Venezuela And Alaska, All Hail (3) – Private And Confidential Supplement To Lad – September 1, 1940

Private and Confidential

supplement to Lad:

Richard Peabody Guion

Dick seems to be inclined to sew a few wild oats more than you three older boys, and in such circumstances fathers are only a pure unadulterated nuisance – – a breed of old fogies that have forgotten their own youth, live in the past and have a warped idea of life anyway. Even though, in general way, they may be right about some things, in this particular instance they are all wet, etc. etc. You know the story. Since Dick has bought the Packard he enjoys running around with some of the boys whose parents are as little able apparently to do anything about it as I am. I don’t think Dick has enough backbone or at least is too complacent and doesn’t know when to stop, is fond of alcohol, staying out late every chance he gets with a bunch of bosom friends like Charlie Hall, Jack Fillman, etc. Yesterday after staying up until 2 AM the night before and sleeping late, he came to supper with very much of a hangover, no appetite and admitted he had drunk too much. The trouble is he does not seem to know when to stop and while there is nothing particularly wrong right now, what concerns me is what might develop if it keeps up with acceleration.

And that brings me to the idea of which the foregoing is but the stage setting. Dick is interested in things Spanish, language, music etc. He doesn’t like his present job much, I don’t like his present tendencies, and I wondered what you thought his chances might be in getting a job with Socony-Vacuum. If he were down there on the ground and applied for a job would he be likely to get something to do? Would there be a possibility of his getting a job where you could keep an eye on him more or less? I suppose there would be little chance of his being hired through the New York office in the regular channels so that he could get his transportation down paid by Socony-Vacuum, or if there were, it would probably take months and months to come about unless you had some way of requisitioning them in New York, which is unlikely as far as specifying any particular individual is concerned. Indeed my whole plan may be all wet and impossible of fulfillment which would mean I am barking up the wrong tree, but you will know best about this end of it. Maybe you have some alternate plan that would take him away from his present environment before he gets into it too deeply.

If you do see any prospect of some such plan being worked out, you won’t, of course, let on it originated in any way but spontaneously with you and in writing me you might ask how I thought Dick would like to get something to do down that way, and follow-up just as though it were your own idea. Otherwise it might do more harm than good.

And any confidential reply for my eyes only which you may write should be written on a separate sheet from your regular letter and marked confidential so that nothing will appear to be mysterious.

As you know, I had an agreement with your mother that I would carry on in bringing up the children right. I am justifiably proud of my three oldest boys and want to continue to feel the same way about the others coming along. Maybe you can help out in this instance and maybe not. My second best bet would be Alaska, but aside from the fact that Dan and Ced hardly know what they are up against themselves yet, I feel Dick would prefer the Spanish surroundings. I miss all my boys going away but I can’t let personal feelings stand in the way of Dick also leaving home if that is the best thing for him.

Naturally I’ll be much interested in getting your slant on the whole matter.

DAD

Tomorrow a letter From Aunt Betty Duryee to Lad and on Friday, another letter from Grandpa.

Judy Guion

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Trumbull – My Dearest Son (2) – And That Means YOU – News About Lad’s Future – July 9, 1944

Lad and Marian Guion

Old Sgt. A.P. says: “It seems that “D” day for me is getting closer. Sometime this month the 142nd is being transferred to some camp in the East, but when or where I don’t know. It looks as though I will have to go by train, so Marian may drive East in the Buick if there is any cause for it and if she can get someone to go with her. Right now the 3019th is doing some work in Camp Haan which is similar to what we did at Pomona before I left for my furlough. It appears that we did such a good job at Haan before we went out to the desert that the Col. at Haan called us back from the desert and we spent only one week out there instead of two. For that I’m very thankful and we did get a chance to see Death Valley. It was rather an uneventful trip and we had very little trouble. We were to return from Death Valley to the desert but instead we returned to Haan and began work immediately. We have until July 6th to finish the work there. After that I don’t know what we will do. We’ve been having a rather hot spell here. In fact the day before yesterday it was 115° in the shade (You had me fooled for a minute, Lad, as your degree mark was rather large and low down and looked at first glance like 1150 which would lead one very naturally to not quibble if you had said it was as hot as hell). Out on the desert we didn’t mind the heat because it was so dry, but it is a little more moist here and is quite warm for Marian – – lots warmer than in South Pasadena”. And Marian adds: “Maybe we’ll be seeing you again very soon. This Army life is anything but settling.”

