Sunday July 3, 1938
Dear Old Son,
Because this is due for arrival on your birthday I'll address it to you though I know you'll share it with Edith just the same. I haven't commented much of that fine letter you wrote to me on my birthday but I've thought a lot about it and have taken a lot of pleasure in reading it over. I expect I did a lot of preaching in many of my letters - much more than necessary - but as time goes on you'll appreciate how much your progress means to your mother and to me. And still does for that matter though now we've gotten ourselves pretty well trained to the idea that you not only know what is right but will do it instinctively. (How many times have I told you that your greatest difficulty was to say "No"!!)
This must be a very special anniversary for you - the first in your new life and your thirtieth. That it may be a beautiful and perfect day for you both we hope and pray. It should be a day of great rejoicing for you two there and for the four or us here. Nathan's boat is due in N.Y. Thursday so that if he can't get home that night he will be here surely to help us celebrate your day. And how we shall enjoy it and only wish you two were here - but the next best thing to that will be the thought of you having a holiday together on or near your beloved ocean with thoughts of business forgotten. Knowing you I sometimes feel sorry you are in business and yet the kind of business you are in does seem to be the very thing for which you are adapted - and a kind to touch your sympathies and bring out your best qualities. And it is a satisfaction to know that you are doing a good job. A job well done is hard to beat and if the good job is also a worth while job doing good to others - what more can one ask? Well only one thing and that is that the discouraging things which are bound to crop out in all jobs shall not get you down - nor make you lose confidence in yourself - nor in the ultimate aim you keep before you. You have many things to be thankful for and you will have many more as the years go by.
I've had a bit of a struggle with that pipe you sent me - the smaller one - but now it's pretty well broken in and I like it very much. The big one I haven't yet tackled but I may take a shot at it on your birthday or some day after Nate arrives to watch the performance.
What a week we have just had. Aunt Julia and Jane arrived Wednesday after we had had three days of pouring rain with the garden beaten down and everything flooded. They were both so tired they hardly knew what they were doing so they wavered about from attic to cellar trying to collect all of Jane's things into one spot for the expressman to take over to Hartsdale N.Y. where Jane is to live after her wedding. To add to their troubles they had flat tires to contend with and silver to pick out. They left Friday afternoon at three (having planned to leave at ten in the morning) and when I got home both mother and Mart were exhausted. Yesterday was clear and cool and today even more so - so we are all revived. We've had open fires all the week and will have another this afternoon after we return from taking Mart to Bedford for a ball game.
Now it's evening. We've had a fine ride up to Carlisle and Groton. Supper as usual and now I must put this in the mail. As you'll see we are sending this to Lederle as we suppose they will know your address and that ought to bring it to you about Friday. Here's hoping the day is glorious and that you are both feeling well and have some special outing but if it should be bad weather just remember the good old verse in Psalms which says "This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice in it." I've always liked that - perhaps you will, too.
Dearest love
Dad
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