Bessie Morgan and Percy Harold Rex Letters - February 17, 1937.

 This card to P.H. Rex was in his wife, Bessie's scrapbook or boot box. 

I scanned the card, but didn't note which son sent it to him. 

My guess is Harold.

P. H. Rex about 1937

Randolph, Utah

Feb 17, 1937

My dear son,

I really am ashamed of myself for being so indolent when I know a boy way down below the equator is waiting for a letter. Days come and go so fast, I just can’t keep up. Winnie was home last week and just for a day or so. It was short, but it did seem good to have her here. Of course it took some of my time trying to get straightened up. I am so slow. But she is going to send me some iron. That is what I need.

We are all feeling quite sad here this week. Delbert Fackrell died last Sun. and is to be buried tomorrow. Everybody liked him, and now everybody can see his good points.

I have been quite busy this last week with a Relief Society lesson and a Mutual lesson on Shakespeare. There is always plenty to do.

We received your letter of Jan 15 last evening. Am so glad you are enjoying your work. Now you are in for another scolding. I do hope our letter[s] have had 

Some effect on you. I mean, in regard to Clara. Don’t be so mean to her. She is a lovely girl and she waits for a letter from you. We know she is going with nobody else. Did I ever dream one year ago today that I should be scolding you now for not writing. How fickle men are anyway.

We had a terrible blizzard here last night. The snow [plows are kept busy. However we haven’t as much snow this year as last. It has been cold though. It is clouding up again now. I hope it is a good day for the funeral tomorrow. Bishop is down to the legislature & may not get home. He is some busy man.

Morgan has made me a nice magazine rack. Here it is next morning & daddy has written you a long letter. So I will close with this. Daddy told you not so much wind. Well it has surely been howling the last two days. Snowdrifts aren’t so deep either. Well enough for now. Love & kisses and our constant prayers go with this.

Lovingly, Mother

Give my regards to Mrs Duke.

I am so thankful for funds raised up to help my boy.

Randolph, Utah.

Feb. 17, 1937

My Dear Boy in the Land of the South,

I will try and pen you a few lines again to let you see that I have not lost the use of my right hand, although it does cramp some when I write. We received your letter of Jan. 15, Monday Feb. 15. It seems we always get your letters on Monday nite. And we always look forward to your letters & I am sorry you don’t get your mail, you should as there are more letters written than you get. We are all well and happy at the thought that you are out in the world as an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is where you get the real joy out of life, is in his service. And from your letters you seem to be receiving your share of His Joy, and may you continue to receive more as you become more efficient in your labors. As time goes on and you study and become older in the service, you will receive this.

We are having some real winter again this year, about the same amount of snow as we had this time last year or more, but

hardly as much wind and I don’t think that it is in hardly as big piles here in the valley as a year ago, but I think we have as much or more moisture in the ground as last year. I think the Lord has us in the hollow of his hand, so to speak, when we look around and see what other people have. They are just getting fixing up after the floods down the Ohio and Missi. Valleys. It must have been terrible there the water was so deep it covered up houses in places. We saw some pictures in the paper where the water was up to the eves of the homes all down the street. And on one street corner where they had the red and green lights, the water was up to the light. It would be awful in a condition like that.

Bishop Johnson is in Salt Lake now in the legislature and it sort of leaves the ward more or less with Willard and myself. We have to conduct the Funeral services for Delbert Fackrell tomorrow, he died Sunday morning in the Hospital in Montpelier Idaho. He died of Gangreen or infection of the naval and bowels, he had had the flue and had not been very well after it, but was sick only about six days before he died. This leaves us

with another widow in our ward.

We are using the new Amusement Hall for church and amussements [sic] too, as we can warm it up so nice. We have the Basement [presumably at the Church] all torn up, and it makes the upstairs harder to warm up, so we are saving fuel by using the Hall.

It’s sure some place you would think you were in some place much larger than Randolph. I say it is the Best Hall this side of the Coconut Grove in Salt Lake City. If I told you this before just skip this as we are so thrilled with it we may tell you the same thing twice.

Winne was home over Sunday she sure is some lovely girl if I do say it myself being her dad, but I am real proud of my 3 oldest children, I think any parent could be proud of children of the same type as you are. I hope that the 3 younger ones will follow in your footsteps. I hope you will always bring joy and happiness to us, as it will be a pleasure to you to do this, if you continue to live for it.

Morgan has become more or less

Neglectful of his duties in the church. Maybe if you gave him a little sermon it may help a little. He is a good boy, any other way. He helps to run the picture machines and makes him a little money. He is here reading about the fellows who are going to skie jump next Sunday at Ecku [perhaps Echo] Hill.

He bought him a new pair of skis and has been giving them a coat of wax here tonight. He said to tell you he jumped 21 feet on them. He was off last Saturday doing it and was so stiff Sunday, he could hardly move.

We are sitting here writing to you and waiting for the 10:30 news over the radio as there has been a prize fight in the East and we want to hear who beat in the fight.

I think you had better take time to write your grandmother Rex a few lines that she may read, she is showing her age some, but has pretty good health for here.

I will close now asking the Lord to let his choicest Blessing attend you in all that you do in righteousness, is the prayer of your Father with Loads of Love.

P.H. Rex

[I added some punctuation to Grandpa P.H. Rex’s letter.]