So, that leaves some interesting conjectures. In fact, life these days is just full of what I said for every last one of you and when I get you all home again, I am thinking of putting in a series of balls and chains in the cellar with big padlocks on them so I can keep you all fastened down for a spell.

Daniel Beck Guion

Well, Dan, the US government has just sent me a notice that as one of your dependents I am to receive $15 a month hereafter from your regular pay. Do you want me to invest this for you in some more stocks, put it in the B & L (Building and Loan) or just let it accumulate in the bank? I am wondering if you ever received the four or five packages of soap and toilet articles and Kleenex that I sent? And Lad, did you get your camera yet? And Ced, did you receive the Buick parts and the filter and the subscription to Reader’s Digest? And Dave, I will try to get a box of cigars (they are getting scarce, no more boxes of a5 (not a typo) are available) and shall send them as soon as I hear what kind you prefer or some idea if what you want to pay, along with your necktie and leggins. And if you can pick up for me at the PX a hydraulic jack, a large size bottle of eau de quinine hair tonic (any make) and a package of razor blades it will keep me quiet for a while. I hope the notebook fillers I sent for your friend arrived safely and were what he wanted. I forgot to ask you about them when you were home.

I understand Jean ((Hughes) Hayden) is coming home very soon to be ready to increase the population of Trumbull and that Jane ((Mantle) Hall) is also pointing in that direction, if you know what I mean.

Along the line of uninteresting news, just to fill up the page, I spent several hours yesterday substituting for a stoker and shoveling an estimated 3 1/2 tons of buckwheat coal from one side of my coal bin to the other, as the moronic or just sheer lazy coal deliveryman neglected to put up any boards to confine the coal from rushing out of the exit hatch into the cellar and practically buried the stoker. My muscles were somewhat sore when I got through and I looked like something from south of the Mason and Dixon line, but I finished the job and took quiet satisfaction from the thought that there was some life in the old boy yet, and if the worst came to the worst and you young fry couldn’t put Hitler’s legions in their place and they had to call on us has beens, I could come through in fairly good shape, although I don’t think I’d choose a stoker’s job.

Well, let’s call it a day and hope next week I’ll be in better mental shape to write you a really interesting letter. Meantime, lots of love and good luck, from

DAD

Tomorrow,  I’ll post a letter from Marian to Grandpa about the latest developments in the lives of Lad and Marian in California and on Thursday and  Friday. another letter from Grandpa to his convalescents.

Judy Guion

Army Life – Dear Dad – California As Seen From Arcadia, Pasadena, L. A., Hollywood And Beverly Hills – January 9, 1943

It’s 1943 and we have followed Lad from home to Aberdeen Maryland for Ordnance Training School where he and his best friends, were chosen to have further training as  instructors of vehicle mechanics and maintenance. My father was sent to  Flint Michigan for a week of further training in diesel mechanics, while his buddies traveled to Santa Anita, California, their next destination, by various routes. After he completed his training, Lad drove on to Santa Anita, California by himself.  This is Lad’s first letter home.

Alfred Peabody Guion

January 9, 1943

Dear Dad:

Well, even if you have not heard much of my progress across from Chicago, I’m here and according to my speedometer, 4200 miles have been successfully manipulated. Other than a bad condenser just outside of Pittsburgh on the Turnpike and a clogged radiator somewhere between Flint and Chicago, the car performed admirably.

The camp here – contrary to what it’s name implies – is far from comfortable. No sheets or pillowcases, no heat (yes, we need heat) , no hot water and no organization as yet. It is still very much in the process of being renovated and rebuilt after being used as a Japanese holding area. In a couple of months it will, in all probability, be much nicer.

Now, I’ll tell you a little about Southern California as seen from Arcadia, Pasadena, LA, Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Here is how things have gone. I got into Arcadia early on Monday the fourth and since I was not due to report until the seventh, I just used my special orders to get into camp to leave some of my stuff and then went out again. While in camp, I looked for and found Art Lind and Vern Eddington  (both from Aberdeen and Flint) and tried to borrow some money from them. No luck but I learned where there were USO houses and left.

In Pasadena I found one, had breakfast and then cleaned up in a house maintained for servicemen for just that purpose. Then I went into Los Angeles. Not much doing there so I came back to Arcadia, left some clothes at the cleaners and again when into Pasadena. I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening dancing, playing bridge and snacking.

