Laura Spieles: Feb. 10, 1924 Westboro, Wis.

Dear Friends,
How are you? A little wet? I'm getting very tired of all this rain we have been getting around here. Now it's starting to get colder also. Before you know it there could be snow on the ground here. Out west they have been getting snow already. Nothing is sticking yet but it won't be long and a winter wonderland will be happening.
Anyway here is the next letter. According to the writer she has never written to Grandpa before but I have put a letter out there already by this same name. Is it possible someone just used her name just to write? Or did someone do it just to play a joke on her? Will there questions ever get answered?
The writers name is Laura Spieles. You decide if they could possibly be the same person or not. Just go to the other letter written by this name.

   As always here is what it says:

           Westboro Wis.
            Feb. 10th 1924
Dear Howard;
                  I suppose
you will be surprised to
hear from me. I got
your letter about a month
ago but I didn't know
who had written it.
You didn't sign your
name to it. I showed
Olga Sulko the address
and she said it was
from you. I did not
write that letter you
spoke about and I
don't know who could
have written it.
Altho I didn't write
the first letter I hope

you will keep up the
correspondence I think
I have seen you once
and from what I have
heard about you I
think I will like you.
I don't think you will
like me because I heard
you didn't like girls
with bobbed hair and
I have bobbed hair.
I am a Junior in
high school and am
rooming at Mrs. Evan's.
A school teacher is
rooming here to and
we sure have some
good times. I will close for this time
hoping you will answer
my letter.
             Yours truly,
              Laura Spieles

Looking at this letter and comparing it to the other letter, The Sheik letter, the hand writing is different. You compare.  As for grandpa not liking bobbed hair, I don't think that was true. A number of the girls he wrote to along with Grandma, had bobbed or short hair.
I wonder why she was staying in a rooming house. Just another question that will never be answered I guess.

Here are a couple of random pictures of girls from Grandpa's past.

I have no clue who they are, do you?

Now something from the scrap book.

"I always wash and iron on Mondays and my 'usband works in 'is
garden-- flood or no flood."     (Passing Show, London)

I thought with all the rain we have been getting I'd show you it's something people have been having to deal with for a very long time. Just something to think about this weekend.

Well that's about it for now.
Till next time.
Yours always,
Sandy

Lila Haapoja & Laimie Annala: January 20, 1924 Brantwood, Wisconsin; Leap year letters

Dearest Friends,
I hope you had a good weekend. I spent half of it painting Now I just have to find the right boarder and it will be complete.
Anyway here is the next two letters are from Lila Haapoja and laimie Annala. They are leap year letters, which was a popular thing to do back then. I've scanned both even thou they say the exactly same thing.

They are a little  hard to read so here is what I see.

            Brantwood, Wisconsin
               January 20, 1924
Dearest Beloved,
  As leap year is here, I
think it is a woman's
duty to propose. I there-
fore ask you to be my
darling and husband for
life.
  My beloved husband, I
am working every day
and earn enough money
to support two persons. I
have a bed without legs, a
chair without a seat, a
bed without springs, and
a mirror without glass.
Kindly take these things
into consideration before
you answer me.
  If you think I am fine
and dandy, send me a
box of candy.
  If your love is dead,

send me a loaf of bread.
  if you think I am fine,
send me a bottle of wine.
  Our eyes have met, our
lips not yet, but O, Georg-
ette,I'll get you yet.
   Your Beloved Darling,
        Lila Haapoja
(  Laimie Annala )

A little corny but kind of fun to read. Maybe it could start the trend again.
I'm not sure right now if there are any more letters from either one of these girls right now but time will tell.
Here are a couple of old pictures that have to do with this tradition.





And now a few random pictures for you to see.

 I'm not sure who these girls are exactly but they look like they are good friends.

This is Grandma. I'm not sure where she was but it has to in one of the local parks.

And this is my younger sister. Ginger. It's her birthday today. Now how old are you today?

Well that's all have for you today.
So till next time.
Your Beloved Darling,
Sandy

Alep Paulsen: Jan. 18, 1923 Thief River Falls, Minn.

Dear Friends,
I hope this post finds every well. Me, I'm doing good also. Now if only it would stop raining around here.
This next letter is from another different girl. I'm not sure if I spelled the name right but it was very hard to read a lot of this letter. If you can make out the name better I would be glad to know it because the name just does not make any sense to me.

This is what I have deciphered  of this letter.

