Use the Settings button at the top of the page to change how documents are translated.
Prisoner No. 50875 Name Walter Duncan To Dollie Duncan Box No. Route #1 City: Stilwell State: Okla.
February 20, 1951
Wednesday night, actually it’s Tuesday night. Much love to all people that I know. Yes, Ge-yu-ne-ga A-dv-ga, now I will write to you a few lines. Don’t you wonder why? It is just this—It is so lonesome after dark. There is nothing else for me to do. I looked at the paper and pen lying right there. Then I thought, “I will write a letter to her.” And also, I really like to write. Yes, I suppose all your family are doing fine day to day and, also your neighbors. As for us prisoners, we are doing the same as we always are when you come here to visit.
It is really raining too much. We are now headed toward spring. You all will be feeling really good when it is spring with a new moon. Then you will eat new greens and begin catching fish and crawdads. I get really hungry when I start thinking about things like that. I haven’t eaten our kind of food in a while. We have the best food to eat. It has been that way for a long time—it’s still the same. The white people’s food is different. Someday perhaps, I might get to eat our food again.
Whenever you have a service at Salem, do you have good meetings? I have had one dream since I came into here, that I was at church. When I think about it, I wonder if I will be able to go there soon. If I can begin in the right [proper] way; I would be able to help a Christian group somewhere, in some way with all that I can do [with all my might]. That is what I think sometimes. I am not saying that I am a bad person, but I am not striving as a Christian should. I do attend services here in the other room below where the prisoners are. But I do not understand most of it.
I am asking you this, do you sometimes hear from my son? Is he doing fine? He sent me one letter, that is all. Yes, if you see one another, [tell him to] let me hear from him again. I am asking this favor from you, for him to hear [from me]. Have him send me a pack of 10 cigarettes. I will repay him when I get out. The kind they call Camels. Maybe he will remember that I have done good things for him when I was on the outside. And still today I will still be me [unchanged]. When I get out, I will do for him the same as I did before. It would be better if I write this down. You can give it to him and it can be read to him in person. Cut it out and give it to him. It seems that is all I can write because the guard is getting nearer. Be sure and send me a letter and let me know if you saw him. My son is probably a young man by now.
I am greeting you, “hello” to all who live near you at Salem from afar with love by a letter. If the Lord is willing, before too long, we will use our own mouths to talk to one another [in person], but we don’t know when. Let’s keep hope and watchfully pray and ask for all to be healthy. And not only for our own health, but also for no pain and about the evil sin that has us blindfolded in this world all our lives, and it’s even worse if you are in here [prison].
Ok, do this favor for me. If we happen to become neighbors, I will have given you my promise to repay you if there ever comes a time that you need to depend on [me]. And also, this, forgive me that I did not have a beautiful envelope. My lack of energy is catching up to me or maybe it’s my laziness.
I will put the letter in what I consider a beautiful envelope the next time I send mail. Also, I am asking you about these letters that I make [write] for A-ma to send; do they arrive? [Do you receive them?]
Is there a good time lapse in between [their arrival] sent by these mail handlers that we have here [in prison]? I think [wonder] about that. Write back to me and let me know.
Also, if you want some picture frames to be made beautiful, send them here. I can make them beautiful for you. A-ma can take them [back to you] when he leaves.
Now, that is all I have [to write]. I will mail this letter feeling ashamed because there’s not much written on it. Maybe there will be more the next time if I am not so exhausted as I said, and if I am still alive and the beans don’t kill me. Ha! Ha! And the same goes for the biscuits topped with syrup. Ha! Ha!
It’s been a while since I greeted you all. Again, I will say “Hello”. I will have hope to hear from you all very soon.
Me, just me, wrote this.