That night I spent in the car on the front seat. I discovered that when California is advertised – the land of sunshine or sunny California – they mention only the times when the sun is shining. During the day it is always quite warm but – – – the nights – – –. I have been told that antifreeze is not needed here, but observation and records show that the temperature during the early morning at this time of year usually drops to somewhere below 37° but never lower than 30°. Well, that is mighty cool when the days are so warm. There have been days when I have perspired as I drove along with the windows open.

Well, to get on with my narrative. Wednesday morning it was nearly noon and I went to the Y and cleaned up and then went into LA for lunch. I wandered around a little but it is too big to get very far on foot so I went back to the car and was just driving aimlessly toward camp went four soldiers asked me if I was going to Hollywood. I had not thought of that, so I said “Sure” and off we went.

At the USO there I talked with some of the hostesses and found out what I could about the town and then decided to go out to the Beverly Hills Hotel where there was another USO. I tried to get someone to go out with me and show me some of the prettier places and views, but was unsuccessful.

I went back to Hollywood to the Hollywood canteen and stayed there the rest of the night dancing and snacking (new word here in LA and vicinity) until the place closed at 12. With a fellow I met there, I went to the Palladium and did some more dancing to Tommy Dorsey, he really is very good.

That night I drove way up above the Beverly Hills residence section and again spent the night in the car. The view was gorgeous and I spent quite some time just sitting in the sun and looking. Then back to the Beverly Hills Hotel USO to clean up and eat. I spent the early afternoon there reading and talking with various women and soldiers and then went back to Hollywood and saw “Random Harvest” ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_Harvest_(film) )  ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QmgB0zB2BY ) which I enjoyed just as much as the book.

Then I went back to the Hollywood canteen until 12 and then to Florentine Gardens for more dancing. After a cup of coffee at about 2:30 I drove back to Arcadia. I had to report here on Friday but at that hour of the morning there was nothing doing so I slept, again in the car.

I reported yesterday morning and spent all afternoon getting arranged. The camp is in quarantine for the “Flu” so I did not go out yesterday evening but went to a show put on here at the post by a bunch of Hollywood stars. It was very good.

Today I spent all morning getting acquainted with the camp here and trying to get my car registered on the post. I ate just before starting this letter. So that brings the past week up to date. Oh no, one more thing. Tell Dick that if he heard Harry James on the Chesterfield Program Tuesday, I was one of those fellows doing the clapping after each piece. I rather enjoyed it, even though I don’t particularly like Harry James.

Well I still have more to do in order to complete the car registration so I think that I’ll be on my way now, and until the next letter I shall remain

Lad

I am well, still, and I’m hoping the quarantine will be lifted this afternoon. Give my love to Aunt Betty and the rest (and even the dog).

AG

I’ll finish out the week with three more letters from Grandpa.

Judy Guion

Trumbull – Bringing the Guion Family Up To Date – January 10, 1943

This week in 1943, Grandpa sends out his weekly missive to bring everyone up to date on the happenings of all of his children. We will then have a letter from Lad followed by three more letters from Grandpa.

Alfred Duryee Guion (Grandpa)

January 10, 1943

Bringing the Guion family up to date

Alfred  (Lad):  28 years old last April. Corporal, Ordnance Dept. of Army, up to the  middle of last month was stationed in Aberdeen, Md., where he has been teaching an advanced course in diesel engineering, — a subject with which he is thoroughly familiar and likes. Was sent to Flint, Mich., to observe Gen. Motors teaching methods in same subject, to resume his instruction work there. Address:

Cpl. Alfred P. Guion

Camp Santa Anita

Arcadia, Calif.

Daniel:  27 last October. Has technical rating as Corporal of Engineers, now doing  surveying work for U. S. Army near Lancaster, Pa. Gets home frequently  and is enjoying Army life.  Address:

Cpl. Daniel B. Guion

Co. D, 30th Engineers

Lancaster, Pa.

Cedric :  25 last June. Rated 1-A in draft but up to present still a civilian. Is mechanic in Alaskan airplane transportation company for almost 2 years. Holds airplane mechanics license and is learning to fly. Address:

Cedric D. Guion

P.O. Box 822

Anchorage, Alaska

Elizabeth: 24 this January 6th. Married, two fine little sons – – Raymond (3) and Martin (1½). Own their own home. Husband works in Singer Sewing Machine factory. Address:

Mrs. Raymond Zabel

142 Cornwall St.

Stratford, Conn.

Richard (Dick): 22 last August. In class 1-A but up to yesterday has been deferred because of work as machinist in Bridgeport factory. Next Tuesday takes his physical examination for induction. Wants to get in Signal Corps. Lives at home.

