More clothing, gossip and Edith

I am having trouble putting this letter in order with the others, though it is clearly early on in our letter writing, as there is no mention of the war and Herb is still feeling his way with Mr. Friedman.

I have no idea who Aunt Phoebe is. I am going to assume that she is a Kirkpatrick from Troy, NY. Obviously Nellie Jane is telling Herb the news, not the other way around, so she must be corresponding or visiting directly with Nellie Jane, not Herb.

Did I mention that I found a Burdella Curry living at the same address with the Lees in Troy? It's a private home, not an apartment building, so they are certainly intimately familiar with one another, but Aunt may be an affectionate title only and she may not be Herb's biological Aunt. It's a unique enough name that with a little sleuthing I should be able to figure some things out. In the census, Oliver is listed as the first 'Head' with William Curry being listed as the second 'Head' at the address, so I assume the Lees answered the door when the census taker came calling

Olive, Aunt Burdella and Margaret

93 6th Avenue, Upper Troy, NY

I don't know who Bill Jackson is, though as Herb doesn't explain who he is to his mother, she must be familiar with him, as are the Cornells, obviously.

And Earl Jessen - he plans to be selling stocks and bonds though he doesn't know the difference? Makes one wonder, doesn't it? We haven't had the Great Depression yet, but wasn't there a financial crisis in the 1880s or something? Really? this is just same s*%#, different day with Wall Street.

I have noticed that there is no mention of a Karolyn in these early letters. I am dying to find out when they meet and how. Given these early letters, it seems he went from zero to sixty in his affection for her.... I mean, if this letter is in the early, early spring, and our letters about Karolyn start in the summer, when does he have the time to meet and court her? Hmm.


Letter is missing the front page
that the Phi Delt gave the Beta Thet’s not a word as to whether he was still going to college or not.

Aunt Phoebe must have had something the same as Dad, didn’t she.

Edith was only in town a few days. She went back Tuesday or Wednesday + took Howard with her. I think she will stay now all through the summer. Aunt Ida is doing very nicely. Of course she’s a bit weak still.

We didn’t go over to Jane’s Tuesday owing to some mix up but are going this Tuesday. To-day Charles + Grace are over visiting Bill Jackson over in Jersey.
There has been an awful lot of work to do lately – all interesting + new. I’ve learned a lot – haven’t even had time for the ordinary routine. Yesterday Mr. Friedman had me out to lunch with him so he’d have a good chance to talk with me about myself. I think he likes me fine. I certainly hope so.

Last Tuesday I ran in to Earl Jessen in the automat. He came down the week before to be a stock + bond salesman. Next week he starts out with a territory around Utica. Mind you, he didn’t know a stock from a bond when he came down. I went down to see him Thursday night at the Empire Hotel 63rd St + Broadway. We took a long walk and had a good gossip about the people we used to know when we were in High School.

Of course, Mother, I shall be awfully glad to get that package but you really ought not have bothered with such things now. You have enough to do. This week I had to have my black suit overhauled. The sleeve linings were loose top + bottom, two pockets were torn and there were several loose buttons + belt loops as well as a badly frayed pair of trouser bottoms. I wouldn’t have done it for a dollar myself but the tailor only charged me fifty cents.

I wish you would keep me posted as to how Dad gets along. Naturally, I’m a bit worried.

Love to all
Herb