Part 3 - Letters 31 - 45
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31] Oneota Minn. Feb. 13, 1893
Dear Brother Walter,
I was very glad to get a letter from you, you can make the letters real good, it will not be long before you can write just as good as Clara or Andrew. I am glad you have had the measles you will never have them again. I presume the lemonade was the best I think I should have liked it much better.
You must write again and let the rest of he folks write something in your letter as you did this time
Your brother Arthur,
[Note attached by WEP: Oneota=Now a part of West Duluth. Arthur was working for Cassius Merritt I was 5 years old. The rest of us came to Minnesota that fall of 1893.]
[ Written in pencil on unruled 5 X 7 5/8" paper; no envelope exists.]
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32] Ripple Minn. Sept. 8. 1904
Dear Brother Walter:
As I wrote Mother, I got home all right and found every thing as I left it. Grace & family all well and glad to see me back.
The first week I was here it rained most all the time so I did not get my hay cut till this week. George came down today and helped me stack it, don’t think I have over one ton, so you see my haying was not very heavy. expect you are all thru by this time
Grace got a letter from Bessie saying Andrew was there, he is probably in the midst of thrashing by this time, expect Clara is in Duluth now. I have written her there a short time ago.
You will probably be surprised when I tell you what a foolish thing I did while in Duluth, that was to buy a new camera, its a Poco 4 X 5, using plate holders like yours. it is extra wide so I can cary two plate holders in it besides the one in position, it has a swing back for both horizontal and vurtical pictures, a removable ground glass & frame. the belows is extra long for enlarging, it has a rising and falling front also a right or left adjustment. a “Unicum” shutter and rapid rectilinear lense, and “rack and pinion” for adjusting the focus, they put in three plate holders loaded with 6 “Hammer” plates, and “knocked it down” to $12. hardly know whether I got a bargain or not but thing perhaps I did. At least they said it was what they had been selling for about $20. I got it of those Brown people, old acquaintences of Mr. Lockes people. I have heard George L. speek of them so much was the reason I went there.
I have taken one picture with it and had good results. I told Mrs. Brown the trouble we had with your plate holders letting in light. she said we should pull the shutter clear out and be careful to replace it perfectly square, not one corner at a time and perhaps cover the camera with the black cloth if the light was very strong. I brought in a big load of camera suplies and did not get all I wanted then my pack weighed 34½ lbs. so I had enough. I havent received the “Camera & Dark Room” yet. as I don’t know the address I will write a letter to them and let you mail it.
wish you would look among the papers on your table and see if you can find the P. O. receipt you got for me when I sent the letter, if it is lost it (the receipt,) is my fault as I did not take care of it. perhaps Roy could find out if it was ever sent out from Barnum. it was mailed around Aug 16 or 17.
Our gardens havent been frosted yet to amount to any thing, although in some localities potatoes were frozen very bad about a week ago. the tops of my beans were niped a little, the cows got all my rutabagas before I could get my fence finished, have it secure now. tell Father I have commenced that ditch across my meadow. don’t know how far I shall go with it however as it is a big undertaking, it should extend clear across my place.
I got a deer a few days ago so we are having a feast while it lasts.
I shall never forget our our bull-head adventure. over at the lake hope those heads don’t stink under the floor yet.
Ever you loving brother
Arthur
[ Written in black ink on 8 X 10" light blue ruled stationery; the envelope address is- Mr. Walter E. Paul Barnum Minn; the postmark shows- Ripple Sept --- 1904 Minn.; the postmark on the reverse reads- Northome, Sep 13 1904 Minn.; the stamp has been torn off.]
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33] Ripple Minn Dec 19 1905
Dear Brother Walter:
Perhaps you wonder why I don’t write and let you know how things are getting along here. In the first place I have been too busy to look around and find a job. jobs seem to be looking for the men. I have been working at $2.2 per day at rough carpentering. havent begin loging yet. now if you can saw off a board and nail it down I know you can get a job in town. you can get work in the woods if you want to. dont know what wages, but men are scarce, and I thinkit would be $30 at least.