David :  17 last September. A Junior in high school where he is taking a commercial course, enjoying it and doing well in his studies. Works at my  office every afternoon where he is of considerable help in these days of  labor shortage. Singing in local church choir.

As far as the old man himself, outside of time spent in making out multitudinous government forms and reports, he is trying to earn enough to buy a quarter pound of butter occasionally when there is any for sale, and still have sufficient remaining for an occasional package of pipe tobacco. Address:

                   (Home) P.O. Box 7, Trumbull, Conn.

                     (Office) Alfred D Guion & Co., Inc., 871 Main St., Bridgeport, Conn.

Tomorrow, a letter from Lad in California. I’ll finish out the week with three letters from Grandpa.

Judy Guion

Special Pictures – My Maternal Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother

I do not have as many pictures of my mother’s ancestors. These are pictures of Marian Dunlap (Irwin) Guion’s grandparents.

 

Homer Marchant Rider 1864 – 1916

Edith May Lewis – 1863 – 1961

Edith May Lewis’s father was John Jackson Lewis, who travelled from New York to California via ship, mule train and another ship. The Category “Voyage To California” in my list of Categories tells the story of that trip in his own words. He kept a journal and was only going to California to visit his brother but ended up staying there. It is a fascinating glimpse of travel in 1851.

Tomorrow, a week of letters written in 1944. All five of Grandpa’s boys are in the service of Uncle Sam.

Judy Guion

 

Special Pictures – Elsie May Guion – 1887 – 1957

Ella (Duryee) Guion and Elsie May Guion (Grandpa’s mother and sister circa 1890

Back: Alfred Duryee Guion (Grandpa), Possibly Aunt Mary or Aunt Lillian, Aunt Lizzie (Aunt Betty), Ella (Duryee) Guion, Elsie May Guion, at the Dell Avenue house in Mount Vernon, New York, after the death of Grandpa’s father, Alfred Beck Guion in 1899

Elsie May Guion with her bicycle in front of the Dell Avenue house

Elsie May Guion in New York City, on board a ship,  just before taking a trip, either in 1909 or 1925

Alfred Duryee Guion (Grandpa) and Aunt Elsie Guion at the Trumbull house in 1946

Tomorrow, more Special Pictures.

Judy Guion

     

Trumbull – Dear Leaders Of Tomorrow (2) – Notes To Lad And Ced – January 10, 1943

Page 2     1/10/43

To Lad:      I know darn well you didn’t get the Christmas box I sent to Flint because it was returned to Trumbull the other day and is now on its way again to Arcadia. The amount of postage to and from and to again bids fair to equal the value of the contents of said box. I hope it reaches you this trip. I suppose you are now installed at the Santa Anita racecourse, will refrain from any horseplay and with the Flint experience in mind, now know your oats better than ever. Incidentally, the only report on Flint from you had to do with female activities, leaving chapter 2 to come on the business accomplishments. Then there is the account of your Christmas activities, the report of the trip west and all about your present set up. Yes, indeed, a long letter (or series) is indicated. I am enclosing a little celluloid card I had printed up for one of my local customers in the hope it might be useful. The report of “An actual oil shortage” gives rise to the thought that it is about time some of those wells you and S-V (Socony-Vacuum Oil Company) drilled in Venezuela might very well be made to come in and the refined product from Aruba be sent by a considerably shorter haul to North Africa instead of denuding the eastern states of the Texas and Oklahoma accumulation we need here for heating and cars and production. Maybe the stock you hold in your friend’s company will amount to something. The other clipping you might send to Ced, as I think he too, will be interested in it.

