You will look just as vergin like as a angel dear, on your Wedding day. Rita you are a very fine and intelligent girl. You are very cultured and refined. Thats so good and how, I like your very nice hugs and kisses, oh boy, thats what I like, I could eat, kisses for breakfast, diner, and supper, oh Boy instead of food to survive
Keep Smiling Bunny.
Walter J. Klein, your future Husband
Sunday 1/9/44 12:30 noon
Hello Dear,
I was so glad when you called, Walter. I think the operator let us talk more than three minutes – it seemed a little longer than usual.
Cele [Rita’s sister] has been telling me that I should be looking around a little for my wedding gown. Cele also thinks I should be starting to buy a trousseau – slips, etc. + also if I see a nice light color suit (to wear going away) that I should put a deposit on one + leave it in the store. I don’t know whether it’s too early or not to look around. Then too, I’m rather discouraged that you haven’t told your father. We haven’t even set a date yet so I guess it’s foolish to go ahead with anything yet till you + I get straightened out as to how your family feels.
If I were you (this is a suggestion) the next time you come home – when you can be alone with your father – tell him that you + I want to get married in the spring (probably May) – that you have no intention of giving up your own religion but that we’ll be married in Blessed Sacrament Church, that you realize that being in the Army is one of the things that isn’t in your favor as well as Religion (difference of religion) but that you + I have been going together over three years + you feel that you (+ I) would like to get married + save for the future after the war. If your father says he isn’t in favor of your getting married in the Catholic Church tell him that I said it has to be that way or not at all.
I don’t think your father will be as much against it as you think because you said yourself you talked to him a little about me + he said well, sometimes it’s God’s will that you meet, go with + marry someone of the opposite religion + you can be happier sometimes than if you married someone of the same religion. If Cele + Charlie can be broadminded about our marrying I don’t see why your family can’t at least try to be. I’m not asking you to give up any of your beliefs.
Cele has even asked Bob Green, a friend of hers + Charlie, to sing at the wedding already. Of course she said she wasn’t sure just when it would be but it would be in the spring sometime. He said he’d be glad to.
It makes me feel so badly that Cele + Eleanor are so enthused over our getting married + there’s such hesitation on your part that I’m getting so I don’t even want to bring up the subject lately.
So, Walt, won’t you please face facts the way they are + not make obstacles when there aren’t too many? It’s certainly not my place to tell your family but so far I’ve had to tell Helene, Al + Martha. Last week when I told Martha you were so afraid + embarrassed you’d think I was telling about a crime we’d committed.
Well, dearest, you probably don’t like the idea of my writing about these things but it is the way I feel + don’t see you alone very much when you come home. It really isn’t funny to joke the way you do about fellows putting marriage off ’till the last minute. I think we’ll both be much happier when we’re married knowing that we belong to each other in every way + most important of all can have that wonderful companionship that comes more fully with married life + can get our home together – save + plan for a real home – not just a house.
Dear, I miss you so much + hope + pray each day that you can be stationed in Ft. Devens or someplace near till after this mess is over. I’m counting a lot on the war with Germany being over after the major invasion of Europe + then maybe you will have a chance of being released + we can live a normal, happy life together.
Love Always,
X X X X X X Rita X X X X X X
Monday Nite 8: P.M. Day Room
Dear Rita,
Hows my Sweet little irish Colleen today, Hope that you are in the best of spirits, and managing to keep warm during this cold weather dear.
Just got finished reading your letters that you wrote Sunday afternoon. Yes dearest, we will try to get all of our plans made as well as we can, considering the circumstances of the Army.
Yes dear, on my next trip home, I will have a chat with my Father, and get his opinion of our plans in getting hitched Ha. Ha. Ha, this coming Spring, On May 15th if everything works out as we plan.
Bunny, you are such a sweet girl. I Love you so much. Bunny you make me see double when I read that blunt letters. Leave it to you dearest to write and drive home to me, just what you mean. Good old Rita Marie Lavery.