Now if you come up I want t get you for a month to help me cut logs. Andrew is talking some of getting you a jobbin the depot here as a helper. perhaps he has been writing to you about it. if you get a job of this kind dont let cutting logs for me interfeer with your plans as I can get along all right. you see you can use my job as a starter if you strike town without a job, there will be at least $30 in that.
You may be able to ride clear to Ripple by Jan. 1. they will be shipping freight bu that sure, although we are expecting freight trains this week.
Let me know what you will do as soon as possible.
Ever your loving brother
Arthur. B. Paul
[ Written in black ink on 5¾ X 10" light blue ruled stationery; the envelope address is- Mr. Walter E. Paul, Barnum, Minn and Deer Park is written in the lower left corner; the postmark shows- Ripple Dec 17 1905; on the reverse one postmark reads- Northome Dec 19 AM 1905 Minn and another shows- Barnum, Minn Dec 21 1905 ---AM. 1905 Rec’d; the postage is a red Washington two cent stamp.]
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34] Howard June 21/93
D Brothers
Andrew and walter.
I got your letters, Andrew, and I guess it is about time I answered them. I will write to you both at the same time. You told me about catching “a eel” in the river. have you caught any more since then? I don’t have much chance to go fishing or hunting either but if I only had my rifle here I could shoot quite a lot of woodchucks after supper nights. well Walter I suppose you dont wear dresses any more now and will be an awful big boy when I see you again. when are you going to begin going to school. say, Andrew, has Pa traded that shotgun yet? I hope he will get it because it is a good one. well boys it has been awful hot today. it has been 91% in the shade. I am at work now paris greening potatoes. the bugs are not as thick as they were last year. I got a letter from Grace today. tell her that I havent bothered Aunt Jennie for over a year now, but I guess she is about the same. say how are you getting along camping out. Grace wrote something about it in her letter today. you tell Pa that I would not work in haying if I was him if I could get anything else to do because it is pretty hard work. we shal begin in earnest in a few days and have begun now to mow out roads and odd corners. well it is going on nine oclock and must be about your bedtime so I wont keep you up any longer. and I must go to bed myself so
good night
Melvin
P.S. You must write once in a while, you can send it in one of the other letters, you know. I will address this to Walter so it wont get mixed up with Uncle As name here at our postoffice. M.
what is your middle name Walter? I forgot.
[ Note attached by WEP: From Melvin who was an officer in the Rhode Island State Prison]
[ Written in black ink on 4 7/8 X 7 7/8" watermarked stationery; the watermark reads Damask Linen with a large leafy design between the words; the envelope address is- Walter Paul, Norwich Chenango Co N Y with Care H.B. Paul in the lower left corner; the postmark shows- Howard --- 22 R.I.; one postmark on the reverse shows- Providence, R.I. and the other shows- Norwich, N.Y. Jun 23; the postage is a red Washington two cent stamp.]
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35] Howard R.I. July 31/98
Dear Walter.
I got your letter last week and Mothers with it. It seemed funny to get A letter from you for the last I saw of you you did not know one letter from the other. I suppose the next I hear you will be shooting a deer with my rifle, the same as Andrew did. Have you got so you use the little rifle any.
I wish we could buy some of those berries you pick but I guess I can get some of the men here to pick me some.
Did that big storm do much real damage to the crops?
We are all well and the baby is real good. It sometimes worries A little through the day but is very good at night. I think we shall call her Margaret but if you and Clara can think of any good names you might send them along. A friend of ours let us take his horse today and we went baby and all for a long drive.
The nurse we have had went away last monday and one of the ministers daughters is here helping Bessie. She does not understand handling the baby very well but we know of another girl who does and we shall try to get her.
We have had some awful hot weather lately but it rained A good deal this after noon and I am in hopes it will be cooler this week. We have got all through haying and are now killing weeds as fast as we can, and the land has been worked so much that it has got to be full of all kinds of weeds.
I suppose you study A good deal at home. I wonder what you study and how far you have got. I suppose you will have A school house there before long now that people are moving in there and putting a road through.
I think I shall have to stop for supper is most ready and I am pretty hungry and cant think of anything else just now so will stop and I hope you will write again.
Your Bro
Melvin
Have you got that other bear yet.
