George remains optimistic
The first letter (undated) shows George clinging to the hope/expectation that things will still work out without resorting to risky,
experimental treatments:
"Dearest Love: In the Philadelphia Press editorial column I just read an editorial I am enclosing. It is about a toxin used there by the head physician which he announces in very guarded terms my affect a cure with the aid of the regular treatment. The editorial is right. The regular cure is sure if the case is taken in early stages as yours has been, the toxin is very uncertain, is in its early stages of experiment if it later proves a good thing, and the wise course is not to be the subject of any experiments with any toxin until it is proven efficacious.
I am writing this because I don't want you to let the doctor talk you into becoming a subject for his toxin. You are going to get well without any such experimental treatment. The toxin is only in experimental stages and not sure or accepted at all yet. The rest-diet-fresh air treatment has cured thousands of cases much more advanced than yours and so stick to that. If a person was on the verge of decline having tried the cure and it having failed then resort to the toxin might be advisable as a last resort but you haven't got to give yourself up as a subject for toxin experiment because you can work a sure cure without it and the attendant dangers from toxin. You must not let Crane or anybody give you toxin: Promise me you won't, like a good girl.
I am taking very good care of myself this week and will continue. I received your letter last night when I mailed the one to you. I am glad you love me so much dearest, glad beyond measure and nothing else matters so long as we love and that is going to go on forever. Other things like worry and care trouble the surface and leave the great depths of love for us alone, calm and abiding as the unfathomed depths of the ocean.
You are so good about the music. I knew you wouldn't let it interfere with your treatment but you know when I can't talk with you I must write advice which often I know is absolutely not needed but it does me good to write it so don't mind, dear.
Yes, we will be mighty happy in the years to come, sweetheart, and I guess for some reasons this sickness is a good thing. It will keep us living in the open air and paying more attention to health and hygiene than we otherwise would, probably. I know it will be good for your careless hubby, good for little Jim, and it certainly will make you strong and well again and then keep you so.
I will send, or rather bring the magazines because it is now Thursday and if I sent them they wouldn't get to you until Saturday anyway. I have collected quite a few and will buy some on the way to Rutland.
I wrote you about Sprague. Well I am disappointed in that sharpshooter for Bolton wanted it cut out as he is going to try to lie down on the bank and thinks this might rile Sprague up so that he would fire him out again.
Three p.m.
I started this at eight o'clock ths morning and now the paper is coming out and I will finish. I just read a good short story by O. Henry, the most famous of short story writers in the last generation. He just died about a couple of weeks ago. I enclose this story for you to read.
The days are perfect here now. Not a bit warm, use blankets at night, and yet is sunny and bright as ever. Ask me about the colony of immorals (not immortals) here when I come to Rutland. I won't attempt to write it as it is too long.
I am going down home to go in bathing pretty soon. I am tired and want to get in the water for I hear it is fine. Mrs. Worcester went in at noon time and telephoned Worcester to come home early and go in today for the water is warm. You know how it alternates cold some days and warm others seemilgly according to the directions of the wind.
I am so glad Jim is enjoying life and having such fine care. When you get better you can go down and see him for a few days. I will be up Saturday as usual.
I don't know of anything new, dearest. I will close now with lots of love and a million kisses for my little girl who loves me and whom I love better than all else-
Good Bye, sweetheart-
George
This next letter was likely written in spring of 1912. George mentions not knowing what city he will be in; his histories state that Bolton sold the failing Lynn newspaper that year. Again, he exudes optimism, eagerly writing of her coming home, wherever that may be:
"My dear wife:- Of course I know how you hated to have me come away last night and it was hard for me to leave you but I'll be at your side very soon again and then you will be on your feet again ere long, so keep up that fine courage of yours and all will come out right in the end. I was a little afraid Sunday that you were getting so tired lying there that you might lose courage but try darling to look forward to getting up soon and try to be as calm and in good cheer as you have all along. I know you can and will, dear, for my sake, for Jim, and for all who love you and long to know that again you are around and progressing. You see you've been a long time without any hemmorage and have progressed so finely that it argues well that you can will continue to progress. We know that a hemmorage may come from just a little point somewhere and does not indicate that your lungs as a whole have not grown much better and then possibly it is only the condition in which you were at the time.
So much depends, love, on your keeping cool and brave and never allowing the separation and heart aches to prey upon you so as to sap your vitality. That is as sure, love, as anything that is known as fact and there is no doubt of it in your mind I am sure so remember dearest to keep looking at the silver lining to our cloud and remember that the sun of love is always shining even in the days and hours when it is dark for you.
