MS 858 - Hefner Family Papers Transcripts (From Zelma Hefner)

August 25, 1952

Aug 25th

Dear Glenn,

Well here it is Monday morning again and the 25th. About 10 days till school starts! I wish your time out there went as fast as it does here!! Ive had very short relief from dinner pails [caret mark] HaHa! The twins have an idea of eating at the store & cafeteria but that never worked too well with Gene, and you & Gordon. Walter brough his so maybe they can manage it to.

Received a very welcome letter from you Friday. You sure have been busy, havent you. Walter told me you were to have been an honor guard at a wedding. I bet that would have thrilled you! I can hardly wait till you can tell me all about it.

You poor kid. Im sorry to have unloaded the way I did but I just had to unload to someone. What should have been a joyous occasion turned sour or flat. He wasnt a bit anxious to get home to see me. I just cant understand some things. When I suggest moving back to town every one looks daggers & pooh-poohs the idea. And yet every one has their interests in town. No one's in a hurry to get out here. They spend the biggest share of their time in town. And yet when I suggest going back to town where I can get around a little too by bus or even a 35 [cent] taxi \r & not be dependent on someone to take me which in spite of whats told me is often inconvenient. Dad says "if you want to go to town Ill take you." But it has to be darn drastic for me to get there. And now thequestion is to put in the bathroom adding more than a thousand dollars to something no one really cares about. I dont think theres any thing going to come of that however. I think its all a big dream. To give Walt credit I think he would like to do it but he's got big ideas on a shoe string, if you know what I mean. He sent some money home to be set aside for that purpose but no sooner landed in the states till he needed some of it. And no sooner got home than he's in a social whirl using some more of it. So if he's that short on money hes going to need plenty while hes home & transportation back to Camp. So where does that leave us? Right where we were. With this exception. He'd start on this project but hes only got 2 weeks & it cant be done in that time so wed have a mess on our hands & an obligation to pay off. And I dont believe we can tackle it. I suggest saving toward that project for a year. Dad has done lots of things this year but who can say what another year will do. Dad's not young any more, his working power is limited. Perhaps he has dreams of a new car, I dont know and to put in a bath means his dreams must go gallager. And then too, from what I gather from the talk of plans, the whole thing will be botched up again. Walts idea is to wall up the arch & put the sink along that wall hooking the tub, lavatory & sink all on one drain. I dont think much of that idea. Believe me, I want some real planning done when this project gets under way. Not just ideas & then find they dont work right. And I dont want a project started & then left. This family is noted for not completing jobs. That piece of woodwork is still not put on upstairs & its 2 years now! Johns swing is still in the making, all summer. The house got painted but the porches not done! Gobs & gobsof things started but not finished. So I don't know, so far as Im concerned it can wait.

Well its almost time for the mail & Walt just got up so Ill quit & get him some "breffas." So for this time Ill say so long. And hope to hear from you soon so Ill have something to write besides gripes. HaHa. So for now Ill say so long and God bless you dear boy.

With loving thoughts
from
Mom
X X X X X
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Be Careful

September 8, 1952

Sept 8

Mon. A.M.

Dear Boy,

Will try to catch you up on the news so grab your hat & hang on! Got lots to tell you. Maybe you'll be disappointed but I hope not. First, in answer to a late letter received do we see any resemblance to a bathroom. Well, if you consider a hole in the ground, yes. HaHa. We already got one of them to the rear however (more Ha). Seriously tho, this project doesn't go fast. In the first place it was too dry & the ground too hard & not enough "laborers" so arrangements were made for that grave digger to dig the holes. One hole had to be 6 feet deep & 3 ft wide & 6 or 7 ft. long for the septic tank. So you see it would take a lot of perseverence & hard work to dig a hole that size. Then theres another hole 15 ft square & 4 ft deep for the leach bed. We didnt get ours in in time to avoid having to have it done just so and now theres a law that you have to do it just so & have inspections. So you see it meant lots of digging. Then shortly after the holes were dug it rained & such a muddy mess! Some of the dirt displaced by this tank was dumped in the front yard, you know where that walk was to the side porch. There was always a low place there. So theres mud all along the front too. Oh in time we'll get it back into grass and will look better leveled off. But thats as far as the "bathroom" has gone. The septic tank is in & the distribution box & the's got the stone bed & tile laid & waiting on the inspector. And thats as far as hill get & only this week left. We cant expect him not to have any fun so he goes out severeal nights a week. But he's also been home more this time than ever before. But as far as us having fun thats a joke. I don't believe it has entered his head to ask me to go with him any place. Its the same old story, just cook, wash dishes \r & pick up & then amuse yourself as best you can while the men folks enjoy themselves, by going away or otherwise. Dads working everyday, they have a big tent up & sell case goods you know like they did last fall. And of course they have some one guard the tent & also work inside. I told you about Dad having a helper. Well they dont last long. The guy he did have got lit up one night & they wouldnt let him stay & so called Dad in to work in his place. He wasnt too dependable \r & skipped a few more nights so they let him go. They were up a crick without a paddle. That left Dad with 2 jobs. Mr. Pangle knew Dad had been having the boys help him so he ask Dad to bring the boys & they could guard the tent which they did for 4 nights. Got $10 a night for it. Not much work to it. One would catnap while the other walked around [caret mark] inside the tent or messed around maybe straightening up cases or some thing, doing most anything to stay awake. It so happened it wasnt too cold or bad while they were there. But Dad had a bad night one night it rained & lightening & thundered pretty bad & its quite cool now too. He's got another helper now too, he was breaking him in when the boys guarded the tent. This tent situation will last a couple more weeks and by that time the Pangles will have hatched up some other scheme to keep Dad at their grindstone. Boy! he can sure tell me off if I speak out of turn but takes all the crap they want to hand him. Why? Cause they got money.

