The Step-Mother

We were never so shocked as to learn that Daddy married a woman 30 years his junior. What was really surprising was how much she resembled Mama. Dark hair worn pinned up in a stylish bun, and blue eyes. Stout, but with trim ankles and small hands. Why, she's hardly older than I am!

The only bright spot in these events for Frances, besides help with the chores, is that when she dared ask if Audrey -- that's her name, Audrey -- knew how to milk a cow, she said she'd been milking since she was 6 years old. Well, so have Ethel, Frances and I, so that's not an unusual accomplishment, but it is good news.



It turns out that she worked in the County Agent's office and Daddy met her in the Courthouse, since he's on the School Board. It smarted a little for Ethel when Audrey hung her Diploma from the Carroll Lynn School of Business on the wall in Daddy's room, since that is where Ethel had planned to go to school after she graduated high school at Powder Springs. Mama's illness kept her from that goal, but she is teaching school and doing very well at that.

Daddy Takes a Wife!

Ethel finally went back to Hamlet School to teach. She said she just didn't think she could stand to return, but she had no choice. The first day, Mack went with her to the door. When she let the children out for recess, there was Mack sitting on the doorstep, just in case she needed him. She said she almost cried, not for James, but for joy that our brother loves her so.

This fine June morning, she came rushing to our house bright and early with news: Daddy told her this morning to be sure the front room was clean, he was bringing someone home with him tonight, a young woman. "She can have my room," Ethel offered. "No, I'm bringing a wife," he said. A wife? We didn't even know he had a lady friend.

Of course we had questions, but he told Ethel nothing else, leaving the house immediately. Frances was with Ethel. She's hoping whoever it is knows how to milk a cow, bless her heart. Frances is weary of being Daddy's helper. Ethel has taken the burden of the cooking off her and since school let out for the summer we'll be canning vegetables and fruits for the coming winter as they come ready. As usual, Daddy planted enough for the entire community despite the high price of fertilizer and seed. The boys are laying by corn in the big bottom field this morning.

The only thing we could think of to do was to go to see Aunt Ruth and Aunt Fannie, since they endured the marriage of Grandpa after Grandma died. When we revealed our news, Aunt Fannie said straight off, 'Well, She can call me 'Miss Fannie' because I'm not going to like her.' Aunt Ruth allowed that she could have married as well as any of her brothers and sisters, but she wanted to do better than they. After we shared our concerns and were consoled somewhat, we rushed back home to get the house ready for 'company.'

Another Sadness Befalls Our Family

Despite the best efforts of the doctors at Harbin Clinic, James died. When his breathing became so labored, Ethel asked Seaborn and Mack to help her get him to the hospital. There's not much to be done for pneumonia when it reaches a certain point. They put him under an oxygen tent and did all they could. Ethel never left his side.

She buried him on the south end of Daddy's cemetery lot. She insisted on a double monument, declaring that she would never again marry, that James was the only man she could ever love. She has been inconsolable for days. She will have to go back to school soon, a substitute teacher is taking her place until she feels like returning. We've helped her move her belongings back home to Daddy's. This coming so soon after Mama died and it hasn't been that long since Blanche and the baby were killed is hard for her. I know it must make her blood run cold when the train blows for the crossing.

Sickness in the Family

Ethel was sick first, now James has a really bad cold. We expect colds in winter, but he doesn't seem to be able to shake this one off. We've put camphorated oil on a flannel on his chest. We even made a mustard plaster. His cough just gets worse and worse. Daddy sent him a half gallon of grape juice from the fruit closet, some of the last that Mama canned the summer before she died. James has even been willing to take some Castor Oil if it will make him better. Daddy has been giving out lots of Castor Oil since Mama died, whether for medicinal reasons, or for punishment.

This February has been especially cold and bitter. James having to work out in bad weather has been hard on him, but he feels he has to go, as jobs are hard to come by in these hard times.

News about the Lindbergh Kidnapping

A marked bill from the ransom money of the Lindbergh kidnapping turned up. A gas station attendant who had accepted the bill wrote down the license plate number because he was suspicious of the driver. It was tracked back to a German immigrant and carpenter, Bruno Hauptmann. When his home was searched, police found a chunk of Lindbergh ransom money.

It was not long after the kidnapping that the child's body was found, near the houseLindbergh mansion where he was taken. The news is that they have moved away from that house. I don't think I could stand it if anything happened to Billy. He is my precious little boy.

Daddy's Birthday

The last time we'll have a big dinner at home until Christmas, we celebrated Daddy's birthday today. When we started to take pictures, Billy cried and Daddy held him tight, determined to get it over with. Ethel and James, newlyweds, look as if they wished they were somewhere else. Ethel has started her second year of teaching. She and I help out at home as much as possible, with sister Frances trying to be Daddy's helper, so young. It looks as if she will have to drop out of school, to be there to cook. Mack can cook a little, but he's in the fields most of the time.

They're hard pressed to get the milking done twice a day, the chickens and hogs fed, the mules taken care of, and all other other chores that a household has. The little boys bring in kindling and wood and feed chickens, but they balk at chores in the house as 'women's work.' Daddy makes them do things like churn, telling them they'll not have butter on their biscuits if they don't produce it themselves. We all miss Mama, but it's hard for the children.

Teacher Has a Beau!

Ethel and James have been keeping company for some time now. It looks as if there will be another wedding, soon. She looks so happy, for the first time since Blanche and Elizabeth died in the accident, and then Mama so soon after.