Mother writes she doesn't want Jim boarded up there but thinks that perhaps it will be best or perhaps we had better take a house there soon after you get on your feet again and have some fine woman come and be housekeeper and have a special nurse for you if ever you need one and just this woman at other times to take care of you and Jim. Then they are thinking that perhaps Julia Manly, Perhaps May Manley, Ella White, Ella Grannis, Aunt Eunice, Mother, and Emily and all the others possible can get together and fix up a schedule so that you can have some relative with you most all the time this summer to cheer you and help you in your battle which all are sure is coming out in the end just right. That might be a fine plan, don't you think. Then next winter they think we could arrange things for that in the fall, so that it would be all right so that you could be nearer me whether I am in New Haven Boston or Worcester. If in Worcester then I could come home to Rutland nights and if in Boston to Redding or somewhere like that and if in New Haven to Woodbridge.
Everybody here who knows anything about the trouble says dont be worried over this, dear, tht it is so slight and that it is doubtless the fag end of your trouble clearing up and that its worst aspect is if you should allow it to discourage you. But they dont know Marion- I do and know you'll keep up your fine courage long enough to win out.
Enclosed find the $30. money order for Miss Cannon which is the cash on the checks she hadnt used. Linscott cashed them Friday and today I will get my pay and please ask Miss Inez to figure out to date what we owe and I'll do the best I can to get it to her promptly either by bringing it tomorrow or if I dont come till Wednesday by mailing it.
I must close to get this in the mail for tonight. It is twelve thirty now and I'm going to take this in on the express and mail it at North Station for I think it will be sure to go out then this afternoon.
I'll phone later in the afternoon after press time. It is very hard to work dear with you on your back up there but I'm so sure that everything will come out just right only a little more delayed than we exp4cted that I want you to be just as brave as ever, sweetheart.
You are all the world to me and I know that you'll not worry or lose nerve when you know how essential good spirits are. We'll soon be all right now, darling, so keep at it. You're a wonder and I know you will 'come back' from this little trial just like a prize fighter and live long years to look back at this as a great victory under trying odds and we'll both be so happy that we weathered the storm of diseases and other troubles that we'll not care much for anything else but a little home and our baby and our love.
I really enjoyed being with you so much last week
"Dearest Love: In the Philadelphia Press editorial column I just read an editorial I am enclosing. It is about a toxin used there by the head physician which he announces in very guarded terms my affect a cure with the aid of the regular treatment. The editorial is right. The regular cure is sure if the case is taken in early stages as yours has been, the toxin is very uncertain, is in its early stages of experiment if it later proves a good thing, and the wise course is not to be the subject of any experiments with any toxin until it is proven efficacious.
I am writing this because I don't want you to let the doctor talk you into becoming a subject for his toxin. You are going to get well without any such experimental treatment. The toxin is only in experimental stages and not sure or accepted at all yet. The rest-diet-fresh air treatment has cured thousands of cases much more advanced than yours and so stick to that. If a person was on the verge of decline having tried the cure and it having failed then resort to the toxin might be advisable as a last resort but you haven't got to give yourself up as a subject for toxin experiment because you can work a sure cure without it and the attendant dangers from toxin. You must not let Crane or anybody give you toxin: Promise me you won't, like a good girl.
I am taking very good care of myself this week and will continue. I received your letter last night when I mailed the one to you. I am glad you love me so much dearest, glad beyond measure and nothing else matters so long as we love and that is going to go on forever. Other things like worry and care trouble the surface and leave the great depths of love for us alone, calm and abiding as the unfathomed depths of the ocean.
You are so good about the music. I knew you wouldn't let it interfere with your treatment but you know when I can't talk with you I must write advice which often I know is absolutely not needed but it does me good to write it so don't mind, dear.
Yes, we will be mighty happy in the years to come, sweetheart, and I guess for some reasons this sickness is a good thing. It will keep us living in the open air and paying more attention to health and hygiene than we otherwise would, probably. I know it will be good for your careless hubby, good for little Jim, and it certainly will make you strong and well again and then keep you so.
I will send, or rather bring the magazines because it is now Thursday and if I sent them they wouldn't get to you until Saturday anyway. I have collected quite a few and will buy some on the way to Rutland.
I wrote you about Sprague. Well I am disappointed in that sharpshooter for Bolton wanted it cut out as he is going to try to lie down on the bank and thinks this might rile Sprague up so that he would fire him out again.
