1928 Mar. 13 from Mrs. K.R. Tompkins (see above)

Dear sweet daughter, Paul visited but Ben didn't - something is wrong with Ben - he never writes me as he used to - I gave him money and treated him like a royal - he has changed since last summer - he is not in school just working this term because I had to pay for Sarah's operation money that I had for Paul's spring term, so one of them had to work and Ben said he would. Paul flunked geography - said because he didn't have a book...gave him $10.00 for books when he went to school. Write soon. P.S. Two weeks is Ben's 18th birthday ..if you give him a present, give him money...Ben needs some outlet...up in those mountains with just illiterate country boys and mountaineers until he is disgusted, needs the society of nice girls...