Well enough of that, thats that story. You have asked 3 or 4 times about the bathroom & I've tried to explain so I hope this clears it up. He wont have much more time than to fill this hole as it must be done. (The inspector was out while ago.) You know, I think he had an idea when he started it would just be like the Army. "Were going to put in a bathroom" and the Army puts on a detail of men 15 or 20 & presto in a week Bathroom. He didnt have a detail here & its slow work by yourself. Oh of course the boys did what they could but they dont know how to go ahead by themselves. Gene helped on days he was off but you cant expect Gene to give All his time. And if it suited Walter he'd take off any old time. And now the boys are in school, they dont have much time after school, its dark early now. So I don't know if will have a bathroom or not. Maybe - some day. Now for another piece of news, in which you may disappointed again. I told you about that china closet or cupboard or whatever it was for 250 bucks. Well thats out of the questions so Dad & I went to a sale Saturday. We got one of the old fashioned kind, glass on 3 sides, bowed or rounded. Not a lot of gingerbread on it but very nice. You spoke of a corner cupboard like Marys but they come mostly in maple & not a great deal of room in them either. I ask Mr. Lee at the Leader Store about them & he said they would run about 75 dollars. So we got this one for 15. Which is quite a difference. And there were some very nice chairs there too look somewhat like these weve got. You know this one has a broken back & its forever falling apart so I though we could use some more chairs. We got the table & 6 chairs for $10. I wasnt looking for the table which is another round one but the chairs themselves are worth more than 10 dollars. We gave $2 apiece or $10 for 5 chairs 6 years ago. I know you dreamed of a drop leaf like Esthers but I think we can make do for a year or so. Im not going to have "open house" too often in that time. And now a problem presents itself again. What to do with my own excess furniture - library table dresser, studio couch. Ah me - a headache. Esther thinks I should have a dinner for Walt before he goes back. Well I'd like to do it too but does Walter want it? I dont know. We arent kindred spirits if you know what I mean. He's pretty much to himself and I have to take shots in the dark to learn his likes & dislikes. I ask him about it one day & he said no. But usually after he leaves then I wish he had. So in order to use this china once while hes home Im gonna have em. They will bring a dish Im sure, at least Esther said she would. I don't want it on Sunday thats too short for Dad so Im going to use Sat. Can you come? HaHa. You'd be only too glad to and you'd be more than welcome Im sure. But I wont pour it on too heavy & make you feel you're missing something.

And now for another thing. The telephone is moved from our someday bathroom. Walter went up & ordered it changed. The usual problems presented itself. Move to where? Walter offered to pull the wires under the house to put it on the east side of the L.R. But the phone man - a new one to me - advised against that. He said with as much lightning trouble as we have in this area, it might melt the wires off under the house & make a spark & catch the house on fire. And its too far to string a new wire from the pole down the road and the trees may interfere out here in front, so after various checks & consultations it was finally decided to pull it in right by the west window so its practically right in the window. This is the dumbest house! Nothing jibes!!

Oh yes at this sale the other day we got some thing else. Maybe a piece of junk I dont know. But we got a portable sewing machine, electric. Its not much I guess old fashioned long bobbin kind. Had in mind Gene's. Did I ever tell you they "borrowed" my sewing machine. Havent got it back yet so I thot maybe we could sell em this one. But I don't think were out much anyway. The motor runs \r & we can hook it up to my own. I doubt if we could get a motor for 6 dollars which is what we paid for this junk. HaHa. However this may sew better than mine. Im going to try it one of these days.

Well I think this is about the extent of our doings here, how to catch up with you. Have you got your eye appointment yet? I hope you get some glasses to really fit this time. I suppose you are taxing your eyes, not having had your glasses for 9 months. Are Good's glasses pre-induction or some of those G.I kind?

Have you had your amphib training yet? And when do you go to Leggetts Field? Heavens when are they gonna get all this training done so you can get home? Seems to me they just keeping pouring it on. I bet that training goes right on whether youre there or not. HaHa. Maybe you'll have to step right in there \r & say Hold on a minute. I aint had no leave yet & I think its high time I was getting home for a wee bit. And maybe they'll just shut down for awhile!! Cant you just see that?!!! Well its only 3 weeks till the first of Oct. And by the time you get this will be almost a week less. I suppose I hadnt ought to gripe as long as your on this side yet. Vera's bill is sure one lucky one, huh?

I wrote you that Ronnies schedule was sort of mixd up. Well he got out of Biology so he only had to take his 4 subjects. Thats too hard a grind 5 subjects a year. He just had to study all the time last year. you know how many books he'd bring home. Say now that would be nice you & him going to College together. Yippee. The are not going out for footbal. I kicked on it & they didnt think theyd make it anyway. I dont think Ronnie is well enough. Last year playing basketball he did something to his back & every once in a while he says it hurts if he lifts. So I figured thats pretty rough stuff they go thru training for football & they are forever getting nosebleeds, him & Donnie both. so I kicked on it. They didnt put up much fuss so I don't think they cared much. Theres too many to compete against. Same way with basketball Duly made second string in Perry how can they compete against so many more? We think the boys are pretty good size around here, Ronnies as tall as Walter & thin as a rail but some of those kids - Byron Cochran & Ted Stembaugh & a few more theyre huskies. Robert Miesse & Dilno Hunt are about the smallest of the lot.

Have you fully recovered from PO? I spose youll have another siege of it sleeping out in the open.

Hows your watch? Still run?

Well Glenn Ive been all morning getting this written and its - guess? Yeh - after 2 oclock on Monday afternoon! So I think Id better bring this to a close. So for this time Ill say so long & God keep you safe from harm is ever the prayerful thought of your
Mom

Be Careful XXXXXX
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