New Year’s Eve 1942 and Johnnie’s wasn’t thinking about a big celebration or the ball dropping in New York (although there wasn’t a ball drop in 1942 due to a wartime blackout). Instead, he had his beloved Lucile on his mind.
My Dear Beloved,
I received your letter today and I was just about to think you had forgot me because I am at least expecting a letter from you every other day. I want to hear from you so bad and wanting to know what you are doing. Gosh, you don’t know just how bad I do miss you. Darling, I wrote your Mother, not to tell you how long I would be here, because I didn’t want you to be so worried, but as I hope you can come out here, I will tell you how long I expect to be here. I will be here about eleven more weeks at least before I can come home, and you know I can’t stay away from you that long. So that’s why I want you to try to save some money to come out here. It is about nine hundred miles from here to Atlanta. Please call up the bus or train station and they will tell you how much it will cost to come out here to Gainesville, Texas. Remember this name, Gainesville, Texas. Darling, I am glad to hear you had such a nice time Christmas. I wish I could have been there to enjoy it with you. This Christmas to me wasn’t so hot. I received the package your Mother and Dad sent me, and I thank them very much. I will write your Mother and tell her how much I appreciate the things she sent to me. It’s a good thing she sent me a package of cigarettes because I have been burning them the last two days and I really needed some. I am sorry to hear about Cecil. Tell him I said that stuff never will get him anywhere and won’t do him a bit of good at all. Don’t worry about me getting that way. I will keep my word and you got to believe me. Tell Dot and Drex and the baby Hello. Answer back.
Love, Johnnie x x x x x x x x x
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An earlier photo of Johnnie's mother-in-law, Leola Lemons Stacks |
Johnnie wrote a letter to his mother-in-law on January 2, 1943, writing the year as 1942.
Dear Mom,
Just a few lines to let you know I received your nice letter and also the package a day ago. I would have answered your letter then, but every time I would start, they would call me out for drill or something and I just couldn’t answer it with them calling me every minute. But I did get around to it after all. I am glad to hear that all of you had a good Christmas. Wish I could be there, but as you know I can’t, but I expect to be there for the next one. I hope anyway. I appreciate the package very much, and thanks a lot. Wish I could return the same. I am awful sorry to hear about Cecil. I hope he is better by now. It shall learn him a lesson. I hope he leaves the stuff alone for your sake anyway. I haven’t drunk any since I been here and don’t intend to either. That’s one thing I am pretty sure of. And another thing, I have learned a lot in the Bible I didn’t know and everything in it is very interesting too. I hope to drop Grandma a line or two tonight or tomorrow because I’m sure she wants to hear from me. Tell her she has a letter coming anyway. I have written Dot and Drex two or three times and haven’t received an answer yet. Tell them if they can’t write to let Carol write for them, Ha Ha. I am going to drop Nell and Robert a line too. I will send it at your address and you can give it to them. I just answered the mail call and received yours and Lucile’s letters. I also received the cigarettes. I am sure glad to receive the pictures of Doc, you, Robert and Nell. They are good pictures of all of you. Little Melvin looks good. Tell him to have one made all by his self and send it to me. Mary and Betty’s pictures are good ones too. It looks just like them, don’t you think so? Well, that’s all the news so answer right back and tell all hello for me and to write.
Love to all, Johnnie
P.S. Did the gang up at the sawmill ever receive the letter I wrote them?
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