November 3, 1913 - The Optimist

So far, this is the most difficult letter to transcribe. But it was very creative. So I hope you can follow this 5 part correspondence.

Here is the view that Helen got when she held the letter up to the light.

November 3, 1913
Dear Helen,

1

While in a wholesale grocery house today I saw a little book called "The Optimist". If you hold this up to the light and look via the back of this page you will see what I saw. Then I opened the cover and beheld this - without comment. To be accurate I changed the quote slightly.

2

While on the trolly I was reading the Journal. Gadzooks! And here is what I saw (arrow pointing to article).

3

Everybody here is talking about the bad team Yale has. Everybody has their hammer out, and are not afraid of the sound. For that reason this clipping in this mornings New York American was music to my soul. I remember you asked how a tone could be dark; how colors could be soft. Well, how about hearing with the soul? Has this survival value? On my life - No!

4

I don't know what that impression that remark about the smell of fallen leaves, burning brush etc. conveys to you; but in these parts in the residential localities you can see piles of dark brown, yellow red and green leaves smouldering away,perfuming the air with an incense tinted aroma indescribable.

5

I will be in New Haven tomorrow, and will endeavor to see what arrangements are being made for the Princeton game. The cashier of the Bank today asked me to favor him with two tickets.I replied, says I, "if Yale plays as rotten as it has, you can have mine". But I had not seen this then. Say, what kind of a pout-pouri is this anyway?
Joe

We can think of the departed summer without regret on these glorious autumnal days that smell of fallen leaves, burning brush and roasting chestnuts. Going to the football game next Saturday 15th?

Big Seat Demand for Football Games

Any doubt regarding- the popularity of intercollegiate football is removed by the deluge of applications pouring in upon those in charge of the ticket distribution for the big games of the season.

From present indications the seating capacity of the various fields upon which the Yale-Harvard, Army-Navy, Harvard-Princeton, Pennsylvania-Cornell and Princeton-Yale games will be played will be unequal to the demands already being filed by alumni, undergraduates and their, friends

---

The Yale back field looked particularly good on the offense during the march down the field in the second quarter. The play off tackle and runs were almost irresistible.  Another bright spot in the Yale offense was the splendid kicking of Knowles.
Undoubtedly Yale's kicking will be a big factor in the game with Princeton and Harvard, for given a rush line that can withstand a strong attack arid a good consistent kicker, any team can hold off a much stronger opponent. Yale has plenty of first-class material and with proper handling can round out a team in two weeks that will surprise the football world.

Below is an ad for Campbells's Soup from 1913 that you can see in Joe's letter.

The next letter is on December 2.

October 23, 1913 - Murder in the second degree

Joe continues his professorial teasing in response to Helen's letter. This shows the much experienced 27 year old now six years out of college, teaching the 20 year old college sophomore. Following the transcription of the letter, which has some links to interesting information, is part of the Yale News.

October 23, 1913
Dear Helen,
As I was reading your letter and thought of a reply, my eye lit on this paper.I presume there is a box of it around somewhere, and will ask my sister for an envelope.

To settle the question whether I expect to be in New York next week, I can say yes! In fact, as matters appear at this distance, the probabilities are that it will require two days in the city and I shall endeavor to arrange accordingly.

It made me feel good to learn that you enjoyed what seemed to me to be a dull and ordinary letter, but the the good parts must have been the quotations from Service. But it made me smile to read about the three sizes of paper you have for writing.The letters I generally received were cute affairs  on stationary in direct competition with the size and proportion of a parcel-post stamp. But even so I marveled at the great abundance of news you could get into so small a space, and the volume of information you could import in such close quarter.

Do you remember "In all for the Ladies" Sam Bernard in being introduced to nobility, in reply to their 'we are delighted to meet you' he answers 'the pleasure is municipal?' That is the reply I feel like making to your expression of regret at my inability to visit New York Saturday.

And I regret even more so that I couldn't be in New York City Sunday (of course I passed thru on the way to Jamaica but I don't mean that part of N.Y.); especially when I read:
"I spent last Sunday afternoon lying (since when have you become professional?)[rather reclining]on the couch in the library while Butz held my hand . . .". I will make absolutely no comment whatever in addition to what I have already said.

Yet I must say that it is good to learn that some surgeons were disappointed in not carving you into a frazzle for appendicitis, and I am glad that the "attack" is playing in 42nd Street and not at 111th.

I have just mailed my application for the tickets for the Yale-Princeton Game and will probably know in a week or so how many will be allocated. The game, you recall, is to be played at New Haven on November fifteenth.

For the past three days I assisted in the trial of a murderer. The man went up to an enemy who was supposed to have broken up, or tried to at any rate, his home, and shot him.

I assisted the prosecution, and after the jury deliberated for a long time, they returned with a verdict of murder in the second degree. He was promptly sentenced to life imprisonment. That was my first really serious case that arose while I have been Prosecuting Atty.

Referring to that session you had with Butz.last Sunday, Watt's Poem might be appropriate

"My willing soul would stay
In such a place as this
and sit and sing herself away
To Everlasting bliss".

If you want to answer this you can refer to Peg's statement to Jerry on the subject.

Barking dogs don't bite, you know. The best time, says Elbert, to stop talking is before you tell all you know.

Here goes. Regards,
Sincerely
Joe


Below is the front page of the Yale News from November 19, 1913. This is the date that Joe mentions that they will be going to the football game. Yale did not win but neither did  Princeton.

 

In the eight page paper that was handed after the game it is interesting to note that the ads were either for clothing, mostly shirts, or smoking. Here is an example of some of the tobacco ads. The Fatima ad was a full page.    

The next letter will be October 28th.