Campbell's Story ~ 1916 (Chapter 7)

Campbell was 29 tears old when the year 1916 began.

He loved his job and had just been given his citizenship papers. Jeanette had agreed to marry him and he was totally happy. He was writing to Scotland to tell his mother the news when he received a letter from his dear sister, Helen. His mother had died of a sudden stroke at the age of 55. He was deeply saddened by the news and sorry that he could not share his new found happiness with his mother.

The distractions of his new life were many. He had met Jeanette's family at a family dinner at her home. It was a bit overwhelming as everyone talked at once, even her ancient French grandmother who swore in French when things got too noisy. But they all made him feel welcome and he was happy.

He found a nice, new two-flat apartment and rented the whole second floor, consisting of two bedrooms, a kitchen, dining room, bath, spacious living room, and a glazed-in front porch. Campbell did not want a church wedding, so they were married in the St. Edwards rectory by the priest. They honeymooned at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago where Campbell had rented the honeymoon suite for a week.

A generous check arrived in the mail from the Bank of England - a wedding gift from his grandmother and uncle Edward still living at Lignwood. Following the check, a huge crate arrived by surface mail from Scotland filled with silver, linens, wool tartan blankets, and family photographs.

By this time, Jeanette had finished with all the furniture shopping and they were very comfortably settled in their new home. Campbell continued working at Sears, and had several promotions so that he enjoyed an executive position at Sears and liked it. War fever was sweeping the country at this time fed by the popular songs of the day - Irving Berlin's "Over There" and "The Yanks Are Coming!" Campbell came home from work to find that his home was being taken over by his wife's family who loudly visited every day. Everyone talked of "joining up" and defeating the "HUN". The naive patriotism was everywhere. Campbell, who loved his new country, finally made the decision and enlisted confident that he would be gone for only a few months.