'It Is All As Bad As Can Be'

Carl C. Jones
The Virginia Railway Company
Alberta, Virginia
March 19, 1931

Dear Paul,
Your telegram received this evening. Was grieved to hear of such a sad ending to our sister. Am sending you a message first thing in the morning, telling you that I can't come now. My business just will not permit it, and also I am none too well to make the trip. I fear I am needed and know I ought to go. I am anxious to know how it happened and the cause for it; which of the children and how many. It is all as bad as can be - but Humanity is made to stand it anyway. I want to know the entire details and want you to sit down now and write me fully every bit of it: how many children and their names and ages, and what will become of them. I will take some of them. Who do they favor, Lois or Tom? What was Tom's condition financially? Where are they buried? Send me the Buchanan Tribune for this week or the paper containing the account of it. Write me fully all about it.
Hope Mama holds up good under the strain. I know it's bad, but we can't help it. Take care of Mama and yourself. May be able to come in a few days, but don't wait for anything to write me about it. My bunch doing all right. Emily arriving from school tonight. Henderson getting off on a 15-day furlough the first of April. Emily just home for few days before returning for the spring quarter. Would have wired you this evening, but held up so as to make up my mind what to do. I know that I could not make it to the funeral under the conditions, and have decided to wait a few days to get to feeling better myself more than anything else. Am farming pretty heavy this year. Have rented and under my supervision about 40 or 45 acres - and nothing down. So, for only a little land, brother got a share man boarding him. Children, C.C., and Howard going to school, and the man so far seems to be behind. I can get them going right and may get relief from Depot and run over in few days. Write me by return mail and take care of yourselves.

Love from all,
Carl

Read more in W. Jeff Bishop's novel -- A Cold Coming -- February, 2013.