Heber & Caroline – A Love Story – Letter Eight – 6/17/1924
When our mother passed away I was going through her things and found a stack of letters written by my maternal grandfather Heber to my maternal grandmother Caroline (aka Carrie). The letters cover an 18 month period during the great depression. My grandparents lived in Newfoundland and work was very scarce. Heber during this time stayed and worked in Massachusetts and Connecticut looking for whatever work he could find. Meanwhile Caroline stayed in Newfoundland with the children. Heber wrote Caroline a letter each month. The letters are very interesting as not only do they give a perspective of the time, it shows just how difficult life was. I will each Sunday include photos of the actual letters which I have transcribed with the help of my brother Dana Donovan and sister Barbara Ridgway. Although Heber’s handwriting is very pretty to look at, it can be difficult to read.
Here is letter eight written 6/17/1924.
June 17, 1924
My Dear Wife,
Thanks for your letter received today. Glad to get it and to know your are well – also the children as the writing of this letter leaves me at present. Haven’t anything strange to tell you. We are getting very nice weather here not to warm in fact it haven’t been warm at all this spring yet. I suppose it will soon be getting warm now. I am glad you got the gardens
all finished and hope you did not work too hard at them. What are all the men doing down there this summer? I suppose that most of them are going to Humber. Yes I see by the papers there is a Tory government. Well I don’t’ suppose it will make much difference. I don’t think it can be much worse than it have been this last few years. Well Dear I would certainly love to be near you tonight, especially to sleep with you. I’m afraid it wouldn’t be much sleep I would
get unless I was too tired to do anything. And I’d want to be tired wouldn’t I from little Gilbert! I would love to see him and Estelle now.
Give my best respects to all the friends. I think I have said all there is for this time. Will write again soon.
From Your Loving & Devoted Husband,
Heber
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Dana’s Notes:
Gilbert and Estelle are two of Heber and Caroline’s children
