At Long Last, Lawrence Thomas Joins Wagner Week Column’s List Of Characters
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Hill Country Living
By Coulter Fussell
It’s a Wagner Week and we have a new character! Lawrence Thomas! I’m not going to lie: about 20 percent of all the Wagner letters in total are from this guy. But his handwriting is so honest-to-goodness atrocious that for the whole decade or so I’ve had these letters, I’ve avoided the Lawrence Thomas stack.
He and Jessie wrote back and forth so often that I figured they had a thing going simply based on sheer volume of correspondence. This is the first Lawrence Thomas letter I’ve ever read. I don’t know why I decided to tackle a Lawrence Thomas letter this week, but here we are. Also, I saw a picture of him posted online once. He was standing in a store on Main Street. He was…quite large.
Lawrence Thomas
Manufacturers,’ Agent
171 Main Street
High Grade Commercial Furniture
July 21/ ‘04
Monteagle, Tenn
My Dear Miss Wagner,
You will allow me to thank you for the letter that was written first, I knew that you would. I therefore enjoyed it the more – you know under all circumstances that your letters are enjoyed.
Yes, thank you, we are here and very well pleased. Withstood the trip nicely and got located within the assembly grounds on the 2nd day of our arrival. The climate is very fine indeed. The days rather warm, the evenings and night are cool and cold. I wanted my overcoat last evening at the auditorium.
I don’t think this will continue, that it’s so cool, as we have had rain each day since arrival. The entire 24 hours are decidedly more delightful than in WV.
I have walked about 2 miles this AM & it’s not even 12 yet. I think I will do well here if I can only curb my appetite – which instead of growing less grows larger.
I have received some letters this AM and that makes me crazy to go home and get to business. I am simply missing the entire show in a way.
We will have 6,000 people here by Wednesday on account of the State Teacher assembly which will begin Tues. Women, women, women and Ladies up here to learn – was at the table with 12 or 18 – was the only man.
I am sticking to Kate & Ida – doing them all the good I can as I will be with them only about 10 days or a little longer. I have just left Kate in the swimming pool. She seemed to be having a time.
I took my daughter (Miss Ida) and started her in music this AM. She will be under the care of a Hauchith of New York – said to be on the top of the finest.
We have more fine music and singing here than you could think of in a week. I enjoy this as you know more than anything.
This point like all others in the mountains has numerous points of interest around that you are expected to see and I expect to see them as soon as I feel that I am “sufficient.”
Fine opening here for a missionary. I think you might with your unselfish spirit come among these ignorant mountain people and teach them the things that are so essential to their happiness.
I will expect you up in this mission at once and will not write more but tell you more when you come.
Yours in the work,
Lawrence
