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On Board S.S. Wheatstone Sunday noon 12/27/42 Dear Mrs. Johnston, Here we are three-fourths of the way to Chicago (we'll arrive about four and have an hour or less to transfer). Comfortably ensconced – whatever that means – after a wonderful sleep and a hearty breakfast; and having sat around for an hour hearing about Korea from Underwood, Japan from another guy. Hearing and its system of promotions, etc. from a Lieutenant friend of Underwood's met by accident – not to mention a sprinkling of salacious subject matter inspired by somebody's preoccupation with James Joyce--. I postpone tackling the Korea for just a few minutes to begin this little note to you. Last night was lovely darling – I feel so good about it! – I hope you got home [pg 2] safely and comfortably and were not too lonesome. I forgot to give you a reply to your mother about putting you in my pocket, but you might say that I didn't want to share you with all this goodlooking competition (well, some of it is)… Here's Horace with a lot of little cards neatly inscribed with characters; so I'll leave you awhile. ‘By now. Monday morning – Hi, honey. I wanted to write some more last night but I couldn't find my writing pad with this letter in it. Besides that, there was too much going on in one or another group of the boys. One of them picked up a very nice girl (U. of Arizona) who works in Denver and knows Boulder; she thought you’d be able to get a job there all right (damn this train for writing – but bless it for everything else. It's [pg. 3] wonderful) – She made one suggestion that I'll give you later. It's 7:45 Denver time (5:45 NY)and we’re in the club car of the Zephyr after breakfast. Dawn has just broken in a cloudless sky along a horizon entirely visible through the curved windows at the back of the car. I can tell by the popping in my ears that we've been going up for some time, but the country is still flat. This last part of the trip will be almost the only part worth looking at that we haven't [missed?] right [Darling?] Darling, I hope you have as pleasant a trip as we've had. (Now we’re going up visibly, though gradually). It's about 1 ½ hours to Denver unless the [pg. 4] train has not made up the time we lost last night in Chicago by wiring ahead to hold it because our incoming train was an hour late. We kept the Zephyr 25 minutes but the way it's been going that should be a drop in the bucket. I'm listening to the news off and on. (Its 8 o'clock and the country begins to assume a rolling character. There's a light, dry snow fall from last night which doesn't cover the clumps of coarse grass alongside of us) Nobody has done much studying – It's practically impossible to write the characters. This train averages over 80 mph. It's such a struggle to write that I think I'll give up now. You probably won't get this at home, anyhow, but if you do, give my love to your mother and father and tell them I'll write as soon as I get settled. Darling, I'll be so happy to see you – I hope you do enjoy your trip. I love you dear, Warren.