To Ced:      With undaunted spirit I have undertaken the job of getting the portable radio batteries. I have visited one after another of the retail radio stores, even trying a wholesaler. Reports: “Haven’t a one and won’t get anymore.” “They’re not making them anymore for civilians.” “Out for the duration”. “Burgess is best in any country but I doubt if you get any make in Bridgeport”. Finally in desperation I went back to Sears Roebuck who had two “A” And two “B” batteries which they thought would fit only their own sets, which was the only reason they had these few sets on hand, and thinking that even batteries that didn’t fit inside your case would be better than none at all and at least could be made to work even if you could not take advantage of the portable feature by reason of having to hook them up outside the case, I bought them and am sending them to you as my Christmas gift. I am also going to see if I cannot secure the indoor serial gadget I saw in one of the stores, which the fellow said were unobtainable anymore when his present stock was exhausted. Aunt Betty’s little portable radio she keeps in the kitchen has not been working right, so I got one of these for her with the money you sent on for Christmas gifts, and it seems to be much better. Incidentally, she wants me to thank you for her. You gave Dave a pair of shoes he wanted very much and Elizabeth a kitchen apron. I am waiting, as far as Dick is concerned, to see if he gets into the service and will be guided as to the character of his gift from you accordingly. I have not heard from Dan and Lad yet as to what they would like. Of course I am eagerly awaiting news as to what the Juneau Board decided in your case and where you finally get located in living quarters. Along with the radio batteries I am including in the box a few items to help in your housekeeping activities – – not much, but enough to remind you to write me what else along the same line you would like that you cannot obtain already in Anchorage. I hope the first Christmas box has now reached you and that some of the bicycle gadgets are not too superfluous.

DAD

Tomorrow and Sunday, I will be posting more Special Pictures. 

Judy Guion 

Army Life – V-Mail From Dan in London – June 6, 1944

Daniel Beck Guion

“Today the war seems much nearer to its conclusion than only yesterday. For so long have we been working towards this day that it began to seem that it would never really happen – – that it was just a distant  “certainty” which we all took for granted – – that never quite realized! This morning I heard the first “rumor”, third hand, by word-of-mouth. ‘Allied paratroops had landed in France’. The false reports had already been spread days ago, and a glance out of the window at the streets of London failed to reveal any abnormality. No church bells, no horns blowing, just the normal traffic – – both vehicular and pedestrian. London was characteristically undisturbed on the surface, but by noontime when I went out to eat, I found that the newspapers had been sold out immediately and the invasion was the predominant topic of discussion. At a Red Cross Club I listened to the radio over which the BBC was broadcasting recordings of the opening stages. Later in the evening the radio was the center of interest. Never have I seen so many of the boys so interested in a newscast. I suppose each of us realizes how, by a stroke of fate, we might have been one of the men going into France on ‘D’ day! I am on duty tonight which prevents my finding out how London is spending the evening but I suspect there will be little hilarity because most of the people have friends and relatives in the invasion armies. The fall of Rome created scarcely a ripple of excitement, and the staid BBC announced that item in its regular laconic fashion. The newspapers permitted themselves rather large headlines, but certainly not in the manner you could call sensational. I believe today marks the great speeding up of the tempo that will carry this degenerate Martian Symphony to a brief but perhaps terrible coda. Then – – peace! and home! and a convalescent world turned toward the healing sun of hope”.

Tomorrow and Sunday I will be posting Special Pictures.

Judy Hardy

Early Years – Memories Of Elizabeth Westlin (Guion) Zabel (9) – 1922 – 1964

After my Uncle Dan (Daniel Beck Guion) passed away in 1997, I realized that first-hand accounts of this particular “Slice of Life” would only continue to diminish over time. I needed to record the memories of my Aunt Biss and her brothers and share them with the family. This culminated in the idea of a Blog so that I could share these memories with anyone who would be interested in the personal histories of some members of The Greatest Generation.

Over a period of several years, whenever possible, I recorded the memories of my Dad and his siblings. 

These are the memories of Elizabeth Westlin (Guion) Zabel, Grandma and Grandpa’s fourth child and only daughter.

Elizabeth Westlin Guion and Smokey

Dan and Lad used to be competitive with the girls; they always seemed to like the same girls.  There would be an upheaval because she would pick one or the other.  It might have been Adele O’Brien that they both liked.  She was another pretty girl.  Jimmy, her brother, was in my class and Adele was older.  I think both Lad and Dan took a shine to her.  I think it was the most serious difference of opinion; apparently they both liked her, so neither of them married her.

We never had an allowance, and I can remember, in high school, we would bring sandwiches to school.  All the other kids, with their allowances, would get ice cream and stuff.  My mouth would be watering and I’d wish I could get one of those ice cream sandwiches.  Once in a while, Barbie Plumb would treat me and boy, that was great.  That ice cream sandwich – when they put them in the freezer now, the cracker gets all soggy.  I don’t like them that way.  I like the fresh ones with the crisp cookie and then the ice cream.

I wouldn’t repeat anything about my teenage years.

