Letter from Ida (November 1934)

Letter to Malissa Joslin Brubaker Bower from her sister, Ida Joslin Dressler Lewis. A copy of this letter was made by Irwin Joslin from my grandmother's files. The location of the original is not known. I received a copy in November 2007 from George and Lorene Joslin.

Malissa was living in Columbia City, Indiana. Ida lived in Kansas City, Missouri with her second husband, Sam Lewis. Joe is Ida's son, Joseph Dressler who would have been living in Torrance County, New Mexico. Della is Ida's sister, Della Quillen, who lived in South Carolina.

Spelling has been transcribed as it was written though punctuation and paragraphs have been added to make it easier to read. Ida's handwriting is atrocious and she used hardly any punctuation, which makes the letters somewhat difficult to decipher. Bad writing and all, I'm very grateful to have these few letters that have survived.

For more information on Ida and her family see Ida Joslin Dressler Lewis (1863-1937)

Other posts in this series: The first letter from Ida

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Envelope attached.
Return address: Mrs. S T Lewis, 2711 Wabash, K City Mo
Sent to: Mrs Lissa Bower, 201 East Market St, Columbia City, Indiana
Postmarked: November 9, 1934

Sister dear, its such a beautiful morning, sunshiney, crisp, lovely. I would like to take a long ride out in the woods. They say they are beautiful. The leaves are going fast. So are we. But the new life is more beautiful. I'm very much better. This new treatment, 4 tablets a day, is helping my general health. Of course, I'm still suffering pain in my swollen joints. My wrist is the worst but I don't suffer as bad as I did.

We have our rugs secured, floors polished, screens out, old vines taken down, etc. Still thare is a lot of work to do yet but Sam can do most of it when he is not busy. I got beautiful lace curtains for my living room this fall. Our house needs redasking [?] its stucco and painting but it will have to do this year. Living is surely high. Sam pays more for everything he needs for his work and works for less. The union have cut thair price so he must keep below them to get the work but he keeps going. He's strong and healthy and I'm awfully thankful.

My Joe is not strong & never quite well. The Dresslers are not strong. His father has been dead a great many years so are nearly all of their folks. Joes wife has never quite recovered from her gall bladder operation. Was going to be xrayed for another operation (maby). Joe was running for a Political job. Haven't herd how he came out. I hope he was defeated. He is to clean and decent to mix with the class that is now running the country. Conditions are tearable but its not only here its every where. Our Bible teacher said last Sunday Saten was runing the country now. It surely looks that way.

Well, I've got rested and will try it again. I'm making ice box rools [rolls ?] besides lots of other work but so thankful I can. Haven't herd from Roxie for a long time. I think its wonderful you keep so well. My dearest friend passed on to that other home, aged 82 years. She was a mother to me. Another dear friend died 4 weeks after she buried her husband and I miss her so but after his death she couldn't make the grad [grade?], just layed down and quit, no children, just those old folks alone. She was 60, he was 70. And so it goes. Had a beautiful home and were very happy after 35 years of married bliss.

Dear sister Della says the Lord is coming in the clouds. So be it. I'm ready to live so am ready to die for the Lord sayed who so ever will may come and that included me. I'm tire of writing, my wrist pains, ans [answer] when you can. It seems to me you have a easy life as you are nearing the setting sun, and I'm glad you have, but of course you must be lonely too.

Lovingly yours, Ida
2711 Wabash