Encoded for for the Veterans History Project, January 9, 2017.
All letters in the McNutt collection were digitized.
The following letters were transcribed from the handwritten originals by the donor. No alterations to this transcription has been made, although spelling errors are indicated with [sic]. Any special emphasis (i.e. underlining) is presented *between asterisks*.
I received your most welcome letter and enjoyed it very much, but it made me awful blue and I don't know why but I was so blue all that afternoon and evening I didn't know what to do. I have had a number of letters to give me the blues and still I didn't know what was in them that made me get them, but just something hit me a little wrong.
The government is going
to save our money for us as after next month they are going to keep half of our pay out and send it to any of our relatives we want them to if we haven't wives or parents but if you have a wife or mother living they send it to them and if you have no close relatives living they put it in the ships co bank until you are discharged. I don't thank them for messing with mine for I can take care of it me self. I suppose the next thing we know they will be charging us board.
I have been laughing so much tonight I haven't hardly been able to keep my mind on this letter so if it sounds crazy you will know the reason. The fun has been a lad I chum with all the time (and he is not a rummy either) is sitting on the deck beside me doing some embroidery work. He bought the linen stenciled and is working on it just started it tonight and is doing nice work too believe me. He has been telling me he could do that kind of work, but I just thought he was kidding but I see he meant business. We have all been kidding him about it but he doesn't mind it a bit. Maybe you will be hearing of me doing such things yet.
He comes from Ind. And a friend of his out there has a cousin living on Long Island about thirty minutes ride on the L from here. He has been going out there to see her and has been having some time so she has a friend and we are going to take them out to a dance Saturday. I am just crazy to meet her, for from what he says she is some girl as well as the one he goes to see.
I sent the ring yesterday, but didn't like it at all. I couldn't get one like I wanted as large as you wanted so just had to get what I could. I believe size 5 was as large as I could get in the other ones and you wear a 6 and a half. I don't know
how it will wear either, but wear it just for a little kind remembrance of me and if it ever turns let me know and I will get another one. It ought to wear a lifetime, but the jewelery shops around here sure do stick you sometimes so maybe I got stuck. I almost know you won't like it, but I can't help it and I could have gotten one I know you have liked smaller. It was so small I couldn't get an address on it so I just sent it in a half pound of chocolates. Hope you don't eat it as I don't imagine it would digest very well and then brass isn't very good for your stomach.
Why Myrtle you ought to be ashamed of yourself to keep the poor kid away from his mama, so late as you know good children ought not to stay up later then 10:00 p.m. I am afraid you will learn him bad habits (not so). Now Myrtle let me tell you what to do. Show him just as nice a time as you can and when you think it is about time for him to be in bed, give him a nice good night kiss and send him along home. You are older and know more so you must mould his ways and character the way you want it and then you will have a man of your own ideal. Please now don't take offense and get soar [sic.] at me.
Well, I suppose you saw sister last week did you not? Cousin Mabel said she looked so much like me, but I don't think so and hope you don't either. Say cousin Mollie sure has had a lot of trouble hasn't she? I was so sorry to hear for she is such a dear sweet woman and I just love her to death. Write soon and tell me how you liked Sis.
With lots of love
P.S. I told you my mind wasn't on what I was writing as what I started to tell you about the boy that had sticking ways was to give him a nice good night kiss and send him along and then wouldn't be any trouble to get him to go home for he would know what was coming and would be anxious for that time to come for him to depart see? Yes I do remember the last evening I was with you but I didn't get soar as cousin G- and it wouldn't have been the last time for us to see each other if either of us had of had any sense, but it was nobody home. H.