Introduction
After doing research in the Jackson statehouse, I moved to Madison County (Canton being the county seat), twenty-six miles north of Jackson, to get a better sense of the county. I loved the work there, which gave me my first meaningful contact with local people.
dear sister,
this is obviously not a recording, cannot tell you the correct time or anything, but it is indeed a carbon copy of what i am doing in boring prose. i love the work i do, but i am bored telling about it in every letter so i made a few carbons. i hope you can tell from the stuff how great it is and how much i must love it. i adore the farmers most of all, and am learning alot about how to organize people and how to organize a program like this. i am getting practically a master's in agricultural economics in my spare time through reading all the journals on programs and subsidies etc. i also know the name of every offical in madison county and every county in the state, its representatives, senators, judges, sheriffs' etc. all totally worthless information outside of miss. i am living in canton with a negro family and another white girl. i am not sure how long i will stay here, but probably a couple of months. i do get my meals and so don't have to spend very much money.
i hope by now you have a job, both from personal considerations and mercenary concern as i may leave miss. in about four months and head either for mexico and south america or for europe. anyway, don't worry necessarily about paying me back, but i will probalby need $125 in about three or four months from somewhere. please write me and tell me what's going on and send my carbon to friend. i'll send an accompanying letter myself.
all love,
[Signed]
elayne