Just before beginning this letter, Dart called his sweetheart because he couldn’t let the weekend pass without hearing her voice. She knows most of the news, but he’ll fill her in on the rest.
After church this morning, he and Pop went to the Burke home fo
r dinner. They got there just as Helen was returning from Ashtabula. As they were all eating and hearing Helen’s news of Flora, Flora’s husband Art called to ask if Helen and someone else could return to Ashtabula as soon as possible – today!
While Helen cooked a hasty dinner for the Darts, young Dart greased and gassed the car. He and Pop drove Helen and Aunt Jo back to Ashtabula – a round trip that took only four and a half hours. They were unable to visit with Flora while there because she was asleep.
As he writes this letter, he’s gazing at the snapshot his mother took of him and Dot in the backyard over spring break. He thinks it’s one of the best pictures of the two of them ever taken. They’re not grinning like Cheshire cats, but they look happy and very much in love. As he gazes, he’s trying to mentally dress the couple in wedding garb, and he likes the results very much. (He assures her that he did not attempt to undress them prior to putting on the wedding attire.)
How he yearns for those wedding photos to become a reality. He sends her all his love.
# # #
If Dart weren’t such a doggone swell guy, and if he hadn’t done such a swell thing as calling her this evening, she would surely have gone to bed without writing tonight. It’s after midnight and she must be up by 7:30, but she must send him her love and gratitude for his thoughtfulness.
Ellie is back and telling everyone of her new love. (I really need a score card to keep track of all the women in this house and their various romances.) Dot thinks this one might be a good guy because after three dates, he hasn’t tried to kiss Ellie yet. (In today’s world, the poor chap would be written off by now as either too shy, or probably gay. How times have changed.)
Dot cleaned her room thoroughly, did a small mountain of ironing, and worked at Robin Hood. No wonder she’s beat! Before signing off, she urges Dart to take her up on the “swimming deal,” which I trust we’ll learn more about in future letters.