Letter 26 12/13-14/1952 Airmail, Diamonds, and Denver Dreams

December 13–14, 1952 — Joyce’s letter home spans two days and two states, written partly from a jerky train bound for Illinois and partly from her family home in Kankakee. Traveling by airmail for the first time — double the postage at six cents — she’s headed home to her mother, stepfather, and sister Cleone, knitting a sock for Earl as the train rocks along. She jokes about taking off her stockings to be comfortable, washing off her makeup, and trying to nap between stations.

By the next day, she’s home and writing in green ink with her new pen — one of the gifts Earl sent her, along with perfume and sachet. The household is lively: Cleone and Ray are “necking on the Davenport,” Uncle Marcus is frail and irritable, and Joyce finds herself once again navigating her family’s moods. She compares engagement rings (hers, she notes proudly, is prettier), talks about wedding plans, and muses that perhaps Denver — not Kankakee — should be where she and Earl marry.

The letter closes tenderly but with a hint of exhaustion. Between family tension, travel fatigue, and reflections on how distant she already feels from home, Joyce dreams of returning to Denver — to her own life, her work, and the man she loves.

Topics Include:

• Traveling home to Illinois by train
• Writing with her new pen and green ink
• Knitting Earl’s socks on the train
• Family dynamics at home in Kankakee
• Uncle Marcus’s declining health
• Cleone and Ray’s engagement and apartment
• Comparing engagement rings
• Talking weddings and choosing Denver over Illinois
• Remembering family challenges and loyalty to her mother
• Planning future marriage and family life
• Recovering from cramps and travel fatigue

Transcript

So this one is a little bit different because it is airmail and it was written from Kankakee, Illinois. So mom would have been at home with her mother and her stepfather, Uncle Marcus, when she wrote this. She still sent it to dad at Boulder, Colorado. Okay, December 13th, 1952. Underneath it, it says C-.

B dash plus Q dash. So that's gotta be some kind of code for something that we don't know. An airmail costs six cents to mail instead of just three cents. So airmail is twice as expensive. My darling, it seems we are turning a corner. So far this trip has been most comfortable.

I've eaten half my lunch and knitted almost one third of the first set of diamonds on the one sock. E. Gads, this is much more jerky than I anticipated. The lady next to me left at Akron and so far no one else has taken the seat. She admired my ring. Hers wasn't this big. So she must be on a train or a bus. I'm getting awfully sleepy.

but I most likely won't sleep more than 10 minutes at a time, if at all. In a few minutes, I think I'll wash off all my makeup and curl up in the seat, even if I do look like a pig with no powder, rouge, or lipstick. But since I've gained weight, I think some color is coming back in my face again. Thank you, darling, for the...

sachet, perfume, and pen. Ugh, thank God. My dad bought her a new pen so it doesn't leak. I really appreciate all of it. And if you were here, I'd give you five more thank yous.


Five more thank you kisses. We must be turning another corner. This is awful. Okay, this has to be a train. I really didn't cry. Only about two tears escaped when the train pulled out. Now we know. You're the most darling man in the world and you're all mine now and forever. Judy's bag is sure handy. That's my aunt Judy, my dad's sister. I took off my

stockings etc. so I'd be more comfortable during the night and piled them on top of the sandwiches that were left. I will write you tomorrow from home. I'll mail this in Chicago, I think. I must write Laura too. Laura is my dad's mother and who I am named after. Well, my sweetheart, this is not much of a letter, what with pencil and a jerky train.

but it at least lets you know my love and thoughts are with you always. All my love, always Joyce. P.S. My cramps started in earnest and I just took two, an Anason? Two Anason. Interesting. So I'm going, we're on another curve, to curl up and try to sleep. Good night, my love.


it's a double letter. Inside it is also a December 14th, 1952 letter. Dear, it's a double. Dear sweetheart, it seems as if I didn't get this mailed in Chicago as I promised. We hit Chicago about 905 and I caught a 945 to somewhere, Kankakee that is, getting here about 1115. Cleone is here, that's my Aunt Cleone.

my grandma's sister, or no, that's my mom's sister, Cleon, is here but is leaving in a few minutes to go back to school. what a bummer. This is your new pen and mom's green ink. I can hardly get used to writing with it. It's so different, but so much better than the old one. Yay, new pen. Honestly, it seems so strange to be home.

