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Roma writes that she wants to see Fred “oh, so badly” and then goes on to mention two other men who would like to spend time with her. She seems mainly to just like the company of men and if Fred isn’t around, there are plenty who have expressed an interest in her: “…but you must know that I am lonesome and anybody who is nice would look good to me.” She is glad that Fred doesn’t drink, even “a social glass.” Toward the end she is looking forward to seeing him and “have some fun loving when they meet.” It’s not clear exactly what she means, but it reminds me of a story about my own mother told me by her school friend Betty. When they were both in college, my mother came to visit Betty at her college and in the night asked her, “Have you ever had a man touch your breasts?” “Oh, noooo,” said good-girl Betty. It’s really nice,” confided my mother.
I wish I knew exactly what Roma means when she says things like, “Anyway, please come before all of that pent up love spoils, I can imagine it will be pretty hard loving, but I have a little to dispose of myself.” In her comparison of Fred and Mr. B, she comments on Fred’s having “as tender and loving a disposition as a woman.” Mr. B “could be my sweetheart but not my husband.” She uses the word, “common,” an insult describing other people and a wish that she never be seen as common.
The poem Fred opens his letter with describes the desired male-female dynamic in which they are intertwined in their respective roles and behavior. He comments favorably on her “bright mind.”
[Bucyrus, Ohio, 7 PM, July 17, 1915. Special delivery.]
My dearest dear:
Of all selfish people, I think you are the worst. You began the dear letter I got tonight by saying you were disappointed, “it’s late Friday afternoon and no letter.” Come to find out you had one Thursday afternoon, a card Friday morning and a letter Friday afternoon. I plainly see I am neglecting (?) my duty.
Well, my precious dear, if you never find any more serious fault with me than that you don’t hear from me as often as you should like to, I can only say you are a dear and I am glad you like me well enough to want to hear from me often.
I wrote a firm letter this morning and addressed it to Mr. Bower, because I thot he would get his mail Sunday morning as he has a lot.
With your letter this afternoon came one from Mr. Lloyd enclosing some pictures he took of us in Fostoria. Tell Mr. Bower he is the little fellow he met. He was so little he was “cute.” He sent me two of each kind. Now my sweetheart, I am sending them to you to look at, you may keep the one of Lena and me you like best, the one of the bunch and the other one of Lena and me give to Mr. Bower. You have a big picture of me, he has not. By the way he asked me for that picture while in Fostoria. I told him to look it to Columbus to give to him and he would not have it. He seemed a little hurt, he said, “Little girl that was a compliment to you, why should I make over the picture when I had the original?” Then too, he knew all the girls better than you, even Lena.
Dear, I want to see you oh, so badly. If you can’t come this coming week, the next week I might meet you in Columbus. I have got to have some new shoes and don’t see anything here I like, but be sure and let me know far enough ahead, because Mr. Lloyd of Fostoria said he would like to come over and see me, and Marion is only eighteen miles away, and Mr. Derrendorf has business here. However, you come first before all the rest of the world put together, but you must know that I am lonesome and anybody who is nice would look good to me. I am having a new suit made, it may not be finished before next Sunday, but she is a perfectly dear woman and said she would try and have it for me. I hope I shall like it and that you will. I have had the cloth since May but have not been able to have it made. Dress makers are not so busy now. It is just a little simple summer suit, old rose or raspberry color. Isn’t it funny to be what you like when I never even knew you? Tell me as soon as you can whether you will come this week or a week from Sunday, and whether you will come Friday or Saturday. If you come this week, come Friday, if next week Saturday and I will meet you in Columbus at ten twenty-five “maybe.”
As to your present business affairs dear, I of course have nothing to say. I want you of course to do what will be best for you. I know that the chemical plant must be a good thing and that it takes a big man to be at the head of anything and that is why that requires you, but I do wish your work was just a little more pleasant. It seems to me that during the hot weather it would be almost unbearable. However, I am glad that you are not above it.
Do you know what I always see the last thing before I go to sleep? How sweet and pretty and glad you looked when you met me in Marion. You just smiled all over. Would you be as glad to see me now?
Dear heart, do you know how much I appreciate you? When I see some men and then think how sweet and kind and loving and pure and good you are I just want to love and love and love you. I am so glad you do not even take a social glass. The misery that stuff has caused. Won’t we have some fun loving the next time we meet, and our heart to heart talk, won’t it be great?
I will let you send my mail General delivery because I can get it quicker. Oceans of love.
Roma
Saturday 7 P.M.
Miss Roma Belle Matteson,
Bucyrus, Ohio
417 E. Mansfield.
[Western Union Telegram, Received at Bucyrus, Ohio.]
PORTSMOUTH OHIO 247 PM JULY 18-15
MISS R.B.MATTESON, 417 E.MANSFIELD ST
FIRM LETTER A MASTERPIECE CONGRATULATIONS WHITE TAN OR OLD ROSE IMMATERIAL
THE FIRM.
4:25 PM
[Bucyrus, Ohio, 10:30 PM, July 19, 1915.]
My dearest lover:
Your sweet letter reached me about noon, and let me tell you it was sweet. I have just come from supper and am writing this in the library. It is next to the post office, and you see in this way I save time.
