Dear Geneva and All,
It's a pretty day, but last night had thunder and lightning in Northeast, but didn't shower here at all.
It's so dry, all pools drying up and people selling some ... Some hauling water for theirs. Our pool dry and can't get ... Never have seen such a hot, dry year.
I am at Ernest's, stayed last week at Ada Bea's. She and Ernest took me to Greenville to see about my knee. X-rayed it, but never said what caused it. Swollen from foot to hip so I ...my ...different medicine. Dr. Van called it rheumatism. Let it be whatever it is, it is very painful and so stiff.
May get better, and I hope it does.
Becky Bickham's husband died and brought to Greenville for burial (cancer).
Becky found .. years ago with the same trouble.
Eddy Thorp's oldest boy brought to Dulaney and buried. His boys all work around Dallas or Fort Worth.
People are beginning to move. Arthur Green moved in June, Barnard's home. Charlie Childress bought his place at White Rock. George bought Aunt Tinnie Tatum's ... and is moving to Celeste. Ivan's widow, Mrs. Flora Glasscock Lyday, is building a house and will live in Celeste.
School started Monday so all in a rush. Theda Fay is working at Love's and Howard at the gin. Still come little ....
Spencer Sumrow home from hospital.
Ada Bea and Lois in awhile. All well. Mildred and Tom been to Carlsbad Caverns and out to El Paso to see Barbara and family. Bessie's husband is teaching in Dallas and is going Saturdays to Commerce.
Had card from Estelle. They have moved to 1301 Park Street. None of us had heard in so long. Guess they have been busy. Said might not get up until Thanksgiving.
Mrs. Bess Crumb (?) and Mrs. Bana Orme have moved to Fort Worth. Her son bought a house so she got one to be close to him. He has one little boy.
I just got your letter.

All I know.

Love to all,

Mama

(Addressed to Mrs. Porter Johnson, PO BOX 136, Rankin, TX; postmarked Celeste, Texas October 5, 1956 on a three-cent stamp; Mama is Mrs. Alice McDonald Roach who died eighteen days after she wrote this letter).

Submitter's note: Words that I could not make out, I have left spaces because Mammaw's handwriting was hard to transcribe. In her defense, she was in her eighties and this was only a few days before she died.
 

Submitted by Sarah Swindell