Hill Country Living
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Hill Country Living
By Coulter Fussell
It’s a Wagner Week and I’m really stuck on Elma Coleman Meek letters lately. She’s the Oxford socialite who is credited for coining the moniker “Ole Miss” for the university yearbook. I like her letters to George Wagner because she’s hyperbolic, petty and funny. Sometimes I laugh at her, sometime I laugh with her. I’d probably hate her in real life but I sure love her in letters. Her full-time occupation as socialite lends well to lots of Google rabbit holes for me to explore as she constantly and casually name drops. Here she makes fun of some guy’s tie. Well, come to find out he wound being the governor of Arkansas.
Clarksdale March 15, 1903
Dear George,
I know you’ll be surprised to hear from me here but when I tell you of my many trials and tribulations you will wonder no longer. First, Mama was sick a few days but I thought every day she would be up. Instead of that she has been quite sick with a very severe attack of “grippe”. Today she has been up all day because Warren came up to see her. While she was in bed, Lela and Erwin each had to get sick, so you can see how full I have had my hands.
It has rained constantly since I came and as it has now rained for twelve hours. I insist that we are having a drouth. The streets are impossible and a great many towns delivery wagons of all kinds have been abandoned. The only way we can get to Memphis is to go by Grenada. Even that is dangerous as the road beds are so soft so you can see with the prospect of an overflow I’m practically cut off from everywhere. So, I’m liable to be here for some time but will leave at the first opportunity for Winona.
I hope you’re all right by now. Do you find something else to do besides getting sick that is such a sorry business.
I’m still having a pretty good time. Went to a lovely chafing dish party last week and I’m getting so swell can’t sit anywhere but in a box. Saw Hans Harsona last Thursday night and fell quite swell in a box. The third since I’ve been here. Had a letter for Miss Ella a few days ago. She told me that Hugh Barr and Miss Lewis had the appointment to marry, had told Mr. McIntosh etc, when his father and mother appeared. The marriage has been postponed until good old summer time — and you know about these postponed weddings.
Did I tell you of seeing Dr. Brough recently? Last week. He was over here to give a lecture but Mama was too sick for me to go so I telephoned him that I was in town. So the next morning he called. The same old — just as tacky as ever but minus the butterfly tie or was it a spiderweb? He asked after you and wished to be remembered to you.
Sent you some very lovely pick pictures I had taken. No one would ever recognize them.
Well, I hope you’ll get this letter some time but if the overflow comes there is no telling.
Your friend,
Elma
