[Headlines from The New York Times (page 1, above the fold) to place the letters in context of the world around them.]
1/7/21
INTRIGUE, UNTRUTH, AND FRIENDS ALOOF MAKE HARDING SAD
He Reveals the Worries of His Position in a Little Speech to Fellow-Masons.
CABINET SEEMS A TANGLE. Apparently No Place Is Yet Settled—Growing Opposition to Appointment of Politicians.
$100,000,000 FRAUD IN LIQUOR RELEASED ON FORGED ORDERS
1,000 Spurious Permits Freed Whisky From Storage Almost at Will. PROFITS TENS OF MILLIONS Some of It Shipped to Reputable Firms, Then "Stolen" From Cars by Real Owners
The Osborne Company
New York Chicago London
OSBORNE ART CALENDARS
“Wait for the Osborne Man”
General Offices and Works
Newark, N.J.
January 7, 1921
My Sweetheart.
I have worked in Watkins and Elmira today and have one order for $34.75. I am thankful I wasn’t
skunked. Have worked hard all day and have had a headache this afternoon. Do you wonder at it? I have smiled so hard all day guess it’s too much for me. I reached here at 8:30 tonight and found your good letter waiting for me. You mentioned having written one in the afternoon but did not say where you sent it. I got the package in Elmira you sent there last week. It seems as though I had been on the road a month. Sorry Elizabeth dreaded to go back so much. What is the matter? I would love to have a good visit with you, but guess it's some days in future as I expect to be away for two Sundays. I feel that we must cut on expenses on every corner. I am not spending a nickel that I don't need to. I don't mean to live so that it will interfere with my condition for business but if these two weeks are fair indicators of the year, I've got to go slow on every conceivable form of expense. I am not complaining and I insist that I am not discouraged and have not lost confidence in ability to sell a reasonable amount of stuff under ordinary circumstances. I wonder where all the Co mail is going to. I haven't had a thing this week.
Hope you will have a good Sunday. Sorry you have such a hard cold. Keep happy and everything will work out alright in time. I am anxious to hear how Frank is getting along. Sincerely hope he is doing much better than I am. My head aches and I must go to bed.
Your affectionate,
John
Editor's notes
John and Sue’s children often comment on her colds or other illnesses. She lived to be 101 and I remember her as a strong, sturdy, if slight, woman.
I also note not only that John is often away 6 days a week, or more, but that he is often getting to his hotel at 8 or 9 P.M. and is on the doorstop of businesses he is working by 8 a.m.
John’s year seems to be off to a terrible start. This is such a different experience than his success last winter. He seems to be hit by the “Forgotten Depression” of 1920-1921
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