Another letter from George Schenk to Mary dated April 30, 1897, while he was living in Belt, Montana. This letter appears to cover three different writing episodes over two days. Spelling, punctuation and capitalization are as seen in the original letter, except for edits I made as necessary to clarify meaning.
April 30 [1897]
Dear Mary,
This is Friday and I have just finished the dishes and fixed up the bed and the house so I have nothing to do but write.
I got a letter from Ernest the other day and he says he is having bad luck. He said he had two runaways sence I left and smashed up the horse and buggy. He says he is feeling rocky sence I left. You never saw two greater chums then me and Ern. I am getting to know a few of the boys in Belt now but there is none of them like Ernest. I will close till later on. Quarter to four o’clock. Good by, Mary
May 1
Dear Mary,
Mary, you say you miss me but I don’t think you feel any more than I do. You are with a lot of friends and I am far away from them and with strangers so that make the difference. I was to a dance last night but I did not dance once. I sat and looked on about two hours and then left and went home. I am like I used to be Mary before I met you and will be till we meet again. It is like the song with me. Only one girl in this world for me[1]. You know who that is, Mary.
You never saw such a tuff lot of men in your life as there is in this town. There was a fellow died here day before yesterday. He had a wooden leg and you may not believe that the same day he was buried, two fellows got drunk and went to the graveyard at night and dug him up and took his wooden leg off and covered him up again. That is as true as I am here. They come near going to the pen for it. They got free. One man shot another in a saloon last week and you can see men fighting any time you go downtown. It is a hot house. I will close for awhile, Mary Dear. X
If Mary wonders where Culey[2] is tonight, he is here writing to Mary Dear at 8 o’clock sharp.
Dearest Mary,
My love, My own, I will now finish but I have not much more to say. What is the talk [illegible] Q. Simons? Mary, I dream of you most every night. I dreamt you were but dreams never come true with me.
Mary, My Dear, this is all I know of this time so hopeing you all well as it leave me at present. My best regards to all and my best love to you. I will close. I remain yours forever, from loving G.W. Culey Schenk. XXXXX
Notes:
[1] After quite a bit of searching, I learned that the song “Only One Girl In the World for Me” was composed by David Marion in 1895. I found this image of the sheet music at the New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Here is a midi file of the chorus ~
And the lyrics – should you choose to sing along as I always do:
Only one girl in the world for me
Only one girl has my sympathy.
She’s not so very pretty
or of a high degree.
There’s only one girl
in the world for me.
[2] Since George was living in Belt, near Sand Coulee, I wonder if “Culey” is a reference to “Coulee”? Also, George mentioned Sand Coulee in his last letter and had worked at Sand Coulee previously. Seems like a logical nickname, under the circumstances.