           Thief R. Falls Minn
             Jan. 18-24
Dearest Howard-
  Today I recid your letter
and must say was much
surprised to get it. If you
did get my name in a
car as you say. I can't
imagine who has the
nerve to put it there. I
know this girl Bessie L. But
haven't much time for
her. So if you write to her
Don't correspond with me
then please- This town
sure is dead. Not one
dance or any excitement
at all. So must I do is
stay at home because

when I came home for
Xmas vacation, I got
sick. So haven't gone
back to school yet. I don't
think I am until after
Easter some time. I am
a coed at the Marquette
in Milwaukee. Have
been there two years.
So now you know that
much. Is Ogema far
from Mil. if it isn't
maybe you will come
up to Milwaukee
some time and meet
me. You may think that
by the way I say I've
been in school for two
years that I am old and

mean not exactly young
But I am eighteen- how
old are you.I'm sorry
I haven't even a snap
to send you but I've not
taken any for so long I had
my picture taken
for Xmas but I've given
them all away-
See it's terrible to
be ni this town very
long at a time. I've
never stayed at home
much lately. Ho it
sure is lonesome
especially when your
used to being busy
etc. You have a route
number- so you live

on a farm- Really I am
sorry Howard but I
simply can't think
of any more to say So
here's hoping you can at
least read my poor
penmanship. But it's
the best I can do. Answer
soon if you can and
be good in the future.
Please spell my name
Alep.
    Yours as I always am
       Alep Paulsen
        725 8th St.

This was a bit of a challenging letter to read. I'm sure I got some of the words wrong. Don't be afraid to tell me what I should correct.
To me she sounds like a kind of a strong personality for being eighteen. But she does not think eighteen is young. I wonder if Grandpa did find her name in a car and who this Bessie L. is and why she does not like her.
I wonder what she was going to school for and if she got her degree or found a husband first.

I had never heard of Thief River Falls and was not sure where it was.So here is a map showing about where it is.

Today it has a population of about 8,410. In the 1920's the population was about 4,685. So it has almost doubled in size.
Well not to much else to really think about in this letter so here are a few random pictures for you to enjoy.

Not sure who she was. It was taken at Wilbur studio in Algoma, Wis. She kind of reminds me of an old school marm. What do you think?

No idea who this is with the chickens. One of Grandpa's many friends I suppose.

No sure who this is either. But he kind of looks like Uncle Thomas or maybe even Grandpa. What do you think?

Well news is scarce so I will close for now.
Take care and have a good weekend.
Your always,
Sandy

Laura Spiels; Jan. 10, 1924 Westboro, Wis

Dear Friends,
I hope everyone had a good long weekend. Mine was good. Got together with family at the family cabin. I did bring some of the old pictures to see if anyone could I.D. anyone. Plus some of the cousins were there and I thought if they were interested in any of the old pictures I've already posted they could have them for themselves.
Anyway here is the next letter from a new girl, Laura Spiels. I know the letter says Jan. 8, 1923 but the post mark says it's Jan. 10, 1924. I wonder if she just wrote the wrong year on the letter of if I've just posted it wrong. Here it is.

It's a little hard to read in some spots so here is what I've deciphered.

       Westboro, Wis
         Jan. 8, 1923
Dear Sheik of Ogema
    Several of us West-
boro flappers have been
writting notes to-day
in school & I found
your name in one of the
list of Ogema Sheiks
& the way they wrote of
the Ogema Sheiks I
thought I would like
to correspond with one.
There were a number
of names in the list
But I always liked the
            2
Howard. I used to go with
a boy by the name of Howard
& he moved a way.
So Howard dear please
answer this letter from
a lonesome Sheba
of Westboro.
I am a junior of the
Westboro High. I am
fifteen years old & rather
stout & large for my age
I have my hair waved
like all us flappers
My hair is dark & also
my eyes. I no you
will be satified with
my looks
          3
have you a car If so
please come down
some time. But please
write before you come
as I wish to prepare
for your company.
I have been home
the last several nites
making a patch quilt
all girls my age should
no how to sew. Don't
you think so Howard?
I learned how to make a
devil food cake, Howard.
What did you get for Xmas?
           4
I got ten dollars from my
brother, a Camera,& a
necklace also a box of
power, a box of stationary
and a fiction book one of
Zane Grays novels. WildFire
I do love to read novels. They
are so romantic. But if we
correspond that may be the
starting for great romance
So Howard dear please
please answer.
  Your Westboro Sheba
xxx       Laura Spiels
            Westboro
                  Wisc.
P.S. Write so I will get your
letter before Friday & write
  soon Soon

On the back of the envelope are these letters: S.W.A.K.  Which I'm sure stands for Sealed With A Kiss.

She definitely sounds like a teenager.
The names she used were very popular in the 1920's.
When you called a young man a Sheik, it means a young sexy man.
And when you called a girl Sheba, it means a sexy young flapper or lady.
Reading this she was modeling herself a flapper.


She liked to read Zane Gray novels. Grandpa like to read these novels too. I wonder if she is the one who got him into them. I wonder if anyone claimed the books or if over time they were thrown out?

Westboro is only a few miles from where Grandpa lived so it would have been easy for him to go there and hang out for awhile.
I like her comment that all girls should know how to sew. Well she is right, they should. Do I? I'm sorry to say I don't sew. I did a little when I was younger but over time I never got into it. I do make things from plastic canvas, does that count?

I wonder how her devils food cake tasted?




Anyway here are a few random pictures.

Peter, Clem, George and Jeannie.
Lisa they tell me that one of your little guys looks like Peter. Is it true?

No idea who they are but it looks like love to me.

Now that's a pile of hay. Anyone for a roll in the hay? Or maybe we should look for that needle in the haystack.

Well that's about all I have for you today.
So till next time.
Your friend,
Sheba Sandy