Only eight more days … Funny how even the dearest face will fade away in time. Most clearly I remember your eyes, with a kind of teasing smile in them, and the feeling of that soft spot just north-east of the corner of your mouth against my lips… .
(Source: sappho.com)
Hick my dearest—
I cannot go to bed tonight without a word to you. I felt a little as though a part of me was leaving tonight. you have grown so much to be a part of my life that it is empty without you, even though I’m busy every minute.
[details of day deleted]
Oh! darling. I hope on the whole you will be happier for my friendship. I felt I had brought you so much discomfort and hardship today & almost more heartache than you could bear & I don’t want to make you unhappy—All my love I shall be saying to you over thought waves in a few minutes.
Good night my dear one
Angels guard thee
God protect thee
My love enfold thee
All the night throughAlways yours
ER
(Source: sappho.com)
…Australia is an underdeveloped country & I doubt if many people at home have any idea of transportation difficulties. The terrain in which those boys fight is also unfamiliar to us & unbelievably difficult. I do camps, hospitals, Red [Cross] services day & evening & see men who have either been in to New Guiney & come out with a shadow on their faces but a grim hatred of the Japs or few men going in to something they knew nothing about or are ill prepared for unless they have special training at home. There have been, of course in each big city some official entertainments but I only have one of those still left to do. At dinner tomorrow night in Brisbane given by Mrs. MacArthur. I’ve only done 2 radio talks which I prepared, one in New Zealand & one in Australia. There have been several ‘few words’ daily to my varied audiences. I begin to think the job has been a good one as far as these countries are concerned but for our own men I know F. should have insisted that I go to New Guinea & Guadalcanal or not sent me.
I have lots of information for the Red [Cross]. George Durno has felt responsible for me & I think he is satisfied. He has been very kind & nice. I didn’t take the trip for pleasure & I haven’t enjoyed it, but I am very well & it hasn’t been at all tiring.
My love to you dear. I think of you & your love for travel & wonder if you would have enjoyed it.
(Source: gwu.edu)
Hick Dearest,
Well, the trip is nearly half over. The people here are kind & they like F.D.R. & our marines have won all their hearts, so they are very nice to me. I make so many speeches daily that I shall soon be talked out but George Durno is a help telling me what goes well & the reverse as he watches & overhears remarks in the crowd.
These boys break your heart, but they’re so young & so tired. Malaria is almost as bad as bullets. They are hardly out of the hospitals before they are at Red Cross Clubs & dances & they laugh at everything. I take my hat off to this young generation & I hope we don’t let them down. I’ve talked to every kind of group from Maories to hospital patients, high ranking officers & the people of New Zealand.
Much Love,Dearest E.R.
(Source: gwu.edu)
Hick dearest,
The Trumans have just been to lunch and nearly all that I can do is done. The upstairs looks desolate and I will be glad to leave tomorrow. It is empty and without purpose to be here now.
I’ve asked Helen and Mary Norton to come in on their way to Congress and say goodbye tomorrow and the Cabinet comes at 11. At 3 the top secretaries Steve, Dr. Mac. etc. At 3:30 office forces, at 4:30 household garage etc., at 5:30 I leave for the 6 p.m. train and so endeth a period. Franklin’s death ended a period in history and now in its wake for lots of us who lived in his shadow periods come and we have to start again under our own momentum and wonder what we can achieve. I hope you and I will be working together but as I don’t intend to take on anything new till all the business of the Estate is over, you may be at new work before I am.
I may be a bit weary when we get home tomorrow but I’m so glad you will be at the apartment. Tommy will probably be more weary than I am!
Much love dear, E.R.(Source: gwu.edu)
Hick darling,
All day I’ve thought of you & another birthday I will be with you, & yet tonite you sounded so far away & formal. Oh! I want to put my arms around you. I ache to hold you close. Your ring is a great comfort to me. I look at it and think she does love me, or I wouldn’t be wearing it.
(Source: sappho.com)
[London]
Dearest Hick, I wish too you could live in the country if you really want to do that but I think you would soon e very weary of doing no work outside a narrow circle.
Today has seen a quiet day in which my only official engagement was a lunch with the Cabinet wives & they are as dull as ours!
Cambridge [University] yesterday was interesting & my first introduction into industrial billeting. The beautiful Colleges seem on the whole to be little hurt.
Our most vivid impression I think is what a blackout of an entire city really means.
You get a curious feeling over here that nothing but people count.
A world of love,
E.R.
(Source: gwu.edu)
