Thursday, April 17, 1947

When Dart first attempted to start this letter, he instead began to sketch a schematic drawing of the electrical circuits he wants to add to his railroad. It came to him last week that it might be fun for visitors to his railroad to have a second control panel from which they could try their hand at operating a separate train after they get bored watching the main line go round and round. After following this “train” of thought for a couple of pages, he moves on to something more interesting.

After his recent crack about whether or not she was going to get a “wired job”  (meaning strapless bra), Dot asked him what happened to that sweet, innocent man she fell in love with. He says he knew all about women back then; they wore girdles and had bumpy sweaters. What else was there to know? Anyway, he warns that if she doesn’t stop calling herself a certain unflattering nickname, she may find that he begins to address her that way. He thinks she should take Harriet up on her offer to make  a strapless bra for her. What?! Who makes their own bras? He also added that he has no qualms about her getting a satin slip to wear with her wedding dress. Well, aren’t we glad that’s all squared away!

He and Elmer shopped for luggage today, but found none. He’ll  have to try again.

Finally, he tells her he’s up for the challenge of finding her among those six yards of negligee her mother made for the wedding night. Why, he’s just certain that they won’t let a few scraps of cloth stand in the way of what they’ve been waiting for so long!

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Dot dreams of a future when she’ll be able to tell Dart about her day by talking to him, but for now, she’s too tired to  write much about it. She fears her letters will be short and dull until that day.

Today, Norman bought some “Kemtone” for the third floor and she helped him mix it into the paint. I’m not sure what she’s describing here, but the nice apricot color makes the parts they’ve done look fresh and bright. She says that at the rate they’re going on the third floor, June will have come and gone long before they get to the first floor.

Eleanor wrote to Pilgrim Press to see if they carried white Bibles. They responded that they have two styles; one is $6.00 and the other is $2.20. The brides decided that since they will probably only use them once when they carry them for the wedding, and since they’ll be covered up by a bouquet then anyway, they didn’t need to spend more than $2.20. Dot has collected about that much in coins recently, so El ordered two and they’ll arrive in plenty of time for the wedding. Another detail they can scratch off the list.

She reports that the family car Pegasus has been quite ill lately. Tonight, he’s staying over at the automotive hospital awaiting a big operation in the morning. He’ll be getting a new fuel pump then, and with luck, will make a full recovery. The family would sure be in a tough spot if he doesn’t pull through.

“Your swell eight-pager about that night in January arrived today. I haven’t time or inclination to say anymore about the subject just now. If there’s anything to forgive, by all means, Darling, you’re forgiven. Let’s let sleeping dogs lie.”

Her friend Nancy’s parents have gone to Texas for six weeks, so Nancy will be spending her days off at the Chamberlain house. She’s coming tomorrow night, so Dot warns there’ll be another short letter then.

Now she must start her seven-hour nap. “I love you very much, Dart. No matter how much or how often I tell you that, do you still feel that because of one little misunderstanding I could stop loving you – just like that? If that were the case – and you know it isn’t – it wouldn’t be a love worth having anyway.”

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