Sunday, July 7, 2013

My Dearest Margie: September 1, 1940

My Dearest Margie:

Hold on to your seat Pug because here comes the dope. My train schedule won't be worked out until Tuesday, but my plans seem to be completed. I will arrive in California in December and should be in Los Angeles about 10 days or so before Christmas. I will have to leave before Christmas to get to Ft. Worth but doing it this way I will have more time in LA and I might be able to work in a little vacation then and have more time to spend with you. The plans are about like this. Leave Tuesday night for Manhattan, Kansas arrive noon Wednesday the 4th. Leave Saturday the 7th and arrive in Denver Sunday the 8th. Leave there about Friday the 13th arrive back in St. Louis, Mo on the 15th or 16th. Leave there about Sat the 21st and get into Moscow, Idaho Tuesday 24th. That takes care of my rushing duties and I start on my regular visitation on the 29th or 30th. I take in Wash. then come back to Montana, take in the two chapters there, then to the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and then Alman and heaven.

Sort of a lot of traveling, isn't it but I think it is probably best this way and then the last wait won't be so long. This will also give me more time to see you. There will be San Francisco, home and possibly Ft. Worth if it can be worked out. Of course, as I say, this can still be changed until I get my tickets and on the train, but I hope that it works out like this. However I will probably go nuts waiting that long to see you. Also darling, if you have time you will have to write twice a day and at least once so I will have letters to read at each chapter. If I didn't I would probably get on a West bound train for LA. Your letters letting me know of your love and being able to hear from you are the only things that keep me going. You can't realize how much I love you because its beyond all material conception and will live on forever.

But darling, I get so worried at times. Your last letter telling me how people talk about you and Barb, and Gaston doubting our sincerity, etc. must make it awfully hard on you. It's hard on me too because they can say things that they know aren't true because I am away. If I were there I could prove to you anything they say about me and Barb being engaged and you being second fiddle is a pack of lies. At times I can't bear thinking of you having to take it alone because the circumstances are unusual, and it's true not many people saw us together and for that reason they love to enlarge on their imaginations.

Pug dearest, you wearing my pin is the finest thing that ever happened to me and I want you to know that embodied in it is my love for you, which is greater and higher than any love could ever be. You don't know how hard it is for me to have to stay away and not be able to prove it to everybody at home, but believe me I will just as soon as I can get back there. Without you life wouldn't be worth living and if I lost you because of the idle talk that people can think up, I would probably wipe out the whole campus full of them. I'm not worried about losing you because I know our love is too deep for anything like that to happen I just don't want any doubt or misgivings about our love to spring up. I know people will try to say it happened too quick for you to really know, but we know that isn't true and Pug I intend spending the rest of my life to making you happ, and to never regret taking my pin.

Starting this month I"m really going to save my money. At least $90 a month goes into the bank. The only time there will be less will be around Christmas when I have clothes and presents to buy.

The clippings you sent me were swell except that one of them would have to have shell and Morton in it. Boy! will they have a good time talking about is. That old bag, she isn't worth an old cigar butt.

I hope I can be sending pictures home soon. You pick out a nice book and send me the bill. They haven't found my film yet but they had better or I will sue for plenty. I had shots of the loveliest girl in the world on them, and only a couple of million would compensate for them being lost. Then I could retire and I wouldn't need any pictures cause I wouldn't let her out of my sight except for a few minutes at a time. (Guess who? )

Foreman is taking us out for a farewell dinner tonight so I have to close and get ready. But please remember Pug you have always been the only one for me and always will be. I have always held to our high ideas and please believe me when I say you can always trust me completed no matter how far away I am.

For ever ours darling,
Jim

P.S. If you get this Tuesday, write me next at the SAW House, Manhattan Kansas.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

My Dearest Pug: August 31, 1940

My Dearest Pug,

Please don't get excited or worried over this special delivery job, I just sent it this way because of Labor Day and I knew this was the only way I could get a delivery to you before Tuesday. I know if I had to wait two days to hear from you I would go beserk.

