A Water Valley Traveler in 1905
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Hill Country Living
By Coulter Fussell
I have been out of town working for most of the past month. One week of that involved teaching art classes to students at Mississippi State University. Never would I have thought that I would venture to the dark side aka Starkville but I did and, to my great surprise, it was really fun!
One major difference I immediately noticed between the Ole Miss and MSU campuses is that MSU’s student body had fewer bleached blonde clone-people and seems to be made up of actual born and bred Mississippians. I didn’t hear a single New Jersey or California accent the entire week I was there, and it was quite refreshing. It’s good to know that Mississippi kids still exist at our colleges because one could get the opposite impression at Ole Miss.
The truth is, though, people have always been mobile, if they had the means. And the Wagners most definitely had the means! Here is a letter from Jessie Wagner to little brother, George, back home in Water Valley. Jessie is taking a vacation, as she often does. I feel bad for her, though, because if there’s one thing in the world I would not want, it’s a boil on my cheek in 1905.
While
Watkins Hotel
South Carolina Ave.
“Near the beach, Open all year”
Atlantic City, New Jersey
July 10, 1905
Dearest George,
Well here we are settled in our old quarters at the City and here we are finding things quite pleasant and natural-like. I wish you were here with us, it would make things much more pleasant. There are a good many people here whom we met last year and the whole place seems much the same. Gene has been in bathing every day and the rest every day except yesterday. I did not go in this morning because I have not been feeling well for past for several days. I have a boil on my cheek.
On the train we met a party of Greenville people and they are all here with us. They are Mrs. Hebron and Mrs. Thompson and party. They know the Jennings girls and Mr. Hebron knows Eps.
Do hope Will is all right again and that you are once more feeling well. I suppose John has started for Buffalo by this time. And that you are all alone. Please be sure to take care of yourself. Because I should be awfully worried to know that you were ill again.
How are Charlie and Ophelia? Tell them I’m depending on them to look after things. If it is too dry, tell Charlie to keep things well watered and worked.
I’m so sorry about Everett Cock’s wife, I suppose about this time she must be dead. It seems terrible because she always was so much alive.
We gathered in Corinne’s house at Knoxville and she seemed satisfied. Also in Bristol we were astounded to see Professor Elliott get on the train and we had quite a pleasant talk with him. We are planning to invite some of the Philadelphians down over Sunday but have not written yet. Do write when you can. Love to relatives and friends and lots to you,
Jess
