Editor’s Note: The following is the earliest letter kept by Ruth. It is a start of a set of letters from John Mac, who went by Mac, to Ruth after their engagement. Ruth lived in Monte Vista, southern Colorado, and Mac nearby. Mac had recently graduated from veterinary school, and was deciding where to set up his first practice.
Envelop
From:
[Mac]
To:
Miss Ruth Batchelder
Del Norte
Colo
Postmark:
Santa Fe,
New Mexico
Mar 8, 6 p.m., 1923
Tuesday Evening
Dear Ruth: Santa Fe, N.M.
Here we are in Santa Fe at last. Arrived about four p.m. and will stay until to-morrow sometime.
Left home Sunday at ten a.m. and while the wind blew making it disagreeable we made good time until after we left Colo.
We have had lots of fun in N.M. Shortly after crossing the [state] line we got stuck twice and had to resort to horse power.
The roads began to get soft and five miles North of Servilleta we hung up on a high center. It began to blow and snow and finally about dark we started for town on foot.
We surely were a tired outfit when we arrived at Servilleta. Yesterday morning we walked back out to the car and after some work started on. We left Servilleta at eight o’clock to walk to the car and at two o’clock were back there with it.
By that time we decided to spend another night there.
In a short time Claude & Mrs. Corbett drove up. They decided to stay over and hope for better roads.
We managed to play five hundred and Bridge to pass away the time.
This morning we left there about seven thirty before the snow melted and while the road has been slow we have had no further trouble to speak of.
Stopped at Embargo for dinner. The Corbetts left us at Espanola.
Hit a rock yesterday while in the mud and damaged the steering joint so we will have to repair that here.
Swede and Harry have gone over to the garage now to see what they can do.
Kindly excuse pencil and the fact that I started wrong on the paper. Did not notice it until I went to turn over.
I do not think much of New Mexico if it resembles the part that I have seen.
We should worry tho it is all in a life time, but I do not intent now to see the same country again unless they build better roads or I manage to see it from an airplane.
We are all feeling fine to-night. Ought to be easy going from now on as we are on the main highway.
Santa Fe is a queer city. I do not know what its resources are but from the surrounding country one would not expect much of a city.
The architecture is nearly all on the Spanish type, narrow streets and walks.
Nearly all colors of people tho I believe the Spanish predominate.
Dear do not think that I am complaining when I tell you of the small troubles we have for I certainly do not mean it that way. There maybe lots of country to describe and probably it would be beautiful and picturesque to some people, but it fails to impress me that way.
Lots of love
Mac