Hotel Mercer Kansas City, MO Apr. 7, 1914
Dear Bess:
I am in the city again. It looks as if I am going to get to stay here for a few hours and if I don't send you a letter now, another week will go by without my getting one. Uncle Harry is sick and I am trying to get him to go home with me. He says he'll go at one o'clock but he has to vote. Yesterday he wasn't able to be up but is better this morning. Vivian was in town and went to see him and phoned me I'd better come for him as he was down in bed. You may be sure I got a horse and made haste to get there. Got wet, too, and as my only other suit was wet also I had to bring it in to be pressed. This piece of paper happened to be in the suitcase. It has been to New Mexico and back. I wanted to come over last night but didn't get uncle persuaded to do as I wanted him to until it was too late to go anywhere. Besides, my clothes were in soak. I suppose you got wet yesterday if you came to town. It was no day to buy spring hats anyway, was it? Let's hope that Easter will be somewhat different.
There was a big shine on the K.C.S. the other night, all decked out in her Easter duds. She had a gold bracelet on each hand and a lot of red beads around her neck, also she was studying some play. She was as black as a John B. Stetson hat, and I've an idea would be somewhat of a disappointment as Portia or Desdemona. Gilbert Strode was with me and we came to the conclusion that it would be worth Shubert prices to see a show with this coon as the beautiful star.
We almost had a moving picture show in Grandview the other afternoon. I forgot to tell you about it Sunday. There's a nice old maid and her sister run a millinery store in Grandview. This old maid was elected a delegate to Sedalia to the Royal Neighbor convention. Well, on the day to go, which was Wednesday or Thursday I forget which, she got very busy in the store and when train time came she wasn't ready. She made a flying start from the store right down the center of Main Street just as the train pulled in. When she got in front of the hardware store, the gallant merchant ran out to carry her suitcase so she could run faster. When he grabbed it the thing came open and spilled lady's wearing apparel all over the street. The merchant fell down. They got the things together and finally caught the train. All this performance was in plain view of the train and of the whole town. I saw her yesterday and she said she only lost a silver thimble and someone found that and gave it to her. Uncle Harrison put me up at a new place last night, as you can see by the headline. It's a nice place, too, all brand-new and clean. He sometimes eats here. I much prefer the Vic but he told me to come here and I did.
I am hoping he won't die until a settlement in our suit is reached. I don't want him to die at all, but it would merely be filling our bad-luck cup full for some such calamity to overtake us. If things keep happening with the regularity of the past six months, I shall be a nervous wreck in another year. I am always looking for a change of luck and I guess it will come sometime. I try to work harder every time there's a reverse but I haven't arrived yet. I'm going to work Ferson for a ride home this afternoon. He's trying to sell me an auto and he ought to be willing to demonstrate it, don't you think? Please send me a long letter, as it looks as if I won't be able to see you before Sunday.
Sincerely, Harry