1920s Pair of Letters, One Angry and One Joyful, Written to a Pennsylvania Boy in Quantico and then Back Home in Birdsboro

On offer are two letters written to Elmer Roland Francis (1903-1973) of Birdsboro, Pennsylvania. The first letter is written while Elmer is serving in the military and staying in the Marine Barracks in Quantico, Virginia in 1923. The second is an upbeat, newsy letter sent to Elmer once he is home in Birdsboro in 1927. 

The 1923 letter is of a terse tone and reads as though written by someone very close to Elmer. The author of the letter, Gerald Gordon, who is also in the army at the time (he discusses being “on watch”) expresses frustration with Elmer, who had canceled a planned trip to see them, after the person had gone to great lengths to prepare for his arrival. The author goes on to make suggestions as to how to make another visit work in the coming weeks, finally settling on the idea of coming to stay on the boat where Elmer is living over a weekend. An excerpt follows:

”It is a lot to ask of you kids but if it isn’t I may come up on the boat Friday PM and stay with you until Sunday. I don’t know, but you may half way work for me and we will get things straightened up…I will see what you think about me coming…it does not cost me any thing to come over there and come back…”

The second letter is a congenial catch-up letter from a very confident young gentleman named V.L. Tucker to his buddy Elmer, who is now back home and out of the army. Written in 1927,  Tucker, who is currently living in Chicago, writes with the overconfidence of a young man who has no idea what lies ahead for America and the world. 

For nearly three pages, Tucker writes on Hotel Carlton Chicago stationary. He refers to his buddy as “Rollie” and to himself as “Tuck”. He briefly asks after Rollie:

“Well Rollie how does it feel to be free, white and twenty one again? I don’t guess you are planning to go back into the outfit again are you, what are you doing. I mean what kind of work or play?”

Tuck also updates Rollie on mutual friends he has been catching up with, such as Chuck Bulgar who is stationed at Quantico in 1927 and spent his 30 day leave in Chicago with Tuck, giving him the inside scoop on his work.

Tuck’s favourite topic, of course, is himself. He writes with a hint of pride and a heap of bragging, about his job. An excerpt follows:

“...I have been made general mgr. [manager]...for the people I work for out in Conn, so I sure have a swell job. And only been with them six months. If I keep this up I think I [ ] own the whole business in five years, ha, ha…”

This letter is a fun look at male friendship in the Roaring ‘20s, made especially fascinating with hindsight, knowing what was to come in a couple short years with the onset of the Great Depression, followed by the Second World War. We know for certain that this letter’s recipient, Elmer, fought for the US in the war. 

Written on 8.5” x 11” standard sized paper and including addressed envelopes, the letters are in good condition. All pages show some minor age toning and fold lines from the letters having been kept in envelopes. The writing is in black pen and is clear and legible. No rips or tears. Overall G+.