“The Gang” on the Summer Porch of the Trumbull House

L to R, front row: Edna Traphagen, Tessie Mikita, Edna Beebe, Jane Claud-Mantle, Richard (Dick) Christie, Dan Guion, Dave Guion

L to R, back row: unknown female, Lois Henegan, Helen Smith, Bill Slausen, Arnold Gibson, Barbara Plumb, Lad Guion, Ethel Bushy, Pete Linsley, Doris Christie. 

There were a whole bunch of us who were friends and hung around together. There was Ethel Bushy, Doris Christie, Jane Mantle, Barbie Plumb and Jean Hughes.  Some of the guys we hung around with were Zeke (Raymond Zabel, Elizabeth’s future husband), Zeke’s brother Erv, Fred Karn and his brothers Earl and Al, and Rudy Mahulka. At this time, Zeke lived up on Daniels Farm Road and I guess they were playing with guns.  Anyway, Rudy shot the gun and the bullet hit a rock and ricocheted and hit his sister.  I guess the bullet was lodged too close to her heart; anyway, they couldn’t operate on it.  I think it was about five years later when she died from the gunshot wound.  Indirectly, the gunshot wound was the cause of her death.  She was another pretty girl.

Some of the other people we hung around with were Art Christie and George Brellsford.  When Zeke’s family moved down onto Park Street, it was George Brellsford’s family that bought their house.  Then George moved away and I never heard from him again.  But there was Art Christie, Dick Christie went more with Ced, he was the younger brother, then there was Floyd Smith who was an acquaintance.

Tomorrow, the final selection of the Memories of Elizabeth Westlin (Guion) Zabel.

Judy Guion

Trumbull – Dear Paralytics Of The Writing Hand (2) – Smoky Joins The Family – November 8, 1942

Smoky – 1945

Page 2    11/8/1942

There was one post-election result however, that was quite unexpected. Wednesday morning, when I arrived at my office, there at the top of the last flight of long stairs, right under my office door, was a young pup that looked something like Mack looked at the same age (estimated about four months old), except that he was black and white instead of brown and white. He was apparently waiting for me to arrive, for all the world like a customer, except that he had peed on a couple of steps, something which none of my customers have done up to the present time. He looked up, cocked his head on one side and wagged his tail in a very friendly manner, acting as if it were the most natural thing in the world for us both to meet in that manner. I assumed he belonged to someone who was paying a call in the office below and had come up the stairs to wait for them. At about 11 o’clock, however, I had to go out. He bounced along with me, followed me across State St., and then when I looked around, he had disappeared, to seek, I supposed, some new doorway as shelter. I was gone about an hour, but on returning, there he was waiting for me at the outside door, and apparently overjoyed to see me return. When I first saw him he had on an old collar with a busted piece of small round leather strap hanging from it, but this he had apparently shaken off. This time he followed me into my office and lay down under my desk, barking quite lustily in his shrill puppy way, when the postman called. He followed me out again when I went to lunch, deserted me when I had again gone a couple of blocks, but at the end of an hour or so, when I returned, he was again awaiting me. He was such a friendly, bright, gentle little fellow that I decided he was just the thing for Bissie and her boys, so as no one claimed him up to closing time, I announced my intention to Dave of taking him over to Elizabeth. And you should have heard the strenuous objections made by Dave to such a suggestion. He wanted so much to keep him that I finally consented, knowing Aunt Betty was fond of dogs and thinking he might be company for her during the day. David named him GOP because he had been swept into “office” with the Republicans in Conn.. Saturday, when Elizabeth stopped in, she immediately dubbed him Smoky because of his coloring, and it looks as if that name would stick. Incidentally, she threatened to do dire things to Dave for obstructing my original intention. We have watched the paper for notices in the lost and found column, but as the poor district is down the street from us a bit, and the pooch looks like a half breed anyway, I guess he didn’t appear to be valuable enough to be worth advertising for. Anyway, at present, he seems to have found a happy home and is in general favor with family and friends. He is partly housebroken and apparently is quick to learn. So much for the advent of what may turn out to be Mack # 2.

Yesterday afternoon, Dick and I finished putting up most of the storm windows. I was again elected Justice of the Peace for another two-year term. Last night Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe was played by the Chicago Opera Co. at the Klein Memorial, to which performance I blew Aunt Betty and Dave, enjoying a very pleasant evening. And that’s all for the present.

DAD

This is the second half of the letter Grandpa wrote. The section telling his 3 sons in Alaska that this might be his last letter to them was posted yesterday. With this half of the letter, I found out how we acquired the dog, Smoky, that I knew as a child. The rest of the week will include two more letters from Grandpa to all of his sons away from home.

Judy Guion