Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family
Title
Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family
Creator
Bouman, Jon Anthony, 1873-1958
Identifier
WWP23096
Date
1920 May 23
Description
Letter from Jon Bouman to his family.
Source
Gift of William C. and Evelina Suhler
Subject
Germany--History--1918-1933
Correspondence
Berlin, Germany
Contributor
Rachel Dark
Denise Montgomery
Language
English
Requires
PROOFREADING
Provenance
Evelina Suhler is the granddaughter of Jon Anthony Bouman and inherited the family collection of his letters from the years of World War I. She and her husband gave the letters to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum in 2013.
Text
WhitSunday-
(or rather whitmonday) 1920
Pentecow – 7 Sundays after Easter
Pfinterten
Dearest:
Yours of the 16th arrived in the due course, I was very glad to get that first letter of yours which was returned to London, if only for that little touch about Betty and the pocketful of chocolate which I took “in case I was hungry”. That must have made a deep and lasting appeal, no doubt. I can well imagine it!
Yes, dear I always write on Sunday night because I am undisturbed then. I generally write between midnight and 1 a.m. (which it is now) having got up at 2 in the afternoon after my night’s labors, I am not so ready for bed as I would be otherwise. Now there is no one to disturb me – except that Enderis has just called up on the telephone to tell me about certain developments which are on the (?). I find the whole night is practically filled with work: the Germans have such long-winded articles in the papers and you have to read through a lot of muck to see if there is any possibility of extracting something from it; often with result nil, but it takes time to go through them all.
I hope you will have luck with the letting of the flat; be sure you get reliable people who will get out on time; I have never heard of them refusing to go, that would be a very unpleasant experience. Of course it is my unfortunate job that prevents me from making holiday arrangements months in advance; civil servants are better off in that respect; let us be glad we shall have the wherewithal to go now that I have had my raise; I wouldn’t have known how to pay for a holiday otherwise.
We are informed from New York that Mr. Stone has taken indefinite leave of absence on account of age and health, and Mr. Martin (who originally engaged me has become “acting manager”. There are all sorts of speculations now what changes there may be, if any; I have been told there was a section of the A. P. directorate that didn’t see eye to eye with Mr. Stone who has always been the soul of the A. P. and that many advocated different methods. Of course traditions are made to be broken and I should be sorry if some of those ruthless overbearing Yankees got at the helm – I know Mr. Martin is one of Stone’s men, and I liked him well., but there is no telling. We have of course all kinds of competitors who indulge in picturesque lying, and if the public wants that sort of thing, it is hard on those who like to stick to the truth or may see it. However, I am not worrying over (?) possibilities.
The weather has been keeping fine all the time and it has been a glorious Whit Sunday; everybody out of doors enjoying themselves soberly without spending much money. I don’t know why people always come and ask me questions; dozens of children wanting to know the time or the way. I remember the first time I rode on the Berlin tube an old dame next to me told me she wanted to go to such – and – such a shop and would she do better getting out at this station or that? I told her she had struck the most unlikely person to know, as I had never heard of the shop or the stations, and this was the first time &c_ _ _ She looked quite incredulous! This very afternoon a very provincial couple came up to me and the fat frau asked where she could see the ladies’ ride? I first thought I misunderstood her but she explained she wanted to see the fine town ladies ride on horseback in the park, as she had heard they did. I told her the place, but told her she wouldn’t see many as it was afternoon and the morning was the time for riding, so she felt quite disappointed.
I must say it is a sight, some of the men and women – newly rich, (?), &c trying to do the grand – it is killing!
Let me know if you hear anything about Walter; I hope the old people get their drafts all right, anyway.
With love to all, especially yourself,
Thine,
Jack.
(or rather whitmonday) 1920
Pentecow – 7 Sundays after Easter
Pfinterten
Dearest:
Yours of the 16th arrived in the due course, I was very glad to get that first letter of yours which was returned to London, if only for that little touch about Betty and the pocketful of chocolate which I took “in case I was hungry”. That must have made a deep and lasting appeal, no doubt. I can well imagine it!
Yes, dear I always write on Sunday night because I am undisturbed then. I generally write between midnight and 1 a.m. (which it is now) having got up at 2 in the afternoon after my night’s labors, I am not so ready for bed as I would be otherwise. Now there is no one to disturb me – except that Enderis has just called up on the telephone to tell me about certain developments which are on the (?). I find the whole night is practically filled with work: the Germans have such long-winded articles in the papers and you have to read through a lot of muck to see if there is any possibility of extracting something from it; often with result nil, but it takes time to go through them all.
I hope you will have luck with the letting of the flat; be sure you get reliable people who will get out on time; I have never heard of them refusing to go, that would be a very unpleasant experience. Of course it is my unfortunate job that prevents me from making holiday arrangements months in advance; civil servants are better off in that respect; let us be glad we shall have the wherewithal to go now that I have had my raise; I wouldn’t have known how to pay for a holiday otherwise.
We are informed from New York that Mr. Stone has taken indefinite leave of absence on account of age and health, and Mr. Martin (who originally engaged me has become “acting manager”. There are all sorts of speculations now what changes there may be, if any; I have been told there was a section of the A. P. directorate that didn’t see eye to eye with Mr. Stone who has always been the soul of the A. P. and that many advocated different methods. Of course traditions are made to be broken and I should be sorry if some of those ruthless overbearing Yankees got at the helm – I know Mr. Martin is one of Stone’s men, and I liked him well., but there is no telling. We have of course all kinds of competitors who indulge in picturesque lying, and if the public wants that sort of thing, it is hard on those who like to stick to the truth or may see it. However, I am not worrying over (?) possibilities.
The weather has been keeping fine all the time and it has been a glorious Whit Sunday; everybody out of doors enjoying themselves soberly without spending much money. I don’t know why people always come and ask me questions; dozens of children wanting to know the time or the way. I remember the first time I rode on the Berlin tube an old dame next to me told me she wanted to go to such – and – such a shop and would she do better getting out at this station or that? I told her she had struck the most unlikely person to know, as I had never heard of the shop or the stations, and this was the first time &c_ _ _ She looked quite incredulous! This very afternoon a very provincial couple came up to me and the fat frau asked where she could see the ladies’ ride? I first thought I misunderstood her but she explained she wanted to see the fine town ladies ride on horseback in the park, as she had heard they did. I told her the place, but told her she wouldn’t see many as it was afternoon and the morning was the time for riding, so she felt quite disappointed.
I must say it is a sight, some of the men and women – newly rich, (?), &c trying to do the grand – it is killing!
Let me know if you hear anything about Walter; I hope the old people get their drafts all right, anyway.
With love to all, especially yourself,
Thine,
Jack.
Original Format
Letter
To
Bouman Family
Files
Collection
Citation
Bouman, Jon Anthony, 1873-1958, “Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family,” 1920 May 23, WWP23096, Jon Anthony Bouman Collection, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.