Young to Morriss December 15, 1930

J. Frank Young to Henrietta Morriss December 15, 1930

Frank H. Pierce 

Counsellor at Law 

Boonton, N.J 

Phone 517

Monday Evening,

12/15/30

Dear Henrietta, 

  My four cups of coffee yesterday did not succeed in preventing a good sleep. The result is that I awoke this morning feeling fine with not a trace of your cold. I was a little afraid that I might catch it as I did not feel any to strong myself Saturday.  I hope that out of three varieties of cough drops you found one to halt the cough. I know how antagonizing it is to be kept awake on a cold night with a cough. If you slept as well as I, I am sure that you are much better today. 

   I spent a dull day in the office. In the afternoon I was at the court for a couple of hours.  I again watched a layman try his own case with remarkable success. I am more and more convinced of the effacy of this method for a person of ordinary or a little more than ordinary intelligence. He does things that a lawyer would be called down for and escapes because of his ignorance.  He is not presumed to know the law of evidence, and tells much that is decisive in the case which a lawyer would know that he daren't introduce.  Of course the Judge tells the jury that they should not consider this evidence but that seldom means anything. The main thing is that the jury has heard it. 

   That is enough shop talk. I realize that you are more interested in other things.  Why I don't want to come down to see you on Wednesday when it is only forty miles away.  You would do it anyway but it is not nice for a girl to come to see a fellow, or even call him up on the telephone. But it is perfectly customary for a fellow to borrow a car which the girlfriend owns in common with her brother, and go to see her in it. 

   I don't like to be accused of apathy in my affection because I don't make this arduous trip which I can't afford to do regularly.  I intend to come to see you at Palisades at intervals. I did not intend to come regularly, and I don't believe that you intended me to.  I will see you the following week, in fact, two weeks, often as I will be home for the holidays.  Believe me, dear, that when I don't come to see you as often as you wish it is not because I lack affection.  There is such a thing as denying yourself even this pleasure.  I think I am doing right.  Can a man do more? After all the essential things is that you say. 

                                                                                                      Love, 

                                                                                                   Frank (signed)