7:30 PM Thursday, on the train
to Cumberland [?]
Dearest love:
There is a rumor on this train that President Roosevelt dropped dead at 5:35 this
afternoon in Warm Springs. I hope it isn't true - but I'm afraid that it has been
checked now by telegraph. A staggering loss to the world. I'm not afraid of Truman
- I think that he will do a good honest job - but he isn't Roosevelt.
We interviewed a big crowd today, and Bush this afternoon. I wonder if our report
will now go to Truman.
Last night we had an arousing experience. We arrived at our hotel from the station,
4 of us, and found that our reserved rooms had not been kept. We protested vigorously,
and finally the manager said they had one room not usually rented and would put up
4 beds in it. This was done and we went to bed. At 12:30 AM the phone rang - 4 others
of the group had no space! I called Sterling, and sent Ed & Mrs. Doisy out there -
and I called our desk clerk, and finally browbeat him into having two more beds put
in one room!
A few more hours and my trip will
be half over! I love you.
Your
Paddy
[A picture sketched by LP is to the bottom left of the letter. It is of a room with
six squares representing beds. Each bed has a name on it; Paddy, Homer, (the rest
are Illegible). There is also a bathroom sketched to the side of the room.]
