You won a contest … Are we the exceptions?

This sweet, short letter was written the day after the 1944 election and Alex describes mailing his ballot with a note saying he is disappointed that he didn’t receive it in time to have his vote counted.

I think this letter illustrates just how special these letters are and how eloquently these two partners wrote about their deep and enduring love. Alex writes, “man and wife ought to be in love with each other!” and wonders, “Or are we the exceptions?”

Nov 7 1944

Alex to Sylvia

Dearest loveliest wife of mine,

There must be a lot of [excitement] in the good old states today. There is some here. But tomorrow we will know who won and I hope for the best. Our Chief Engineer is very uch pro Dewey but some of the mates and many of the crew are for Roosevelt and now that we do have a little hot deiscussion about it. My ballot came with this last mail and it arrived just one day after when it ought to have been in the hands of the election board, so it won’t be valid. I voted anyhow and sent in it also a little note saying I was disappointed in not having it go in time.

Mike and I had a big discussion and I convinced him that instead of living with his inlaws he ought to 000 and put up(?) home for himself. I spoke so convincingly that he finally agreed. I promised him that when we go home he and his wife will pay us a visit and see how we live.

Darling, you won a contest although you didn’t know that you participated in it. You write the sweetest and the most convincing letters about your love for me. We had it in our focuses (?) The boys were reading excerpts from their letters to each other. Letters from sweethearts and wifes

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I participated in it today [?] actually. Some passages about your devotion to your old man .. one of the boys said that if he had a sweetheart or wife that is the way he would want her to write him because it depicted true and sincere love. The rest all agreed. It was interesting that he said it sincerely and he was moved, and while I read it there was absolute silence which seldom happens here. I hope you don’t mind. I sort of felt good to read about your love for me and I don’t think it was indiscrete, after all, man and wife ought to be in love with each other! Or are we the exceptions? Besides that every one thinks you are beautiful, although the pictures don’t do you entirely justice.

They are supposed to bring food aboard today so I conclude because they will pick up the mail and I want you to get as many letters as possible. Darling also keep this in mind always: that in case you won’t get mail for a longer period of time than usual, not to worry, we may move once again before sailing back here and I don’t know what possibilities there may be to mail letters.

So be a good girl, preserve yourself for that glorious day when I come home again and for good.

I love you dearly sweetheart.

Kiss the little brat for me and all the folks. Alex