[Note attached by WEP: Melvin was an officer in the Rhode Island State Prison.]
[ Written in black ink on 5 X 8" faint blue lined heavy stationery; calumet is impressed in the upper left corner of the first page; the address is- Walter Paul, Barnum, Carleton Co, Minnesota; postmark reads- Howard R..I. Aug 1 1898; the postage is a red Washington two cent stamp.]
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36] Partridge Minn. Jan. 19 1908
Dear Brother Walter:-
I have not heard from you since Mother said you were at work for the Reeves outfitt and so think you are probably there yet.
I got your picture yesterday, and that me think I had better write you. I think your picture is a good one of you and was glad to get it.
I don’t think you are having any more snow up there than we are here, and I think that is one thing that is making things so dull now, especially on the railroad, as no one will haul many logs or get much lumber as long as there is any hope of there being any snow later on. I am sure if there was to come a good foot of snow, the business on the road would increase about fifty percent over what it is now?
We are all well and cleaned up now, except Eugene’s left eye, which has been sore ever since he was sick, and does not seem to get well quite as fast as it should. We have some stuff from the doctor to put in it, and by keeping him in most of the time, we are in hopes it will be well soon.
I don’t think you will have to wait till the first of April to get a job on the road. When the nine hour law goes into effect the first of march, they will have to have more men, or else let a lot of work go undone, whether business picks up or not, and there is going to be quite a readjustment of salaries and working conditions, and it will be quite interesting to see how everything is finally adjusted.
There is not much news to write from here. The mill men are trying to haul in a few logs by shoveling snow in the track, but they are making rather slow headway at it so far. Everything else is dull, freight and passenger business nowhere near pays expenses here, and in fact, it seldom does, for that matter, but it is unusually quiet now, and if we have an extra train nowdays, it is a matter of some little surprise.
No more now.
Your Brother,
M C Paul
[Typewritten with pica type on 8½ X 11" smooth finish tablet paper with faint blue lines; the paper is a dark tan, possibly by age, and has a letter head: The words Great Northern Express Co. (1) in a black box with white lettering drawn as a hanging sign and (2) spread across the top of the paper; below that and on the right is a dotted date line with 190-- ; the envelope, also dark tan, has a partially obliterated Form number in the upper left corner and just below that is the hanging Great Northern Express Co. sign; the address is- 1 Walter E. Paul, Barnum, Minnesota ; the postmark is faint and indistinct; the postage is a red Washington two cent stamp; in the lower left corner in bold type are the words express business; on the reverse one postmark reads- Hinckley Jan 20 9AM 1908 Minn.; another postmark reads- Barnum, Minn. Jan 20 12 M 1908 Rec’d. Partridge was later renamed Askov.]
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37] Dec. 12-1959
Ralph
Bernice
Alice
Kenneth
Frances
I am giving the originals of these two letters from Rev. Davis to Kenneth. Am also giving him quite a number of old letters from my father and mother, brothers and sisters. Many of the letters contain items of family historical interest. I assume that when apportunity offers he will be glad to show the collection to any one of you who might be interested in reading them. Also in regard to some things I have tried to write up, I am giving him the originals and will give Bernice the first carbon copy. For the present I shall keep the second carbon copies in my files.
Dad [signed in blue ink]
Dec. 12-1959
[Typewritten in pica type on half a sheet of 8½ X 11" typewriter paper--a carbon copy; attached to two letters from Charles Fox Davis, April 13, 1913, and April 30, 1913.]
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38] Minneapolis, Minn. April 23, 1913.
Walter E, Paul,
Brainerd, Minnesota.
My Dear Friend Paul:-
Your letter was ap-Pauling, and I read it twice to make sure that my eyes did not deceive me in the subject matter it contained; but, no, as sure as language writes it conveys the information that you have done well and concentrated your attention on “Just one girl.” Good for you! You can put it down that I am sure that those eyes of yours, backed by that quiet working mind which lies behind them, and supported by that steady will which you possess, together with many other qualifications which you have that makes your personality - all of these things, have enabled you to make a selection good enough for a prince. Of course, you may not have noticed- probably you did it purposely-that-you forgot to mention her sweet name to me; but I presume that I can make a good guess at it. If it be the one whom I have in mind, and I presume that it is, you certainly are to be congratulated.
