Halloween Doin's

It was October 30, 1938, and Peter and Alma's Boyer's oldest, Doris, was off to college in her first year at Westchester State. When Peter sat down to write to her, he tried to recreate all the sights and sounds of home, because he knew she was probably homesick. The letter, which mentions all her six siblings, is a wonderful slice of life of the Boyer household. 

Quentin, Pa

Oct. 30, 38

My Dear Girl,

I wish you was here So I could have a good old fashioned chat with you. But since that cannot be I will do the next best thing. This is 7:15 p.m. Sunday. Mother, Alice and Ethel are at church. Peter, Paul, Allen and Jim are in the roome playing the radio. Yes we have it fixed again. You know I felt lost without it even Mother was anxious to have it fixed. 

The Boys are all Halloweene. I am sitting at the desk and looking across the kitchen. On the little table I see Pumpkin faces. Peter and Paul have been working all evening. Now they run out of candles. Last evening Mother had a Hallowine Party for the boys. There was quite a collection of kids here, about a dozen. I will have Peter give you a list of the names.

We had the little roome decorated a little. We had a bunch of corn fodder in two corners, with those electric candles we got frome Aunt Ethel back of the fodder. There are red bulbs in the candles you know. We had the little table in front of the window toward Browns. It was filled with apples and pears, a little corn fodder scattered over the top. A light dropped down from the top about two feet frome the table with orange crape paper wrapped around the bulb. That was all the light in the roome.

Peter had on a gost face and a sheet wrapped around him. He was setting between the corn shocks. It did look a little spookie.

They told stories played games later They had a lunch. Later they played more games. The Party broke up about ten oclock I think. They all had a good time. One of the Lutz kids was down here to day. He said Boy that was a good Party we had last night. 

I called up Millie last evening. She said She and Mam was thinking about coming to visit us today. They did not come. Ester was here this evening. She just stopped in to see Ethel about something. She said Catherine was home. So of course they could not come. Mam is getting along fine. Grandma Blough has not paid us her promised visit yet. We expect her next week.

Allen said I was to tell you that he is very glad you send him that little card. That he hoaps you will come home soon. Said to tell you he Made a hundred pretty near every day for spelling. And is getting along good with his other lessons.

Jim says to tell her to come home soon on Xmas. He got scared when all the kids come in with their fals faces on. In fact he did not feel right until after they had unmasked. Then he got busy and had a good time.

Tomorrow I will have to get up early for the first time in three weeks to go to work. It will feel funny for the first couple days. Well it will be for only five days I guess I can stand it.

I am glad you are getting over your home sickness also that your Marks are getting better, as I knew they would. You know they can't keep a Boyer down.

Paul, Allen and Jim are on the couch. Paul is reading. The Big tom cat just said Meow and jumped off of the chair on which it was sleeping and crawled on the couch with the kids. He is quite a pet since the other Cats are gone. 

Are you doing much reading now Doris? We still get Colliers and Cosmopolitan and I think I will get the Readers Digest again. Ethel said Miss Crouse said we could get is again for fifteen cents if we wanted it. I would like to get it regular. I like the little Magazine.

Was you up at Uncle Clate's over Sunday? I wish you could come home as easy as you can to Glenmore. But then we can't have everything.

Have you heard from Geraldine Carpenter lately? I think it was her Mother told Mother that she was getting over her homesickness. I wonder if her parents have been down to see her yet.

Tomorrow evening the Choir is going to sing at the Church that Rev. Schaeffer is the Preacher. It is over around Lancaster somewhere I don't know the name of the place, the way I understand, it is a village church. Mother and Alice are going.

Doris have you done anything about glasses yet? Do your eyes give you any trouble?

Well, the Church folks just got home. The boys are having their lunch before going to bed. Alice is in her stockings eating and going chatter-chatter. Ethel of course is doing her share. One wants Post toasties and the other does not like it. Another wants potatoes. Oh what's the use you know all about it.

We still have about three Bushel of pears to put up. Mother canned eight quart last week and she is drying some. We will have pears to eat this winter if nothing else.

I just told Alice I didn't know what more to write. She said fill it up with kisses. She is a big nut isn't she. Oh, She is just a goofy as she ever was. 

Mother just tasted the dried pears. She has a dryer full in the oven. She said do you know how these tast? I said no. What! Like fish? She said, No figs! That don't sound funny now sounds kind of flat. 

Doris we are sending you five dollars. Let me know when you get it we will send more just as soon as we can. Mother said she is going to send you a big fat letter Soon. Ethel says tell her I will Make you a Box of Candy. Alice says it is 25 more days till Thanksgiving and Daddy Says lots of Love to his big Girl,  Dad

Here is a list of the party:  (in young Peter's handwriting)

Lutz  3                          Charley Schaeflbook

Brown  3                       Helen Johnston

Kettering. 2

Kreiser  2