[Letter of Bettie Bonner to Joel I. Bonner, April 29, 1919]

[Address panel:]
   Priv. Joel I. Bonner
   Headquarters Co. 39th Inf[antry]
   A. P. O. 746
   American E. F.

[Circular postmark:]
   Fairfield, Tex
   May 1, 1919
   9 a.m.

[Joel Bonner had left France when this letter arrived so his 
address at headquarters was marked through and 
the letter was returned to:]
   Fairfield, Texas
   U. S. A.
   5/18 [initialed by “J. E.”]
   
[Verso of envelope]
   From
   Bettie Bonner
   Fairfield, TX
   
[p. 1]

             Fairfield, Texas
             April 29, 1919
Dearest Joel,
   How are you? We are 
all well. Every body is very busy. 
Hunter is planting corn. 
Oliver is planting corn. Papa tend to 
stock all morning. he went to the 
field this evening to work 
on a ditch to keep from 
ruining the field he said. 
Mama & I have been washing 
all day we had a 2 week 
washing and didn’t get through 
till after 3 oclock and then 
I fix up some stock dip 
and dip all the chickens that 
I could catch. Our chickens 
are just full of lice and fleas. 
Bengie and Ernest have been 
here this evening. May went 
to field with Paul.

[p. 1b]

   Clara school is out to day 
and they are going to have 
a picnic in the Bradley 
pasture Thurs. they are going 
to cook and fix for it 
tomorrow. I don’t know where 
any of us will get to go or 
not as they are so very busy. 
Our school will be out 
Fri and all of us ladies 
are going to carry dinner
to school house and have 
a little picnic. The men 
are all to[o] busy to go--and 
we can walk up there. 
I am glad school is out for 
Papa needs Sneed so bad. 
Sneed, Jim, Billie & family 
were very much disappointed 
yesterday. they went to Kirven 
to see the airplanes and they 
didn’t come. They were to 

[p. 2]

come from Waco--and they 
had a rain up there early 
yesterday morning so they 
couldn’t come.
   It has been cloudy here all 
day and I thought it would 
rain but hasn’t but is still 
cloudy. We had a little shower 
late yesterday evening.
   Joel old Bick the jennet 
has a little mule colt. 
Papa say[s] it is fine about 
40 inches high and is 
fine in every way.
      Wed. Morn April 30
   We are all right had a nice 
little light rain last night. 
Not enough to damage the 
cotton that is planted and 
will just bring it up. 
I don’t know any news so will

[p. 2b]

stop for this time.
   Write us soon or every 
time you have time.
      Your loving Sister
 
Joel the mail has just come 
and we got your letter that 
way[was] written April 13 and the 
one sent of John L. 
We were so glad to hear 
from you. You said you 
were worried but didn’t 
say what about. I am so 
sorry, I know you have 
lots to worry you. But 
make the best of it you 
can. Maybe you will get 
to come home soon, hope 
so any way.
   Now be a good boy 
and write us when  you 
can. Now don’t worry about 
things at home for we 

[p. 3]

are doing all we can to 
take care of every thing. 
You take good care of 
your self.
   I thought we would have 
gotten a letter from John L. 
today but didn’t. I got a 
letter from Fred Carter. he 
is in N. Y. in Hosp. but 
expect[s] to get out soon and 
had a letter from Jesse 
Weaver.
   Now be good and don’t 
worry if you possibly 
can help it.
      Your only loving
             Sister

[Descendants of Fred Carter are not sure, but believe that while serving in 
the US Army in Europe, Fred Carter was stricken with "the fever".   This 
delayed his coming home enough after the war that his mother was threatening 
to send his brother Buck, the person to whom Bettie’s letter was addressed 
and who had also been serving in the Army, to New York to fetch him home.   
The nature of the disease that caused the fever was not known.]