[This letter didn't have a date, but it must have been written after mom was in NC before she found she needed the operation - jlt]

Wednesday

[May 5, 1943-jlt]

Dear Mavis,

Before I get away from the house I expect I had better "scribble" a little. It is now 10 o'clock and I have carried Carrie and James to town and just come in from the field. Received no letter this morning. The reason Sunday was about three days ago in North Carolina.

It is still very DRY here in Mississippi. As one negro puts it, "There is a drought on". It will surely rain someday. The tomato plants you had in your seed bed have been watered everyday and yet they look as if they will die anyway.

Carried Snip [Ruel's sister Mary Emma's dog- jlt] back to the hospital yesterday morning. I can't tell that he is any better. Alexander went along with me and he had to tell all the negros about the hospital. It is a big and nice one.

There is very little happening around here so I have nothing to "scribble" about. We are all well and hope you and Johnnie are the same. I saw Douglas and Flora [Vardaman, neighbors who lived in Malvina-jlt] come in Sunday morning when I went after the paper. Guess she has come to stay. Was in the store yesterday and Mr. Rubenstein was asking about you and Johnnie and Mrs. Rubenstein didn't know that you were gone. "Oh, that explains it", she said, "I was just thinking about Ruel and Mavis. Everyone teases me about me and Joe [her husband] never going anywhere together, and I saw Ruel Saturday night and then Sunday night at the Show and I felt that we were not the only ones that didn't go everywhere together".

I just thought about the light bill. I need you here to remind me of some of the little things that must be done. I just got my shirts Monday from the laundry and the shoes are still at the shop. I have not bought any groceriees or got any meat from the locker. I wonder what Mr. Turner done before Miss Shinn became Mrs. Turner to do all the things for him. Hope you will get this Saturday.

Kiss Johnnie for me.

Love,

Ruel