I received a letter from Violet Bass. I get a lot of great letters, but this particular letter summed up a hard life with a lot of change. Besides, I admire anybody who can stay married for 67 years.

Dear Mr. Grant,

My husband was born July 1922 near Ashdown, Arkansas. I was born January 1924 three miles north of Hallsville on a large farm my parents were struggling to pay for. Like your family, we had plenty to eat and can. In the fields, we raised cotton, corn, peas and melons.

I've chopped cotton, barefoot, wearing dress and bonnet made from feed sacks. Our towels were feed sacks. We sewed them together and made sheets. When we finished with our fields we could work for a neighbor for 50¢ for 10 hours' work. I didn't know what a break was unless it was an arm or leg. We had a well & running water if we ran with the bucket, used a gourd for a dipper. Everyone washed in the same wash pan and used the same towel until it smelled bad.

We cooked on wood burning stove & heated in winter time by fireplaces. Had coal oil lamps.

If our shoe sole came loose, Daddy put them on a last and tacked them back on, or, he'd cut them off and find an old piece of cow hide and tack it on—good as new.

Had a pond so we had fish. I was baptized in our pond. Washed on rub board, hung clothes on the fence. Ironed by heating irons on the stove. We slept on feather beds – bed bugs and all. Had a bucket under the bed so we could pee in it, not have to go outside.

Our old car to be cranked by hand. It had windshield, but no glass in windows. We had celluloid things that we could snap on if rainy and cold. Had to drain it in winter 'cause no anti-freeze.

Families were close, we all went to the table at the same time and ate. If you put it on your plate, you ate it.

We drank whole milk, ate butter – eggs. We didn't worry about getting fat 'cause we worked. Walked to neighbors, sometimes 3 miles away.

Females wore dresses. Fathers were the head of the house. Couples married before living together. Kids respected our elders. If we got out of line, a cane switch would make you dance without any music.

Rode school bus to school. Took a biscuit and sausage wrapped in paper and tied with string. Brought the string home each day. When we got home, changed clothes, ate a cold tater & then listened to Jack Armstrong, the "All American Boy." Mama would order a battery from Sears for 98 cents. Fed chickens, gathered eggs, fed and milked cows, slopped hogs. Fed mules. Then ate supper & went to bed early cause coal oil cost money.

Graduated in 1941. Worked at Centennial Café – before I-20, so there was a lot of traffic on Hwy 80. I worked from 12 noon until 12 night 6 days a week for $25.00 month + room & board.

One day I looked out the Café window & saw a truck stop & about 6 young men got out. I noticed this cute black-headed boy. They came in and the one I had noticed said, "I'm John Bass, we've come to Hallsville to get the country folks electricity." I said, "I'm Violet Kilpatrick, I know my folks will appreciate that."

He came in the café as often as he could & if I wasn't busy we'd talk. He was really getting serious. Wanted to marry. We both had short fuses so we had a squabble. He left and joined Air Force. I went to Houston to train for a nurse. My parents had borrowed $160 to pay my 3-year tuition. I had an aunt living in Houston. I was at her house one week and someone knocked on the door. It was John, wanting to get married. I told him I couldn't let my parents lose all that money.

He came next time; he had made Sergeant by then. He said, "If you don't marry me, you'll never see me again." Oh my, we got on the train and went to Harlingen. I stayed in a hotel; he on base. Next day he came and we had our blood test, mine was okay, but he fainted when the needle went in.

His commanding officer had to sign for him 'cause he was 20 and I was 18. I had 3 dresses. I got married in black. We had 3 daughters in less than 3 years, before the pill. Now, have 8 grandkids, 15 great grand kids; 10 are girls.

We have had a good life. I'm 85 & he's 87. Just finished our 30th year having a stall in Farmer's Market. Are in good health. December 9th we will celebrate 67 years.