Duplin County, NC - William Grimes Papers ¤¤¤¤¤¤ Palehatchee, Miss. June 24th 1909 Dear Wm. Yours of late date rec'd yesterday, glad to hear from you. Sorry there was not more of it as you are near our home. I know you must be awful lonesome there alone so much of your time for I get so especially when left almost alone for a short time. Today will be a lonely day. The girls will go about 10 on the train 4 or 5 miles E. to a picnic and return about 6. I had a letter yesterday from Maria. She sends love to you and Martha. I left her at Jack's where she stayed about a month but had returned and was at one of Mary's daughter's. Bill's sick daughter (Ruth) had got able to go home. She had a child and blood poison set in, a very critical case. As well as I can remember, 50 yrs today we celebrated at E. Fields barbecue on the branch. There are but few left that were in that celebration, but these reflections might make you dad. I will drop the subject and write of things to drown sorrow. I think it would be much better for you to leave the old place and stay with your children. They would be good to you and wait upon you. John H. told me he would take care of you and I believe Jessie would treat you right and I believe that either of them would do the same. You have good kind girls and I love them almost as my own. They are very kind to me at all times. It may be hard for you to take this unsolicited advice but I offer it In all kindness to yourself and hope you will look at it in the right light. There has been a great deal of rain here and crops are seriously Injured by excessive rains and overflows. These large bodies of water attract the rains and they fall heavy. I had a letter yesterday from Maud and Ethel. Not much news given. No allusion given as to prospect of camp meet- ing. I presume it will be a failure. They strongly suspicion M. Jordan is going to marry but never said to whom. If I should guess, it would be Molly, but may be far wrong. I hope R.R. will add to the value of land. If so, I might sell land or timber or both. Four companies of soldiers passed here this week on the train to guard a negro prisoner on trial at Brandon for assault. I heard his sentence is. to hang. we ce.me here on 9th. Never crossed La. soil. Except to leave on 30th by same route to Memphis. We have our tickets but have to pay extra for sleeper if we choose to take one, which is best for night travel to go to bed. It is very nice to be in there with pretty girls and good women and lay in our beds and talk, look out of the windows and see the fine cities. At daylight, morning of 9th, I looked out to see a large city. I think was Little Rock. We crossed the Miss. river on a bridge at Memphis. At Vicksburg it is on a boat. You have seen it and know it is wide. Well, the train is passing (10) with the girls going to picnic. The Mill is quiet today. A hole burned in dinkey boiler Saturday. Quite a job to patch a place 2 ft square, can't haul logs. Stops all but planer. It is not running. No cars in place to load on lumber as it goes from planer into cars 3 or 4 per day. The two belt saws cut 150000 ft. per day at $12. page 2 per M. A great loss when not used, but little hand work In the operation. I have written you quite dry and lengthy, more to while away lonely hours than for the Information I have given. My P. 0., Paris after 30th. I hope to hear from you soon. May see you early In July or It may be never. Clouds are getting thicker, may rain again today. Yours etc, J. W. G. Note:- The above letter was written by Joseph W. Grimes to his brother, William S. Grimes, R.F.D. 1, Box 54 Elysian Fields. Texas ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Sharon Timmons ___________________________________________________________________