Rita, I am sure that on my next trip home which I hope will not be to long away, we will iron out all the Bend’s in the line, so to speak. Heh dear. Bunny, I Love you so much, and Miss you so much.
Love,
Walter
Tuesday Jan. 18th ’44 noon
Hello Sweetheart,
This month is going by rather fast. Before we know it, dearest, it’ll be May + that nice couple by the name of Walter Klein + Rita Lavery will be walking down the middle aisle (I hope) + will be Mr. + Mrs. Walter J. ten minutes later (ha ha). Kleiny will have to have a few drinks before, to calm his nerves + maybe Rita will too (ha ha). Won’t we be the happy couple tho, dearest! Of course we will.
I’m really afraid to go ahead + buy anything for the wedding because there is no assurance whatsoever that you will get a furlough in May. I don’t know what to do. Cele thinks I should go ahead + get everything I need anyway + I can always use the things whenever you do get it (furlough) whether it’s in May or any other month. I think I should wait ’till March before I buy anything. What do you think dearest? I was thinking last nite where are we going to get liquor or beer for drinks if we have a reception there’s such a shortage? (ha ha – what a thing to think about, heh dear?). Cele said maybe my cousin James (downtown) could get some – I don’t see how tho, it’s against the law to sell it outside of taverns. Oh well, I guess we should be sure there is going to be a wedding before we think about those things, heh, dear? (ha ha).
If you were here now I’d give you some nice big kisses, darling. I’m an old love bug – ha ha.
Love Always,
X X X X X X Rita X X X X X X
Sunday 1/23/44 – 1:30 pm.
Dearest Walter,
I’m always so happy after talking with you on Sunday over the ’phone. I’ve come to the conclusion lately, dear, that it’s worth 50¢ to call – really worth a lot more than that to talk to you, even if it is only for 3 minutes. The few Sundays you didn’t call (a while ago) I felt lost. Just to know that you’re well + everything is going along alright with you makes me happy.
I have $100.00 which is pretty good, heh dear? The $100 that I have, will buy my gown, veil + suit to wear away. The other things I’ll need can be bought each week. As far as the breakfast + reception are concerned Cele has some money in the bank that’s to be used for that – that’s the way my mother would want it. Everything is awfully expensive now tho – gowns, veils, + clothes in general – also dinners the type that is served after a wedding. Most places now can only serve a small number of people as they can’t get waiters + they can’t guarantee enough food – the restaurants themselves are short of food. That’s why sometimes I think it’s foolish to bother with a reception in these times – maybe we should just have a breakfast (really a dinner) just for your family + mine + that’s all, but we can decide those things as time goes on, dearest – we’ll figure out something. In my family there are so many cousins, aunts, + uncles that we’d have to invite all of them or none of them – we couldn’t have some + not others, see, darling? Just for the fun of it I figured out one day just about how many people we’d have to invite if we have a reception + there would be at least 75 people – mostly all of them Laverys – then of course you would want some of your relatives + close friends too. That just gives you an idea, dearest, of what we have to de
cide on – then, too, we have to be sure you can get time off to get married – that’s the most important thing. (ha ha). Well, as I said before, as time goes on we’ll straighten everything out I hope.
Take care of yourself, darling,
Love Always,
X X X X X X Rita X X X X X X
Tuesday 1/25 – 12:30 pm
Hello Walter J. (My Dearest),
How’s my sweetheart this week? I hope everything is going along smoothly for you.
I know if it wasn’t for the difference in religion we probably would have been married sooner. But everything should work out very well after you tell your father + we talk to the priest about the procedure you’ll take - - that is about the instructions. Dearest, I’ll never interfere in any way with you practicing your own beliefs after we’re married. As long as I can be free to live up to the Catholic religion + in case there are children I can be sure they will be baptized Catholic, then there will be no obstacles. You’ll be entirely free to follow the Lutheran Religion. When you tell your father about our planning to get married be sure to stress that, dearest. I don’t want him to think I’m trying to change you because I’m not.
