Hill Country Living
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Hill Country Living
By Coulter Fussell
It’s a Wagner Week! I’m on a roll with socialite “Elma C. M.” letters now that I know her full name (Elma Coleman Meek – the person credited with nicknaming the University of Mississippi yearbook “Ole Miss” back in 1896.) In one single box of letters I found 41 letters from Elma. They are all written to her good pal, George Wagner of Water Valley.
I looked up the “Bullett” family mentioned in this letter. They’re actually the “Bullitt” family and The University of North Carolina archives has a large collection of their letters from the same time period! I’d love know if any of their letters recall this most exciting buggy event outside their house.
Oxford,
Wednesday, June 4, 1905
Dear George,
For several days I’ve been trying to write you but you were right about when you thought I was busy and had these children on hand.
Irene went to Memphis Monday morning to spend the day. As usual her days are of considerable length. She is still there and says she will probably come home Friday night. So you know we have been very busy. Warren has been there for nearly a week, trying to have chills. He left this afternoon on the verge of a chill.
We had an excitement in town this afternoon. Earl Porter and Rebeccah Smith were driving behind Mr. Porter’s new horses — the pride and joy of his life — when the breast strap on one of them broke and they began to run. They ran from the Henwood corner to the Bullett’s where Earl and the girl were thrown out and then they continued their mad careen with the remnants of the buggy by our house until they ran into an electric light pole.
Neither Earl nor the girl or hurt but I hear the horses were. Now you’re always saying I don’t give you a detailed account of social events in Oxford. I hope this is explicit enough.
Have just come from Miss Ella’s house where I left Fitz and Vic. The former has been here since Monday and I don’t know how much longer he will stay. With my usual curiosity I’m crazy to know the news of the approaching event that has been broken to Mother Young. But I have a stunner to tell you, although Miss Ella and I haven’t quite swallowed it.
Did you know that Miss Ella expects to leave us tomorrow night for the coast? Mrs. James is going and is taking Miss Ella with her company. I wish somebody would take a fancy like that to me. Was invited to the Bullett’s for dinner Sunday and didn’t fail to go and enjoy it and was invited to a card party tomorrow afternoon but refused that.
Marnie asked me down on the afternoon of the eighth which surprised me very much but I guess I’ll go to such an important event as that. We are having grand opera or rather a sacred concert next door as Lutie Jones and Dr. Roland are practicing for commencement. Guess you and Corinne will be up next week, ready for any and everything. Hope you enjoy it but I’m glad I’m too old for such things.
Sincerely,
Elma C. M.
