78 7/23/1946 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson Box 281, Sparta Pike, Lebanon, Tennessee Tuesday, July 23, 1946

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, I just got Mary and Jimmie into bed so will write to you now, although there isn't much to write about because we haven't been doing much of anything. Sunday we visited the Hermitage, which is Andrew Jackson's old home. It is just a few miles from Lebanon. It is a beautiful old mansion and we could go all through it. All the original furniture was still there. His old coach that he rode in all the time was in the livery stable and the sign said he used to travel back and forth from here to Washington when he was President and it took him thirty days to go one way. I'll try using the red ribbon as the kids wrecked this machine the other day when I didn't put it away so it will hardly work. Elmer bought a shirt the other day that is too big for him. It is the right size and everything but the shoulders are too big so I am sending it to you and maybe you, Pop, or Jim can wear it. It's not a very pretty shirt but you have to take whatever they have now. Jack is home with his mother for a few days but is anxious to get back to the grandmother's. I picked Mrs. Jackson's husband up the other day and took him to town as I was going after Elmer and he seemed very nice. He probably isn't as bad as people say. I hardly ever go over to Mrs. Jackson's anymore but did go over this morning to borrow some starch and she said she always made her starch out of flour and water. Have you ever done that? It seems like I can remember your trying to smooth it out as it was lumpy at first. The other day I got Jimmie the first grade primer at the library in hopes of teaching him to read and do you know it was the same one I had in the first grade. I recognized the cover right away and remembered several of the stories. We've really had some hot weather that didn't cool off at night and we had the fan on all night. After one especially hot night I woke up about four and was wide awake so decided to get up. The Rawlins, across the street, were all sitting outside, even that early, and the grandma had on a long white nightgown with long sleeves and high neck. She must have been burning up. How is our Grandma now. Have you heard from any of the folks recently? Well Folks, we're going to have a cup of coffee as it is cooler out tonight so will stop for now but will write more soon. This is an awful looking letter. Love, Helen