I can just imagine you grabbing me as soon as you get to 1440 + kissing me for an hour as you said you were going too (ha ha). Aren’t you going to wait ’till you get your breath? (ha ha). Dear, I love you so much.
Lots + Lots of Love
X X X X X X Rita X X X X X X
Tuesday Noon Post M.P. Co Pay, Room
Dear Rita,
Yes dear, I guess a reception would cost too much. yes, may be just having a breakfast for our families is better as far as the finance is concerned dearest.
Carl Wallat my cousin married a Catholic girl at your Church, remember, with a Mass and his Brother was his Best Ma, with Leo. Sablofski my cousin usher. the girl’s name was Murial Siebert Sifred.
I Love you passionately also dearest. Wait until we are on our Honey Moon at that Nice Hotel in New York. Bunny, you know dear you and I will need a nice snooze after that Nervous Walk down the Middle Aisle.
Oh Boy. Bunny I wont ever be Nervous a bit, you know me and the Same goes for you. Ha Ha. Yes dear we will keep our fingers crossed as for me getting my usual monthly pass. I am quite sure tho of getting it. Boy, Bunny will I hug and kiss you and stay nice and close to you. Bunny I miss you so much, I am so hungry for your pretty kisses and loving.
Love,
Walter
Wednesday – 1/26/44 – 2:30 p.m.
Dear Sweetheart,
I’ll tell you the type of wedding I have in mind, dear. I’d like to be married at 11 o’clock in the morning – in white with Eleanor + your brother as our attendants + not send out invitations but just tell everyone in your family + mine – cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. to come (if they want to). From the Church we could go to the photographers + have a few pictures taken of the wedding party + from the photographers go to wherever we decide on for a nice dinner just for your family + mine. Just counting the immediate families there would be about 25 at the breakfast. It would cost about $50 for 25 people. Then after the dinner we could come back to the house + any of the relations who wanted to could come back to see the presents (or am I being too optimistic that there will be quite a few gifts – ha ha). Then we could go away about 4 in the afternoon to N.Y.
Now, darling, don’t think the wedding has to be just the way I’ve just outlined it to you. If you would really like a reception, we can talk it over when you come home + might compromise in some way. I think Cele + Eleanor are in favor of a reception, altho Cele says it’s entirely up to you + I – whatever we decide on will be alright with her. To me the most important part of the wedding is in Church when we are reciting the vows. I can’t see much sense in providing a lot of drinks for a reception so people can get feeling good. Eleanor + Vin said for a crowd of 75 people we’d need at least one case of liquor ($40.00) – (if you can get it) + also beer for those who like it. Imagine spending that amount of money on drinks alone. Wow! Oh well, we can decide on those things when you come, dearest, I want you to tell us what you want too. I like plain, simple weddings with no fuss – they are the nicest for people like you + I in moderate circumstances. Even the type of wedding I’ve outlined to you, darling, will be rather expensive but it will be worthwhile I think to spend the money on the ceremony itself and a nice dinner afterward.
Gosh, dearest, we have such a strong love – I’m so glad. I want to do everything to make you happy, sweetheart. You’re such a good boy + so deserving of the best. When you come home, dear, I’ll give you some nice, big hugs + kisses.
Lots + lots of love, dearest
X X X X X X Rita Marie X X X X X X
Tuesday, March 7th
Dearest Walter,
I received your Friday’s letter last night, Walter – it was a nice, mushy one (ha ha). I like to get those kind sometimes, telling me how much you love me, dear. Yes, we both love each other so much – we are very sure of that, heh, dearest?
Last night I wrote to Edward and Gertrude telling them that you + I were planning to be married April 22nd if you could get your furlough + asked Ed if he’d give me away – also told them to consider that letter an invitation for all of them to come to the wedding.