Well dear, this is my first day of work. I have called on a number of people for endorsements, and have had splendid success so far. Of course, that is not getting orders, but seems to be a necessary ordeal to go thru. I like this work so much better, somehow I feel so much more dignified.
I received your wire about four thirty, and will say I was truly alarmed until I saw “The Firm,” then I laughed until I cried. I see the color? is immaterial, just so they are silk, well then, I’ll wear my old black ones.
I was so amused, in your letter philosophizing, you said, “That’s rather heavy stuff to hand you.” Dear, I may not have been able to have gotten all of it, but I did like it, come again.
I think you had better try and come up for a week from Sunday. Leave Portsmouth on the three-thirty and I will meet you in Columbus, and we can take a traction car to Bucyrus. Oh, I’ll meet you anytime you say, that is if I have to go to Columbus for shoes. Anyway, please come before all of that pent up love spoils, I can imagine it will be pretty hard loving, but I have a little to dispose of myself.
I am glad you and Mr. B. enjoyed my letter. I made no attempt at being clever or diplomatic. If you did not divide those pictures according to “dictum” Mr. B. knows, because he got a letter from me today explaining all. I am glad you did not tell him yours was special. Mr. B. accused me of your being a two to one favorite. Dear, I want to play fair all around and would suffer almost anything myself, rather than cause either you or Mr. B. pain. Mr. B. has been grand to me, and I do appreciate it. In reading one of his letters yesterday he said, “Little girl you have made me like you so very much.” There is something so sincere, so genuine in him that I would not hurt him, and you, my dear, are made of love, and have as tender and loving a disposition as a woman. I have told Mr. B. he could be my sweetheart but not my husband. He can’t understand that and I can’t explain, but he often signs his letter from your sweetheart by t________? #Dear I can see you in my mind’s eye, as you sit before your desk writing and meditating.
Tonight as I sat at the table, I could not help but notice, how common looking and acting most of the people were.
Dearest am I common looking? I have no ambition to be snippy looking, or to have “too good” a look, but I do hate to be common. That is what I like about you. You can adapt yourself to any environment or surroundings, yet you always carry with you a distinguished air.
I am glad you liked the pictures. They would not have been so bad of me if it had not tried to put on that “fixed” smile. What a grand scientist I would make a going around with that little “fixed” smile. Dear heart, I am afraid you are “tilted” their way. Don’t, [probably means “Dear”] you are too sweet and smart. If you’ve got a pain I want you to feel it, even if it is in the heart, but then, I don’t want you to have any.
It rained something awful yesterday, and last night and looks it again tonight. That reminds me of “Riley” and his “Wet-Weather Talk.” It hain’t no use to grumble and complane.” [sic]
It’s jest as cheap and easy to rejoice. when God sorts out the weather and sends rain, Why, rain’s my choice.”
With my bestest love, and a million kiss(es).
Yours, Roma. 7/17/15
To my sweet Roma Belle;
“As unto the bow, the string is,
So is the man unto the woman.
Tho she bends him, yet she obeys him,
Tho she draws him, yet she follows,
Useless each without the other.”
I am in accord with the truth contained in the above lines written by one of our famous American poets and will let it suffice as an introduction to my message to you. x x x I am called away and will not return before 6 o’clock. x x x Well, here I am again, and since penning the above I received your splendid letter written on that pleasing shade of bluish linen. I am pleased to hear of your first day’s progress and hope it is only a forerunner of greater success. Say, that wire was a great joke, don’t you think? What size did you say you wore? Send me a sample swatch of that new old rose dress goods. Again referring to that “heavy stuff I handed you—what I meant was that it was heavy stuff to hand to anyone on a hot July day. I feel that you got the impression that I thought it might be too deep for you to comprehend, but, “far be it from such” because nothing that I might write would tax your bright mind.
So far as I can see now, it will be agreeable to me to follow your suggestion of making the Columbus-Bucyrus trip one week from Sunday which by the calendar is July 31st. That “meet you anytime” sounds awfully good. That “pent up” love is still “pent.” You say you “have a little to dispose” of”—well be sure and preserve it for our re-union. The pictures have been divided according to “dictum” Upon the text “Little girl you have made me like you very much” I shall have more to say when we meet.
I appreciate and endorse in toto what you say about Mr. B. and your flattering references to me are undeserved.
Dearest, you spoke of how common looking and acting most people are; indeed you are right. A great student of human nature said, “Eighty per cent of the human race is common,—twenty per cent is unique.” “Be unique” is his admonition. It’s no trouble to classify you—you’re unique plus. You question “Am I common looking” is a strange one for you to put up to me. You know my answer too well. Yes, I liked the pictures, and as for that “fixed” smile it, too, looked good to me. As a ‘scientist’ you could qualify without doubt. You seem to have optimism plus and that counts much. In matters religious it is well to keep one’s feet on the ground. As to the weather, I’m with Riley, “Why rain’s my choice”, when it rains.
To know that I am enjoying the friendship and respect of a girl as sweet as you, my dear Roma Belle, is to traverse the highlands of light and happiness.
I noticed your last letter was terribly lop sided, because of that load of a million you had fastened on the last line, but, then I didn’t mind it one bit. That quantity will just about do me till the next installment comes. (Do you get me?)
I am glad that the escutcheon of our friendship continues to shine and I feel sure that its tenderness proves it to be infinite and immortal.
Lovingly, F.B.W.
QBA 