El Campo, Texas

Dec 30, 1923

My Dearest Florence;

Last nite was Sat nite? I surely did miss you too. Isn’t it awful. Nothing to do last nite. Sad, isn’t it? I went to town and a few of us had a Big Bull pen. Then about a dozen were dancing in the back of a confectionary. They wanted me to come back and dance but since I did not care much about it, I did not go back. I need the practice bad enough, no doubt, but I did not care so much for the bunch. Another thing too, most of ’em could beat me dancing, just lots. I am going to leave it up to you to teach me more about dancing. How about the new steps?

I thought sure that I would have a letter yesterday, but no, I did not. I am sure I will get one today tho’. Your letters are so wonderful and make me feel so good. If you knew how much good they did, you would sure write often. “sabe senorita” But nevertheless Florence, it won’t be long before we can tell it to each other and not have to write it. It was so lonesome at times that I Could have cried “Nobody knows but my pillow and me” I would wake up at night and just wonder whether you were awake and if you were thinking of me, as I was of you. I sure do miss you. But Florence Dearest Darling, just think how happy I will be to see you. Can you feature it. Oh Joy.

Has it rained very much is Houston since I left. It hasn’t here, but the sun has not shined over 2 hours since I came home.

it’s the pen and not me

I just looked at my writing. How do you make it out. I can’t, excuse me please

I get so disgusted with the mud that I don’t know what to do. There is nothing here to do. Picture show is a joke. and that’s all there is.

I suppose Ike will be back early to see Jessamine before she leaves. Do you college girls have a big time there. I’ll bet you do. All of us here get together all talk of old times, tell tales, etc. Do you “feministic creatures” (he he) do the same. How do you like the above expression. Does it make you furious. Sorry ___?

Florence Darling I cannot write much because there isn’t anything to say, but I love you just bushels. I can’t tell you how much, because I don’t know what there is large enough to measure, so we will have to leave it and SLove,dFMP

Do you understand the expression. What is it? Oh that’s a deep dark blue secret. Yes siree that is a secret, just for us two.

Mama is having our new years dinner today instead of Tuesday. Just for me, because I will not be here then. Wish you could have it with me. Wouldn’t we have fun.

Say do you know that most every night that I have been home I have slept 11-12 hrs. Ought to get fat, shouldn’t I. Maybe so. Florence I will close, sending you all of my love and remaining always

Your Fred

El Campo Texas

Dec 28, 1923

My Dearest Florence.

I am feeling blue this morning. So blue that I don’t know what to do. My grades came in. Sure was a fright, too. I busted EE300. What do you think of that. I thought that I had a half chance to pass it, but I guess the chances were more against me. I will sure have to study this next time. But I made 3 in Math 300 and that was tolerable good. Since some say that math is the hardest Junior Engineering course. But think of it, Florence, I busted E.E. If I bust it again it will mean another year in Rice. If I do bust it, I think my college days will end. He could have given me a 4 – as well as a 5.

It sure makes me feel funny. Some say Jr Eng’g is hard. It must be. But just watch out this next term and I will study some. I’ll have to. Did you get by with all of your subjects. That’s dumb to bust anything, isn’t it? But nevertheless I did, and I can’t help it, so why cry over it.

We went over to see the New School building this morning. Cost $140,000. It was the first time I had been in it. Looks good, but I didn’t get to go to school in it. Boo hoo

Say we had a big time yesterday. We see all the trains go through, when down town. Some thrill too. All of the boys play marbles here. So before the 3 o’clock train came in, we bought some marbles and were having a great game. We were at the Station and when the train came in, we were so interested that we did not even see the passengers a-tall. We played right on. Three Rice boys, 1 Texas I, A&M. We played some marbles too. We got 50 for 5¢. and we borrowed shooting marbles from some of the small boys and when we got through, we gave the kids the marbles and it tickled ’em to death. Just think 50 of them. That was the only thrilling thing that we could find to do. I sleep about 11 and 12 hours each nite. Plenty?

Florence I feel so bad over my 5 that I can’t think of a thing to write. This is such a sorry letter that I hate to mail it, but you will be glad to get a little writing from Fritz, even tho’ it’s not the best. You can imagine how I feel. Chas just phoned and said a letter. I will have to hurry and eat and get down there to see it.

Time out for a while please

Just finished reading your letter, but Florence, what’s wrong. about time you are getting over those crazy spells. Don’t you think so? Don’t you feel good? Well, you will next Tuesday when I come back to Houston, even tho’ things do not come out the way I want them to. That will be about ten days our of Houston. I will hate to leave the folks, but I will surely be glad to get back to Houston. Especially to see my Darling Florence.