Darling, thanks so much for calling up it was wonderful to hear from you. However, after I hung up and the spell of hearing your voice had worn off somewhat, I started kicking myself around the room for not being able to think of anything to say. I know if you ever did phone up sometime I would be too surprised to think of anything, and sure enough that's what happened. Later I thought of so many things I could have said like the trip to Fort Worth etc. but when I look back on it, it seems everyting was really quite inconsequential in what I said. That damn Schoth was standing right by the door and I couldn't tell you how much I really missed you and how, hearing your voice like that you should be in my arms and could be telling you how much I love and adore you. I don't care if the world knows it but when I'm telling it to you its only for your ears alone. When I get out to or near the Coast, I will return the call probably a couple of times.

I'm so glad you like "Mom" so well. If you sat and talked that long and she told you all about me when I was so young, I know that she likes you ever so much too. I knew she would, although I haven't heard from her yet. Also glad to hear you and Smitty had such a good time. Was really swell of him to take you to the Victor Hugo, and when I get back the party will be on me.

Pug, I'm surprised at you, and I'm afraid I'm going ot have to disagree wiht you for the first time. It's swell that you're talking to Mr. Cope but I'm afraid Firestone will have to do without me. I'm not going ever to be second to anybody, not even Flood. If I took a job with them and there was a chance to work up to the Presidency I'm afraid Flood would have to take the back seat. I haven't played second fiddle to him yet. I was President of a more powerful organization than he was and I'm not bragging when I say I could have been President of the Knights either. I can tell you this because I should be able to tell you my wife anything, and you had better get used to the idea of being my wife. (I hope) Just before election I had to out of 30 votes pledged to me. I didn't seek them, they came to me voluntarily. However, I had only a 1.4 and had to drop out. Flood won by by 1 vote from Bill Schulte. I have never told this to anyone and I hope you don't think I'm blowing my own horn but I was sort of disappointed when you didn't think I could be tops. After all Pug, you're my inspiration now and when I get back I'll show you that I intend to go just as high as possible, so you had better get used to the idea I can. That is if you love me as much as I think. A person gets his inspiration by knowing the one he loves knows he can make the top.

Poor Bill, his letters are getting worse. Either she has fallen out of love with this other guy and has conveyed in her letters to Bill that he is tops, or else she is sure stringing him along. Quoting from his letter of today, quote, You know Hastings, I think you've found in Margie exactly what I've got in Bee Jay. As long as I know she's all for me, I'm going out and try and make a helluva success of myself. But, the moment I feel she isn't 100% with me, I lose all incentive to bust this old world wide open (That's the way I feel pug, so you're going to have to convince me it's 100%. I don't think any girl can touch you, and that's the way it should be.)  I hope when I get back I can soon pop the question to her. She's back in LA and I haven't heard from her for about three days... and it's greaking my heart. No kidding, if anything happens its going to slow me down a helluva lot. I still think I can offer her the best future of anyone that's in the race. I've had some terrific letters from her when she was back here just on that point. Unquote. I sure hope she has changed her mind because if she hasn't I am sure liable to tell her off for leading him on this way. Please don't tell him I wrote you this (Maybe Firestone could use two Pres.)

I didn't think it was possible for me to think of one person so much. You're in my mind all the time and I'm just living a life of emptiness until I see you and can stay with you. A person shouldn't be away from the person he loves when she is so vital to him it just doesn't seem right. But you're right when you say it will make us mean so much more to each other, if that could be possible.

Chuck Falkenhauer is on his way home and will get in touch with you when he gets up to school to see what can be worked out.

Right now it looks like I leave Wed. night for Manhattan, Kansas. Spend a couple of days there and pull into Denver Sunday the 8th. Boy but that Denver chapter is really a problem and I'm going to be in a nest of bees. They don't get along with National office and want to be left alone. That's why they don't know how to rush and I 'm going to have a pretty tough time trying to get them to listen to me. But it is possible I'll get them to. From there I go way back to St. Louis, Missouri for 4 days and then clear back to Idaho. Some traveling or what? I hope from Idaho I can come down the coast but won't know until the last minute. Tomorrow or Monday I will be able to write you my itinerary, I hope.

Well have a nice time Monday night and give Josie my love (I thought I was going to sign off here - reason for the well.)

Please don't take me too seriously on what I had said about Firestone, but I want you to know that you have made me want to go out and really do things for you. Nobody else ever instilled that in me and that was one reason I fell in love with you so much. I'm sincere when I say I feel I can go to the limit to be a big success with you beside me and I don't feel I'm bragging when I say it. So darling, just bear with me and someday you can be wearing that ermine coat and driving your own packard, but you'll have to give up the idea of me being only vice-president, and get used to me as President. Maybe of the US, who knows?

