22 October 1918 Kae

Tues. the 22nd

Dear Don,

I'm ashamed of the way you always have to write a couple of letters before you can coax one out of me. I din't think it s a bit smark of me, but I can't help it. I'm always just up to my neck in unanswered letters. I always owe so many I hate to start. You see I'm so far away from ll my freinds this year that I have to write to everyboty I know so I can keep post and not get behind the times. And then my family spreads out more every year. THere's Ruth, John, F., Bid, Si, and P.D. all to funish with home news, and I seme to be official sec't'y around here; since Louise nevers attend to anything you tell her to do. Of course I was never that way when I was growing up.

If you come across a big blot any place along here you'll know that I have fallen dead an my head has strtuck the page with a dull thud. I don't really think I'll last till morning. I'm frail feeling. You probably take it that I have influenza, but please don't because it wasn't so. The secret of my ailments is house cleanign, and you don't need you tell me that you don't know what that means.  ??? degree Leone hasn't raised you for nothing, I know. This is the regular old fashioned siege - for for about ten days. From sunrise to sunset I sahke Dutch cleanser and tip the gasoline can. My hands don't feel as if they belonged to me, and after taking a good look at them, I'd just as soon they didn't. On account of the shcools being closed, BId, Do, Louise, Mother and I are able to work neck to neck, and believe me the feather sure fly when we all get started on one room. The room gets so full of steam you can't see out the windows - and that's no lie. But that doesn't give me any satisfaction. I'm tired and sick and I don't care how know it, but of course this is very confidential. I wouln't have my family think I din't love to did for anything in the worl, you know me and Lincoln and Garfield and McKinley.

I about died fomr lawfter when I read your dream about how I charged youf ro your meal. Not a bad idea, at that. I'll remember it when I'm pressed for a little pin money.

About the other one, I wonder if mental telepathy on account of my Cedar Rapids trip made you dream that. I didn't htink it I don't mean to say, but there's soemthing wierd about it. You see I've been away on a long, long journey (almost 150 miles) and all to see a man! Its the first time I've ever been guilty of that in all my 21 years. But I had to do it, that's all. You'l understand when I tell you that the man was Rollin. You know I've told you time and again that I've felt differently toward him, I always have and it looks mightly like I always will. He was my very first, and unless I fall despeatly between now an d the wedding bell season after the war, I'm afraid he's going to have to be my last too. This is ntohing offial at all, kindly undesta. I'm jsut confiding to you my side of it. Remember I used to tell you al about Rollin, and you always listed so plitely, thats why I"m pikcing on you now. He's a liut. now, and he looked better than I had ever seen him. Maybe it's the unifrom, I don't know. That' what I'm waiting to see after thw war. This day and age we soetimes think we're in love when it's really just admiration and patritism. But ehre will be plenty of time toi find out. I'll watch my step, don't worry.

I got a crazy letter from crazy Leone the other day, the ssame day yours came. I thot it was so sweet of brother an sister to write to me at the same time. I thot that Leone had forgotten I ever graced teh map. I felt quite falttered hearing from her gainm and she write such follish letters, I eat 'em alive.

Everythign is deader here than I ever thot that I'd live to see - outside of old Evergreen Cemetery. Business is heavy out there these days. Did you ever see the beat of this old world? I swear the whole univers is updide down and me right with it. Please don't say antyign to anybody about Rollin and me. He'd think I was jumping at conclusions, and that would never do. I'm jsut patiently waiting to see if its all a dream. Take good care of yoruself, Donald, my boy - sleep lots, eat lots, and don't think of working. I don't want you to get sick.

As ever,
Kae