Wednesday afternoon

Sept 17, 1941

Dear Ruel,

You are a dear to take the time out of your busy day to write to me. I feel right mean to expect it of you but you know how much a letter can mean.

This has been a hot day. My hands are sticking to the paper as I write. We had company for dinner and sat on the porch most of the afternoon trying to keep cool. I'm sure this is as hot as any weather we ever have in Mississippi. I think there are as many mosquitoes here too. Last night we sat on the porch awhile and I had several bites as a result. I suppose if it is as hot in Mississippi you are getting plenty of cotton out. This is the kind of weather you need. The farmers here are getting in their hay. I noticed in today's paper that one bale of cotton had been ginned in our county this year. I've always been used to farming on a small scale and when you speak of the way you do things it almost exasperates me. Some day I'll be helping you though and think nothing of it. If I was there maybe I'd be helping you now. Last week Mama gave me the very sound advice of "don't learn to do too much". This was after she had been helping Papa unload a load of hay. Mama has always done work like that and Papa has expected it of her. She wouldn't have helped last week if he could have gotten someone else though. I think a housewife has a pretty big job of her own if she does it well, so I think I'll stick to that end of our farming. I like the outdoor part of farm life, and I think you'll be only too glad to let me tend the garden. Can you imagine me doing that?

I'm glad Ruthel has a nice boarding place. We'll have a good excuse to go to Memphis sometime won't we? I never did enough shopping before to go there especially for that.

Mrs. Schoolar has a package at the post office for me. She also has some of my magazines. If you would like you could take these to your house however she said she would keep them for me. The package is a present so if you open it you can write and tell me what it is so I can write and thank Bro and Mrs Neblet. If you don't want to bother you don't need to but I believe you said you wanted to keep busy. You might read the magazine but I suppose they would be out of your line.

Love,

Mavis