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Letters of an Abiding Faith:

Legacy of a Slave's GrandDaughter to her Son

written by Ella Lewis to her Son (Rudolph Lewis)

 

 

Letter 18

January 7, 1983

 

Dear Son,

Justa Few Lines to give answer to your most Kind Welcomed letter I received a Few Weeks ago. And the wonderful present you gave me. I couldn't been no happier. Then it not what you give it the spirit you give it in. I got a Few gifts. But your was the Biggest of all. I do preshate it to the highest.* I got night gown, gloves, pair pillow cases and wash cloth. I haven't got my gift From Baltimore yet.

I hope you had a nice Xmas. As For me I thank God I live to see it. I had plenty to eat and fire. I was Bless I diden go no place But it was nice. Did you make your New Year resolution. I diden for I Know I Broke it. I am glade you are going to Church. Maybe that keep you out of meanness ha ha. Are you sure some one of these women is not your girl friend. Bunk Davie's wife got a Boy Born on 29th.

Well Chicken got a JOB in Richmond at the penitention.** he went work there last Tuesday. So he is staying in Richmond. We haven't had no snow. But it Been Some Kind of Cold. Say on News it was coldest we had in 50 years. Susie had a New Year party. It was nice plenty to eat. I thought about you. Last New Year you was here. I started this letter Saturday night. I went to Church had nice Sermon. It was a pretty day But Cold.

Listen why dont you rite your sister Theresa. She ask about you Every time she call. Dont you be courting so hard. Well Peter and his girl have moved in Lucinda's house. This is the white girl.

This is a letter for you. What did you get for Xmas. Have you all had any Snow yet. Donald Ford got married. Evelyn Ford Boy. Donald.*** Bunk been having trouble with her Eye But it Better now she went to an Eye specialist in Richmond Va. She got go back the 13 of this month. Answer Soon. Excuse this Bad riten.

From Mother

Much love

*   *   *   *   *

 

 
 

 Commenatry

*"preshate" written for "appreciate." 

**"penitention" is a dialect form for "penitentiary." "Chicken" was/is the nickname for Cleveland, the youngest son of Edith.

***I went to school with Donald Ford. He too was one of the grandsons of Cary Wyche and one of the nephews of Edler Wyche. He married one of the Smith girls. Some still tell the story of his shooting a white man in Emporia who refused to give him his money back when he returned an unwanted car he had bough with cash money. A Vietnam military veteran, Donald, it seems, as the story was told to me, spent a few years in a sanitarium for the mentally ill, and then returned to Jarratt. Afterwhich he married and moved across the tracks into an area usually reserved for whites. It is quite possible this tale is a mere vicious rumor or one of mistaken identity. In any event Donald now lies in Jerusalem church cemetery.

 

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