To Clara: My wonderful precious
June 17, 1929, Saturday noon
My Wonderful Precious:
I read a book a few minutes ago — “A Happy Marriage”. It has some wonderful advise for just such folks as us — especially at this stage of the “Game”. I shall try and bring it to you when we visit each other somewhere soon. One very interesting chapter along with many others — “the Honeymoon”.
Judging form the writer we have had many standard principles in wooing, love-making, engagement period and such.
However, both may yet be helped a great deal by the studying and practicing of a few more standard principles.
I was talking to Mr. Strahan of the Educational Dept. Of Jackson, who is also a student here. He was asking about my wife. I humored the joke by telling him she was teaching in order that I might attend Summer School. He seemed to take it so serious, until I had to say as Eason did at Gulfport, I was just joking. Then re remarked that I need not explain, he knew all about everything and already put money in the bank to get our wedding present. The point is how did he know so much and have we his name on our “announcement list”?
So it’s a bit strange that Randle could not find the “stamps”. I had them the morning before leaving that afternoon. The walking stick is in the closet to the right as you enter the room, not on one of the shelves, but standing on the floor in one corner. I certainly hope that not too many of our little things will “come off missing”.
Yes, I think Pat has a very hard time keeping things from Bettie as they are thrown together so much. However, Pat is managing it fairly well. Bettie said to me that Pat did not ask if she wanted her to get her mail out of the box (which of course she did not). So I said you just have your mail put in my box, so she did, that will keep Bettie from coming in contact with her mail. We had Mississippi Club Meeting last evening and Pat and Bettie were with me, so you see our communicating was necessarily limited with reference to him only in a general way.
Pat and I have talked of the 4th. I think I wrote something of that once before. Since Friday is my “off day” and I think I can afford to take one day in this month, which would be Thursday of the weekend the visit took planning. Since two days will be consumed in travel — one day to go and the other to come back — I certainly think we should have that many days together, which would mean dour days in all as leave from college — Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You folks figure on your end of the line and let us know up here. Seems we may have to do some compromising in order that plan work together. I think around about the 4th would be a fine time certainly not much later. If wishing would do any good I surely would wish for this weekend, for I know I shall be lonesome for my precious darling tonight and tomorrow. However, I mean to check out some books and read in order that the time may not appear so long. Say my desk-mate has just showed me his boy’s picture, he is a dandy, but I am expecting ours to be also. Pictures make me think of you. I am hoping I won’t have to do without you much longer. I know you will get it to me as soon as possible.
Continue to grow and be sweet and remember I love you if possible more dearly every day.
Yours,
Riley
