A divergence to the first Harold B Gill

Among the many artifacts in an old shoebox.....

In an old envelope post-marked on July 14, 1932, my grandfather, the first of the three Harold Bledsoe Gills (for which my LLC is named “The Harold B Gill Foundation”) writes to his wife, Katherine Elizabeth Jayne Gill as follows:

Wednesday, PM.

Dear Katherine: -

There is really nothing to write about and I guess I ought to save this 3 cents, but I know how anxious you are to get a letter.

Mamma has been planning all the week on seeing her Night-blooming Cerese?? bloom and last night it bloomesd and nobody though to look at it. It had eight great big blooms and this morning they were all withered. Believe me Ma go sick over it. Did Wilma get her Birthday card? I thot that one was very appropriate with the dogs on. You thought I would forget, didn’t you? Don’t let them get too sunburned. I am real glad that you are taking them swimming. I know it will tickle them but be sure and not let anything happen to them. Grandpa is a little better today.

I think of lots of things to tell you during the day but wehn I come down to the store at night to write you, I’ll be hanged if I can think of a thing that you would be interested in. Guess that is the reason all my letters sound so much like a mess. Nights are my most melancholy time. That is when I miss you all the most because for three years I haven’t done anything at nights but be with you all. Tell Jayne that I painted her little table all her little chairs blue and they look real nice. Guess I will follow your suggestion and paint her bed.

Well Honey, that is the best I can do for tonight. I’ll be looking for you all home sometime in the near future. Just cash the check that I gave you and let me know not later than 24 hours afterwards so that I can get the money to the bank before the check arrives.

I was going to send you some fly spray but I believe that it would be cheaper to buy it up there. You must get some to protect the children. Will write more tomorrow.

Love,
Harold (signed over the typed name)

It was sent to 60 Brook Street, Bay Shore, Long Island, New York where apparently my grandmother had gone to be with her folks with my father’s two older sisters. Since my father was born on January 16, 1933, it is a fair bet that my grandmother was carrying him at the time although whether she realized it or not is anyone’s guess. What is particularly moving to me about that is that my granfather’s 26th birthday was the day of my father’s birth as well! I just barely missed being born on that date myself.

There are more treasures to find here and I’ll be posting about them but it is so good to have this little window onto their lives and I hope all who read it will enjoy this glimpse into the ordinary lives of my grandparents when they were a young couple.