Dear Brother,

  Hit has been a while since I last wrote you.  But of course we have been busy with the garden.  We got your letter and was glad to hear that all is well.  We had sum excitement around here yestaday.  Your cousin Alvin if you remember is on our fire department.  They is eight of them, but they are only volunteer and don't work less there is a fire somewheres. 

  Well Alvin was working there at the building where they keep the truck.  He was warshing and shining up that red truck.  You know they like to keep it looking real purty for they ride in it at the Xmas parade in Murfreesboro ever year.  Anyway, Alvin had throwed down his cigarete he was smoking.  I wish he would stop since it is bad to cause cancer and he is so young.  Well, he thought that cigarete was finished and throwed it on the floor.  He kept rite on a working and shining on the truck.  But the cigarete had fell on some old rags and they had oil on them.  Well the rags caught on fire they guess and there was a gas can about half full near the rags.  Now Alvin had moved on the other side of the truck and couldn't see the fire.  But when that gas can blew up he heard that.  Well it blew gas and fire everwhere around that firehouse. 

  Alvin was the only one working there and he run out.  He was going to call the fire department but then remembered that he was right there.  The whole place burnt down real quick and that pretty red truck it just kindly melted they say.  Your cousin Alvin felt just terrable about the whole thing but at least he got out ok. 

  I don't thank we'll be having no more fire department, but they done a good job while they lasted.  Well now the govment is really funny.  They sent a feller out to see us.  Said since there is eleven of us in our famliy that they would like to help us with our food.  I don't know where they got the idea we needed help with food.  We all could stand to lose some wait.  Your sister SueEllen specially needs to.  Shes got so big that she cant sit up with us in the truck cab no more.  She has to ride in the back in the bed when ever she goes with us.  But we have a big tarpoline that she covers herself with when it rains. 

  Anyway, this govment man talked to us for about an hour one day.  Then he said that he figured we could get $45 worth of food stamps.  We was perlite to the man, but told him that we guessed we didn't need none of them.  He tried real hard to get us to sign up for them.  But we said no.  Like I said we have a funny govment.  Wanting to give us $45  worth of stamps to mail food off with.  We don't never mail food cept at Xmastime when we send Aunt Toosey a fruit cake.

    Well it is late now and I reckon I done told you all the news they is.  Ever body is ok.  Little Claude don't hardly limp anymore.  When we save up enough egg money we will take him to the tooth dentist and get him some front teeth.  He still don't like to ride his bike though.  Tell everone we all send our love.  When yall comin to see us?  Soon I hope.
                                                             Your brother,
                                                              James Willie

Submitted (writed) by Don Beck