Near Salinas, about

4 PM

Dearest Ava Helen:

James + Linda saw me off safely, and I've been bowling along ever since. I've written about half of my speech - aside from that I've done nothing but look out of the window. The country is beautiful. We traveled for 130 miles along the ocean, by surf where we camped and on along that fine stretch of coast. The flowers have been wonderful - yuccas in the San Fernando valley, monkey flowers in the Siniu valley near Santa Susanna, and then great fields of mustard and lupin. We passed by the place in Siniu where we all stopped under a tree for lunch.

There was a high wind blowing on the ocean, making whitecaps and forming long Pennous of spray from the tops of breakers.

We got in San Francisco at 6 ⁰⁰ + I leave on the ferry at 6 ⁴⁰ . I think I shall eat dinner on this train at 5- I bought only some dates for lunch, not feeling very hungry.

I love you and miss you very much and I hope you are lonesome for your

Paddy

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Kisses forKisses forKisses for Kisses for

Mamma Liney Peter Linda

Noon Tuesday

Near Eugene

[05/11/1937]

Dearest little sweet wife:

I love you very much, and all of our darling little children, too, and I shall be glad to be back with you again Friday morning.

The ride through the Cascades this morning was wonderful - the immense mountains clad both with trees and snow, with occasional clouds or fog both above and below us, and with small bright green trees beneath the great giant deep green conifers. I think I saw two kinds of dogwood - one in the mountains, with small sort of greenish blossoms and very dark green leaves and the other, lower down, with large white blossoms and light green leaves. Also I saw skunk cabbages and many yellow flowers that I can't identify.

I have only talked with one person - a man on the train to San Francisco asked my advice about hotels. His name is Hocking; he has a son who is assistant Professor of French at Northwestern. He lives near Chicago. He said that he and his wife had waited too long - they went to Florida last year together, but then she died before this year's trip to California, and that he hasn't enjoyed coming alone very much.

I have nearly finished writing my address, and I shall be in Albany in a few minutes now.

Your own

Linus.

OO 000 ooo ....

OOO 00000 oooo ......

OO 000 ooo ...

Love to Mamma Love to Linus Love to Peter Love to Linda