March 14, 1943 - Joint letter from Peep & Caroline

Peep (Hilda Wenz) and Caroline sat down together to write to their mother, Hilda S. Wenz, while Caroline visited Peep in Cambridge/Boston, Massachusetts. Peep was a graduate student at Radcliffe.

[In Peep's writing:]

March 14, 1943

Dear Mother -

We're sitting on a bench in the South Station waiting room with twenty-five minutes to train time. When one is in the Navy it seems that one does not risk not making connections - at least Caroline is a changed woman on that score.

It seems but a few hours ago that I dashed down here to meet the train - I guessed on the right one - Caroline didn't expect me and so was surprised - Jean Wentworth one [of] her roommates came along.

South Station in April 2012 - photo by Betsy

 [In Caroline's writing:]

This has certainly been a wonderful weekend for Jean and me - next to getting home. We even saluted people politely (at least part of the time). WAVES are not quite as common a sight as I had hoped so that people do stare at our queer costumes.

I wish that you could see the apartment - it looks just as if they had been well settled for years. We could not get over exclaiming about all the comfortable touches - a fire in the fireplace, music from Billie's record player and late in the evening all lying about talking.

Durgin Park, 4/5/2012 - Betsy (Caroline's daughter) and Alice (Peep's daughter) ate here together!

Peep thought Ellen might want to study, so after a flying visit to Fogg we came back to the apartment, met Billie, dressed and then went to Durgin Park's in the market district for supper. It was a different kind of place - old and definitely chipped china and red tablecloths. Billie revelled in a huge slice of roast beef while Jean & I had fish. 

Caroline's and Peep's daughters dine at Durgin Park nearly 70 years later

After dinner we poked about a bit in Boston's dimout which is not as black as I had expected. 

Perhaps Caroline & Peep poked about these buildings near Durgin Park.
Betsy and Alice poked about here in April 2012.

Safely back at the apartment we talked until it began to grow late. I had the luxury of having Peep wash my hair.

On Sunday morning Ellen, Billie and Peep dressed Jean and me in a wierd [sic] collection of clothes and we went bicycling. It was a beautiful sunny morning - the sun was warm, although the wind was still cool. We rode into Boston - not as daring as it sounds with traffic so much less. Coming back we had a fine view of the Harvard buildings- they are certainly satisfying to see.

Peep outdid herself for dinner - fruit salad, macaroni with cheese sauce, broccoli, celery and so on, and a graham cracker roll with marshmallows, dates and [figs? fudge?]. We were so carried away by all the pleasures of home that we almost forgot we had to race back to Northampton. But I know I'll be coming back every weekend I can.

It is time to go now. I'll write more later.

Look after yourself.

Love,
Caroline

I enjoyed "Around the Village" this week. [Likely a column her mother sent from the Perrysburg Journal]

[In an insert folded inside the letter, Peep continues:]

This is sort of a jumbled letter - but I shall take over again momentarily - I'm sure you will be glad to know that Caroline looks quite hail [sic] & hearty - the Navy doesn't seem to have suppressed most of her Wenz spirit.

She is still wearing her enlisted seaman's hat - and gripes about the length of her rain/overcoat - but the suit itself I think is quite becoming. We took two pictures which I hope will work, so you may get a picture soon.


Love,
Peep

From Caroline's WAVES album