I love you with all that I have in my and would wait for years to hold you in my arms again. But its not going to be years Pug, it's only going to be a few months even if I have to buy an airplane to get there, so until tomorrow.

Always yours,

Jim

Postcard - August 30, 1940

(On a small index card)

Pug-

Not any too sharp but just something to put in the book and someday we can show to the little pugs + Grand-Pugs and say that Poppa (or Grandpoppa) was once in a Supreme Council meeting or (??).

Sort of an artificial smile but it was the best I could give seeing that my real happiness had left just three days before.

Love,

Jim

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Darling Margie: August 30, 1940

Darling Margie,

Your letter telling me about everybody's reactions over the pin was choice. I wish too I could have been there and watched their faces. I'll bet that's about the biggest bombshell that has hit that campus, from  the social angle, in a long time. How are the Kappa Sigs as a whole taking it, and also the DGs? It's rather funny to hear the different reactions and I hope we didn't do it too suddenly and hurt anybody's feelings. I hope Chuck doesn't think I took advantage of him, but if he does you can tell him that I have also been away.

I was a little sorry to hear about Barb and I hope it isn't too much of a jolt to her. Of course it was her own fault for saying we were getting married when I got back because there never was that understanding and the engagement angle people are always talking about is plumb crazy. I know that your judgement is best and you can tell whether or not it was the right time. I hope so especially if Bartlett and Johnston have been talking. The trouble with us is that we worry too much about other people's feelings. I'm so proud of you I naturally want you to wear it and let everybody know it. There was bound to be talk either way and at least this way we can knock down anything Chuck + B try to say about our getting together on the rebound. I will be glad when you can get the jeweled pin and I hope Kress can engrave it like we want it.

I'm waiting anxiously for your letter tonight to tell me all about lunch with Mother. I know the two of you must have gotten along swell and I'm glad you were able to get together so soon. Also glad to hear you're going over for dinner with your Mother and Johnny. Sort of funny I can't be there the first night our parents get together darnit. They'll know your Mother and brother better than I do. Anyhoo it's marvelous hearing how it all comes out. Like reading a story only much better.

Say, I'm working on a great idea Pug. Chuck Falkenheimer, Pres. of the house, will probably be coming down to Fort Worth for the convention during Christmas vacation. He is going steady with a girl also named Marge and we're trying to work it so the three of you can drive down after Christmas. He will get his gas money paid by the fraternity and your expenses in Fort Worth would not be much and I would handle that.

He is pretty sure Marge can go and the two of you could get a room together and keep each other amused while we're busy. I won't consent to it unless I pay for the expenses because I realize how much the trip back here cost you. However with it being split three ways the expense won't be very great. What do you think - not a bad idea, huh, and we could spend New Year's together.

Last night we did the town up and I showed the boys all the sights. The places we hit where you and I had been drove me nuts and I didn't think I could want anybody so bad in my life. The trouble is that I feel that way every night and it just doesn't seem right that I'm not going home to you. Darling your letters are wonderful, I only wish I got two a day. Waiting every 24 hours is too hard and your letters seem to give me at least a little bit of you every day.

Schindler was the star of the football game, as you probably know by now. He made two touchdowns which isn't bad (I'm getting sloppy because I'm trying to get this in before my panel.)

Write me more of people's reactions because it's very amusing and I'm getting a terrific bang out of it. I have to sign off but will write again tomorrow. I haven't fed the two pugs yet today but when I do I'll give them your love.

Also if you see Margie tell her I love her with all my heart. I hear she is wearing somebody's pin, the lucky guy.

Until tomorrow,

All my affection,
Jim 

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Dearest Pug: August 29, 1940


Dearest Pug,

Guess where? Yes that's right and it's driving me nuts. Just one of the spots I'm showing the boys but the memories it brings makes me just to want to stay here, close my eyes and think of that Sunday night of August 11th. We're taking in a lot of places but they all seem empty without my Pug. Tomorrow is the last day of school and then a short rest. The band is now playing the theme song and I'm completely lost, I wonder why? As always,

Love, Jim

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Little Pug 2012: Welcome Juliet Hastings!

The newest little pug made her big debut today. Here she is with Great Grandma Margie:





And with Grandpa Dean:





Way to go, Daddy Randy!!


