Bledsoe TX 1942

13 Mar 1942 to Mary Adcock from Artie Littlefield TX Dear Mother,How are you tonight? We are all up, but Betty Jo has been out of school for sometime. Her head hurts her so much, but maybe she will be able to go back next week, hope so. You see her arm is sore from the shots. Christys and Charles Lee's arms are sore, but they don't mind it. I went to the school house with Mr & Mrs Stevens . We left here at 10 o'clock and got back at 3. But I had a nice time. Talked to all the teachers. Louise's teacher said she was thinking about putting Louise up a grade. Betty Jo made straight As on her report card. Buddy made good, but he just can't write, and can't make it on music at all. Helen and Louise haven't gotten theirs yet. Guess they will get them tomorrow. You see they have school on Saturday now so I don't have much help. My eyes don't seem to be much worse than they were. We all had red measles and they were bad. The doctor said every four years they were bad and this was the bad year. Charles Lee's ears runs all the time and smells so bad. Well, I guess spring will soon be here and I will be so glad. I haven't had to have any fire the last three days, it was so warm. But the sand has been blowing awful bad the last two weeks. Until I feel like a dirt ball. Albert went to Lubbock late yesterday and kiddies and I stayed by ourselves last night. But we made it ok. Only we didn't wake up until 8 o'clock this morning and the bus comes at 9:15 so we had to rush things up. You see, next Saturday night we will have a play that will last 2 hours. Come and go with us. Well, Albert has just come in and his feet is killing him. He had to walk 28 miles on his trip to Lobbock. I am glad Clifford gets to go see everyone. All the girls and boys here have been asking about him. I haven't seen Lorene Dishman since he left here. But she will be here Sunday week. A big family moved in the house where Mr Dyer lived. Four girls that I know of. They get off the bus here and beg for the girls to go home with them. Tell J. T. a girl from Calif is here, said she knew J. T. out there. She is Mrs Dyer's daughter . She said J.T. was always talking about Buddy. I hope J.T. and Ora and Berthell raise good gardens. We need rain here before we plant anything. I am sending Clifford's pictures, if he is gone to camp send them on to him for he was so crazy about them. I wish Mrs York could come out here. I believe she would gain her health back. Tell Clifford Eddie Allen went to the hospital 11 days go. Mrs Allen left with him for Hot Springs yesterday to give him hot baths. Her two kiddies were left here to go to school. Tell Clifford Richard and wife are in a separation. Mrs Stevens came up yesterday and searched Richard's house for a silk slip that was stolen. Richard was here yesterday and told us about it. He said he was taking her back home. They have a baby girl not quite 2 years old. Well we will get the welders paid for next week, maybe we can get by some better then. I know everything is going up so fast. Tomatoes here are 13 cents a can.Eggs are $.40 a dozen. Since I got up I can't get enough sleep and the darn clock don't wake me up here. I can't stay awake any longer. My eyes just won't stay open, so I will ring off for tonight and will write more in the morning. (the rest is in ink) Well, today is Saturday and no rain yet. love Artie


I haven't any pencil, just a wire and ink.