I shall be pleased to be on hand next Wednesday, whether you need me at the early dawn, when the sun is at its meridian splendor, or when the sun is sinking to rest at eventide over the purple hills, or at the quiet hour of midnight when the queen of heaven ascends her throne and her silver rays are lighting up the earth with a quiet, calm beauty and the stars are twinkling in the canopy and the angels are singing nocturnes. Any hour you set, i am at your service. This is the one day that belongs to the couple whose barques set sail onthe delightful sea of matrimony, and all the onlookers feel that spirit of the song which says, “Love me, and the wold is mine!” You just name the exact hour, place, length of wedding ceremony to be performed by Charles Fox Davis, etc., etc., etc., and it shall be done as the young couple commandeth.
In the meantime, however, keep your nerves steady, be sure that you do not let the grass grow too long on the pathway which leads to the young lady’s place of dwelling; get the guitar and sing your evening serenades and lullabies under the window casement; be sure that you get the right measurment of the golden ring that fits the third finger of the left hand; look after your appetite; attach a special wire from your office and boarding house to the house from which you have found your way home many a time in the dark, and keep smiling all the time, and thus will end the second lesson.
As I am writing this there is a beautiful robin just outside singing a sweet song, and I take it that is symbolizing the sweetness and happiness which is to attend your pathway thru life, which I am sure will come to both of you.
My kindest regards to “The bride that is to be,” for I am sure that it she that is in my mind, and I know that you have done well,
Let me know, my dear Paul, just the hour, and I will let everything go by the board, and I will come. Write just as soon as you settle on the hour and I will arrange accordingly.
We all send our kindest regards to both of you.
Sincerely yours,
Charles Fox Davis
38] Minneapolis, Minn. April 23, 1913 cont.
P.S. I never dreamed that I would be called upon to sign this document with the pen that you presented me with as I left you at Brainerd. It is a fine pen, and your cause is still better. C.F.D.
[ Typewritten with a blue ribbon on 8½ X 11" stationery with watermarked letters northwestern bond; the paper has a letterhead with PHONE T. S. NORTH 1048 in the far upper left corner; Charles Fox Davis, pastor, 2020 James Avenue North are in three lines centered at the top; below and to the left margin is Foss Methodist Episcopal Church, 18th and Fremont Avenues N.; lower and to the right is Minneapolis, Minn.; the envelope address is- Walter E. Paul, 215 - 2nd St. N. Brainerd, Minn.; the postmark reads- Minneapolis, Minn. Apr 23, 1 - PM, 1913; The red Washington two cent stamp is canceled Highland Sta.; WEP has written- From Rev. Davis -in the upper left corner.]
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39] Minneapolis, Minn. April 30, 1913
Walter E. Paul,
Brainerd, Minnesota.
My Dear Friend:-
Your letter with a checquered note of greenish blue in separate form, with your name attached thereto,was brought me today, and I am sure that you must be thanked for your liberality for the assistance I am desirous of rendering you on your hymeneal day. I shall come up on Tuesday evening, and I will look after myself while I am there. Of course, Tuesday evening will be a hard evening on you, for I remember that I spent that night reading poetry, and romance, and anything I could put my hands on. I couldn’t imagine that I was to be married the next day, so I got up and looked at myself in the glass, read the marriage license, and quoted Shakespeare, and re-read love letters. Well, this event may not strike you as it did me, because we preachers have to quote so much poetry in our sermons, and I had to memorize a lot of it to fill in my sermons in those days. You naturally take things quietly, but just the same, it is a glorious feeling that permeates a fellow when he knows that the day following, to the march of a wedding composition he has to take the choice of his best affections and give himself away. Hold onto yourself my dear fellow, and it shall be well with thee and thine.
