Date Read: 11/18/25

Written by: Leonard Kip Rhinelander

Date Written:

My Darling Girl:

As I told you in letter No. 10 your cheerful noted arrived just as we were about to leave Colon for Panama City. Can you imagine Alice, love, how happy and surprised your boy was to hear from you again? I wonder sweetheart when my letters reach, if you go to your little where you can be alone and are as happy to hear from me as I was when that letter of yours came to me. If your really care as much to get my letters as I did hearing from you, you, no doubt, can appreciate what your note meant to me and how happy and over-joyed I was. Supposing, darling, you hadn't heard from me for three weeks and wasn't sure if you would get even a letter for six months, and then, as if a gift from God, a letter arrived.

How would you feel?--well, Alice if you can answer that question and if you have been as lonely and lonesome for me as I have been for you, why you won't have the least trouble in guessing how I felt when your letter came.

Just to know, dear, that you wrote it as enough to turn nighttime into day-time, but after reading and repeating your words, phrases, clauses, and sentences and finally coming to the point that has been worrying me a great deal, and learning in your letter that I needn't worry any longer, set my heart at rest and will carry me on no matter how long the ffight lasts.

Your letter, darling, was just full of pictures, if you understand what I mean. It brought back memoring of the good old days when you and I were so happy together. Yes, dear girl, as you said , very few people are as happy as we have been and when you told me our happiness will always continue as far as your part is concerned, I am going to add here that you can rely on me to do my share and never let anything no matter what it may be, come between us.

Two things, sweetheart, in your letter stood out like a shining light. Can you guess what those two things were, that you wrote me and told me yourself? You said: "That I am now your only one and that you will be true to me." Oh! Alice, dear, I was worrying a little not hearing a word for three weeks and wondering if you were keeping your promise. You can't blame me Alice, sweetheart, when I am feeling blue, lonely, and lonesome to think if you are being true ans having me as your only one.

I will admit myself that many a night I stayed in while my Pal was out to dinners and dances, I laid in bed and thought if you, loved one, were staying in also and giving up all parties like I am doing and above all, being true. During all the times that I have been away, I have always trusted you, Alice, and have been doing so all along, but just think, dear, when your letter arrived and you tole me yourself in your own hand-writing that you will be true to your boy and now love only me.

Oh! Oh! God, Alice, you have no idea what your letter means to me and all the cheery things that were in it. But dear girl, if it's the only one I need not worry any more if you are being a good girl and keeping to your promise.

Need I, dear? Say to yourself, sweetheart, that you will be faithful forever and have only me. Maybe I will hear you when you answer the above questions.

Well, OLD SCOUT, I hope I am not writing to much and not tiring your beautiful brown eyes, becuase I will end here if I am. Do you really want me to close and say good-bye till my next letter or shall I continue? I have so many things to say and feel like writing this morning that I could keep on forever. I wonder why it is, dear, that some times my pen goes right along without hardly stopping and other times it takes me hours to write one little page. Maybe you know why it is, if not, I will tell you the secret. It is because of that letter Alice which you wrote me. I have it right before me on the desk and every time I look at it, it gives me new ideas and urges me on.

Whenever I am feeling very depressed and all hope seems gone, I will take out that letter and read over some of the living stories, which your little hand had written upon those blank pages, and when my eyes fall upon those outstanding words, which say, "You are now my only one and I will be true to you, Leonard, forever," just those few words, darling girl, are enough to cheer me up again and give me courage, strength, and hope to carry on and see it through. Alice, dear, I want to thank you again for those two sweet pansies and the palm-cross which will also remind me of you, because your loving lips ahve kissed each other.

You asked me to take good care of them and love each one. Yes, dear, your boy has there in his pocket all the time and will carry them around whenever he may go. You, also, have two roses which you said you have pressed and i have two pansies. Let us see, sweetheart, when I return to you if you still have the roses and I the pansies.

You are unable to write to me, it's true, but you said you have again begun your diary and are putting everything you do in it. Yes, love one, although I won't know all the things you will so and how you have been as you said you can write each day in your diary and let me see it when my journey is finished. When you get my letters, post cards, and souvenirs, put it down in your book and say if you were glad to hear from me and if my letters cheered you up. Put everything down Alice, because I want to know all you do and how much you missed your boy.

In your letter, darling, you said not to forget you and be square and fair with you, because you were being true to me. Let me tell you, love one, I will never forget you, dear, for you are always in my mind day and night, becuase my heart is just longing to be with you again and hold you in my arms. Yes, love, to tell how much I love you and how unhappy your boy has been all those days and weeks. If I were with you, sweetheart, you would be nice to me and let me show you with my warm lips and my caresses how I have missed you.

