter from Harriet:

As always, for those of you that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

                   Oak Park Ill.
                 Monday Eve
Dearest Howard,
Received your card
and thinks for same
and also excuse me
for not writing sooner.
Well how is every
body at Ogema & westboro?
Fine I do hope.
    So you have moved
to the big city of Westboro
now.
   I went to see (Allen
Shrattbult.) Saturday night
He sure was comical
and they sure had a crowd

         =2=
By the way what is new up
around there. Anybody gotten
married lately?
             How did you spend
New years eve. I went to a show
and from there to a party so had
a dandy time.
Ostrid Carlson left for Florida
to-day with the people she works
for. Ain't that grand?
        What is Bert doing thru
winter. and who is his latest?
Have you any snow down there.
It has been trying to snow here
all day. but can't succeed.
  Had a letter from Minnie the
other day. She still can't forget about
climbing ladders. ha! ha!
You better get her in practice
again, or haven't you any more
beer-
How's Margret. Send her my
best regards. or maybe you better
not.
Now don't be so evil minded Howard.
  Is Anna R. home thru winter
or is she still in Canada.
you will be getting tired of me

                 3
al asking all these questions.
So I am so sleepy can hardly keep
my eyes open any longer. So better
ring off for this time.
      With hopes of a speedy answer
                            lovingly
                               Harriet
                          614 No Grove Ave
                          oak Park Ill.

I know I got a lot of the names wrong. So I'm sorry. I wish I could have gotten the comics name right. I tried to look up comedians from 1931 hoping to find a spelling close to what she wrote, but could not find one. Maybe you can.
I wonder why she told him not to be so evil minded. I wonder what he said?
I guess I'll never know.
I wonder if Minnie had one to many beers and was climbing ladders. It sounds like they were having some fun.
I do wonder how much snow they had that year.

Here is a picture from the scrap book. 1936:

Because of deep snows, grouse and pheasants in the Kettle Moraine district near Elkhart lake
have been sorely in need of food. Among those feeding the birds was George La Budde (right)
of Milwaukee, whose summer home is in the area. He is shown here with Eugene Cole, Oshkosh. The
snow was so deep it was necessary to use snowshoes.

See there were very thoughtful people even back then when it came to caring for wildlife.

Here are a few pages from the joke book, "Bedtime Laughs":

Laughs for the working man. Enjoy.

Finally, a picture from a past winter with a reminder of what is in store for us very soon.

All I can say is Brrrrrrrrrr. Not ready for it.

Well, that's all I have to say today.
I hope you will come back soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy

Mary Kauer: Jan. 9, 1931 Dousman, Wis.

Dear Friends,
Well it's the end of yet another week. This weekend will be Harvest Days. Your trick or treating. On Sunday there will be a Halloween parade. Not sure right now if I will go. It's suppose to be on the cold side. I think I might stay where it is warm.
Anyway, here is the next letter from Mary Kauer:

As always, for those of you that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

              Dousman Wis.
             Thurs. Eve.
Dear Friend Howard:-
  It's been quite a while
since I had your letter
but you'll have to excuse
me. we were awfully busy
then. we had a gang of
men here and I was home
for a while after that;
and you know how it
is around Xmas time.
I was breaking my neck
trying to get some Xmas
shopping done.
I tho't I'd see Anna R.
while I was home. Rose
said she was working at
Bogumills. Margaret is
working in town so I

called her up and told
her. She went up to the store
to see her but then Anna
was gone already. I saw
by the Harold  that she
was sick and that you
and Anna Hannah took her home.
Gee, I'm sorry to hear
that your mother is dead.
My grandmother died a
year ago last August. She
was real helpless all that
summer. It must be hard
for Roseens not to have
Nels, but I guess there is
nothing anyone can do.
I s'pose the Lord knows
what's best for us. Give
them my sympathy. And
also best wishes for a Happy
New year even if it is

rather late. And the same
to you.
You wanted to know
when I'm getting married
Well, I don't know yet
but not for awhile. It's
not so easy now that work
is so scarce. You wanted
to know what he looks
like. Well, he's just as tall
as I. k quite fat, has black
hair and a mustache once
in a while.
   So long and I guess
I better not write any
oftener but wish me
luck anyway and I hope
you'll be happy too
              As ever your friend
                    Mary
My writing hasn't
improved any.

It sounds like Mary was still coming around from time to time. At least that year.
I wonder how long it was before she got married.
I think she said he was fat. It must have been love.
And yes, her handwriting has not improved at all. Still a little hard to read from time to time.

Here is a picture from the scrap book:

'Sorry, Bossie, but Chicago Wants Its Milk an Hour Earlier'

I'm thinking this might have been around the Spring time change.

Here are few pages from the joke book, "Bedtime Laughs":

Enjoy.

Finally, here is a random picture:

This might be a picture of Mary and I might have shown you it before.