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31 May 1942 to Mrs Mary E Adcock Murfreesboro, AR from Artie  Littlefield Tx   Dear Mother, how are you this windy Sunday? We are all up once more. Buddy is sick but he's up and out at the ballgame. He was in bed all day Friday. We got your letters Friday. Was so glad to hear from you. Sorry to hear Nita's folks had measles. Albert said he and Buddy had mumps. Helen was in bed three days last week with her throat and head. I have 27 big chickens and 11 little ones., and another one setting. Mrs Roland's folks were all well last week. They are canning as usual. Only they have to use syrup in place of sugar. Wish you could hear Charles Lee talk. He can say anything he wants to .And mean, oh, my! He makes me think of D. A. (Dewey Alton, Uncle Curt & Aunt Ida's son) and he is getting so brown. He chases chickens all the time and won't wear his hat at all. Christine sings herself to death. Helen Ruth passed to the 7th grade, Buddy to the 6th, Louise to the 4th , Betty Jo to the 3rd. They all passed ok. Some have cotton up. But we need rain now. It lightned last night and we thought we would get a rain, but it blew over without a drop of rain. Charles Lee was so happy over the 11 baby chicks. He says, " Chickens! Makem lay eggs, Daddy!" He calls his thing in front Rosieday. He gets him a can and says "pee pee Rosieday or I'll whip you." Mama, you tune in on WHO, Des Moines, or WOAI San Antonio, Tuesday nigyht at 9 o'clock and listen to Red Skelton. The last part of it he plays like he is the mean little kid. Charles Lee always stays awake to listen to him. We can't get Grand Ole Opry plain, anymore. Something has burned out, Albert said. We will have it fixed soon as we can. But the wind has been blowing so much, and so hard every Sat night, that may have something to do with it. Yes, we listen to most all news reporters, but we always listen to Bob Burlingame at Des Moines WHO from 10:15 until 11:00 o'clock everynight.We get more news from him than anyone else. I get the Karter(sic) Quartet at 12:15 each weekday at noon at Ft Worth. I go to the top of the dial, then I get on a station at 2:00 o'clock and stay until 4:30 , one story after another. My main story is Young Widow Brown and When A Girl Marries, and Lorenzo Jones. Wish you would listen to them. I have written Clifford today, have you heard from Mimi and Jude? I can't get an answer. Send me Aunt Sisies' address and I will write to her. So I must quit and get busy. It is getting late. Tell all the rest hello and to write to the one they have forgotten. She would love to hear from them once in a while. So I will ring off this time. Please don't wait so long to write. Love from the one that loves you. May God bless you. Artie

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1 Jum 1942 an envelope addressed to Mrs Mary Adcock Murfreesboro, AR from A.M. Roland Rt2 Littlefield, TX. Nothing inside.

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30 June 1942 to Mrs Mary Adcock from A.M. Roland, Box 133, Bledsoe, TX   Dear Mother, and all, Will drop you a few lines as we have jumped 53 miles further southwest, but I have a good and nice house to live in. You can come and live with me now. How about coming and stay through the winter. We woulk enjoy having you so much. It is raining and I'll have to go to the laundry to wash as it only runs 2 days a week. Monday and Tuesday, but I don't mind it, it won't take me over a hour to wash. Helen and I went to church Sunday night, met lots of nice people. I think I will like it here just fine. I haven't heard from Clifford in some time now. I wrote him, but haven't gotten any answer yet. Tell all the kids to come out here this fall and pull boles. They can get a house to live in here if they get here early, and it would be a pleasure to see them once more. Let me know if you can come. Hope you can get J.T. and Ora to come with you, or just any of them. Buggs could come and make good in the bole patch. Buddy has already got him a job pulling boles when it comes time. Well, I must quit and get busy as it is wash day and it's 10 o'clock, and dinner to get, so answer soon, and tell the rest to write to me. love from Artie

May God be with you til we meet again.

Hello Hebe, Nita,kids,Curt,Ida,D.A.,J.T.,Ora and all the rest. Artie

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14 Aug 1942 to Mrs Mary E Adcock, Murfreesboro, AR from Artie Roland, Box 133, Bledsoe, TX

Dear Mother, How are you this cool afternoon? We had a rain yesterday afternoon and everyone was proud to see it. It had been so hot and dry, but it was cool last night. Looks like we might get more this afternoon. I sure like to live here. I like everyone here. The kids are in school, started Monday. They come home for lunch. Buddy plays ball. The M(ethodist) Church had a meeting all last week. We went every night. The B(aptist) meeting starts tonight, guess they will want to go every night, so I have a job on hand keeping things ready on time. Helen Ruth class went on a hay ride party Tuesday night, the girls had to take 8 sandwiches, the boys had to take sour pickles. It was for a boy that was here from camp. There were three rooms full. The kids played games, the young folks played games. We older folks played 42, served punch and coke, all had a nice time. We go to prayer meeting every Wednesday night. Sure have some good singing. We moved up in the 5 room house, but we have lots of work to do before it will look good. I have been digging dirt to put all around the little shed and banking up around the house to keep the wind from getting under the house. Christine and Charles Lee and I went to school Monday. Christine wants to go everyday. I may start her next year. Albert wants to know if you still want to come out here and when and how you want to come, on train or on the bus. You could come to Morton on the bus & we would have to meet you there, or you could get on the train at Morton and come on. I live about a block from the depot. The train comes from Lubbock to here and then turns around and goes back. Helen Ruth was elected as head committee of the young folks entertainment. She has to set up partiess and things and tell each one what to bring. She don't like it much. It's her Sunday School class. Well, I must quit and get busy. So do you remember 18 years ago today, and have you heard from Clifford lately? I am sending him another letter today. Love Artie

