September 9, 1915 - All men are alike. It is almost useless to try and please them.

This letter started as a bit of a mystery because as you can see from the envelope there is only part of the date; the year. It took reading and thinking about a few things before I have come to what I think is the correct time of the year. First, it was sent to Lakewood, NJ where Helen would go in the summer with her family. Second, he spoke of the New Year. With the previous clue I decided he must have been speaking of the Jewish New Year. In looking up when that fell in 1915. Erev Rosh Hashanah was on September 8,1915. Here is the handwritten letter with the transcription below.

Friday

Dear Helen,
The last Fra had a quotation to the effect that “work is a blessing, and that winter and rain are as necessary as summer and sunshine. By a similar course of logic, sickness is as necessary as health; but whether that is so, the fact nevertheless is true that there is a large percentage of sufferers here from colds, grippe and pneumonia.

Barnet and his mother are just convalescing, and Myra is producing a new tooth daily, having about six.

I had a good laugh when I received your letter. Many things caused it. Primarily your remark “I can’t understand it, but all men are alike. It is almost useless to try and please them.” Are you really sure about that? The word “almost” implies a doubt. And the Proverbs say that “doubt is the beginning of wisdom.”

And even if all men may be alike; I shouldn’t say that regarding women. If anything, no two are alike. I can quote from the Bible down through Ella Wheeler Wilcox to prove it. For example, Solomon – the wise King- had 1000 wives, and he gave it as his experience that no two were alike. Why multiply illustrations?

Which brings me to the second cause of laughter. Remember Shylock’s

“the villainies you teach us, we will execute And the execution, better the instruction”?

 Well, when I wrote an apparently plain letter that our train service was all broken up by the storm and suggested that possibly I wouldn’t be in New York as a result; you drew more conclusions than a magician does rabbits from a hat, and with equal dexterity. Yet when you replied and appeared offended, and as you say didn’t intend to say aught but reply briefly, and I thrust a critics knife into the letter to show that if you are looking for reasons you’ll find them, and so exposed a few nerves, you seemed amazed that any such ideas could be gathered from your remarks.

I’m a bit afraid to say more, because I don’t just know how or what it will convey to you, no matter what it’s intended to do.

However, you’ve no time for this kind of stuff, trying as you are no doubt to take advantage of the holiday season.

New Years is at hand. The last one was good because we here have had peace, health and an opportunity to work. What more can one want?

May the New Year to be ushered in be a very happy one and on this, I hope every deduction of happiness possible may come true.
Sincerely,
Joe

As we can see from this letter there was a dialogue going back and forth from previous letters. I now know that the letters before this were lost over the years. From his comical and somewhat sarcastic response to Helen's letter we get the teasing and flirtation they treasured using their intellect as the base.

The next post on the blog will be on September 24th with an article from the Sentinel.

December 31, 1914 - With best wishes for a Happy New Year

It has been some time since I have made an entry on the blog. There were no letters that I have and time has not allowed me to post articles. Perhaps I will catch up on some of the interesting articles in the future. Here is a letter Joe wrote Helen as 1914 was coming to a close. As you can see from the postmark this was sent at 11:30 PM just before 1915 rang in.

This is a very little envelope, measuring 4" by 2 3/4". That would not make it thru our mail system today. I am assuming that was what he had at hand at the time. I love the nice little touch with the sealing wax in the corner of the front page with his initial S in gold.

December 31, 1914
Dear Helen,
I haven't written sooner, because I have been expecting daily to go to New Hampshire, and though I had an appointment to be there last week, the attorney wired that he would be away a couple of days, and that I could see him this week. Yet this week, and I might add, this year, is almost ended and no word has been received.

The chances are that it will be next week but I will make sure that it will not be on Friday.

I shall now endeavor to go there on the 11th and so dispose of it.

Last Saturday I not only had your invitation; but also two here, but I was so occupied that I couldn't get to any place at all. You must have had a great time at the house and I regret my inability to be present.

I almost went to New York today, which would have given me a chance to see the New Year in, in the big City, but my brother took advantage of that.

However, I have been invited to hear "Manon Lescaut" tomorrow night - with Caruso in the cast, and I will be in New York for that event.

Last Sunday I met a very brillant young man - Felix Frankfurter of N.Y. He graduated from Harvard in 1906 Law, received cum laude, he has a key; and this fall was elected to a profesorship in the Harvard Law School. He gets to New York occasionally and I expect to meet him there in a few weeks. With this in mind I will not speak of school matters. With best wishes for a Happy New Year

I am sincerely,
Joe

I have included link to the opera "Manon Lescaut" and one to Caruso for information on the amazing performance Joe mentions in the letter.
I have also included a link to information on Felix Frankfurter whose name may sound familiar. Joe was right in his insight of this 32 year old attorney. As you will see he went on to have a very brilliant career.
Here is a photo of Felix Frankfurter in later life.

The next letter that I have is from March 23. My hope is to post more articles to fill in in the meantime.