"My Dearest Sweetheart,
I was so thrilled to get your card for our anniversary--it was a beautiful card but the best part of it was the part you wrote. It's always been a mystery to me how you can think up such beautiful things to write and they just seem to come so natural to you while I have to ponder and ponder how to express my feelings in such an appropriate way. Just imagine, darling, engaged for two whole years to a fellow whom I think is "tops" and one reason why I think you're the 'only' man for me is because of your romance and thoughtfulness. It's a thrill to know you remember and think of the days which truly are 'ours.' Darling you're one man in a million and I'm the lucky girl whose wearing your ring."
From Gwen's Letter, April 10, 1938:
"My Dearest Sweetheart,
Three letters in a row expressing doubt as to my feelings have really got me worried. . . I hope that my quickly and impulsively formed conclusions which were apparently wrong haven't made you lose faith in the strength of my love for you or in the sincerity of my pride at the wonderful work you are doing. . .I tried to be unselfish in letting you go and I guess my selfish side kind of got the better of me in that one letter. I was really afraid that another year might change you until the things and people at home wouldn't be good enough and that would just leave me with nothing to look forward to. There is no other reason why I was so hasty in letting you know I was so impatient to have you home in 1939. My love has not changed one bit except in growing stronger. From now on I'll try to quench that selfish little hot-headed gal down inside of me. Did you know before that I was a duel personality. Yes, I am. One girl named Mary Gwendolyn is religious and tries to be unselfish, while Susie hot-head tries to be selfish and sarcastic. I'll try to keep Susie under lock and key from now on. How's that?
". . .Someday I'll bet it would be fun to read our letters over and see just what they were like. . .Did you really think I ever contemplated sending back a silk-hanky of yours? Do you by any chance want me to send it back? Unless you desire it I doubt if you'll ever get that one back. . . Remember when you wore that huge ring of mine and I wore your wristwatch--then did you ever think I would be wearing a diamond ring of yours? At that time I never dreamed you'd ever even take any notice of me, but that's no sign I didn't hope. . .But kid, sometimes the girl meets her leading man and fortune smiles on her--I've been very lucky. Luckier than I sometimes realize--that I am engaged to a fellow with ideals that are very high and a fellow who has a 'never say die' spirit and on top of that a fellow I'm so in love with that sometimes that love makes me feel selfish. I can't understand why I am so lucky. I only hope that someday I'll grow to be worthy of all of this.
". . .You mentioned being ridiculed on a street meeting. What happened? I hope no one got tar and feathered.
". . .Now, sweetheart I must stop . .Please know that I am still as much yours as I was the night we became engaged and I want no other career than 'our' career to-gether. Forgive me for being impatient and please throw that Mar. 2 letter in the fire.
Loving you sincerely,
Your Sweetheart Gwen XXX OO"
A Response from Jim, London, W.C., April 25, 1938:
"My Dearest Sweetheart,
Say if I thought for one minute I would receive a letter from you like your most recent one . . .lady, you would receive some letters. Your letter dated April 10, was a literary achievement in comparison to the immortal one of March 2, which will never be destroyed. I'm going to preserve that one and the last one for history, and someday they will make a movie based on those two letters like they do today based on Marie Antoinette's letters to Napoleon. But we will never be able to reap any royalties on them, so maybe we should try something now. What do you think?"
(Pictures: The Infamous Mar. 2 and April 10 letters. Notice Gwen's concern for the first "gorge" between them in the Mar. 2 letter)
" . . .Say, can you realize that we only have a mere eight months left of real missionary work. 32 weeks or 229 days. Which seems the longer to you? Months, days or weeks?
". . .True love will live forever, Gwen darling, and ours is true love.
Loving you sincerely,
Let me remain
Your Sweetheart,
Jim
Thanks for the X's and O's. May I send you some XXX OOO."
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