Mail Call: 5 Dec 1935 (George)

George, Cow and Dogs in 1930s print
thanks to Doc Pugh.

From George Potter in Cabool, MO to his daughter Mary Potter in Washington, DC

Includes a story of David Potter's troubles driving his sisters to school:  the third flat of the day leaves him fixing the tire by the light and heat of a "small bonfire" near Sargent, MO.

Mary is advised to have the boarding house serve her liver twice a week to offset anemia (which also affected George's mother, Mary Hasbrouck Potter; a blood test would "be a good plan").

An extended version of the demise of "Betty Cow" suggests that George had a very close call; the cow nearly collapsed on him. "and nothing but the devil looking out for his own saved me."

A good dinner was had on Thanksgiving in spite of it all; "chicken, pie etc."

Dog lovers should avoid the tale of Pat the Dog's puppies on the last page.  Plenty of ill luck for the cow and dogs.

"Art" (Stewartson) is Mary's current boyfriend,
"Gregory" must have been the previous model, not much favored by George, Elaine or Dorothy.
No picture of Art, though.

Mail Call: 31 March 1935 (George)

George Potter in Cabool, MO to his daughter Mary in St. Louis, who has recently gotten a raise in pay.

Mary is applying for government jobs in Washington, DC, but George is concerned that the upcoming 1936 election might put FDR out of office and his administration's hires out of work.

Mary is being dunned by the Draughon's Business College (Tulsa branch) for her school debts and is advised to try to pay it off in installments.

Despite their problems, the Potters have taken in a 7 week old baby and Gladys is looking after the mother, who has been diagnosed with tuberculosis and is not expected to live.  Later census records show that mother and baby survived, but they are mentioned in only one later letter (12 April 1935).

Pat (the favorite dog) has wandered off and gotten pregnant, so George expects to have to drown the pups.

"Lillian Johnson Barton":  see the mention of the Barton house burning down in the Feb 2 letter.

"Mrs. Brooks" and "Soph" (Elaine): see the March 18 1935 letter from Gladys.
"Pat" is the most often mentioned of the dogs and presumably a favorite.  Other farm dogs include Smoky Joe, Poochie and Egbert (who specialized in falling off the porch).

"Walt" is George's brother-in-law in East St. Louis, his sister Dora's husband.
The "Parkers" are George's sister Emma and her husband Silas Parker in Corry, PA

Note from Mary Potter. on the reverse of page seven..the four pages of blank writing paper must have been folded over the cash she sent from St. Louis and then reused for this letter.