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14 Aug 1942 in the same envelope to Hebe, Nita and Kiddies How are you all today? We are ok.. The kids are at school. Their school started Monday. Betty Jo has the sweetest teacher (Mrs Helen Cagle) She comes to see me often. Her husband had to go to war last month. They had only been married 4 months. She chopped cotton after he left until school started. Louise has a ill (tempered) teacher, she fusses all the time about something. Helen Ruth only has 2 teachers this year. So does Buddy. Only 4 teachers in the school. It's a big school and a nice school, but no kids to go hardly. Only 16 in Betty Jo's room - 1st, 2nd, & 3rd grades, and about 26 in Louise and Buddy's room - 4th, 5th, & 6th grades. Helen's room has 7th, 8th & 9th grades. The high school has 10th, 11th. Well, bole pulling will start about the middle of next month. Come on out & help me pull. School will turn out for bole pulling. We sure have some fun at the wash house each week.(Roland Sheppard and his wife ran that laundry. I used to clean house for his wife. I remember she would come in for lunch and make big pimento & cheese sandwiches. First I ever had, and I thought they were the greatest.)

Meeting starts tonight and it looks like we might get rained out. We sure had some good singing Wednesday night at prayer meeting. We went to meeting all last week . It only held a week. Don't know how long this one will last. Albert   closes  up the shop in time to go every night.   It   was   the M(ethodist) last week and the B(aptist) this week. Our Church moved too far to walk and go. (Mother & Dad were both Church of Christ.) So we go to the others. I haven't heard from Clifford since last month. If he changes his address, please send it on to me. What is Hebe, and J.T., and Freddie doing? Is Ora ok. Hope so. Hope she and J.T. get along good. Tell the kids these kids wrote letters but never did mail them and I can't find them any where. Well it's been 18 years today. Yours will soon be 18. (Mom & Dad married 14 Aug 1924 & Hebe & Nita 2 weeks later) I made the kids gingerbread and wrote letters on mine, now what are you going to do on yours? I had a card from Jud, they were all ok. Well the kids are coming in from school, they can write letters to the kids if they don't have to put in their time on lessons. They seem to be making it ok so far. Charles Lee has woke up. He has been asleep all evaning long. Well, the cloud is nearly here so I must quit and get busy with the work that needs to be done, so please write soon. With love to all. May God bless each & every one of you. Love Artie

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4 Oct 1932 Bledsoe, TX no envelope to Hebe, Nita &; Kiddies, How are you all this hot afternoon. We are all ok. We have colds. It's hot one day and cool at night. Thay say we will have the worst winter we have had in twenty years, but I hope it's not, for I don't like winter. Charles Lee drank some gas from a soda pop bottle. He went to sleep and never moved all night long. Well today is Monday and some cooler. The wind is from the north, and it was cold when I first got up this morning. But the kiddies went to school without their coats, and Buddy in short sleeves. He said at noon, Mother why don't you open the door, It's too hot in here. I have just come from the shop. Had to sweep it out while the men were gone to Morton. They have it out that Nana Phillips is in a mess. She isn't married. But she seems like such a nice girl. She was secretary of the Sunday school and a good one, but she came to church about 4 weeks ago and gave up the job, and no one has seen her lately. But I don't aim to believe it until I see for myself. I saw her at the wash house 3 weeks ago. She looked like she was getting fat, but not like they say. She was fat all over. Poor kid, I hope it isn't so. Her Mother is a good woman, and a leader in the B(aptist) church. She never misses a Sunday or night. Well, it is 5 o'clock and time for the kiddies to come home. Betty Jo had to go with one shoe on and a sock on the other foot. She can't hardly get along. Oh, yes, we are going to give a shower Wednesday at the school house for the principal's wife. Charles Lee hurt his finger and put it on this page with mercurochrome,(you can still seec the mercurochrome on the paper) so you see he thinks he is hurt bad, but he don't ever cry. We just say, You're a man. Babies cry. He goes to the shop and has fist fights with the men, Albert thinks he is the only boy living and has never even give him a spanking. When he hears the church bells he says I want to go to church and catch a gal. Come on, Daddy, Go with me. And when he wants a pop, he says give me money, now, give it to me, Daddy, and he won't take a penny. The kids said they had letters wrote at school. Maybe they will bring them home. If not, I will send them later. I wait on them until it seems like I never will get your letter off. I can't get a letter from Clifford at all. Maybe he has come back there. Hope so. Wish he could get to come by to see us. Nita, just how long do you think this war will last. Do you think you and I will live to see the end of it? I just doubt it, but I hope it comes to an end soon, for we don't need it this way. Well, all the kids have come in, I must quit and get busy and get supper. So please don't wait so long to write. Love to one and all Artie

