In this questioning phase of their budding relationship, Walter will come to see that money is not the deciding issue, and Margaret will come to see that she had no reason to question his desires.
(2/24 133) You mention making plans for our wedding. We should do that; in fact, I plan as fast as possible, but until a little later, after I have sold my cattle and potatoes, it will be hard for me to make any definite plans. They are both looking better, and perhaps I will get a good price for both of them. As soon as I sell them, I will write and tell you my financial standing, and then we can discuss and make definite plans. … It must be quite a sight to stand upon the banks of the Missouri River and watch it flow ceaselessly on its way. I am glad you take such walks. I am going to take one right now, as soon as I finish this letter. I wish you might go with. We would walk out to the haystacks and go to the south side, out of the wind, and sit down, for a while, in the sunshine. I feel an intense desire to do this this afternoon, and since it may be my last chance for some time, I am going to do it.
(2/26 136) Walter, I am just a little lonesome for you. I just wish that you weren’t so far away. I don’t know how I am going to stand it until September. If I could sit in your lap right now, I would be so happy. You just don’t know how much. I can hardly wait to come and spend the twenty-fours of each day with you. Won’t it be fun to live in our home together? I never realized to be loved and to love a man would be so wonderful. God, I believe, has given that as an additional gift to his children.… Walter, I am so happy that you are praying for me. I pray that I might be a true Christian wife to you always. God truly answered my prayer for a Christian husband in sending you. I am very glad that you do not smoke or chew; that was one thing that I prayed God that if He would sometime give me a husband that he would be one who was a Christian who did not smoke tobacco and chew it. I am glad that I am not awfully much older than you; also, I am glad that we plan to get married before I am thirty years old. … So the cattle prices are going up! I can just see you feeding the stock. It seems now I notice the diamonds of the married women, and they just sparkle. A diamond is certainly a beautiful gem with its brilliant myriads of colors. May God help and make me worthy of the gift.
(3/20 188) If the cattle sold extra well, could we arrange to be married before Sept.? If you are afraid of your housekeeping ability, I think I would like to take the chance. Though I know you have been away teaching most of the time, yet I am sure that you are not entirely incapable of the duties of housework. Are you? If you must learn by experience (everyone else does), why not with me? I hate to think of the long summer without you. Anyway, this batching business does not appeal to me very strongly. It would probably mean cutting down considerably on the honeymoon, but to me, to be anywhere with you would be a honeymoon. May God grant and help us make our whole life together a lifelong honeymoon.
(3/27 202) Should I ship my cattle Tues., I will go to Denver Wed. Then, God willing, I shall be able to shop for a thing which I have longed to shop for a long time. If it be God’s will and He provides enough money, I will be tempted to bring it to you or, better yet, come to see you and get your help. We could go to Bismarck, could we not? I shall send word to you immediately as to what I did with the cattle.
(4/10 302) Dearest Margaret: Grace & Peace to you upon this beautiful Palm Sunday Morning. It is truly beautiful Palm Sunday with a great deal of sunshine and warm weather again after a quite severe blizzard. I wish you were here or I up there so that we could go to church together. … I want this off to tell you a little about the ring. When you get this, you will have the ring. Should it be too large or too small, it can be sized by a competent jeweler for about 50¢. If there are no such jewelers near you, you can return it here. It will not cost me anything, but to insure and send it costs about 40¢ each time. Please write and tell me if you have to have it sized.
(4/10 304) “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you; Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.” John 14:27. … Margaret, we have, each of us, I know spent much time thinking of the little problem which confronts us, “As to when we may be united in Holy Marriage.” It is not wrong to plan and think for the future, but let us not let such thinking and planning go to the place where it robs us of the gift of Peace from Christ Jesus. … You mention an old man who liked your singing. I can imagine he did, for I certainly enjoyed your singing and most especially when you sang some of our common & beautiful hymns. I say this not to flatter you or make you feel good, except as it is true and may encourage you to know that you are helping in the kingdom. Margaret, I doubt that I ever flatter you, or anyone for that matter; I do not like it. But I shall try to be kind, truthful, and considerate to you, and I long for the day when we may work together, for after all, therein lies the joy in this life. … I want my Margaret to take an interest and know all my problems, and I want to share and know hers. Whatever we buy, if it be a plow or a rug, let us plan and discuss it together. … Yes, you can have lunch with me in the field, and we will plan lunches and picnics together. I think that is a wonderful plan. I am so glad that you love nature and outdoor life.
(4/12 308) This morning is Palm Sunday. I just finished reading thru the Bible. I am so glad that I could read through such a wonderful book. It has and will mean much to me. It is much like a novel in that it has unity, plot, and setting as well as characters.… Last night when I returned from school, I was so happy that I just wanted to shout. I was up at school to practice my solos and to write a six weeks’ examination. I got to thinking about what a Christian lover I have and that not too far in the future I will get to live with him until Christ comes to take us Home to Him. This so thrilled me that the girls wondered at my happiness. …I am sorry that you have been feeling blue, and I am afraid that something I have written has made you feel that way. …. That about your losing money on your cattle is disheartening, but I am glad that you still have your health and are able to pick up courage to continue your work. Money isn’t everything.
(4/12 311) My dear Walter, … /“I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: / From whence shall my help come? / My help cometh from Jehovah , / Who made heaven and earth.” / Jehovah will keep thy going out and thy coming in / From this time forth and for evermore.” Psalm 121:1,2,8 God is truly a wonderful God and to think that He has given me such a true Christian. This evening Helen and I didn’t return from school until after six o’clock, so the post office was closed. There was a card in the box stating that some registered mail had come. Mr. Mann went down especially to get the mail for us, and it was the diamond. … The ring is just beautiful. I am so happy that it is yellow gold. The diamonds sparkle so beautifully with many different colors. I regret that it is a little too large. … I have wrapped tape around it so that I can wear it and not be worried about losing it. Walter, it is so beautiful. Oh, if you were only here!
(4/12 314) Dear Margaret: “Now the day is over, / Night is drawing nigh” Another beautiful day is over, but before I seek sleep and rest, I want to write to my Margaret. First, I want to say that I am sorry to have caused you some worry and uneasiness, and then I ask to be forgiven. I do not remember what my object was in writing as I did. I must have been in too big a hurry and did not make myself plain. But this day has not been very pleasant, knowing that something I wrote caused you even to think of forgetting each other. Please forgive me. Now to answer a question in your mind. My folks would not care if I would be married tomorrow; in fact, they would like it and joy with us. They have no objections whatsoever. They are entirely in favor of you, and Irene asked me the other day when she could see Margaret. I think a lot of my father and mother and brother and sisters. But I have often wished that we would have had and did have family devotions. It seems to me that the Bible is so much a foundation in any life that a study of it and a time of communion with God adds so very much to each life. That is one of the reasons why I should like a home of my own as soon as possible. … I must soon retire, but speaking of money and our getting married, if we have not enough faith, not enough hope, and our love is not strong enough to face the future together, come what may, then it is hopeless even with a million dollars. God has always provided plenty for me. I’ve had the blues, but everything always turned out many times better than I expected. Let’s quit talking about If, When, and How (I guess I did the most of that) and go right ahead and plan to be married as soon as possible. If some catastrophe should happen, that will be time enough to talk of waiting for another year. I have a good supply of clothes, and my personal expenditure has never had to be large.