Saturday, March 24, 2012

Dearest Margie: August 29 - 5 O'Clock

My Dearest Margie,

I hope my letter of this morning convinced you of my feelings and assured you that no matter what people say you will be the dearest thing to me I have. Darling, I was so worried when I got your letter that I almost hopped on a plane and flew out to you. Letters can't convey to you in strong enough words what you mean to me.

I received your letter at ten minutes to 9 and my panel was at 9. Well I was so scared that I wrote the letter up in front of the class while Don was giving his speech. I couldn't get it off soon enough and that explains why it was so sloppy, but I hope it carried to you what I feel and always will feel.

Margie dear, you're too fine to ever be a second fiddle to anyone and if people are saying I hung my pin on the rebound they had better watch out for me when I get back. Barb nor any other girl can hold a candle to you and I know you must believe me when I say you are the first and only girl I have really loved. I'm not bragging or rationalizing when I say she loved me. She did everything in her power to make me give her my pin those last two weeks. Even in her letters she was always hinting and I know that she felt that way until I wrote her that Sunday. Darling, if they say she threw me over you can say they're all wet. You were the one I loved when I left and you're going to be the one when I return for ever after. Just tell them to ask my close friend who I liked even before school ended and they will find out Barb was "second fiddle" even thought circumstances kept me from going out with the "one and only" until my last week. Guess who?

Your first letter after you got home was great and one again thank your Mother for me for the lovely note. If it's perfectly all right with her that you wear the pin, well naturally I am very happy and proud.

I am sure glad Smitty phones and took you out. He's a true friend and a great guy. I'll bet you both had a swell time although if you talked about that Hastings guy much it must have been awfully boring. It's sure swell to have friends that you can trust to take care of your girl friend and I certainly want her to be taken care of right. Only the best for "little pug."

I realize how you feel about my going out and it makes me very proud to have you look on me that way. Last night at our dance I had no yearning to attend as dancing without you wouldn't be dancing at all. At 10 I went down to the post office and got your letter and one from Traegerman and enjoyed the rest of the evening reading your letter over and over.

Boy but I wish I could have seen F. S. and B.M.O.C. Ellis (God's gift to T.N.E.) when they heard the news. We had an understanding all right but I think I'm the only one who understood it. Traegerman was thrilled no end and wrote me a very nice letter. He knows how I felt about Barb, tell the wolves to ask him. And if they hurt you in anyway or cast any aspersions they had better hide from the tornado from Chicago when he arrives because he won't mince words. As I said in my conscious is clear and I have done nothing with my other dates that I am ashamed of. I have stuck by my ideals. If they could sling mud by telling the truth I would have no right to get mad, but when they tell falsehoods they are liable to get my dander up. I have been like you in a large respect and some of the D.G.s used to get mad when I would take others out, so they might try to tell you I'm not the settling down type, but I will also show them, and you too Pug.

We have always been truthful with each other, so I have a confession to make. I have been sharing some of my time with a too charming campus queen. Not one mind you but two. I didn't think you would mind seeing you are so far away and I had to have someone I could love in the meantime. They're awfully cute and I just love to run my hands over their hair. Yes, they are two little squirrels and, Pug, I wish you could see them. I carry nuts over to them and Foremen told me how to call them. They just come hopping over the lawn and when they get near they sit and wiggle their noses. Then they hop around a couple of times to make sure I won't hurt them and finally come bounding over and eat the nuts in my hand. I get the biggest laugh out of it and I didn't think under the circumstances you would mind my sharing both of our love to them. You see everything I like now and enjoy I feel you would also be enjoying so it's not my love I give out but ours. All mind is yours so although the two pugs over on Campus don't know it, they are really being fed by two of us. And believe me, they are pugs too, maybe we had better include them in our corporation.

I'm having some pictures sent out to you of the training school. One is all of the delegates and the other is the faculty. A little later another one will arrive taken of the Supreme Council. They aren't any too good because my big mouth as usual dominates my face, but at least they will be remembrances of the day when I was one a big shot? in the fraternity.

Next time you see my folks, you might show them the pictures.

Well I must sign off and show the boys the town tonight, but as usual I will always be thinking of you and my good friend the breeze says he will whisper to you how very much I love you and if you want he will really blow in to Los Angeles and let the whole town know it.

All of my love darling,

Big Pug