Prelude:  Another (Early years) letter from Bern to Miss Frances Fairfield. This one was written on May 2, 1935.

THE LETTER:

Darling Franny,

May I call you “Franny?” I like it very much.  I received your letter this morning (thurs. P.M.) and was terribly glad to hear from you.  I really can’t tell you how much it was to hear from you.

Gosh! I’ve missed you so much. I never thought it would get me as much as it has.  I’ve been wondering and wondering when I’ll see you again.  I hope it’s soon because that won’t even be soon enough.

Don’t ever let the idea of “Wynne” bother you.  She’s a swell kid, but I really have nothing more than a friendly feeling towards her, because she has always lived so close by.

Gee! I wish you were going to be at the “Track Meet” tomorrow.  I’ll really miss you.

I suppose you wondered what had happened to the letter I sent you.  Did you notice it was torn? Well! I was fooling with Wynne and she tried to get it and she tore it.  At last I got it in a mailbox and sent it on its way.  She really didn’t mean to do it, but it happened and so it couldn’t be helped.  I never see her much anymore.  I guess I forgot about her after I met you.  I see Molly nearly every day and Tuesday she told me she got a letter from you, and I was wondering if I ever were going to hear from you, it seemed so long.

“Howie” Bennett would like to know if you know a girl by the name of Betty Kelly.  I don’t know why, but he did.  You can tell him the next time you see him.

Gee Sweets, I miss you an awful lot.  When I get home, I’ll look and see if I have a snapshot big enough, and good enough to give you.  I think all mine are small, but maybe I’ll have a bigger one later. Anyway, I’ll send at least one. That will be too much probably.

Say, pardon the red ink, the dirt and everything else. I’m trying to write on the study hall desk and I’m having a heck of a time.

Hope I see Ernie and Bannana tomorrow.  I wonder what they intend to do while at the meet. Let me know if you are coming soon. I can’t wait until I see you again.

It’s almost time for the bell to ring and so I’ll write the rest as soon as possible – probably last period.

Here I am back again, I’m going to write more dirt so hold on. Just imagine me writing as much as I am. Quite unusual, I assure you. I never used to write this much to anybody else I’ve ever wrote to.  I guess I’m in love.

Don’t ever worry about me letting you down because I’ve really fallen for the 1^sttime, I guess.  My mother says I act like a crazy man the last few days because I was always accusing them of hiding your letter.  I expected it before today.

Thanks for the kind words. My home room teacher told me that it meant “I love you” is that right? I shall return the complement in French, Je vous aime! I hope you can read it.

Molly was telling me Sunday that she might be going down soon.  I expect to try to get there sooner.  I may come Sunday if it’s a nice day, but don’t hang around waiting for me, because I’ll find you if I come.

Do you have a phone? We had one until just a little while ago, but the fellows and girls were always calling Walt or I up and they did it all times of the night so that dad the phone taken out.

My grandfather’s name was Dennis. My uncle’s name is Tim. Now which one did your Mother & Father know? Dad remembered your dad if he was the “Fairfield” that was boss at one time either in the Clark-Norton shop, Kerr Turkino or Morre.  He didn’t tell me which.

Well! Sweets, there isn’t much more to say so I guess I better close.

Hoping to see you soon, I shall remember in my thought how nice you are. You really are the sweetest and finest girl I have met.

You probably think that I am writing a lot of silly nonsense. Maybe it sounds like it, but I mean everything I said. (Pardon the misspelled words. I just noticed some)

Again, pardon the red ink, because I always use it and the paper, because I couldn’t do any better here at school.

Please don’t forget the picture of yourself because I really want one awful bad.  Say “Hello” to Clair and give my regards to your family.

So, I close with what I hoped would be a swell letter, but what has become rather lengthy. “Stay as sweet as you are, for me.”

Je vous aime!

Always

“Bern”

P.S. – Hoping won’t let me see you, but just the same. I’m hoping soon.

 

COMMENTARY

“Bern is in love, even in French, he’s in love! He’s using his study hall time to write to Fran and he’s not holding back. He’s fighting off Wynne, who tried to rip Fran’s letter out of his hand.  It’s all kind of comical and fun to read at the same time. I hope you enjoyed this letter as much as I did.