Here is a sentence from Shakespeare on “The Indications of Love”;: “How to know a man in love-your hose should be ungartered, your bonnet unbanded, your sleeve unbuttoned, your shoe untied, and everything about you demonstrating a careless desolation.” What do you think of that description? That’s about how it struck me! Here’s another from Burn’s: “It warms me, it charms me, To mention but her name; It heats me, It beats me, and set me a’ on flame.” (over)
Concerning marriage I have found the following to be true: “As a walled town is worthier than a village, so is the forehead of a married man more honorable than the bare brow of a bachelor.” Ibid.
“Tho fools spurn Hymen’s gentle powers,
We, who improve his gentle hours,
By sweet experience know
That marriage rightly understood,
Gives to the tender and the good
A Paradise below.” Cotton.
I think you do well to pick your marriage day in May. “She will be queen of the May,” and I am sure that you will be King of May 7th, 1913, in Brainerd, Minnesota. There is something so beautiful in all nature at this time of the year. The birds are returning from the south; the song birds are blithely singing their liquid songs; landscape is putting on her best dress of living green; and the ploughman is singing his merry song; and there comes a baptism of new, abundant life to all of us. “Spring hangs her infant blossoms onthe trees, Rock’d in the cradle of the western breeze.”
I almost feel as tho I was going to get married again myself! It’s a mighty strange thing how it comes to pass- “That all the world loves a lover.”
39] Minneapolis, Minn. April 30, 1913 cont.
Well, my dear fellow, take good care of the girl; steady your nerves, and gradually grow up to the coming event with a stout heart, and all will be well.
I am sure that you have done well in your selection, and that the years will prove what I write.
With kind regards and prayrs for the best day that ever struck earth,
Truly your friend,
Charles Fox Davis
[ Typing and paper are the same as in the previous letter; the envelope has a return address in the upper left corner-- Charles Fox Davis, Pastor, 2020 James Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minn.; the address reads- Walter E. Paul, 2nd Street North, Brainerd, Minnesota.; the postmark shows- Minneapolis, Minn., May 1, 9 - AM 1913; the postmark on the reverse side shows- Brainerd, Minn. May 2, 7 - AM 1913; someone has written in pencil Padlock, Long Shades, Curtain Brackets, Broom holder and Match Safe.]
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40] Big Falls Jan 23 1908
Dear Brother Walter:
I have some spare time to night and so I will write a few lines to you. The passenger train has come and gone again and now I am waiting for the freight. They did not get out of Bemidji until 4.30 this after noon and so they will be pretty late tonight. I expect to get to bed about 3 o’clock if everything goes well, The freight has been making quite good time so far as the work has been light and no bad Storms. The passenger train is hardly ever late these days either.
I received that picture you sent me and I think it is a fine one. You did very well to get it taken while you was Brainerd. It seems to be good work and I guess I shall have to try it some time when I am there.
Tell Mother I got her letter all right and will answer it soon. I wish I was going to be able to take a trip down that way as she wants but am afraid I cant, you see I expect to have to go to International Falls again next month and it would not pay me to go down home until after that anyway.
We have been having some great times here in town these last few weeks. It has got to be almost open war. You know a Mr. Taylor started a fight against the slot machines here in town. Last week he swore out a search warrent for them and the sherriff raided Geo E and Geo T Robinson’s places getting three machines in all. Of course they were both arrested and put under bonds. The next thing that happened Mr. Taylor was found to be carrying concealed weapons and so the other faction had him “pulled” and thrown into jail, but the “Law and Order” league was a little to sharp for them and managed to swear out the first warrant for his arrest of course that then threw him into their hands and they soon had him out of jail. He claims that he can prove he had good cause to go armed and that several threats had been made. The other night he was coming over to the station and one of the Maher boys hit him in the jaw as he was passing and knocked him clear off the sidewalk.
The last two days the excitement has all been over George Maher who went and broke open one slot machine and took all the money from it after Pat Walsh had taken charge of it. He skipped out the other morning just as the sherriff got here with a warrant for him and he got as far as Deer River before they caught him. Tomorrow night he will be back again and will have to face the music too. They will have two or three of the hearings tomorrow when the County Attorney will be here and everyone expects a “hot time in the old town”. I think more people are taking sides in this scrap than they have in any other they have had.
I don’t know but I shall get another job, taking evidence tomorrow. I suppose it is risky business for if Strachan should find it out I suppose he would give me the bounce.