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mailed 8 Oct 1942 written 4 Oct 1942 so the letter above should have been in with this one. to Mrs Mary E Adcock Murfreesboro, AR from A. M. Roland Box 133, Bledsoe, TX Dear Mother, How are you this pretty sunny afternoon? We are all ok. Betty Jo is a little sore, cut a place on her head on the stove, and stuck a splinter in her heel.( I got a lot of splinters in that heel! I was swinging on a swing and drug my heel over a board. I can still remember Mother and Helen holding me down while Daddy picked the splinters out. I didn't have crutches, but Dad made me a smooth stick to help me get around. We had a big old wood burning cookstove, and I made me a nest in the woodbox behind the stove. Quilts and pillows. Then when I started to get up, I banged my head on the edge of thec stove.) But is still able to run and play. They just can't wait until you come. They have planned to buy you a big bed to sleep on. They haven't turned school out for bole pulling yet, may turn out next week. But cotton is late here this year. But I will be glad when my bunch get in the field. Another school came over and put on a good play last Friday night. Christine stays awake to see them, but old Charles Lee pulled off his shoes and went to sleep. His jockey boots will be in tomorrow or Tuesday. ( This is the boots that Charliecwaded through thec water in, came in , pulled them off and put them in the oven. By the time Mother smelled them, They were all shrunk and unwearable.)We are giving a woman a shower Wednesday afternoon. Come and go with us. It's the first shower we have given this year. It's the principal's wife. Have you heard from Clifford lately? I haven't and I'm still looking for Jude but don't know when she will get here, but hope it is before Christmas. Are you coming on the train or on the bus. Just as soon as we get to pull boles we will send you some money to come on. If you will write and tell us how much you will need. Figure your eats and everything and write and tell if Buggs is coming with you. Hope he can come. He could get plenty of work out here, feed to shock and head, boles to pull all winter long. I wish Hebe and Nita could come out here. Tell Bert and Freddie to come and pull boles with us this winter. They could make good I know. Tell them they could at least send us a picture of themselves. If I ever get to go to Morton, I will have the 2 babies pictures made and send back there. Old Charles Lee is so mean, I don't know whether we'll keep him still long enough to make one or not. Wish old Clifford would send me some (pictures)of himself. Maybe he will get to come home to see us all sometime soon. He aught to, he's been there so long. Well, old Charles Lee is here wanting some more soup. That's all he does, is eat and drink. This morning I taken him to the shop., Albert says I found something. Guess what it was. Charles Lee says My penny, now, give it to me, Daddy. Albert got out some money, which had 2 pennies in it. Charles grabbed a nickel. Albert said give me back the nickel and get a penny. Charles said no, get a soda pop, and tore out to the store and got a soda pop and come back to the shop to drink it. We have a pig bought but the man hasn't brought it over yet. Had to give $5.00 for a baby pig. It is Charles Lee's pig. I hope it's white. Then he will have a white kitten, a white dog and a white pig. We had a rain Friday, I hope it's the last rain we have until after Christmas. We don't have sandstorms here like we had at Littlefield, and I'm so glad of it. Well, the kids are doing fine in school. Betty Jo has to stay in sometimes for not getting her lessons up in time, but she has a sweet teacher. They had a birthday party Wed afternoon. 1, 2, 3 grades. Christine went to it. Betty Jo's teacher checks books out to Christine. Well, I must quit. It's time to get ready for church. So love to you from all. May God be with you 'til we meet again Artie