Concord, NC

March 29, 1948

Dear Mavis,

We received your letter today. We had a typical Easter. It rained all Saturday morning, became colder Saturday night and Sunday and this morning there was a killing frost and ice about a quarter of an inch thick. The cherry tree was white with bloom and they turned brown this evening so I know there won't be any cherries. I don't think the strawberries are hurt so much, but I suppose peaches and apples are killed. Muriel, Doug and Harding were the only ones here for dinner Sunday. All the rest of them were here in the afternoon.

Harding had to go to Raleigh Saturday to register. His car was out of fix so he went on the bus Friday night, came back Saturday afternoon and went back last night in his car.

This morning Pop was going to Buren's a little while and I went along as far as Thelma's. She was in the hospital about two weeks ago, for three days. She had a miscarriage and is just now able to be up. Hayden was washing and had a lot of clothes on the line. Their little girl is so fat. She looks like Thelma and is pretty. Hayden has a nice lot of chickens large enough to fry. He bought a hundred and fifty and raised them all except seven. He said he had invited preacher Allison to eat dinner with them Sunday and they were having fried chicken. Thelma said they had just bought an electric stove before she went to the hospital but she hadn't been able to do much cooking on it yet.

Did you receive the package? I sent hose and balloons and Muriel sent the socks. I wore my new dresss Sunday and the beads Dulcie gave me Christmas. If I were you and didn't like the dress, I would sell it to some colored person, even if you can't get as much as you put into it.

I went to see "Gone with the Wind" last Tuesday afternoon. I think I enjoyed it more than the first time I saw it. It is truly a great picture; in my opinion no actress has ever quite measured up to Vivien Leigh. It only cost 30 cents to see it in the afternoon. It was 6:30 when I got around to Aunt Cora's where Harding was waiting for me. It was the night I was to go with Dulcie to take care of Ronnie.. When we reached home Buck and Dulcie had gone so Harding said he would take me by on his way to town so I hurried and put up the cows and while I was outside I noticed the dark cloud and it looked just like the picture I'm sending you. I came in and was ready to go in a few minutes. We started and just above Pearson's it began to pour down rain. It didn't last very long and had quit when we reached Hooward's. That was the rain from the tornado and it just missed us. It torre the tops from two trees near the branch at the Shoe place, then going across from there it blew several buildings down on the big road belonging to Wilburn Long. Near Poplar Tent it blew the house off its foundation and tore roof off, house where Caldwell Penninger lives.

Dulcie and I were able to entertain Ronnie while Howard and Ruth were gone. He cried a ittle bit at first, but soon got to playing and was having a big time when the came. He didn't sleep any. Ruth took some good pictures of him last week. She is going to give me some to send to you. We colored fifty eggs, still have some.

Hope Joe Lee is over his cold. Hope you had a happy Easter.

Lots of love,

Mother