Davenport, Ia.
February 3 –25

Dear Lillian:

Your letter was quite a shock. Nearly put me in bed for a week. (Believe that and I’ll tell you another.)

It has been a long time since I’ve had any trace of you, but I was glad to hear from you. We still can be found at the same old place—while you like a change of scenery it seems.

So you wonder what ever happened to me. Well I can’t say much for my self. I graduated in January ’23. My commercial teacher told me of a position with the Register Life Ins. Co., the home office is in Davenport, and my luck got me a place with them. I’ve been there ever since, that is, when I haven’t been home, sick. In May 1923 I came down with plural pneumonia and had to quit my work. Complications set in and I was practically an invalid a whole year. They kept a place for me at the office, but I never knew one day to the next how long I would stay. My work was easy and the doctor considered it more as a past time for me. In January 1924 I had an operation for appendicitis and adhesions. They thought after that every thing would be lovely, but as I was so weak before the operation, I didn’t rally as I should. I never had any hunger it seemed and was just fading away.

The doctors couldn’t figure it out but they wouldn’t let me know about it then. I was forever having X-rays and tests for T.B. and lived in a worried state most of the time. When I went on my vacation last June I was sent to the country as a last hope. After about two weeks out there I had a funny experience. It just seemed as though something inside of me gave way and I craved food. When I came home people didn’t know me—looked like a balloon. I gained 30 lbs. in a month and you can imagine it made a difference. Of course, I got too fat as I had never cared to eat for over a year and then all of a sudden to crave food I just naturally swelled up. I’m getting down to normal now and average between 125 and 130 lbs now.

Some story, but you wanted to know all about me and that’s the dope. I guess it’s a miracle that I’m able to write it myself from the way my folks talk about my illness now. I can’t realize how bad I was, I guess, even when I hear them talk.

I happened to get your letter in a busy week. I belong to a club that meets every two weeks called B.V.D. Club. Sounds bad doesn’t it—we have a lot of good times.

Did I have my hair bobbed when you were here? I must have had because I was one of the first few in school to fall.

You didn’t tell me whether you were going with any young man or not. I have been keeping company with a certain young fellow since August. He is a Mason and belongs to a Fraternity so we have a lot of good times. He lives in Maline—couldn’t get one any farther away.

Last nite I stayed all nite with a girl chum of mine. She is married and her bubby had to go out last nite so she didn’t want to stay alone. So I lost out on my regular Monday nite “early to bed.” It just happened that we are going to a Masonic dance at the Rock Island temple tomorrow nite, so I’m “at home” tonite, and I’m just about to sign off now and turn in.

The folks are all well, ‘cept me. I had tonsillitis last week but I’m better now.

Please write again and make it a long one like this. Love

Carol A.

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This page was last updated on 29 January 2008.