Hill Country Living

It’s a Wagner Week and Maria tipped the buggy over. Julia, who I’m pretty sure works for the Wagners, didn’t help at all which is pretty funny. I’d love to know more about the dynamic between Maria and Julia.

Thursday Night Sept, 20th

My Dear Son,

The children played until they got tired, and all asleep but Jessie and Eugene. George has on the baby’s red flannel wrapper & Calista has on Jessie’s dress, it just reaches the floor.

Mr. Bankhead & Miss Rosa B., he was very affectionate. She had his arm and he held her hand. We laughed good. Miss Low’s baby was buried this morning. It suffered greatly with its bowels. Miss Gernie was not at school Friday. I heard she had fever today. I think she will not have Typhoid fever. Mr. Buford is better, but he is very feeble.

Well John, you remember Will Thornton, he and Mrs. Jim Shaw were married last Sunday night and then went to preaching. What do you think of him?

Mrs. Dupuy was sick but is better. Jessie took some chinquapins down to Mrs. Leland’s. Said Mrs. Leland said,” Tell you she enjoyed them. They carried her back till she was a young girl and had a good time gathering them.” Did you gather those you sent?

Rutledge is in bed sick with his very bad case of “Tonsilitis.” I am sorry for him. Mr. Painter said tell you that was “Literary fare they were giving you.” Aunt Ella says it’s soldier fare, they are hardening you for a soldier. What do you weigh?

Your average was good but you had 31 demerits. I can’t understand that. Hope and trust you will make amends for all of that in the next report. Try and remedy that, my boy. Do your best.

Well John I must tell you what bad luck I had yesterday evening. I hitched the horse to the buggy for Jessie and Aunt Ella to take a drive, and led him outside. The gate sloped him right in the flat place and came back and shut the gate and just as I got to walk off and turned down towards Aunt Dupuy’s which made him still farther from me. He struck a trot and went along the path towards the pasture and the buggy was up on that old root of the china tree that is blown down and turned over on its side. 

He trotted on just a little beyond the top of the hill and stopped but he cut the skin of his heels and ankles.  I do hate it so bad, broke the shafts and cross piece between them and buckle of the harness. I don’t think he thought of anything except to go to pasture. Now I am so anxious from fear I have ruined him but I only did what I see the others do. 

Uncle Charley said if I had only tuned his head up toward the gate, but I was for stopping closest to me. It has worried me so ever since. I am afraid he might be scary. Julia was in the yard but she gets mad if she has to do anything with the horse. She saw me fixing him but never came nigh or asked if I wanted her. I would not ask her and I lost by it. If he will only forget it. I do dread to see Daniel but that he will say or blame me, but it was so unnecessary.

I am mad to think I would do such a thing. I will tell you as soon as we try him how he does.

Your loving Mother