Letter, George Stoff to Florence Stoff, Hamm, Germany, June 3, 1945
Item
- Description
- Letter, 4 Pages, Envelope
- Contributor
- Stoff Family
- Coverage
- Hamm, Germany
- Date
- 1945-06-03
- Format
- Identifier
- https://commons.keene.edu/s/KSCArchive/item/9460
- Language
- eng
- Rights
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
- Type
- Text
- Text
-
Hamm
3 June 1945
Florence, sweetheart:
Somewhere to-day I read the following quotation by Milton: ”The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.” Since most of our present existence is so much in the mind I readily appreciated how aptly this line applied to us. Many times in the past 19 months you and I have imagined dire things happening to the other, we have worried about each other, always longing for each other, and get being sustained thru this most trying period by an ideal, mutual love. Truly our minds are one, and each has endeavored to keep the other make a heaven of it. You have succeeded in keeping me in good spirits and high morals, and if, my darling, my expressions of love and admiration have sustained you, I am convinced that Milton is right. The mind is its own place, its own world, its own paradise, and we are among the more fortunate ones to share all this. Soon, not only will be share all these things in the mind, but in fact also. Obstacles may arise and attempt to discourage us, but we knew this is our year, and all other facts are dissipated in the belief of our destiny. Be of good cheer, darling, keep smiling and be assured I am doing likewise.
No mail at all to-day, but Monday is usually a good day. Announcement by the War Dept about the men 35-40 being necessary is merely a stall, I believe, and Congress will have plenty to say about that. You continue writing those letters, and many of the other older men are getting their wives to do the same. I bet you within 3 months we have the announcement we seek so eagerly.
To-day was a most beautiful day. Since I was off I slept until 8.30 instead of getting up the usual 7 A.M. Shaved, bathed, ate an orange, made some coffee, and then proceeded to pack two packages for you. One of them contained a hand painted glass, 9 rolls of 116 film, some knives, coins and German insignias. The other had a paper weight, knives, hand painted tile, coins and letter opener. Both also had cigarettes in them. Please be careful to give the cigarettes to someone who will smoke them, since they are tax-free, and are supposed to be consumed by soldiers only. They are well wrapped and I do hope arrive soon and in good condition.
My buddy returned from his trip to-day but did not get any chinchilla Royal for you. However since you have a 2 oz bottle enroute I will not worry about it. However rest assured I will continue to try to get some for you as the occasion arrives. After chow Ray and I walked among the ruins of Hamm, visited the park, took a few snapshots, and talked only of our desire to be with our loved ones on such a beautiful day. I know you missed me as much to-day, so I’ll not attempt to describe how homesick I get some days, on the averages of 7 days a week.
Knowing how you feel about some of your dear friends it surprises me that you stop to talk to them, but I suppose one must be civil. It’s a pity everyone doesn’t get a chance to get an education during the war, but I guess it is just reserved for the suckers and their families who have to see it thru.
The latest Congressional proposals and the newspaper propaganda about the soldiers bonus make interesting reading. Anything we can get out of this deal will be that much more gravy for us, and that much easier for us to enjoy the things we intend to when once again we live the American way of life together.
I suppose you and Jim are away by now but I will continue sending my mail home until definitively advised to switch to The Monticello address. Hope you and Jim are in excellent health and spirits these days, and that your stay in the country is not disturbed by worrying about me. With the war over, me set up in a swell house, getting plenty of chow, there is little to worry about, of course we are lonesome for each other, but tempus fugits, and this is our year. More snaps enclosed, and the rosebud is out of our garden in front of the house. I pressed it, added a kiss and send it to you with all my love.
Keep smiling, kiss Jim for me, and give my best to the folks and your kin. I’ll kiss you in mind with dreams of days and nights of love in the near future.
As ever
George - Provenance
- Keene State College
- Item sets
- Stoff 1945
- Media
15.pdf
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