Facial Hair, Farmland, and Yellowstone

From Gwen's Letter, July 17, 1938:

"My Sweetheart Jim,

Elder Telford with a mustache?

. . .I can't imagine how you'll look with a mustache, but I have an idea. Anyway, why not send me a picture. It's probably a good idea to have one while you're there to discourage osculation [kissing] and to score off the fair sex, but, honey, when you come home, unless you have a desire to discourage me, please shave it off and I'll let my hair grow as long as you desire. Honestly, the sight of a man with hair on his face--even one days growth--gives me the creeps and reminds me of prehistoric cave men."

From Gwen's Letter, July 23, 1938:

The Wagstaff's twin calves

"What do you think of the idea of our starting a small ranch out on the farm if we have any spare time? Gee, kid, don't yo think it would be fun to fix up a small log cabin out there to go stay in occasionally when we get fed up on the rush and scurry of living where there are lots of people. Maybe we could have a couple of horses and maybe I could learn to ride like you can. Dad thinks it would be grand if we could start a herd of cattle and turkeys. He'll have practically four cows milking when you get home and if he's lucky, four heifers. It'll probably be our luck to have about four bulls though, but anyway the cattle are surely increasing by leaps and bounds around here. If we should happen to have anymore twins, we'll probably have a ranch already when you come home."


From Gwen's Letter, July 30, 1938:

"My Dearest Sweetheart,

Old Faithful Geyser

. . .We arrived home from our trip to Yellowstone last night and although we had a wonderful trip, I was anxious to get home and read the letter from you which I hoped I'd have. Honestly, kid, I do hope you and I can see Yellowstone to-gether sometime. It's absolutely beautiful. And in that one area there is almost every type of beauty and geological formation one could want to see. It would be a marvelous place for a newly married couple to go. The thing I liked best of all though was Old Faithful geyser. Maxine, Mary, Berdine, and I watched it at night through the huge windows of the lodge. It was all illuminated by a huge spot light and, kid, I just know you'd be thrilled to death with it as we were. It looked like an immense fountain surrounded by fleecy white clouds of foam curling up from it. All around it was pitch black except for the foam or steam. We also saw lakes that were crystal clear and as blue as your eyes. One of the springs was just like glass only it was emerald green. It's hard to imagine water of such vivid hues.

"We saw huge water falls framed by giant pines and ravines. We also saw bears. In fact Mary was chased by one while she was trying to take a picture of the mother and cubs. Boy, if you ever saw a flying Dutchman you know how Mary looked when she headed for our cabin. It was interesting to see them feed the wild grizzleys [sic], that is, after they fenced off all of us spectators. . .

". . .I can't realize that we may finally be married next June. It would be grand like you said if we could go to some National Park for our honeymoon. All of the parks seem to be just beautiful but any place would be beautiful to me then in a special way because I'd be so happy about being Jim's wife that I know everything would have new glamour.

"Now, sweetheart, Goodnight and I hope I dream of you.
Lots of Love
from
Your Sweetheart Gwen


XXXX OOOO May I?"