Royal's letter to Martha #30 Nov 1936

It is a little confusing how Royal talks about home. When he is in Denver home is Baca County. When he is in Baca County sometimes home is his room in the boarding house and other times it is the family homestead where he grew up. This home is where his Mother and brother Bill live.

I've been thinking about the Ford cars. For many years Ford made the model T which was the first low cost car and transformed the American world. In 1928 because of competion Ford came out with the Model A. It had a four cylinder engine and came in a coupe or sedan. It had a throttle on the steering wheel. They had not worked out the standard cluck, brake, and gas used on cars until the mid 30's. The model A was made until 1932 when they came out with a new model which was more streamlined with either a 4 banger or a V8. The 1934 was just a little more stream lined. I owned one of these that set beside the house for several years but never ran. These cars had machical brakes. There were push rods and levers and these were poor brakes. I think by 1936 they had hydraulic brakes and the cars were starting to be more rounded. So Royal left his new car with his brother Bill and drove Bill's Model A. Royals brothers were mostly very mechinal though he was not. So Bill was getting the car ready for the trip to Indiana.

Dearest,

I am very sorry it is not possible for you to meet me in K.C. I hate going places by myself. I probably won't arrive there until late afternoon on Christmas Day you will have Christmas dinner with your family without interruption. I am having Mother and one of my sisters eat with me here on Thanksgiving Day.

I was home this afternoon and stayed from 2:00 until 8:00. Mother was quite well. Bill my brother was washing and polishing my car. He has had it here for about two weeks now. I have been driving his model A. about. I ate a big piece of apple pie, and I have had indigestion ever since I came back home. I have made some rather definite efforts to find out just when your birthday is, but have not succeeded. The picture man just came Friday.

At the party we had at my sister two tables played Big Business and one played bridge. Mr. Austin got to working a card trick for the teachers that took no little time. The evening ended by a group playing Hell, pounce, or there is another name for the game.

Saturday night after play practice Mr. Lewis and I served spaghetti to the play cast. The spaghetti was enjoyed by all. We played ping-pong and bridge afterwards then. The gang are really quite a fine group. There has been some little difficulty among play cast & I have been trying to iron this out.

I paid every cent I owed to the beal [?] bank this month. I am surely making a drastic effort to get all my obligations taken care of. I now have last summers school paid for and am ready to start saving to get ready for next summer- I hope to be able to work on that thesis this week too.

I must sign off and get to school. I'll be seein' you before long.

Love,
Royal.