Well, I did start writing this post yesterday when all was fine. But today, all is not so good, for the husband. He was hurt at work last night. He some how got his foot a little smashed between two carts at work. They say it is a contusion. He thinks it might be broke. I guess we might have to wait till the swelling goes down. I'll try to keep you posted.
I hope you will come back soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy

Harriet:1929? Wednesday, Chicago, Ill.

Dear Friends,
I hope everyone had a good weekend. Mine was quiet. I spent Saturday by myself because the husband and our oldest daughter went to a Badger game. We all had a good day. On Sunday, not much shopped a little for the week and then just stayed home. No drama.
Anyway, here is a letter from Harriet. it might have been written a different year. No postmark because the stamp was taken. Thank you Uncle Peter.:

As always, for those that find it hard to read, here is what it says:

             Chicago Ill.
             Wednesday
Dearest Honney bunch,
Received your sweet
letter this morning and
sure was glad to hear
from you again.
So you are working up
north now. Suppose you
have a cute dame on
the string by now.-
I have such a cold so
stayed home to-day seems
nice to have a rest once
in a while.
I just finished having
breakfast and imagine
it is 11 bells. ha! ha!

            -2-
So am a lady of leisure to-day.
Have you plenty snow and
cold up there.
It sure is plenty cold enough
here. Almost like the north pole
if you know what that's like-ha
Well haw does Johnnie feel
to be away from Catherine. Suppose
he's love sick. eh--
like all the rest of em.
Am going to see one of
my girl friends dancing on
the stage to-morrow night.
It's her first time on the stage.
 She works the same place
as I do.
Margaret also stayed home to-day
so we are having a good time
doing nothing ha!
Oh yes I think of you honney
wishing you was here with
me to keep me from getting
lonesome.
Which I so often do.
Do you go home every week-
end. So Clarence didn't want to

go with. Must be some attractions
up around that part of the country.
Say Howard you ought to
keep better track of Hattie
Has she got the Chicago "Sheikh"
and how? Marge
Hope you don't believe it kid.
Well dinners ready so guess I
will sign off. with heaps of love & kisses
                           Your Sweetie
                             Harriet
Answer
Immediately                  SWAK


Like I said, I'm not sure what year this was. But at least it was during winter at sometime.
 I wonder who her friend was that was dancing on stage.
Whenever it was, Grandpa was working at one of the logging camps.
There was a picture included with this letter.

If I remember right, in one her letters she mentioned including a picture in one of the letters. But at that time I could not find it. Well, here it is. I'd have to go back and look at the other letters to find it. Then I would know when it could have been written. Unless you want to find it. Just look up Harriet on the side. I'm sure you find where it should have been. I'll do it later. I think it was from 1929.

Here is a picture from the scrap book, 1936:

A wrecker is shown Thursday putting an interurban back on the tracks at St. Martins, where it went off the track earlier in the day. There were no passengers on the car and the crew was unhurt. It was bound for East Troy.- Journal Staff Photo.

It must have been interesting to watch this happen.

Here are a few pages from the joke book, "Bedtime Laughs" 1956:

 Enjoy.

Well since there was a picture included with the letter, I decided not to show another one.
I hope you enjoyed this post.
Don't forget to come back soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy

Edna: December, 18, 1930 Chicago, Ill.

Dear Friends,
I hope everyone had a good week. Mine was quiet. The weather was good. But soon it will be turning cooler once again. I think most of the trees around here have lost their leaves and the corn field next to me has been taken off. Now to get the firewood in the basement. Then we will be set for the coming weather.
Anyway, here is the last letter from 1930. It's from Edna aka Eddie:

Since it is a nice typed letter, I will not rewrite it. But I can comment on things.

She mentioned the Blackstone Hotel.

It was built between 1908 and 1910.
It has gone through a lot of things over the years.
It is known as a place where a number of presidents have stayed.
It also holds a number of lavish parties for well known people.
It was and is a formal kind of place. I can understand why she wasn't sure if she was going to attend.

I wonder how long she was up here. It might have been a quick one or a busy one that she was unable to see Grandpa.
I wonder how often they were entertained with accidents on the street below when they were working.
Oh well, that's the end of 1930. The next will be 1931.

Here is a picture from the scrap book:

The front trucks of this street car went north on S. First st. and the rear turned west into Greenfield av. The cause-a split switch. Result- a traffic tie up of about an hour Tuesday afternoon.- Journal Staff Photo.

It looks like this accident was the entertainment that day, for awhile anyway. It must have been an interesting thing to watch happen. I suppose the passengers got a thrill they were not expecting.

Here are a few pages from the joke book, "Bedtime Laughs":

For all those that like silly questions. Enjoy.

Staying with the idea of accidents, here is another one from the past:

Grandpa is the one on the right. I'm not sure if I have shown this one before. Not sure what happened here.