I will send you receipt for your December check, to sign, as you may need the “mon.” Richards said they were going to cut me down to $45 per., but I told him he would have to “Show me.” I think, though, that I would work for $45.00 for a while just now rather than to lay idle, but I don’t think they will cut the job down to that if they do I can cut out the wire work and selling tickets and bring them to time.
Suppose you are having quite a time down there this winter, are they having any “Leap year” parties down there, you want to watch out anyway, although I think Deer Park would be about the safest place I could find to spend a Leap year in, but it may be different with you.
40] Big Falls Jan 23 1908 cont.
There is some fellows in the waiting room this evening, they are sober and seem respectable and are not the kind a fellow feels like turning out, so I am roasting them out one of them made a break for the open air just now and I guess the other one will go too after I put another hod of coal in the fire.
Arthur and I have not been doing very much with our music lately. Mr. Richards gave me a piece of music for the picoolo that the band is trying to learn and it seems so long that I think I will bring the picoolo up some evening and try it with him. I would rather have some other instrument to play in the band and you might like it after I got started.
This is all for now.
Your bro
Andrew
[Written in black ink on 8 X 10½" light blue ruled paper with a letterhead- Northern Express Co. and a line for the date; in the upper left corner in small type is- Form 76 and in the upper right corner in small type is- 2-07 50M StP; no envelope exists.]
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41] Big Falls Jan 11 1908
Dear Brother:
Your letter arrived this AM with the receipt enclosed. I will send the check right down today as you may need it. You will have another one coming in a few days and I will get that to you as soon as possible.
I think perhaps we understand each other a little better now in regard to the work. I have heard nothing from the Northome job yet and don’t know as I care too as I would just as
______ stay here in town.
A vacation would be the last thing I would think about just now. So I suppose we had better let matters stand as they are, for the present. If any thing starts up I will let you know although I doubt if it would pay you to move up here again if you are decided to go to the Gn. No more now
Your bro -- Andrew
[ Written in black ink on 8 3/8 X 10¾" faint blue ruled stationery; the paper is brown from age; the letter head has in the very top middle of the sheet- F .09 and in the upper right corner- 4.07 10M RP; in large capitals is the heading- MINNESOTA & INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY. and in smaller letters just below it is- Agent’s Office and a line for the station and date 190--; no envelope exists.]
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42] Big Falls Minn., Jan 5th, ’08.
Dear Brother Walter:
I think I will write a few lines to youalso today. I have been getting all my old letters answered up today. I will be looking for a nother letter from you before long as I remember that you are owing me one.
That old telescope came all right. I am sorry you bothered to send it back because it was not worth the express charges, or at least I would not have given that much for it. You did not say in your last letter just what you were intendingto work at. I was a little surprised that you gave up coming back, and cant help; being a little sorry that you have given up working on the M&I although I suppose it is a more of a selfish feeling than anything else as it would be nice to have both of us on the same line. Grace said she thought you probably got to thinking that you would probably be pushing me out ofthis job here if you came back as decided to stay down there for a while, but I hope taht was not the reason you changed your mind as I thought we talked that over plainly when you were here, and besides that I think I could have got something else along the line Things are pretty dull here in town just now. Every one seems to be crying about it. Of course it makes a big difference with the work. I don’t think I ever saw things quite as light on the road as they are just now.
We have been having some fine skating for the last few days they have a nice place right down in front of the house. They have a fire down therr nearly every night.
Well we have a new postmaster noe. It is Mr. Oiler he just started in this last week. This is my week to work at night and I suppose I will have to break him.
Well I do not know as there is very much to write just now. Hope you will take care of yourself and not get hust. It seems as though there is a lot of your clothes up here that you would want if you were going to stay down there for any lengthof time. If you want any of them sent down just let me know what you want and I will check it down. I am hopes that you will decide to com back again although I suppose it is more of a selfish wish than anything else as there is not much doubt but that you can get a better job down there than you can here. So you will have to do just as you think best about it.