Three p.m.
I started this at eight o'clock ths morning and now the paper is coming out and I will finish. I just read a good short story by O. Henry, the most famous of short story writers in the last generation. He just died about a couple of weeks ago. I enclose this story for you to read.
The days are perfect here now. Not a bit warm, use blankets at night, and yet is sunny and bright as ever. Ask me about the colony of immorals (not immortals) here when I come to Rutland. I won't attempt to write it as it is too long.
I am going down home to go in bathing pretty soon. I am tired and want to get in the water for I hear it is fine. Mrs. Worcester went in at noon time and telephoned Worcester to come home early and go in today for the water is warm. You know how it alternates cold some days and warm others seemilgly according to the directions of the wind.
I am so glad Jim is enjoying life and having such fine care. When you get better you can go down and see him for a few days. I will be up Saturday as usual.
I don't know of anything new, dearest. I will close now with lots of love and a million kisses for my little girl who loves me and whom I love better than all else-
Good Bye, sweetheart-
George
This next letter was likely written in spring of 1912. George mentions not knowing what city he will be in; his histories state that Bolton sold the failing Lynn newspaper that year. Again, he exudes optimism, eagerly writing of her coming home, wherever that may be:
"My dear wife:- Of course I know how you hated to have me come away last night and it was hard for me to leave you but I'll be at your side very soon again and then you will be on your feet again ere long, so keep up that fine courage of yours and all will come out right in the end. I was a little afraid Sunday that you were getting so tired lying there that you might lose courage but try darling to look forward to getting up soon and try to be as calm and in good cheer as you have all along. I know you can and will, dear, for my sake, for Jim, and for all who love you and long to know that again you are around and progressing. You see you've been a long time without any hemmorage and have progressed so finely that it argues well that you can will continue to progress. We know that a hemmorage may come from just a little point somewhere and does not indicate that your lungs as a whole have not grown much better and then possibly it is only the condition in which you were at the time.
So much depends, love, on your keeping cool and brave and never allowing the separation and heart aches to prey upon you so as to sap your vitality. That is as sure, love, as anything that is known as fact and there is no doubt of it in your mind I am sure so remember dearest to keep looking at the silver lining to our cloud and remember that the sun of love is always shining even in the days and hours when it is dark for you.
Mother writes she doesn't want Jim boarded up there but thinks that perhaps it will be best or perhaps we had better take a house there soon after you get on your feet again and have some fine woman come and be housekeeper and have a special nurse for you if ever you need one and just this woman at other times to take care of you and Jim. Then they are thinking that perhaps Julia Manly, Perhaps May Manley, Ella White, Ella Grannis, Aunt Eunice, Mother, and Emily and all the others possible can get together and fix up a schedule so that you can have some relative with you most all the time this summer to cheer you and help you in your battle which all are sure is coming out in the end just right. That might be a fine plan, don't you think. Then next winter they think we could arrange things for that in the fall, so that it would be all right so that you could be nearer me whether I am in New Haven Boston or Worcester. If in Worcester then I could come home to Rutland nights and if in Boston to Redding or somewhere like that and if in New Haven to Woodbridge.
Everybody here who knows anything about the trouble says dont be worried over this, dear, tht it is so slight and that it is doubtless the fag end of your trouble clearing up and that its worst aspect is if you should allow it to discourage you. But they dont know Marion- I do and know you'll keep up your fine courage long enough to win out.
Enclosed find the $30. money order for Miss Cannon which is the cash on the checks she hadnt used. Linscott cashed them Friday and today I will get my pay and please ask Miss Inez to figure out to date what we owe and I'll do the best I can to get it to her promptly either by bringing it tomorrow or if I dont come till Wednesday by mailing it.
I must close to get this in the mail for tonight. It is twelve thirty now and I'm going to take this in on the express and mail it at North Station for I think it will be sure to go out then this afternoon.
I'll phone later in the afternoon after press time. It is very hard to work dear with you on your back up there but I'm so sure that everything will come out just right only a little more delayed than we exp4cted that I want you to be just as brave as ever, sweetheart.
You are all the world to me and I know that you'll not worry or lose nerve when you know how essential good spirits are. We'll soon be all right now, darling, so keep at it. You're a wonder and I know you will 'come back' from this little trial just like a prize fighter and live long years to look back at this as a great victory under trying odds and we'll both be so happy that we weathered the storm of diseases and other troubles that we'll not care much for anything else but a little home and our baby and our love.
I really enjoyed being with you so much last week