You surely didn’t feel good at all when you wrote this last letter, but you will soon get over it. now when I am trying to write I feel blue, etc and can’t write, so we have quite a conglomeration of affairs. But we will be O.K. by next Tuesday won’t we Florence. Thus grade proposition kinda upset me a little, but I will be over it soon. By the time I get your next Darling letter, Oh Boy. You can write some of the sweetest letters.

The one I got yesterday was a masterpiece. How do you combine your words to make such expressions. I wish I could do it. I have to read your letters over several times, they are so interesting and Darling you make me feel like a million Dollars when I get your letters. I can’t tell it like you can just as you say, we both have it bad. I know it, but how can I help, but to love you, Florence. I don’t see how I can help it. I don’t much want to help it, because I have never before seen another like you. But why I care so much I cannot say, but I sure do. We are both yet young, but I am sure we both know the idea of what true friendship is.

Florence my Darling, I am going to quit for this time. I can’t write letters today. I don’t feel like it, but I love you the same as always. And always will. I will try to do better the next time.

I think of you so often, and just wonder what you are doing and what you are thinking about.

With all my love

your Fred

El Campo Texas

Dec, 24, 1923

My Darling Florence;

Here I am, down in the old home town, looking the things over, and they all look good and natural too. Even the mud. Talk about mud. I have never seen the like before. Some of the streets are blocked off. No passing yesterday my brothers brought me home in a truck, the top is of wood. That is, it has a wooden top. Sorry and the bumps would bounce me up to the top. I told him that he should have it padded, like a padded cue[?], you know. I should have brought my boats as I am not in it without boots down here. All transferring is done by mules and wagons, sometimes you see a Ford. So much for the mud, I am sure you like to have “Ape’s” boats and go wading, wouldn’t you.  Wasn’t that great. I never will forget the way you looked wading through that water. Just think, my little Florence went wading with her “Cap’n big boy.” So we did didn’t we Florence. I surely did enjoy that trip, more than I could tell you, but Florence Dear, when you ask me if I would go, I was over joyed. Really, Dearest, I had a wonderful time. And I could see that you had just as good a time. I like those kind. How did the decorations look when you finished with them? Wish I could have helped fix it all, because I enjoy doing things like that, when I have the right kind of company as I did have. Florence my darling, I had such a glorified wonderful time. Let’s do it again some day. Will you please do now?

I went down town and saw so many people, that is sure made me feel good to be back. So many compliments, etc. It made me feel so good and to think life was worth living for. Yes, siree, Florence, I wish you can have heard them. Maybe my Florence would feel good over it too. But you tell me so many good things that you keep me filled joy all the time. If it wouldn’t be for my Florence I don’t know what I would do. What do you think I would do. Florence things here sure make me want you more and more. You see all the girls that finished school with me and are teaching school. They are hopeless cases. Don’t you ever think of teaching school because it makes an old maid out of young girls. They think they are keen, though! Of course they have seen nothing of the upper world. I would take a fortune for what I have learned since my high-school days and nothing could buy what I found Halloween nite 1922. Oh Florence, the more I think about it, the more I care for you. How did it happen, anyway.

I will have to get off that or I will say things that make you feel too good.

So I will talk of my consumption. talk about consuming grub, I did it yesterday. Fried chicken um-um. I sure did stock it away. If I didn’t eat. Oh Florence, if you would have seen me, you would have been ashamed of me. But gee, Florence it was good and a big old turkey out here will Gobble, Gobble his last soon. Wish you could eat with me. I’ll bet I could eat the most now you think I am a Grubhound, don’t you? No, nothing like that.

Say! The sun is shining. The first time in a whole month, they say. Maybe you think I am not glad to see it. It makes the grass greener that’s the reason.

Florence, I thought of you lots since I have left. It was so cold last nite that I wished that I had somebody to keep my shoulder warm. I am sure glad to be here and I would be glad to be there. I can’t be both places, but I wish I could anyway. But it won’t be long will it Dear. Then we can have a big time, eh? When you go out with your dates be sure and not forget me. There is somebody thinking of you, Florence. I just think so much of you, that I cannot tell you how much. But you know anyway, don’t you? You will be back to Rice after Christmas. Weren’t you scared, tho! I knew it all the time. wasn’t you lucky. Just when I was talking to you Dr. Starnes came in you talked like a new person after I was talking to you, only a few minutes. Were you glad to hear me, or were you sorry to wake up so soon.  I just had to say a few words to you before I left. So I thought that would be a good excuse to call you, so I ask Mr. Pel[?] so I could. You see Florence I think of you lots more than you think I do. See, Dear. I must close and eat dinner now so Good Bye my Darling and I hope you have a wonderful time this Christmas Holiday. I wish I could help you enjoy yourself.

With all my love to my Darlingest Florence

Your Fred