Lawton, PA - May 24, 1937

I have asthma from the dust and sinus issues from the mold yet something drives me on to search through the rubble.  Every day that I spend clearing out the "stuff", I come away with this deep sadness.  I am crying way too much.  I feel like I am  literally "throwing away" my Mom and my Dad and although some may think I am foolish, I can't let certain things slip away without preserving something of who they were to each other and to me and my family.
Reading these letters has brought the young Rita and Charlie into my life.  I don't think I ever experienced them in quite this way.   My emotions are complex to say the least.
So here goes another letter:
"                                                                               Lawton, Pennsylvania
                                                                                 May 24, 1937
Dear Charlie,
          Please forgive me for writing in pencil because that's all I happen to have just now.  I'm writing this outside the school auditorium or Community House at Rush.  You see the building, a trifle larger than a two by four, has to be used in many capacities.  At the present, the seniors of the Rush class of '37 are practicing their play, "Seniors at the Bar" for tonight, "Class Night".  I've decided I'd rather wait till this evening before seeing the play, because if I watch the rehearsal I won't appreciate the performance this evening.  The first thing on the program for tonight will be an address by the Class President.  Then there will be the play which includes the prophecy.  Following the play will be a reading of the class will and history and ending with presentation of gifts.  Everything, just now, seems to be centered on graduation.  Tomorrow will be the eventful night.   Maryrose is Class President and she has to give the valedictorian speech.  She is quite nervous and excited over it all.
          Last night there was a Baccalaureate Sermon given in the Methodist Church by the Minister.  It was very impressive even though it was given by a preacher.
          Gee, but they have a big time over graduating here.  Sometimes I wished we had lived in the country, if just for the school life.  It seems so much fuller, more intimate and enjoyable than in the city.  But I suppose that's only natural because the classes are so small, the teachers have the opportunity to meet their pupils socially and become acquainted in a most personal manner.  Oh well, such is life.
          How I wish you could be up here with me.  Everything looks so nice and fresh and green. The birds are singing.  There is just the faintest breeze rustling the leaves in the nearby trees.  Every living thing seems to have come to new life.  Gosh, but I am getting poetical.  I guess " they got me in the spring", don't you think so?  Well, that's enough of foolish chatter, but I never did profess to be much of a letter writer so don't blame me.  If you get tired before the end, just rip the rest up.
         Yesterday, I went to 9:30 Mass and then came home to Rosina's and read the funnies.  After dinner, Uncle Mart took Rosina and her friend to Meshoppen to get the bus to Scranton.  She has another week in college so I won't see her any more this week.  I came up to Geary's last night, and I presume I'll stay for a day or two.
           Tonight there is a dance at Thayne's  (Joe knows that place) but I don't know whether we'll go or not.  There is another one Wednesday nite at Silver Lake in Thos. Murphy's barn.  They just finished building it and it's customary to have something like "barn warming"  ( I suppose that's what you call it) before using it.  I hope we'll be able to go to that one.
             Last night after the sermon Mary went out with some of the kids from school so I stayed at home with Norene and Ruth.  We sat in the station and treated each other to ice cream.  Believe it or not we had five dishes of ice cream each.  I had ice cream twice before in the afternoon.  You won't know me when I get home,  I'll be so fat.
             I just thought of something my cousin Tony was telling me this morning.  He said he once knew a blind man who picked up a plane and saw (Ain't that corn'in?)
              Well, you see I've just written my limit on my own note paper so I'll have to finish on the Geary's stationary.  I don't know what I'll be doing the rest of the week, maybe I'll drop you a line before I go back.  Now don't forget your promise to write to me.  Be a good boy till till I get back.  Don't study too hard, and get to bed early.  By the way, how did you make out in the test Friday?  I went to Mass and said a special prayer for you that morning.  I hope you got at least a 99.
               Well, everybody send their best regards to Joe (and of course to you).  Mary says to give you both her love.  You must be tired of trying to decipher this mess so I'll stop and keep your eyes from further strain.  Till we meet again-
                                                                     Love and kisses
                                                                            Rita
P.S.  I started this letter yesterday as you probably noticed but didn't get a chance to mail it.  The Class Night program was great and the dance too.  I got home around one.  This morning I went to a funeral.  I expect to go to town  - Montrose - this afternoon and to graduation tonight.  So you see I'm a busy woman. R.O'D. "
 some thoughts of my own - my mother was 20 years old when she wrote this letter to my father.    I think the Joe that she refers to in her letter is Joe Fries, my father's brother. Uncle Mart is Martin Coleman - my grandma Margaret O'Donnell's brother.  Rosina is Uncle Mart's daughter and one of my mother's favorite cousins (no offense to the other 46 first cousins).  Geary's refers to grandma O'Donnell's sister, May Coleman Geary - Norene and I think Ruth are children of May and her husband (name?) - help cousins who know these answers.  Is MaryRose one of May's kids?  I do not know who Thomas Murphy is (the barn warming ) I never heard of Thaynes before.
this sentence "It was very impressive even though it was given by a preacher." gives you some idea how us Catholics thought we were the only ones with a "real" connection to God.
The very last food my mother ate before she died was Ice Cream!!