Before we left home, Mr. Ollinger died. Brother Teemers went into the store to get Mr. Ollinger to fix his bike and Mr. Ollinger was dead behind the counter. Brother Teemers ran crying all the way to the court house and Mr. Teemers was busy talking to the jury and everything. Brother Teemers ran right in anyway and yelled Daddy Daddy Mr. Ollinger is dead.

I cleaned out your car for you before we left for the shore. There was a lot of maps behind the front seat from your trip to Canada. I put them in your desk. There was also a girls comb. I think it was Frances. I put it in your desk also. Are you in France?

Love, MATILDA

P.S.: Can I go to Canada with you next time you go? I won’t talk much and I’ll light your cigarettes for you without really smoking them.

Sincerely yours, MATILDA

I miss you. Please come home soon.

Love and kisses, MATILDA

 The boy in the hole carefully put the letter back inside the dirty, worn envelope, and put the envelope back into his shirt pocket.

 Then he raised himself slightly in the hole and shouted, “Hey, Eeves! I’m over here!”

 And across the field Eeves saw him and nodded back.

 The boy sank back into the hole and said aloud to nobody, “Please come home soon.” Then he fell crumbily, bent-leggedly, asleep.