Port Arthur, Tex

Aug 20, 1923

My Darling Florence;

The 12 hrs day has gone forever, I think. I am through with it. now I work at night. 11 to 7. Isn’t that awful to work at such unaccustomed hours. But such is life and so we will have to let it go at that.

I received two of the most darling and dearest letters from the dearest little girl, last Thu and Fri. Now I’ve got the goods on you. You can do it, when you want to. How about all of the time, instead of occasionally. Those letters were sure grand of you, Florence.

If we had been close together at the time, I… I could have told you in very affectionate words (& ways) what I thought, instead of trying to write it. It will not be long my Dear before I will be back in the great old town. It may not be all the town that I like about Houston. Do you suppose there is anything else there, that makes me like it. Anyway, I like the town and what’s in it. It’s not a few weeks now. Yesterday I said to Ike, where will I be four weeks from today. Then he said, where will I be three weeks from today. He is going to quit one week before I do. So he can go down to see Jessamine before she leaves. When does C.I.A. start, do you know.

The Slimes have to register 21st at Rice don’t they. The great day will come the 21st, eh?

Just think, that will be the day when you enter college. Think of it, college not high school, anymore. Things will be much different then. You will be crazy about college life. It won’t be so hard after you once get instructed and started. I liked it from the day I started. Of course there were a few early morning rises for worm applications, that I did not like on the spur of the moment.

I surely wish Mary could come to Rice and take a course in math. I know she would make it OK as she likes it very much. When are you going to El Campo. I know they will be real glad to know you. You see if I know you, I am sure they will like you just like I do. I think they know you, already. Not by sight, but other ways. C? My Dear.

I will sure be glad when I get back home for a few days. I am sure tired of this boarding house, restaurants, cafeterias, etc. to eat. Also I get so tired of the Institute grub. Yesterday us Three went over to Roy Chambers for dinner and believe me, we sure did eat.

I sure did lay that chicken away. Made me so homesick I didn’t know what to do. Them were the good ole days. A person can surely appreciate some things, when it is too late. Of for my boyhood days over. I have wished many times that there could be something for me to do at home, instead of going off to some other place.

Don’t you think I was good, yesterday. Went to Sunday School and church last nite. All in one day too. We had company Sat & Sunday. Mr. Kean from Rice, who is a Civil Engineer for Gov’t came over from Port Neelus (?). It surely is good to see some one you knew so well. There are eight boys here from home about my age. I brought Jesse over and the rest followed. We have a reunion every once in a while.

I surely have thought of you many times recently. Sometimes I get so lonesome that I don’t know what I’ll do. The Sundays pass slower than they would if I were in Houston. Of course there are boys, but they are nothing like the company that my little Darling Florence is. Won’t it be great to see each other again, after being seperated so long. I may stay in Houston a whole week before school opens then I may go home and spend those days. I haven’t quite decided yet, but I am almost sure that I will be in Houston Sept 16. I have a proposition, whereby I can increase my capital a little. Maybe. C?

I must get to write some more letters as I am away behind. So my Dearest of all I will write again soon.

Lots of Love

Fred.