This is all for this time,
Your brother,
Andrew
[ Typewritten in pica type with purple ribbon on 8½ X 11" typewriter paper and signed in pencil; the envelope has - Form 34 in small type in the upper left corner and in large capital letters is- MINNESOTA & INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY.; the address is- Mr. W. E Paul, Barnum, Minn. and on the left side is- Carleton county; the right side of the envelope is torn open but shows - Ry.; the postmark reads- Big Falls Jan 5 P.M. 1908 Minn.; on the reverse a postmark reads- Barnum, Minn., Jan 7 10AM 1908, Rec’d.]
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43] Big Falls Dec 28 1907
Dear Brother Walter:
Your letter together with mothers came last night. I got them just after mailing the one to you. Was glad to find that you were having a good time. I don’t hardly know what to think about your going to the gn. in the spring, if that is your meaning. If you waited until April I have no doubt that you could get an easier job and probably one that would pay more on the gn than you could here although you would not have as pleasent surroundings as you might have. Of cours about coming back here it stands just as it did when you went away and you seemed to understand it then. It just rests with you whether you want this job or not. Of course, again if I got this station some time next summer I would rather have you here than any one else but then again you know the job will never pay more than $55.00 and you will probably get $60.00 on the start with gn and I guess you can stand up under the work all right.
Say, I wish you had made application for member ship in the ORT. And I would advise you to make a try for it anyway I just got my receipt last night for my membership dues. I went in the gn Division No 70 at St. Paul at St. Paul. I suppose that is the same division Melvin will be in when he goes back. I only took out $300 insurence but their K I shall change it to $500 anyway before long.
The dyptheria scare seems to be quieting down and some now, in fact there are a lot here In town that think it was only a fake, but I am sure there was a few cases of dyptheria mixed up in it anyway. That Mrs. Thiebert had a hard run of it and has not got out yet. Mr. Richards expects to have the card taken off his door tomorrow. I suppose they will have to have the rooms fumigated again Last Sunday they fumigated the office and waiting room and you could hardly live in here the next day. The children have been just as well as they ever were for the last two weeks. They are getting pretty tired of the quarentine by this time. As I told the folks down at the house if it was really dyptheria they had here this case alone would be enough to spread the disease all the way from here to Brainerd. Mr. Richards has been right with the family all the time in spite of the quarentine. I think Mr Radcliff would have shut the station up if he had dared but he was afraid they would move all the business across the river incase he did that. The business on the other side of the river seems to be very quiet just now. I think George has rented his building and has got rid of the Post sffice, that is what he says anyway.
Arthur is working for Mr. Richards this morning fixing up the Chicken coop. He is going to have some game chickens from the East in a few weeks and I suppose we will have some fun then.
Say did you mean that you had checked that Telescope back to Big Falls. I could not understand what you meant by sending those BF & IF Bg.Check back for. I knew they had nothing to do with your baggage anyway
I am sending you a receipt to sign for your November pay check. I could send the check right down with it, only in case Johnnie Shultz or some of those fellows might drop in and then we would want either the Check or the Receipt to show, I will send the ch down to you and you can sign it and send it back and I can get the money for you if you want to do it that way. They will probably charge you exchange for it down there but it might be cheaper to get It cashed there at the Bank anyway as the check would need to be sent registered mail if you sent by mail. Of course if you decide to come back and want the check left here, just keep the receipt untill you come back.
43] Big Falls Dec 28 1907 cont.
We have been having a few days of pretty cold weather. Have had a little more snow but not much.
I guess by what Mother wrote you have been having a pretty good time sleigh riding and everything. I don’t blame you though and if I was you I would “Go it” while I had a chance for you know when a fellow gets to rail roading he can’t always go where and when he wants.
This all for now.
Your brother
Andrew Paul
[ Written with black ink on 8½ X 10¾" on very faint blue ruled stationery that is brown from age; the letter head on each sheet is the same as in letter 41 except in the upper right corner is- 8-06 10M RP; the envelope has form 35 and MINNESOTA & INTERNATIONAL Railway Company in the upper left corner; the address is in very large handwritng- Mr. W.E. Paul, Carlton Co Barnum , Minn; the postmark is incomplete and indistinct; the postmark on the reverse is incomplete and indistinct; the postage is a red Washington two cent stamp, torn in half when the envelope was opened.]
