Dear Gen: A love letter

Chapter Five

Without your mother, it seems like you began to feel lost too, Gen. Letters from Andy were nice, sure, but what else was out there? Was there more to getting married and settling down? Was there more than San Francisco? Perhaps you were anxious to get away from the loss of her mother. Turns out, an opportunity arose at Livingston's for you to travel to New York City as a buyer, and you leapt at the chance to go.

On April 10, 1925, Andy wrote:

After making several trips to the post office and being disappointed several times. I finally received your welcome letter. I'm alful glad to hear that you are going to have such a nice long vacation Gen. And going to New York too. Some class to you Gen. I'll say I sure hope that you will come up before you go as I sure would love to see you once more.

New York City! After exchanging Easter gifts with one another, you told Andy:

Well I'm going to the boss's house to-nite and stay until Friday. I mean my boss where I work. She's a little cutie and we're great chumbs, although I've only known her since November. She's the one I'm going to N.Y. with. Oh And, I just can't wait to start. Once in a while I get terribly discouraged from my Dad, but I'm going anyway if I have to swim across to get there. I'm surely going though, no matter what anyone says. It will only be for a few months, then I'll come right back. I just want to see how it feels to be in society for three months. Just think And, no work or nothing the whole time I'm there.

The boss you were speaking of was Kathryn Sager, I think. I believe she was the boss that replaced your old one, whom you also liked very much, but as seen here, the two of you hit it off well. You and Mrs. Sager grew quite close, even to the point where you stayed over at her house. I don't think your chummy boss took the place of your mother, but maybe you looked to her as a mother figure you needed at the time.

Andy was as anxious to see you before you left as you were to go. He did not, however, say you shouldn't go on the trip. Instead, he wrote:

I suppose you are getting ready for you trip to New York. Well don't let anyone discourage you Gen as that will be a wonderful trip for you and a nice rest will do you good. But I hope that you will come up before you go.

Work would continue for Andy, though, as it was the middle of April. It was hay cutting time, which would last a month. Then after that, it would be time to take the cows to the mountains again. The weather would be cooler, but staying at the cabin also meant Andy cooking for himself. He wasn't looking forward to that.

You teased him to lift his spirits:

San Francisco Cal

At Work

Wednesday

April 29-1925

Dear Andy:

I just mooched this stationary from Helen, you know the one you flirted with in the mountains. She is coming up there soon. I think about May, for two whole weeks. Now I suppose you'll be dashing down to Cook's often. That's alright but dot don't take her for any joy rides on the old noise machine, now that its working good.

Well And, to-morrow I'm going to move into a brand new house. It has just been finished. We have been waiting patiently since last November, but its all O.K. to move into now. It's way out from the city in a restricted district called St. Francis Wood. It sure is a mansion And, upstairs and downstairs. I'll send you a picture of it when we get settled. How will you like that? Not much? Well you'll get one anyway as I'm so proud of it that I'd like to give all my friends a picture. I just can't wait to get there. It will be great.