7th Batch of Augusta's Letters

A reporter from the Tampa Tribune saw grandmother Augusta’s letters in my book Together They Came and wrote a full page article featuring Augusta for the History and Heritage section of the paper.

22 Oct 1922 - "... Honey, why don't you write to Lyddi once? I think she would get it all right, and it would mean so much to the poor girl. I want to keep my hands out of it, for it might give the appearance as if you had unloaded your complaints to me ... I never mention the trouble to her, for fear I might make a wrong step. But ... you write to her once ... try it anyway, please, please! ... Martin thinks he can get our chickens next week ... that would be another step forward ... Martin said today, this place surely looks like home ... It seems to me as if the Lord has poured his blessing over our darling home ..."

1 Nov 1922 - "Martin got his chickens now ... 10 pullets and a rooster (Plymouth Rock) ... next Spring I am going to buy some Ancona eggs for breeding ... then we'll raise Ancona for laying and Plymouth Rock for the pot ..."

7 Nov 1922 - "... Yes, you are right ... aimless social mixing doesn't give any returns for your investment, for you invest all that's in you for the time being, and get nothing out of it. Here too, I guess people consider me too a freak, but I don't care ... Never hear a thing from Lyddi ... don't you want to write to her? I don't think your letter would be confiscated. I know it would mean so much to her. She wrote in her last letter that she was so thankful to you for all that you did for her, and she hoped that some day she could show you her appreciation. Poor child! ... not quite 7 weeks till Christmas ... will we have the piano by that time? ..."

14 Nov 1922 - "... Christmas is drawing near, and it would be so nice if it (the piano) could land here before ... O, won't it be a grand Christmas in the sunny South? Aunt Dora thinks snow and Christmas must go together ... not me! ... but Christmas and my dear ones belong together ... I can very well miss the snow ... the chickens are looking fine ... but so far none are laying yet. Eggs are 60 cents a dozen ... I think they'll begin to lay very soon ... they are singing and jabbering all day long ..."

22 Nov 1922 - "You are complaining about dirty Asheville ... well, I wish you could see how clean we live ... absolutely no dirt whatever. That sounds like a lie, but it's the truth ... I never dust ... Lenchen, of course, dusts on Sunday, but it doesn't need it bad, even then. It's the cleanest place I ever saw ... We had to do without so much so long, but it seems as if now, blessings are showered on our heads ... and it all began at the same time ... Lenchen's affair was taken off my shoulders, Martin got work, and good work, and Walter planned to build ... and I know whatever other troubles are still gnawing on me ... in due time I shall be relieved of them all ... Had a letter from Lyddi ... she is talking about a canary for me ... now I catch myself planning for 2 birds ... now isn't that absurd? If she (Lyddi) could only be with us Christmas ... Martin is a happy boy ... Mr. Jackson told him ... he had a future with him ... he thinks he is going to get another raise again very soon ..."
28 Nov 1922 - "... O, Allie boy, how can I ever thank you for that darling little bird ... love at first sight ..."

5 Dec 1922 - "... Birdie sings a great deal now ... some days more than others ... Last Sunday you ought to have seen Martin's face when Birdie was on the stage ... the children are just crazy about him, even Walter ... Walter seems to be feeling better now ... I don't think he regrets his somewhat daring undertaking ... he seems perfectly contented and satisfied, and in his quiet way, very happy ... Martin is raising a new crop of boils again. Something ought to be done for him ... but what does the average doctor know about anything .,.. I haven't any more faith in the average doctor than I have in the average preacher ... no piano yet! ..."

12 Dec 1922 - "... Piano arrived last Saturday ... I know it will give Lenchen a great deal of pleasure ... and maybe Martin too ... Last Sunday Martin sat himself by the piano in his noisy way, and hit those keys till I thought the house might fall over ... so I said, Martin, Martin, that gets on my nerves ... O, he said, you just don't appreciate good music. Saying that, he began to sing and hollered at the top of his voice ... then you ought to have heard Billy ..."