July 18, 1935
Being memories of the new wife and mother.People in this world do so many unexpected kindly things. Take for instance the wonderful kindness that was shown us in Des Moines by Aunt Esther and her host of fine friends; and here in Hamilton, the much appreciated helpfulness of Mrs. Cale. Never to be forgotten is the day when "Doctor" Cale prescribed the cure for white shirts suffering from mildew.
The surprises following our arrival in Hamilton June the second still leave me weak. I thot I was to see the empty house; but the foxy fellow I married had moved the furniture in on Memorial Day. I thought our first week of adjustment would of necessity be made in another's house; but it was made in our own home. I thought Johnski would be leaving me every morning for work; but he got the first week off. And I couldn't have received anything grander than the Mixmaster for a wedding present!
Jack and Dick entered the Home June the seventh. Tender memories there include Dick's cute way of saying "Miss. Wil-"--" I mean, 'Mother'". (Oh yes, Dick celebrated the marriage with three day measles!) It was quite a while before Jack could call me "Mother", but a doubly grand day when he finally spoke of me as "Mother" in almost a whisper. It must have been an interesting thing to the folks at the SS picnic and the excursion to hear the ease and naturalness with which the Kids addressed me.
My wished for "gang" is developing. We've had a flare for base ball, for tree tag, for cards, for tree houses, and what not. Jack's tenth birthday was celebrated with Irwin over for supper, and a bicycle which arrived about two days late. Some sort of combination of tree house and bike sent Jack in yesterday moaning with a strained wrist. That was my first real job of doctoring.
It took me quite a while this morning to worm from Dick what he had said to Jack and Irwin in the tree house, and which they seemed agreed was pretty bad. Poor Dick was afraid to tell me cause he was certain I'd do something he wouldn't like or else I'd tell Dad. He finally told me tho--on condition I 'not tell Dad"; so I guess I'd better not write it down. It wasn't very terrible tho, so I just explained why he shouldn't say it, and He promised not to any more.
