June 1, 1859

The weather is hot here.  Seems like it gets hot early in Navasota.  The job
I got working on Colonel Prusser's farm is good, but I still want to get a
place of my own.  He's not really a colonel of anything except a bunch of
volunteers that meet on Saturday mornins and drill.  I joined because he's
my boss.  We march around in the heat and dust trying to look like we're
military.  Don't really look like nothin but a bunch of dirt farmers carryin
old muskets and shotguns.  

Everyone here is talkin about succession.  They don't think anyone has the
right ot tell us if we should own slaves or not.  Don't see it makes much
difference to me.  You have to be a rich man to own slaves.  Ain't never had
one and don't guess I'll ever have the money to spend on one.  Just be
another mouth to feed.  They's right about one thing, I don't much like a
bunch of yankees telling me I can or can't do sumthin. What busness is it of
theirs what we do in our own states.  Heered tell they's got big factories
of full of childrend workin for nothin up north.  Bunches of folks coming
over the sea and settlin up there what don't even speak the king's good
english.  Bunch of ferriners gonna be the ruin of all of us.  Can't speak
the language and have tons of childrend to work in the factories.  People
livin so cramped up in little rooms they can't hardly breath and the yankees
want to tell us how to live?

Finally heared from Maw and Paw.  They got the preacher to write a letter to
me.  Shore am glad I went to skool and lerned to read and write.  That sixth
grade education I got has come in handy.  Least wise I don't have to have no
one to read things to me. Things are alright in Georgia.  Paw says the crops
are as good as they've ever been and he's got 10 beef critters and four
mules now.  Him and the boys are startin to clear off the back 50 for more
pasture.  I think he ought to keep it in oak for the acorns.  The pigs
fatten on then and so will them cows!  Maw's worried.  Brother Sidney is
near about a man at 14 years old, and she's worried if war breaks out he and
I will both volunteer and get kilted.  If war does break out, it won't last
long.  All them city boys and feriners the yankees have ain't never seed a
gun much less shot one.  They can't beat southerners that have held a gun
since we could stand up.  Otherwise things is good.  Sister Beckey is about
to have her third child.  She done lost her youngest to the whoopin cough
last year.  May be this will help cheer her up some.  Last time I seed her
she was looked pretty old to be 17.  Sarah is bein courted by young Tommy
Simms from the next place over.  I guess it's time.  She's might near marrin
age at 14.  The youngens Will, Ben, and Bobby are big enuf to help Paw
pretty good.  Well, Bobby's still a mite young at 5, but the twins are 10
now and pretty big.

I got to go drill again.  The Colonel says we got to be redy if Texas
fights.  I guess this is as good a way to pass time as any.  Keeps me out of
the Colonel's fields.