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And so my greatest opportunity is at hand and I've got to make the most of it.  If I can handle this one my whole future is assured and I am convinced that by hard work and using my head I can handle it successfully.  It's going to take hard work because it will be a new line for me with much to learn but I've never seen a problem yet I couldn't get the best of if I tried hard enough.  Whitey admonished me to be tough - not to let them walk over me.  And tomorrow the greatest campaign of my career starts!

Anticipating that once I am seen sitting at Whitey's desk while he's away, the rumors will start flying thick & fast.  I told Willie tonight what has been going on for the past year.  I hadn't wanted to tell her until things looked pretty definite for fear of disappointing her in case something fell through.  But now I felt I'd have to tell her as she would be hearing about it from other sources.  And naturally she was thrilled - I just hope now that all goes smoothly.

Erie, Pa.,
Tuesday, April 23, '40.

This morning, as I expected, when Miss Giblin came out and said, "Mr. Craton, the mail is ready," I felt like a stage struck actor. I went into Whitey's office and sat down in his chair and my mind was in such a whirl, I had to read the first letter (from Gil Painter about a measly 1½ ton trammer) about five times before I could get what it was all about. And as I went on with the rest of it, every time the phone rang I trembled lest it be Pres. Wilson wanting to speak to Whitey and demanding me in his