Well, that's about all I have to share with you today.
I hope you all have a good weekend.
Don't forget to come back again real soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy

Edna: Nov. 21, 1930 Chicago, Ill.

Dear Friends,
I hope everyone had good weekend. Mine was quiet. It was rainy on Saturday and kind of sunny on Sunday. Nothing else to say about it.
So here is the next letter from Edna:

Since it is typed, I'm not going to retype it.
But I will comment on it's content.

She mentioned a number of movies she saw.
The first one, "Let Us Be Gay"



Here is what Wikipedia has to say about it:

Housewife Kitty Brown (Norma Shearer) doesn’t spend much time on her personal appearance. She is devoted to her husband Bob (Rod La Rocque). Kitty spends all her time seeing that Bob has everything he needs. Bob is embarrassed to be seen with his wife because he considers her dowdy and he doesn’t like the homemade clothes she wears.

Kitty gets a shock when Bob’s latest girlfriend, Helen, shows up at their home. Kitty is polite to Helen and pretends that she has known about the affair all along but secretly she is broken-hearted. She excuses herself to go to her room and cry. Later that evening, she leaves Bob to get a divorce, taking their two children with her.

Three years later, Bob is courting Diane (Sally Eilers). Diane’s grandmother, Mrs. Bouccicault (Marie Dressler), is a leader in local society and disapproves of the match. Mrs. Bouccicault invites Kitty for the weekend. Kitty is now a fashionable, very attractive woman. Mrs. Bouccicault hopes to use Kitty to break Diane and Bob up.

Mrs. Bouccicault asks Kitty to steal a gentleman away from her granddaughter so Kitty flirts with each arriving male guest in turn assuming that each is the gentleman in question.

Bob arrives and is surprised by Kitty’s appearance. They pretend to meet for the first time. The other weekend guests, including Towney (Gilbert Emery), Madge (Hedda Hopper), and Wallace (Tyrell Davis), are baffled by the way Bob and Kitty behave around each other. Kitty continues to flirt with the male guests. She speaks disdainfully of marriage and makes it clear she is happily divorced. Diane has long had an understanding with Bruce (Raymond Hackett), who is also a guest. Bruce loves Diane and is pained to see her with Bob.

Townsend goes to the terrace outside Kitty’s room. She flirts with him. When Bob knocks on the door, Townsend hides. Bob begs Kitty to marry him again. Bob hears a sneeze and discovers Townsend hiding in the bathroom. He leaves through the terrace only to find Wallace waiting. Wallace has brought Kitty a poem. Disgusted and angry, Bob leaves. A few minutes later Mrs. Bouccicault comes to Kitty’s room to announce that Bob has just become engaged to Diane.

The next day, Bob is upset to overhear Kitty making plans for a yachting trip with Towney. Kitty plans on leaving immediately, but her nanny shows up with Kitty and Bob’s children. The children are overjoyed to see their father.

Bob tells Diane he still feels he is married to Kitty. Diane breaks up with Bob. Kitty says she doesn’t want him either. She says goodbye to Bob. He begs for another chance. Again, he asks her to marry him. She tearfully tells him she still loves him and she asks him to take her back.

The next one is "Her Wedding Night":

An American movie star vacationing in France, get mixed up with a song writer, mistaken identity and winds up married to someone she doesn't know.

Sounds like a few other movies I've seen lately.

The last one, "Follow Thru":

Lora Moore, the club champion, loses a golf match to a woman from another golf club. Then Jerry Downs, a handsome golf pro, and his goofy friend, Jack Martin, show up. Lora takes him on as her golf teacher to work on her putt. She falls for him, but so do several other women. Meanwhile Angie Howard, Lora's friend, chases after Jack. A lot of silliness ensues.

It must be very funny if she put her hat on backwards after seeing it.

It was also the second all color all talking picture from Paramount Pictures.

Now for the rest of the letter.

I wonder if she went to many football games. For those of you who follow football, you will have to look up how bad Northwestern beat Wisconsin that year.

The party she went to sounded like it was a very exciting one. I think it would be a lot of fun attending a party like that.

This is the kind of letters I like to read. With lots of information about the time. Plus it is typed. No messing up the translation.

Here is a picture from the scrap book:

 Kenosha fishing tugs tried to buck harbor ice in a determined effort to reach their fishing grounds but they could get only half way out the harbor channel. They are shown waiting for the coast guard cutter Escanaba, ordered to Kenosha from Grand Haven Mich. The boats are the Buick, W.H. Pugh, J.W. McDonald and Search.

I wonder how long they had to wait.

Here are few pages from the joke book, "Bedtime Laughs":

More marriage laughs. Enjoy.

Finally a random picture:

The name says Janet. No idea what her last name was.

Well, that's all I have to share with you today.
I hope you will come back soon for more Fading History.
Till then.
Your friend,
Sandy