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44] Big Falls Dec 27 1907
Dear Brother Walter:
I will write a few lines this morning before the train comes to let you know that I am getting along all right. Hope you had a nice time on Christmas and are enjoying your visit.
We had a nice time up here as usual.
Grace got your card saying that you had been to Superior. Am sorry you did not make out better at the Gn. Office, did they speak as though they would want any more operators in the near future. When you come back do you think you would care to call at the NP office and see what they say about it and if they want any agents. The general office is right up stairs in the Union Depot in Duluth if you are going through Duluth when you come back I didn’t know but that you would just as li[?]es call and see what they pay. If you are not going that way I would not ask you to make an extra trip on account of it. I shall be looking for you now in a few days. although you may stay another week. Remember what I told you when you went away, not to wait until you are sent for but stay as long as you want and come back whenever you want to go to work again.
Everything is going OK. here at the station. The work is light and easy.
This is all for this time, A Merry Christmas and Happy new year to all of you.
You brother
Andrew
[Written in black ink on M&I letterhead paper as in letter 43; the envelope has the M&IRC return address as before; the address reads- Mr. W. E. Paul, Barnum Minn Carlton Co. as before and the postmark reads- Big Falls Minn. Dec 27 P.M. 1907; the postmark on the reverse shows- Barnum- Dec 28 1907 Rec’d.; the postage is a red Washington two cent stamp put on upside down and the end of the envelope is torn off but showing Ry.]
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45] Big Falls Minn. April 1st [ Note by WEP penciled in right margin and circled: 1907 W.E.P.]
Dear Brother:
I will take a few minutes to write to you this noon. George has another plan for getting you up here and he wanted me to do the writing for him. So you don’t want to think that you have me to blame for it. You see the Railroad construction’s headquarters is located here in town and they are hiring more or less men this winter. George just had a talk with the Chief Engineer this morning and he said he wanted another man around the office By what George told me I got the idea that he wanted some one to do errands and make themselves generally useful about the office. That is I get the idea that he is not exactly looking for an office clerk. But some one to help out here and there wherever he is wanted. It will be a good chance to get started in Railroad construction work if you cared to try it. Mr. Huss, the Chief Engr said that it would pay about $45 or perhaps $50 per month if the man turned out all right. He is a nice fellow and all his office help seem to like him. There is one thing about it though that I want to say, I don’t know that I would advise you to take it unless you thought you would care to hold right on to the job untill you made something out o of it. Now I know just about how you are fixed at home and I suppose you may think that you could not leave just now and perhaps you can’t you will have to be judge of that yourself. Mr. Huss seemed to be satisfied with the description George gave of you and said that he wanted you the first of next week any way, and that he wanted you to wire him at his expense immediately whether you could take the place or not. If you do so send it to G. M. Huss Chief Engr, Big Falls Minn.
I suppose after another month I shall find myself on the claim again. I have decided to prove up next fall or bust in the attempt. I don’t think it will pay to spend three years more on the place when I can Earn about three times as much in the same time if I am free to do so.
This is my new typewriter, I suppose Clara wrote something about it in her letter. I think it was quite a bargain. It is Remington No 2, and in good shape too. I paid only ten dollars for it. I have not got quite familiar with it yet but think I can run it all right after a while.
Arthur and I are going to get a team tomorrow to haul some stuff down to the claims, we are just in time as it is getting pretty bare in some places. I am going to shingle my cabin this spring and I want to put steel siding on it some time next summer,
Hope you are all getting along well, and hope to hear from you soon.
Your brother,
Over.
[Handwritten in black ink on the reverse side: had a talk with Mr Huss himself this evening and he spoke much the same as he did to George. Have no doubt but that is a good place to rise. Hardly think it is necessary for you to wire answer just reply by letter as soon as you get this.
[ Handwritten note in pencil attached by WEP: I went to work in Mr. Huss’ office as office boy for a few months before going to work for the R.R. as station helper.]
[Typewritten with purple ribbon on same M&I stationery as before, except the sheets are cut in half crosswise; no envelope exists.]
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