Hill Country Living
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Hill Country Living
By Coulter Fussell
It’s a Wagner Week! Little sister Jessie always dishes the dirt so subtly as to toe the line of gossip but never fully stepping over. It’s Jessie’s art. She also mentions Yocona Mills and calls it “The Factory” like she’s Andy Warhol or something. Jessie addresses one of her (and my own!) favorite topics to ponder and that is Cousin Clara’s dating life which is like a plot out of “Days of Our Lives.”
Jessie’s contemplating why in the world her little sister likes Grandpa so much is funny, but Jessie’s mom taking that opportunity to back-handedly cast shade on her own noisy, kid-filled household is even funnier.
Water Valley, Miss
March 26, 1886
Dear Brother,
As I have not written to you for a long while I will do it now. I have been gardening lately. I have planted two long rows of peanuts, some onions, radishes, peas and am going to plant some watermelons. Papa has bought Mr. Weatherby’s old store now and they sell everything so cheap there. Got two yards and a half of lace there the other day for a nickel and they sell nun’s veiling for a dime a yard.
I am taking music lessons now from Mrs. Virgie Martin. I am getting along very well. Papa has bought Mr. Alen’s piano now.
Cousin Clara is going to start for Baltimore next Thursday. They are going to stay there a week and then start for home. Aunty says when they go to housekeeping next fall that I must come and spend the winter with them. I expect that Bell will be down here next fall. She was coming this spring but Papa is not going up this spring so I suppose she will not wait until fall.
Papa has just come in for the night. He has been very very busy lately between The Factory and the Store.
Did you get any Valentin’s this time?
The woods are beginning to look pretty now. The little Innocents and Buttercups are blooming now and the ground is just covered with them in some places.
For every Saturday now, it has rained and I think I it will be a bad day tomorrow. Corinne is writing off her lessons and all the other shave gone to bed.
You say that you expect your letters are not much interesting to us but you are mistaken for I assure you that everything that concerns you interests us.
Calista had gone over to stay all night with Grandpa. She likes to go over there as well as ever. I wonder what makes her like Grandpa so well? Mama says that she thinks it is because it is so quiet over there, but I think that there is some other reason.
Did you get your little pressed violet that I sent you?
I hope you will answer soon as I have not had a letter from anyone in a long time.
Mr. Alen is up here now to see Cousin Clara and so I will have to close. I think Cousin Clara has made a mash on him for he comes up a good deal to see her and goes out riding with her right often.
Well, Good-bye. Write soon.
Your loving sister,
Jessie
