Voices from the Past

Picture, circa 1939
12 year old Lee is on the left; her 20 year old sister, Lois on the right
Lois married and left home sometime in 1938

Harviell, Mo.

Feb 22, 1939

Dear Lois,
How are you? I hope you are better. I am just fine. Samuel's hips are still sore, but he says he is better. (I'm guessing he had fallen?)

Monday night Dad, Samuel and I went down to get Dorthy to go to the young people's Rally, but she had the flu and couldn't go. We took Sister Lena's Bible to her. She sure seemed glad to get it. Sister Dorthy came almost coming home with us.

Zelma didn't come home Sunday. She was at the young people's Rally. Bonnie, Robert and Lela's baby is in the hospital at Doniphan. That was the reason Zelma couldn't come home. She sure is homesick. She hasn't seen Alma, Paul or Viana since Christmas.

Samuel and Daddy have gone to that fox hunters' meet. They left about 6:30 this morning. Mother is ironing so I decided to write to you. (Grandpa was an avid fox hunter as was my Uncle Samuel)

We got a letter from Bro Dewey yesterday. He said the girls had just went back to school after missing six weeks. Sister Bertie has been sick. He is working at the quarry again.

Oh! I forget to say awhile ago that Bro and Sister Glasgow, their little girl, five young girls & one young man were at the Rally. The six young people had an exercise about the cross then they sung a song. There was a duet from Corning, two girls. Brother Glasgow's little girl sang a song. It was short but it was good. She came up to the front and stood and twisted her handkerchief while she sang. The next Rally will be at Corning.

Brothers Marvin and Claud sang. "Let Us Dig a Little Deeper" that you were talking about.

Brother Russel's goat has two kids. Sister Russel said they were fine kids. Brother Russel said he might get another goat and not keep a cow that they all liked the milk.

Paul and Alma got them another cow yesterday. She is red. She will freshen in April but she is still giving some milk. She give three quarts last night and this morning together. Paul thinks he can milk her till their heifer freshens.

Aunt Olvia has a cousin visiting her. He told Uncle Jim after church that the girls threw paper wads at him, winked at him and one ask him for the next dance. (Dancing is a totally prohibited activity in this church group.)

Well I guess I've wrote everything I know so I'll have to quit.

Your Loving Sister,
Lee XOXO

*Characters: Lee is my mother. Samuel is Lee & Lois' oldest brother; He's single and living at home. Paul is another brother, Alma, his wife; Viana is Paul & Alma's infant daughter. Dorthy is Alma's sister; the two families are long-time friends. I think Zelma may be Dorthy and Alma's younger sister. Sister Lena is a lady preacher in the area, who had previously preached a revival at the church Ben (Lee's dad, my grandpa) pastors. She became Ben's second wife in 1942 after his wife died.

At this point, young Lee (my mother) has finished 8th grade. She was unable to go on to High School because of the distances, so she's at home helping her mother with the housework, missing her older sister.


*For the record. I scanned the letters in to upload as pictures, but kept getting an error message on the upload. I'll keep trying.