Letter to Paul B, March 23, 1919

[Received April 13, 1919]

Danville Ills.

Mch-23-1919-

My Dear Paul;

Tomorrow will be two weeks since I heard from you and your mother hasn't heard since before that, and the last one I received you said you had a bad cold on your lungs and so we are very much concerned as to why we do not hear from you.

She came down this morning and when she went home she asked me to come up and stay with her awhile as she was so lonely. So we played the victrola and had a real nice time. This is the first time I had heard it played. They certainly have a good machine, and a good collection of pieces. I am sure you will enjoy yourself immensley when you get home.

I stayed until two o'clock and then she went to class and I came home to study. I believe I told you I did not pass my sh'thand test the first time, well I took it over and flunked again the second time so I took it again and finally passed. Well by doing all this I have gotten a whole lesson behind the rest of the class who are going on with the next work, so I will have to study my head off to catch up. I sure thought I was going to have to take the work over and I expect I really should have.

Well, dear friend I wonder where you are this Sunday afternoon, and how you are feeling. I am hoping and trusting that you got over your bad cold on your lungs as they are very serious.

I have a bad cold in my head, but none on my lungs. So I'm not at all serious.

I got the piece of music you told me about. I like it very much, but there is another strain in it that I like even better than the one you spoke of. My piece is written in the key of B flat, so it is higher than the one you copied from. I have another pretty piece too, which I got yesterday. It is called "Mickey." They had the play at the Palace this week, but I did not see it. Everyone said it was fine. The piece is awfully sweet. The strain I like best in the "Hawaain Moonlight," is the one which has the word "dreamily", written above it and the key changes in mine to three flats. If I could write music as good as you did in your letter I would write this strain for you, but I can't make readable notes.

I went to a party Friday evening. A reunion of the class that graduated when I did, It was in one of the girl's home. Not near all of them came, but we had a good time. There were four of we girls went and only two boys. So we had to divide the boys as you might say. I had seen neither of them for five years, and they had changed a great deal. One of them wears a misplaced eyebrow, and looks quite distinguished. We played buncho most of the evening, which consists principally of shooting dice. I won eleven games out of twenty, and one of the boys won twelve, so you see I did a fair job at shooting dice.

This is a beautiful day. Too pretty to stay in, but I will have to stay home all evening and try to get some more of my lesson.

We have the foundation of our new room done. They are going to put up the frame tomorrow I guess. I can hardly wait untill it is finished.

Well I suppose you have received my picture by now. I hope so at least.

I worked on my new job all week. I got along real good and like it fine. The bills are comming in rather heavily now and it will keep me pretty busy keeping them all figured.

I doubt if you will be able to read this as there is something about this paper, which my pen doesn't like.

I suppose you are having spring weather over there by now. Our weather here is real nice, some days it is very warm, and then it gets cooler the next day. Everything is turning green, buds on some of the flowers such as daffodils.

All the girls are dolled up in their new spring clothes. I have a new hat but thats all so far.

Well I don't know any real news so will quit for this time, hoping that you have fully recovered I am as ever your loving friend Cecil.