July 3, 1935

171 No. 6 St.

Laramie, Wyo.

July 3, 1935

 

 

Dear Fay --

 

Far be it from me to begin a letter with an apology, but I hope we are not mad at each other.  If we are, write and tell me at once.  If we aren't ---- ?

 

Well, I hope that you are beautiful as ever and twice as popular -- even as I am.  I was hoping to see you again this summer, but I don't know if the gods have so ordained it.  I saw a girl playing tennis here today who looked very much like you.  Would you have believed it possible?  Still, beauty is universal.  Are you still with me?  That's  you I am talking about.  I was all ready to compare you to an orchid a second ago, but I forgot how I was going to lead up to it.  It just goes to show that my great-grandfather Murphy kissed the Blarney Stone, anyhow.

 

I am not sure when our correspondence first entered this slump, so I'll just have to tell you how good I am now, and leave out the cute things I have said and done in between now and then.  I could rave on further about your own maddening charms, but I know my own better and I am counting on you to toot your own horn.  In simpler language, write and tell me about yourself, your likes, your boy friends (or husbands), your family --tell me all !?!

 

To get on with the tale of my own promising (!) career: -- I finished the school year in a whirl of smoke.  My average for last quarter was 2.3, and for the year, 2.28.  That wasn't bad for me. Last quarter I cut about 2/3 of my classes and was still a long way above average.  What a smart boy!  The Dean of the Law School wants me to take law.  I don't know how he found out that I could keep my grades up and still cut classes to drink beer.  That is a requisite for a law student.  But I have decided not to become a lawyer -- couldn't use the extra income a lawyer receives.

 

Since school let out I have become a working-man.  I worked for a week on the ranch of a Prof here.  The ranch was in the Snowy Range at the altitude of 8500 feet.  We didn't dare cough up there for fear we wouldn't be able to catch another breath of air in time to keep from choking to death.  My pall and I and a cowboy set fence for a week there.  We worked so industriously that the boss gave us a bonus when we quit.  Ranch wages, however, are only $1 a day and board and room.  We needed the bonus!  The ranch was truly a beautiful place and the week was almost like an outing.

 

Since I returned from there I have been working on a new building going up on the campus.  I have a pretty good job on it which pays me quite well, and I am living well now for my little income and intend to save some, buy new clothes, and come home and buy you an ice cream cone (or the season may then require chili) with the rest.  The job itself will put me thru about half the next year at school, I believe.

 

 

You couldn't imagine a duller place to spend the fourth of July.  However, I am going to spend it here.  I am afflicted with no monia just now, and can't do otherwise.  I wanted to come, but I couldn't because I have to work Fri. and Sat. and can't afford to lose either the job or the hours of work.  We are batching at the address I gave you above.  Three of us are renting the whole five-room house (a good place in which to throw parties).  It is a very nice placer -- almost like home.

 

Hoping you deem this little attempt worthy of an answer---

 

I remain -- one among many -- your urgent (or do I mean ardent?) suitor

 

Lee R

 



February 12, 1935

Laramie, Wyoming

Feb. 12

Dear Fay:

The long-awaited (?) epistle has arrived!  Prompted by custom, I am also calling it a Valentine.  I hope that you see the point.  [Heart with arrow drawn]  I guess it would be better if I wrote some poetry for the occasion, so--

          Roses are ___________. (fill in your own color)

          Violets are blue, violet, purple.  (underline correct form)

          Sugar is Sweet

          And so are You !

That was so easy (and original) that I am tempted to try some more.  But I'll put it off to another day.  It reminds one of Goethe, Wordsworth, Milton, Shakespeare and some of the others tho, doesn't it?  The sentiment is good, too.

Well, I trust that you are in the best of health and so on.  Do you have the spring fever yet?  We all have it up here.  -- I am very sorry that you couldn't stay longer when I came to call, but you will forgive that, I am sure.  I have about a five day vacation at the end of the quarter.  I'll call you up as soon as I get in town (usually shortly after mid-night and make an appointment.  You know, -- for old times sake.

Say, in case you have read this far, I'd like you to do me a favor.  --It's this way, I am too lazy to write home (except for money), but I have some mid-quarter grades that they would like to hear about.  I figure it would save my time, money, and energy for you to waste enough time to call them up on the phone and tell them that for mid-quarter I received a 3 in German and a 1 in Ethics (philosophy).  That's a sweet girls!

I don't know the rest of my grades yet, but they have dropped from what they were last quarter because of my swimming and band work taking up so much time.  The 1 in Ethics came as a big surprise.

Everything up here is just as usual (including me and the weather).  You would probably recognize me if you met me on the street -- a bit thinner, perhaps, from worrying over studies and my Ogden loves.

How is Bill's love-affair coming along?  I hope they don't wear out the telephone before summer.

Well, when you are not sure of something, write me.  (That should be soon enough!)

Love and Kisses

Lee





November 10, 1934

Dear Fay:

I was glad to hear from you. It was very much the same as receiving a letter from the dead.  As a matter of fact, I was about to write and see if I could find anything about your disappearance.  I read thru all of the daily papers to find whether you had been kidnapped.  --And then, as an anticlimax, came your letter.  I was so relieved to find that you were safe and sound that I forgot to write the letter.  --Sad (!?), isn't it.

If you will forgive the beginning, I will begin again.  "I guess I mean, try again).  In other words, how are you, is your dad making money, is the weather OK., are you going to enough dances to suit you, and are you enjoying your college education in spite of the studies?  I, too, am quite well, thank you.  I passed all of my mid-term exams, and passed up four or five good chances to get drunk.  I am living the life of a hermit except when I go to dances or to the library to see the girls walk down the aisles.

This batching is alright except that I have to make the bed and wipe the dishes and do a few other small jobs.  We eat pretty fair except when we are not eating out.  We don't eat out at all.  So you see that if you felt like sending us a box of candy or something, --that would be humanitarianism.  If you don't recognize the big word (or some of the others) send the candy anyhow.

I guess it's time for me to start bragging.  I made an I (same as an A) for my mid-term grade in Logic (a Philosophy course).  It was the only I given in the class, too.  Am I good, or am I good!?  I had better than a II average for all my grades at mid-quarter.  I am thinking of taking a philosophy minor.  I already have two minors.

If you were here tonight, we would go to the university dance.  But, as it is, I guess neither f us will go.  I am too lazy to go, and you are not here.  I'll sit at home with my feet in the oven and dream.  "All I do is dream of you the whole day through"  Get the idea?  I'm anxious to know.  Write soon and tell me.

Well, hoping that you are either good or careful.  I am.

Yours till infinity

Leander
Lee Richards