Golden Grains of Love-- love letter revovered and returned 65 years later

                 Golden Grains of Love

(During my hunt for family love letters, I found this letter amongst my husband's histories in his BIG book of Remembrance.  Leo and Tessie are his maternal great grandparents. The history behind it is amazing and it gave me a little giggle!)

A love letter was written by Tessie Graf to Leo Reber on September 13, 1915, this being the only letter which she had ever written him before they were married.  The letter was found on a shelf among books in the old granary which lies on the west side of the Fredrick Reber Jr. home in Santa Clara, Utah.  As a young man Leo studied in the quiet surrounding of the granary.  The present owner of the home found the letter in November 1980 and returned it to Tessie Reber 65 years later.

Dear Kid-o,
No doubt you will wonder what has happened when you receive this letter from me.  This is the reason I am writing.  Friday afternoon there is a dance and Mr. Woodard wants all the students to stay for it.  He is going to get special music   and if it isn't to late after that to come home I may come, but don't be surprised at all if I am not there.  I didn't want you to think that I sluffed you for anything, so I thought I had better write.  I was never so discusted in all my life.   If I pick out a (school) subject it conflicks with something else I have, (Tessie wanted to take a piano class and had a hard time working it into her schedule) and I am having the damdest time, but I believe I will like it dandy after while when I get better,  Talk about lonesome, I nearly die I tell Elsie "no more school for me"  and she feels about the same and Lila said if she hadn't paid her    she would not stay another minute.  I almost die laughing at her.  She lives just a block from us, and Bell and Audrey about two blocks so we ought to have some good times.  Well I know you are tired reading this letter, so will close. 

Hoping you are feeling fine and having a good time. 
I remain yours
Tessie           XXX  OOO

Be sure and come down Saturday night, I will be home if I have to walk. (from St. George to Santa Clara)

Note:  Several parts of the letter are un-readable due to the age of the letter.  It appears exactly as written except where explanations are parenthesized.  Tessie was 17 years old when she penned this letter.  Leo was 18.