Cele called up two places last night to inquire about a breakfast + reception. One was the Candlelite (that’s the place on River St. that’s been all renovated recently – Dot Blake had her reception there) + the other place was Roseland. Neither place would give too much information over the phone. The Candlelite said they charge $2.00 per person for a dinner – not including a cocktail + that we’d have to bring our own food for a reception. Imagine that! Roseland charges $1.75 for a dinner without a cocktail but wouldn’t set any price for a reception. They said they didn’t like to quote prices over the ’phone – that we should go out there + talk it over. They couldn’t serve sandwiches already made up – everyone would have to make their own. So you can see neither one of those places sound very good, heh, dear?
Remember Sunday, Walt, when Mrs. Champ said they figured 75¢ per person for a reception + $2.10 per for a dinner? Well figuring 100 people at 75¢ for the reception is $75.00 plus $52.50 for 25 dinners – comes out to $127.50 – I don’t see how she figures $150.00 minimum do you, Walt? Then the $15 tip for the waiter would make it $165.00 (at least). If I happen to talk to her again I’ll bring this to her attention. Of course I know you can’t figure right to the penny but there is a big difference in the price she gave us + the price when you figure so much per person. Well, we’ll see, dear.
Well, dearest, be a good boy. I’ll be thinking of you. Just think, darling, if your plans work out in 6-1/2 weeks we’ll be Mr. + Mrs. Walter J. Klein. I can hardly believe it. I know we’ll be very happy.
Love Always,
xxxxxx Rita xxxxxx
Tuesday, Mar. 14th
Hello Sweetheart,
How are you this beautiful day?
Cele + Charlie both think that we should have just a breakfast + no reception. They said it would be better to have your family + ours – then pick one from each of the Lavery families – this would make about 40 or 45 people + would come to about $80 or $85 for the breakfast which would be better than $150 or $165. What do you think of this, dearest? It seems the best way to me.
I imagine I’ll get mail from you tomorrow, dearest, telling me what date you can make it. As soon as we are pretty sure about the date then we can first of all tell the priest, + then reserve that date for the breakfast. If we could have use of a nickelodeon (I’m sure we could) we could have music during the dinner + dance too if we wanted to amongst ourselves. Well, dear, at the end of this week we’ll decide definitely – but I think that’s the way it will be.
I’m so thankful I’m going to marry a type of person as you, dearest. I don’t think I could ever have met anyone so understanding + kind. I love you so much, Walter. I’m going to try my utmost to make you happy always as I’ve t
old you so many times before.
Lots + lots of love + kisses,
xxxxxx “Bunny” xxxxxx
Wednesday – 4/12/44 – 4:15 p.m.
Dearest Walter,
I’ve been so busy all day today straightening out all of the beautiful presents I received last night at the shower.
The shower my cousins gave me last night turned out fine. It was held in the Heirloom Shop on Fairfield Ave + it’s a lovely place. They served a supper first – chicken paddies – salad, rolls, dessert + coffee. After everyone finished eating I opened the gifts + received so many beautiful ones that I can’t begin to name them all. You can see them when you come home, dearest. Some of the outstanding ones are: a beautiful chenille bedspread (blue), a large table lamp with a crystal base with a white shade with wine color trimming – a set of dishes (service of 4) glass ones – called hobnail glassware – two boudoir lamps from Eleanor + Cele (white with crystal bases), another set of dishes (service of 4) in different colors. Well, that’ll give you a little idea of some of the things I received, dearest. As I said before you can see for yourself when you come. I’m sure you’ll get a lot of pleasure out of looking them all over.
The Hotel Taft sent an answer already to the letter I sent for a room + bath for you + I. They are reserving a double room, private bath + radio for $5.50 less 10% service discount. This offer is special to servicemen + their wives. They said if we arrive after 9 P.M. at night that we should send them a money order in advance for one night’s payment. I told them in the letter we expected to arrive between 8 + 9 o’clock but I’d better send the money order for $5 anyway just to be sure.
I received your Monday’s letter this morning, dearest. Yes, I have all the necessary clothes ready – I didn’t bring my gown + veil home yet but I have everything else – suit, coat, blouse, hat, shoes, bag, two new dresses, + yes, darling, for your information all the pretty silk things I’ll need too. (ha ha).
Legacy- an Anthology Page 6
