Monday [June 30, 1913]

Dear Husband:--

I just finished reading the letters I received from you and enjoyed them so much. Sweethear, you are doing beautifully. Remember you have only been there 3 weeks, well hardly that, and oftentimes Dr.'s in a new place don't get patients so quickly. But listen, you don't know the people there--how good their word is about promising to settle their treatments, so why don't you have cards made with a certain number of treatments on and punch it each time they take a treatment. Have each ticket made with the number on there. If some wanted less than that, punch out all the numbers till you have the few left that they care to take. I know a great many teachers, especially private teachers in the city do that way. Prof. Kimmel always did that with dancing tickets, because no one can judge how good a persons word is that they do not know. That way you will be treating everyone alike. Remember, dear, that you haven't any strength to waste.

Oh! you squeak bug, I never heard of one, but I know this much. I'd love to see you. You know best what you should do about coming this summer. I'll leave it to you. Of course, I'd love to have you, but if you think you should wait till later, I'll try to grin and bear it. Ha! Ha! Dear you can imagine how merry that Ha! Ha! sounds, cant you--Honey, I just won't get sick this summer so you have more to worry about, but it is sweet of you, thinking of holding something in reserve, in case I did. Of course, we never know what will happen, but we will hope for the best.

Dear, there was something about you in the Express. It was this: "Dr. T.H. Lay of the June [19]13 class of the ASO has located in Harrison Ark. to practice his profession." I couldn't find the paper or I should have sent you the clipping. I just supposed that you saw it. It also had about Mr. Henderson. I tried to keep the paper, but it has been misplaced.

Papa got a new tag for Charles William today, and it is so new and bright. He feels quite proud. He thinks his girl sent it to him. I whispered in his ear and told him that Francis Summers sent it to him, and he said "E! he! he! he!" That is the way he laughs. . Papa went to sleep a while ago, and I tied the old tag on him. Wouldn't you have enjoyed seeing him? Remember I put a noose on him once under a chrysantheum [sp?]

So there is another Dr. Lay in Ark. Well you know Noah aimed to have two of everything in the ark, so I wasn't suprised to hear of the other Dr. Lay. Ha! ha! Is he an M.D.? I hope he will do you some good.

Mamma has just found that paper, so will send the clipping. See! it headed the column of city news notes. You might know I am proud of you. I didn't get the words just right, but you see it is similar. Be careful and do not get overheated.

Clara Young in Colo. Springs I noticed in the paper. As you and I both have only told those we thought we should tell, I don't think the public in general, at the present time, are regarding Dr. Lay and Miss Gibson as suspicious characters. The people who have been so innocently introducing me as Miss Gibson and calling me that, will surely have a fit when they know the truth. Mamma and I thought it best to tell Anna, so we did so, and she is the best one yet to make inquiring people think it is not true. You know she and Lovie were going to do every imaginable way to find out sure, and I know what a team they are. And we thought to tell hwer, we would keep it more generally quiet that for her to be trying to find out all the time. So Lovie wanted to know one day if we were married. Anna says, "Well, I know this much, that I have found out. They are not married." Mrs. Borneman [?] heard it and asked Anna if she supposed it was true. Anna said, "No, of course not. I wonder how that ever got started. Clara can't imagine how it did." Anna will keep it still because she has told me secrets that she wouldn't want told. When her friend was here last fall, I was the only one she told the truth about it, and she said I was the only one she would have wanted to have asked if Mr. Tolles was at the hotel when he had an engagement with her. So, you see, people like that wouldn't be telling secrets to get you started.

Honey, I must not write any more now.

Lovingly your wife,
Clara Gibson Lay

Papa and Mamma send love.
Does P.S. stand for Pears soup?
P.S. you are the sweetest french boy doll I ever saw, and if you were here, I'd love and love, and LOVE you. Tell Bobby he wouldn't be left out either. hope your exams won't be too hard for you, dearest.

With love,
Clara