Oh! Alice, as you said, life is not worth living if the one you love is far away. It is hard, dear, very, very, hard but you and I can fight the battle, no matter how long it lasts, for our love for each other cannot be broken. Can it, dear?

Of course not, it may be a long, long time before we see each other again, but do you think as the weeks pass on and even months, that that will make me forget you. Oh, love, do not for one moment think that time will have anything to do with my forgetting you. Haven't I proved my loyalty to you and haven't I shown what you mean to me and will mean in the future?

Can you picture just one of the many times I held you, darling, while the victrola was playing? My own love, my poor heart if longing day and night for your caresses and to be with you once again. Yes, dear, life certainly doesn't seem worth living, but when I think that you are longing for me, too, and are being true to me, it gives me courage to fo one and see it through.

It's wonderful, dear, to look at the stars and think those very same ones are shining over you. I just dose off with you on my mind and wonder if you are thinking of me, too. There isn't a night that passes, darling, that your boy doesn't say a prayer for your safety and to keep you well and strong. I know you don't forget to pray for me and think of me before going to sleep. You told me, love, you plut my picture under your pillow every night. Bless you, dear girl, I have put your picture in my watch and sleep also with yours uner my pillow.

Don't lets talk about those things now, dear; as the old saying goes, "don't cross the bridge until you come to it." However, I just wanted you to know if anything should happen to me, I only want you to be with me.

Our steamer arrives here, I believe about May 1 or 2, and then we sail for San Francisco. The trip takes about 18 days, so darling you wont hear from me for about a month.

"No sweetheart of mine, your boy is writing just as often as the steamers leave for New York and will never forget his little girl in Pelham. Have you received all my other letters, dear? This is my 11th so you should have gotten 10 before this. By the way, dear, I wonder if you received the handkerchiefs which I sent from Havana. That was the package I told you about in one of my letters I sent you. I hope they did reach you safely, because I thought they were quite pretty I knew you would like them. Alice, dear, keep all my letters locked up in your strong box, because they are only for you to read and hope they cheer you a little bit. You, dear blessed girl, what a great surprise and what a shock your boy just had. The clerk asked me if I was Mr. Rhinelander. Well, he said, there is a letter for you forwarded from Washington, which has just arrived. Really Alice I was nearly taken off my feet when I saw your hand-writing and the post-mark of Pelkam Manor.

Oh Darling girl, thank you a million times for writing that cheery letter. No, dear, I won't call it a cheery one, because it brought tears to my eyes when you said you were lonely and how very much you missed your boy. God Alice I do want to come back to you. You know my hearth was also broken that Friday night I said good bye to you, but i tried my best to leave you with a smile.

Friday certainly was an unlucky day for both of us. Alice, dear, you want me to come back to you and God knows I would give anything if I were able to, but, darling, as it is I am not yet in a position to say what I want to do and therefore must fo what I am told, at present. But, sweetheart, it won't remain that way always. No, when I become of age and can do what I like, I will never leave you and you and I can be together just as long as you want me.

It's hard dear, for me, yes, just as hard as it is for you, but remember Alice what I said about playing the game, fighting the battle till it is over, and carrying on to the end. I know, love one, you will wait and be just as honest and true to me, no matter how long we are parted. You will wait, won't you, dear? Of course, my little girl will, because she knows I am being fair with her and will always continue to do so.

It's far better to sacrifice a little time now, than to spoil all our happy days, which are waiting for you and I.

You asked me to get you a Japanese bathrobe if I should happen to go to the Orient. I certainly will Alice and will get you many more little souvenirs but I won't send them to you, but keep them until I get back.

My mind is full of loving thoughts for you and it seems so easy to tell you all the things that are tucked away in my heart. Oh, Alice if I could only hear from you every day what a difference it would make.

I am so very glad to know, Alice, that my ring is still on your finger. I put it on and please, dear girl, don't take if off, keep it on.

Your ring I have on always. Some days it is just full of dust, no, not dust, but thoughts from you.

Don't forget, love, all our good times together and and the little presents, tokens and treasures have given you. When you are alone take them out and look upon them as real gifts from your boy. Each one holds a different meaning, a message that contains stories of love. Let them take my place!

Well, Alice, I am going to close but before I end I want to tell you one thing and I want you to read it over when you are lonely:

"You can trust me Alice to be true to you now and always. My love for you has never been greater, stronger, broader, deeper, and more to be relied upon, and as the days go on it will continue to be just the same." Good bye, dear heart and don't forget your boy in the days that are to come. I send one of my kisses to you and also a hug.

Your Loving Boy, Now and always,
LEONARD

NYDM, 19 November 1925, 4,6.
NYDN, 19 November 1925, 3-4.