Dear Martha Ruth and John
I got a nice letter from you folks today and I am glad you are well, but, don’t pump and carry water to the garden as that is too hard work. I think we will have plenty of rain. A little extra cultivating will do more good than the water. I was going to have a secret but I will just tell you folks and don’t you tell. I have my application in for the first 2 weeks of July and Bolin said he knew of no reason I could not be off then so I will be there to celebrate the Fourth, I will come by bus as that is the cheapest and I will let you know when and all about it later.
Today has been simply terrible 95 degrees. The sweat is running off me in streams as I sit here in the room writing. Its 8 PM and I intend to take this down to the main Post Office to mail it so you will get it tomorrow. I got in 8 hours today but am marked off with a morning pull-out tomorrow so Jack and I will go fishing.
John better make a mask for Mitzi so the old cat can’t scratch her nose. I will get part of the Fourth of July things here, like the Colts and caps and sparklers. Has John the belt and holster yet or are they lost? Would Ruth like one too or is there something else she would rather have? Well folks I have started counting days again till I will see you. Believe me I won’t run out of talk for a while when we get together again. I wish you lots of good luck and just heaps of love from
Daddy Jim. I’ll be seein’ you.