A few sentences is all Dart has time for. He’s driving Hal’s car to the ship in a few minutes to visit with Hal during his watch. On Moday, they have regular duty hours, during which they’ll be moving back aboard the Haggard. Tuesday, the long-awaited leave begins!

Dart won’t write anything else to Dot before he sees her in NYC.

Here’s a sweet letter from Dot. She had to go back to work for a day at Franklin-Simon so that Mr. Goldstein could observe the Jewish holiday. She would much rather have stayed at home, seeing to all the tasks she must accomplish there before Dart’s arrival. As it is, she spent the late evening ironing for 2-1/2 hours before sitting down to write to him.

She writes, “You probably won’t get this letter till your leave is over, so let me say this:  It was wonderful, Dart. We have been lucky to be able to work things out the way that we did. Or should we blame it on fate? I think we should. I love you with all my heart. All my efforts in college I will make for you so that I may someday be the person you think I already am.”

She says it’s time for her to get some beauty sleep because she has to look beautiful when she sees the love of her life in a few days.

Now, dear Readers, you may have already guessed that letters between these two will drop off to nothing while they’re together for Dart’s leave. They will resume on Septemeber 26, but I’ll post occasionally during the lapse. I’ve found some letters between Dart and his future in-laws that are well worth sharing, and there are some old photos which will be fun to see. I’ll also add a description of their engagement party.

Until then, just imagine the joy and exuberance of these young lovers as they give or receive a ring, announce their engagement to the world, travel back to Cleveland together, and begin to know each other better, face-to-face, in addition to their letters.