Hill Country Living
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By Coulter Fussell
It’s a Wagner Week and here we have one of my favorite types of letters — a sarcastic, joking and gossipy letter between two teenagers. Maybe I’m partial because I have two teenage kids myself, but these letters are always the most fun.
As I was reading this one I noticed a name mentioned that I had never heard before – “Anna Eva Faye.” I knew this person was most likely not from Water Valley or Oxford because, at this point, I know all the local characters, much less the ones with a triple name. It occurred to me that this night be a celebrity mention.
So, I googled the name and yes! Anna Eva Faye Pingree was a famous stage medium in the 1890s who was billed as “The Indescribable Phenomenon.” What a name! I suggest y’all look her up, too. Her story is pretty weird and wild!
Oxford, Friday Night.
Dear George,
Possibly somewhere in the 15 schools you have attended you have heard that “the burnt child is afraid of fire.” But in my case, it seems to be a mistake, for I find myself writing you again. But let me assure you that only one thing makes me do it and that is that I think you are sick. Are you trying to have a spell fever or what? It does seem to me that if I were you, I would let the family have a nice trip without you’re getting sick. Yes, it must be pretty lonely for you having the house all to yourself. We are almost that lonesome as “dear David” departed for Virginia this afternoon.
We sent you all of the messages about Jim Lovell having a picnic. And a moonlight picnic at that! And not inviting you. I told him I thought you were invited but were too sick to come and that he and I were the “uninvited.” Miss Ella went to chaperone which was a very undignified proceeding for one of her age.
We went down to see the lady tonight, but the preacher and his family were so thick down there. I didn’t stand any shot. They didn’t cheer me up and give me that house party.
Julia is here ready to go and if you forget and fling a chill, you can find plenty of trained nurses on hand.
I don’t think anything remarkable is happened here or if it has, they didn’t let me know anything about it.
Julia and I went for a drive this afternoon — the first time I’ve really seen her. She leaves Thursday to be gone about a month and that will probably be extended over two months.
I wish if you were dead you would please let me know so I’ll do the proper thing. And please remember what I told you would happen so as sure as you went on that camping trip! Think I’ll soon be on a line with Anna Eva Faye as to the fortune-telling question.
Hope you will soon be all right for it’s the wrong time to be sick.
Sincerely,
ECM
PS – Please pardon the mistakes of the mosquitoes are eating me up.
