The Clarence Darrow Letters

Boston Nov. 12/29

Your very sympathetic and inspiring letter reaches me after my return east. You certainly have been more Than kind - without you I dont know how I could have stood up under it all. I do feel, however, that I am fit and in good form. I came back to sell the house. We received cash 13500.00 for is as it stands without the back lot. (I of course owed taxes, interest, ins. which I have just paid.) It was, the only thing to do for I could not see my way clear to draw on you nor to go into debt for the repairs needed. The roof is shot. The new owner is putting on a new one and along with it a lot of clap boarding, gutters, valleys and [cornice?]. We found the heater gone beyond repair. It requires about 400 ⁰⁰ for a new heater of some [same?] kind. The paint inside and outside must be renewed. There are the essentials that I would have had to take care of if we continued to hold the property. Besides such [?] there was always the fixed charge of taxes 360.00 - Water insurance - interest on mtg and part on principal and incidental upkeep which mounted to quite a sum monthly + We still hold the back lot but dont know what can get for it nor when - probably - a few hundred some day— wont cost much to hold it.

It is going to take some money to pay up doctors, and back bills as will the mtg, interest, ins taxes etc. but there will be some eight thousand or more to turn over & between us net proceeds after we clean up. I have made a little money in fees this summer enough to pay traveling expenses and some besides to apply where yours left off - There is still owing to me 1000 ⁰⁰ in fees and while I have not received it yet I think it is good. I sold enough odds & ends about the house That could not be moved or not worth storing to pay the cost of moving + storage for 6 months 200 ⁰⁰ the packing & moving xxx was the big item. Storage will be 10 ⁰⁰ per month.

I am taking a job with C.D. Parker & Co 150 Congress St. Boston. xxx It is a growing investment house. I am to work on wholsale business. I will deal with brokers & banking houses who care to take on issues Then put out. I will have nothing to do with selling securities to the public. I never wanted to sell stock or bonds to the public but have no objections To working with The banking houses who can judge & [?] Their own responsibility. I am taking it on a Trial basis. If I dont make a go of iT or dont like iT I can

be free to change if something else better comes along.

Bowen [?] the V.P. is my good friend & he me to tackle it on faith in his judgement. It will mean traveling and being unsettled for some time but if I make money can stand iT. Had arranged for Helen to go to Germantown while I returned to Chicago or other places on the [?] but now That This position has been made for me will rearrange plans— Helen & I will Camp out here for awhile— probably Cambridge— and will keep Davis in boarding school. Helen may be able to travel with me or go to Germantown later - Cant say but anyhow there is much doing and adjusting and I am soon to have a starting income. With Davis in boarding school & Frederic at Harvard They are provided for (although at some cost for Davis not needed when we kept house) Helen & I can board or travel together. My friend [?] feels That I am xxx on the way to make good money in a year although at present not enough to Keep me & Helen & Davis

But I'll try & feel that I should take some of the funds from sale of house to [?] care of Davis & our expenses without drawing on you further at this time. We'll make ours go as far as possible and hope That before we [?] in our principal very far That my earnings will support us and later prove more Than enough.

Pretty difficult to give you much of the picture by letter but the gist is that I have done as i said I would - taken work of some sort now instead of continuing the in definite hunt for the right thing to go into.

What a brother & sister you & Ruby have been to us! It has enabled me to keep faith and hope alive and to carry on + will have more to tell you when you get back hope it is all promising - Much love from us all -

Fred -