The front walk gate into P. H. and Bessie Rex's Randolph Home (about 1941).
Well, this is the next morning, and I must finish this
letter. Daddy and the boys have gone out to milk, so I have some time to write.
Soon after I had quit quilting last night, Helen brought in your two letters.
Did they make me feel good. I had been a little blue about you, but they
cheered me up just fine. I cant understand you not getting a letter for three
weeks. We have never missed over one week. I mean, if we haven’t written one
Sunday we have the next or a day or so after. THIS bunch around here all think
they are so busy. I am so glad you have ideas about going to school. Keep them
right in your head all the time. We laughed about you playing basketball. Now
feature that. Did you beat Joinville? Well, if you cant preach the Gospel one
way, you can another. Something is the matter with this “r” [Note: it didn't print, I have filled them all in]. It doesn’t always hit right.
It is the most glorious morning here. Everything is so green
and beautiful. And the sun is so warm. Things should just spring up.
You spoke of conditions over in Europe. I cant see how
people outside of Germany, whether they are Germans or not, can think anything
good of Hitler or Mussolini. I wish I had saved some of the articles I have
read for you, but I shall watch out from now on, and send you something each
week. We are all very much interested in the strikes here, and so I am sending
you a piece by one of the leading columnists of the country. People over the
whole country fear this John L. Lewis. He has quite a bit of power. Heaven hope
he never gets much farther or we would have a dictator like those in Europe. We
take Colliers and there are usually some fine articles in it, so I shall send
you some of them.
We went to see “The Main of Salem” last night. It is a story
of witch-craft, and people were all saying how terrible it must have been to
live in those days of such ignorance. Well, sometimes, I think we can show just
as much ignorance. I am afraid you will be appalled at the number of girls
smoking, when you come back to the states. It is terrible. And repeal of the
prohibition law hasn’t helped the drinking out any. It is getting worse all the
time. But even at that, we haven’t a man at the head of the nation who is thirsting
for more power and territory. We are at least broadminded enough to get along
with our neighbors. And we certainly don’t want their lands. I am sure the
U.S., is still far ahead of Europe.
Do those [German] people down there think that U.S. was responsible
for the burning of the Hindenburg. I think the German investigators who came
over, were satisfied with the investigation. I heard a man over the air not
many nights ago, say that it was caused by hydrogen gas leaking from the cells,
and becoming ignited. I think the fault of the U.S. lies in the fact that they
had held helium gas at such a high price. They are planning to sell it much
cheaper now. I shall look up an article I read on that and send it along too.
Of course it was terrible, but Germans must remember that the ship had never
been near U.S. soil when it exploded. If anything had been done to the ship, it
must have been done before it started out from Germany.
Say, and I am convinced that England is the most levelheaded
of the nations in Europe right now. I only hope they can keep peace over there.
It is said that the fight in Spain is not for control of Spain but for ideas of
the different nations of Europe. Nazi-ism and Communism are the two big forces
at work. And they are being fought out on the battlefields of Spain. It is a
terrible thing.
I am glad you have your eyes and ears open. Get all you can.
After all, that is all that counts in this life. Well, I must be closing. It is
7:30, and I must get this off. Keep up your good work. I hope things will look a
little better, and we can get some things off to you. The Lord is surely
helping, or I don’t know how we would ever manage. Be a good boy. We all send
love and kisses. Write a nice long letter like the two last again. I just love
them.
Lovingly, Mother
Note: [I have learned more about my Grandmother Bessie Morgan Rex
than I ever imagined I might since I began copying her letters. She was an
incredibly intelligent woman, and sought the stimulation she received studying
and conversing about important world affairs. Her son Harold’s last two
letters, undoubtedly about current world events, met her need, and she hungered for
more.]
No comments:
Post a Comment