A HIDDEN TREASURE

I called to Ken to come take a look at the inside of my sister’s secretary desk.  I had broken a piece and hoped that he could fix it.  He took one look, and without saying anything, removed the piece from the slot.  He didn’t even tell me that it was not broken.  I knew from his look that I should have known that it was made to pull out.  I have had the secretary since 1993, but had never tried to move anything that did not have a knob.

There was something inside the slot.  I carefully shook it out.  I found a treasure.  Inside was a little letter dated Dec. 28, 1924.  It has a Necessity, Texas, postmark complete with a 2 cent stamp.  It is addressed to my paternal grandmother in Ranger, Texas.  The back flap reads “ans soon”

My sister was 8 years old when she wrote it.  Luna Mae was our aunt.  She was 13 years old, and her mother had died 2 years earlier. She was living with my parents at the time. Jewell was a cousin who was 6 years old.

I find it interesting that my sister told what the other girls got for Christmas but does not mention what she got.

The letter reads as follows:

Necessity, Texas

Dec. 28, 1924

Dear Grandmother,

What are

you doing now.

I am not doing much of anything.

Luna Mae got for Christmas a little comb two dresses  the one

aunt audrey gave her was lavender  the one aunt clara gave her was pink

and both had bloomers to match.

13 handkerchies one box of stationery

a vanity some house shoes.  I think

that’s all she got.  I stayed all night with jewell Christmas night  jewell

got a doll bed a doll and a doll buggy and a 9 piec tea set

I have to go to school in the morning.

Mother and dady may come

down soon.  I cant go  I have

to go to school.  I guess I had

better get to bed, your loveing Grand

daughter Vaudine