Monday noon

[May 3, 1943-jlt]

Dear Mavis,

Received your letter this morning that you wrote Thursday. I am glad you and Johnnie are making it alright. It is cool here and no rain. Everyone is wishing for rain is the general topic of conversation here. It looks as if everything will dry up. I have never seen it so dry this time of year.

Well, Old Snip is about to pass away. He has pneumonia. I carried him to the Hospital at Clarksdale Saturday morning. He had 103 degrees of fever. If he dies there will have to be a big funeral I guess. It is a pity for anyone to get attached to a dog like the Turner family has to Snip. He must be nine or ten years old.

Went to Sunday School and preaching yesterday afternoon. Brother Martin preached. Everyone wanted to know when Mavis was coming home. Mrs. Moore wanted to know if I was like Earnest was when she went home after they were married. She said she stayed three weeks and everybody teased him about her leaving him. He said the first week was awful, the second week not so bad, the third week it didn't make very much difference if she didn't come back. I told her I couldn't say the same thing.

Believe it or not I went to a show last night. Sonia Hennie and John Payne in "Iceland". It was good. I supposes any picture is alright when you do not get to see one very often. I wish I would have waited and went tonight or tomorrow night. James Cagney in "Yankee Doodle Dandy". He plays the life story of George M. Cohen, the song writer. I think he died a year or two ago. If you were here I would want you to see it. You asked about the goslings. You know the first one -all the eggs were bad or something was wrong. The one behind the garage I do not know when she started to setting. Jersey had her calf Saturday night at 11 o'clock, Alexander said. He had to sit up with her until it arrived. By the time you come home we should be getting more milk and butter than we can use.

I want you to stay as long as you want to for I believe before this war is over they will stop all non-essential travel. You should make reservations on a fast train. If you need any money for anything give a note. I will enclose a card that came in the mail this morning.

Johnnie will have a birthday about the time this letter arrives. [6 months old - jlt] I wish there was something I could send him but I cannot think of anything. Kiss him for me and tell him to give his Mama a kiss for his Daddy.

Love,

Ruel