Chapter XXX: Two Letters

I.--THE ROCKY FORK TO SHARON

Respected frend,

i take my pen in hand to let you know i am well and hope These few
lines Will find you enjoyIng the same blessing....

Christine is Writen this for me. the (Elders) is all ripe do you mind
when we plade and Teny married them | the goggerfy school is out mr
runNels brot his Wife which made the big girls feel Bad but Teeny
sais that aint so....

Printhy pancost she got the most Headmarks so she got the prize Teeny
got the prize in Spelin in the big class | We marched the last day
and i spoke mary had a little Lamb there was 6 dialogues.

+------------------------------+
| If you Love me as i love |
| you no nife can cut our love |
| into. |
+------------------------------+

jo hall is Well and sends his reSpecks.... When are you coming back
Eliza is Lonesome.... i am learning to write but cant make no out
yet.... mr pitzer give a treat the last Day we got three sticks of
Candy apiece The big boys did not threaten to Lock him out he done
it of his own accord i am going to send you some

+--------------+
| Mountain Tea |
+--------------+

Mother is well uncle Abram is well John Tiggard said his long piece
the Death of the flowErs Amandy Willey sent her Respecks

excuse Mistakes Mother has got her weavin Most all done.... the Run
has not been up since So no more at present Goodbye

Matilda Banks.

Teeny would not wright Half I wanted her to. Mother puts this on. I
got Ferns pressin in the memoiry of Florence Kidder, write and Tell
us how you get on, our sweetins is getting Ripe. don’t you wish you
was here.

remember frends as you pass by
as you are now so once was i
as I am now So you must be
Prepare For deth and follow me.

i thought I would end with some Poetry.

II.--SHARON TO THE ROCKY FORK

SHARON THE 21
SEPTEMBER

DEAR TILDY

I HAD TO WAIT TILL I LEARNED TO PRINT. ALL OF THEM LEARN TO PRINT
AT THE SEMNARY PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT. THERE IS A LETTER BOOK BUT
THE LETTERS AINT TO YOU. I THOUT YOUR LETTER WAS VERY NICE; THE
MOUNTAIN TEA WAS SO GOOD. ALL THE GIRLS WANTED SOME. THERE WAS
ELIZABETH BIGGAR AND ORRELL PRATT AND ORPA ROSE AND OTHERS TOO
NUMEROUS TO MENTION. I STUDDY THE 2ND READER SPELLING GEOGRAPHY AND
MENTAL ARITHMETIC AND PRINTING. I LEARNED HOW TO PUT MARKS IN YOUR
WRITING. THEY PUT THEM IN BOOKS. TILDY, DID YOU KNOW SHYLOCK IS IN
SHAKESPEARE? AND GINEVRA IS A MAN NAMED MISTER ROGERS.

AUNT MELISSA IS VERY NICE, SHE MAKES SO MUCH OF US, BUT I LOVE LIZA
TOO. GIVE MY LOVE TO LIZA. ROXANA SENDS HER LOVE. SO DOES ALL THE
FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR THE MOUNTAIN TEA. BALLIE IS WELL. FATHER RIDES
HER TO SEE SICK FOLKS. WE RIDE IN THE CARRIDGE. ROCKKO HAS A NEW
WHITE AND A NEW PINK AND SOME GINGHAMB DRESSES. O TILDY, DONT YOU
REMEMBER GOING FOR WATER AND BLACKMAN AND THE SPELLING AND GETING
FERNS AND ALL THE GOOD TIMES? AND THE TIME YOU AND ME CHURNED PRINTHY
PANCOST! GIVE MY LOVE TO PRINTHY AND MANDY WILLEY AND JO HALL AND
JOHN TEGARDEN AND NERVY RIDEANHOUR AND TEENY AND ALL THE BIG BOYS AND
GIRLS. GIVE MY LOVE TO MR. PITZER. MY TEACHER IS A LADY. TELL HIM I
CAN MOST READ THE BEAUTIFUL LETTER HE GAVE ME. TILDY, YOU MUST COME
AND SEE US. LIZA MUST COME. SO MUST YOUR MOTHER AND TEENY. I HAVE
GOOD TIMES, BUT I DONT FORGET THE ELDER DOLLS AND ALL.

MY HAND IS GETTING TIRED. GIVE MY LOVE TO YOUR MOTHER. I LOVE ALL
YOU FOLKES AT THE ROCKY FORK. TILDY, I AM COMING TO SEE YOU WHEN THEY
BRING ME. I SPOSE POOR MISS EMILY MANDEVILLE IS WITHERD TO DUST. I
WISHT YOUD GOT THE PRIZE.

I WAITED TILL MY HAND GOT RESTED. MY ROOM IS PRETTY. IT HAS PICTURES
AND A BLUE CARPET. I WISHED YOU WAS TO MY PARTY. DONT YOU REMEMBER
THE BIG STORM, TILDY, WHEN FATHER FETCHED ME HOME? DO THE NARROWS
LOOK JUST THE SAME? THEY DONT HAVE SUNDAY SCHOOL BOOKS LIKE WE DID.
THESE HAVE NICE STORIES. FLORENCE KIDDER WAS NOT A BIT GOOD EXCEPT
THE PICTURE. I AM GOING TO PUT IN MY PICTURE THAT AUNT MELISSA HAD
TAKEN. IT IS ON PAPER. IT IS NOT LIKE MY MOTHERS DAGARTYPE. THIS KIND
IS A NEW KIND. THEY CALL IT PHOTGRAPH. I HAVE ONE FOR LIZA TOO. AUNT
M WILL SEND IT. ROCCO WOULD NOT HOLD STILL. THEY WILL TAKE HERS NEXT
TIME. MY HAND IS REAL TIRED. GOODBYE.
BLUEBELL GARDE.
DR. GARDES LITTLE GIRL.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:

Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.

Perceived typographical errors have been corrected.

Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.

Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.