Dearest Billy

Florence and Jack from stories I was told were very much in love. He called her Billy. They eloped and were living in the Back Bay of Boston, MA. 

Florence’s parents, Elsie and Emond Sterling, were not happy about their daughter’s union. Why, we no not. One story tell us that Florence was ill and Jack wasn't taking proper care of her. But I suspect maybe it was because Jack was a Russian Jew.  So they went to Boston to take Florence and away from Jack.  As they drove off, Florence called out, "I'll be back Jack. 

He tried to contact Florence to no avail. Jack wrote many beautiful love letters to her that her parents intervened. She didn’t see these until many years later. 

 Billy dear, now that you've gone I realize how much I really love you.  Dear girl, I'll never forgive myself for letting you go.  Dearest, this room doesn't seem the same.  I used to think it was so cozy and cheerful but now it seems so cold and bleak and dreary.  Our kitchenette room is too full of memories of you.  I see you at the gas range, I imagine I see you by the dresser curling your hair.  The only thing that consoles me is the realization that you will soon return to me.  And when you do, God knows how I'll stand it until then, you can gamble your last dollar that you won't leave me again.

Dearest, I want you to rest and enjoy yourself while you are there.  I won't ask if you had a safe journey as God couldn't be so cruel as to make it otherwise.

Well, dearest one, will close now hoping that you miss me as I do you.  A wealth of love and a fortune of kisses from

Your lonely husband, Jack

One Year Later:

Judgement by W. H. Eldredge Clerk of said State of New York, County of Cattaraugus. The Annulment papers dated January 4th 1924 before the Honorable Charles H. Brown, reads as follows: Now on motion of John H. Ryan, counsel for the plaintiff, it is ordered, an judged and decreed, that the marriage between the said plaintiff, Florence Greenblatt, and the defendant, Joseph Greenblatt, also known as Jack Greene, be and the same hereby is dissolved and annulled, by reason of the consent of the said plaintiff Florence Greenblatt having been obtained by fraud on the part of the defendant, and the parties are and each of them is freed from the obligations thereof. This Judgment is interlocutory but shall and become the final judgment here, granting the relief decreed three months after the filing and entry of this decision and judgment as of course, unless the court shall in the meantime for sufficient cause otherwise order. 

Jack never appeared at court I was told. I can’t help but wonder if Jack really was served papers to appear? ) W. H. Eldredge, clerk of said county, and of the courts thereof, do hereby certify that I have compared the foregoing copy of Judgment with the original filed and entered in this office Jan 7 1924 and now remaining herein, and that said copy is a true transcript therefrom and of the whole of said original. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of said county, at Little Valley, this 7th days of January 1923. (W. H. Eldredge was a relative of Florence’s mother. After all, Eldredge was her mother’s maiden name. The true story of why this happened we will never know.

Note:

We have lost the art of communicating with romantic and flowery words, whether it be through a love letter, or an obituary.  Technology has made it so much more convenient to pick up a phone, type a text message or send off a quick email.  Sad don't you think that we now fin it difficult to express our true emotions on paper? These words, our ancestors knew.