Dear Bess: March 10, 1914
Transcript
Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast for March 10, 2023, brought to you by Harry S Truman National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, in partnership with the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, part of the National Archives, the keepers of the Dear Bess and Dear Harry letters.
Today’s brief letter was written on this date in 1914. It’s unfortunate that it’s one of the brief ones, as it’s clear that Truman had much more to share with Miss Wallace.
By the time Harry Truman wrote this letter to Miss Wallace, he had been involved with the Masons for several years now. What did the Masons mean to Harry Truman? Well, if he were here to explain it to us, he might say that the Masons were a way to meet and learn about people, do good for others, share a spiritual fellowship, and a way to learn a special type of leadership. Harry Truman rose as far in the Masons as possible, the 33rd Degree. Truman was very proud to be a Mason, and the Masons were proud to claim Harry Truman as one of their own. They still do.
In this letter, too, Truman’s father, John Anderson Truman, makes an appearance as does Harry Truman’s brother, John Vivian. By 1914, John Vivian Truman had married the lovely Louella, started a family and farm of his own. John Vivian and Louella Truman had a lovely family, part of a larger family that continuously supported each other when it counted.
Here’s the letter.
[March 10, 1914]
Dear Bess:
I am not going to let Tuesday get by this time without getting you a letter written. It's been quite a while since I had one from you. The week's never complete without a least one; the more the better. You would never guess where I am writing this. Frank Blair sent me word to come to Belton today to meet Mr. McLachlan the Grand Lecturer of the Masons. I am in the Masonic Hall writing while the rest have gone to dinner. It only took me minute to grab something to eat. I am hoping they won't come back for a good while so I can get this letter off on the proper train. Well I lost another of my good bachelor friends last week. He sneaked off and got married without so much as saying boo. Delbert Weston, it was. His father didn't even know what he'd done until he came home and brought another Mrs. Weston. I saw the old man yesterday and he said he didn't know whether to soak the kid one or hug him. He decided on the latter course. I have an idea that it was the better one. I haven't seen her yet but I'll bet she's not over five feet high. The mean part of the job was that I was out and spent Saturday and Sunday with him immediately preceding the performance and he didn't tell me about it. Anyhow I won't have to dig up a present.
Papa has gone down to the bottom of Cass Co. with Vivian this morning. I've an idea they really reach bottom in some places. You see therefore I am in charge at home for two days at least. I thought up some seventeen jobs for the hired man this morning and pulled out. It will be necessary for me to go home tonight and see if he did them. Bess there's a confounded Mason up here now and he insists upon talking to me so I can hardly write. I suppose I shall have to stop but I hope to see you Thursday and make up the lack of what I have to write by some E. H. Sothern tickets. I am hoping papa will be home that day. Please save Thursday until the last minute anyway and be sure to send me a letter. Not that this crazy note deserves one but I hope you'll think so.
Most sincerely,
Harry
If only this letter from March 10, 1914, were longer!
https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/truman-papers/correspondence-harry-s-truman-bess-wallace-1910-1919/march-10-1914-postmark