Here we go. Uncle Marcus is quite feeble. His right arm is getting more paralyzed and he keeps it in a dish towel sling. He's true to form, my dear. I got balled out for not taking the ride because it was cheaper. And mom got told about not working New Year's Eve because it brought in some money. Otherwise, things haven't gone too bad for four hours.

for less than four hours at home. Cleon and Ray are necking on the Davenport. Uncle Marcus is upstairs, needless to say. They're apart.

Their apartment is a kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bath, unfurnished, for $35 a month, and they're beginning to get it fixed up. She has quite a few sheets and stuff.

It seems she's waiting to see what comes forth with wedding gifts before buying too much. Her ring is all white gold. The big diamond is 30 points and she has two small ones on the backside. The set is a lot like mine and as nearly as I can tell is a full cut diamond. I saw her wedding ring too. It has five small diamonds. It is a nice set.

but mine is much prettier by far. I keep looking at the clock and deciding what you are doing. You must be asleep in the couch now. I wish I were by you. Stop dreaming little girl. You've got two more weeks before they'll come true. Ray and I just started talking and laughing at Uncle Mark. Ray and I just started talking and laughing.

and Uncle Marcus, and she says, you you told us to shut up. Honestly, I'm so glad you didn't come with me. It isn't funny. We could have battled it out with the big bad bear, but it wouldn't have been fun. Maybe I should have warned you. I always leave here rather embittered towards life and it takes a week or two to get over it. Or do you remember from last June?

Sweetheart, I'll be so glad when I run back to your welcome arms and hug.

you and kiss your neck. Mother has been teasing Ray and he's decided that Eddie's are the meanest people he knows. Mother is loads of fun after she gets to know a person, but she's a little shy at first. Did I tell you though all those pictures I took on that roll of film were very funny? Strange I should say looking. I think maybe my camera leaks light. Ray is leaving

and said to tell you to tell you never to come here and try to sleep my mother kept rolling him off never to come here and try to sleep my mother kept rolling him off the couch now getting back to the pictures i meant to show them to you and see if you knew what was wrong my cramps subsided later on last night and i haven't had a bad time since

and now it's over or seems will be and I can enjoy my vacation. As you might know, we've been talking weddings all afternoon. I suggested to mother that since you would know practically no one if we were married here, maybe it was selfish of me to try to have it here. She agreed and said to make plans for a Denver wedding if I liked and she would try to come and possibly

Cleon and Ina, those are her sisters.

or at least one of them might be able to come out.

Actually, it would be much easier on her nerves and mine too, for that matter. Honestly, my stepfather is the most nerve wracking to try to manipulate. He'd scream if we went off and left him and got married in Denver, but believe me, it'd be much worse to try and handle his whims and childishness here.

Poor Grandpa Ralph. Mom won't be out in June for grad because it will be too close to Jerks, which is what she calls her sister Cleon's wedding. And she'll be doing last minute sewing, et cetera. If we marry in Denver, it'll have to be at a time which doesn't conflict with Cleon Jerk's wedding. Mom wouldn't say too much if she couldn't be there when we got married, but I would.

Our family has never been through a lot together. our family has been through a lot together and I probably will never live very close to home from now on. So mom won't have much to share in her grand, share in her grandchildren for these reasons. I really feel I owe it to her and myself to have her at the wedding. Well, so much for the wedding.

It'll take care of itself, I guess. yes. Mama said she could tell by your picture you were smart.

I want to write to Laura, but not tonight. I'm dead tired and dirty as a pig. It's a very tiring trip, even by train, especially bugging that lugging that heavy suitcase from the station to station to station to cab from Union Station home is the worst stretch because I'm already tired and it seems like ages before getting to our front door.

My writing is getting awfully sloppy and my eyes ache. So I'll say bye for now and leave you till next time. You be good and I hope work goes well and get lots of sleep my love. All my love and thoughts are with you always. I love you very much and miss you very much. All my love always, Joyce.