Deadly Water Moccasin

Jumping effortlessly from the 19th century in Illinois to the 1950's in Texas is one of the fun things about The Box's generation's worth of correspondence.

Here is young Susie dashing off a letter from her Father's office about her seemingly Extreme summer camp experiences.

Tuesday – Aug. 9, 1955

Dear Nani, 

I was so glad to get your letter at camp. Thank you so much for writing. I’m sorry to hear it has been so hot up there. And I know just how you feel.

I made that dress in one day that I told you about and hemed it the next. It looks real cute and I have a darling blouse to wear with it.

I’m at Daddy’s office now waiting to go downtown at 11:30 and meet some of my camp friends. Since we’ve all had such a good time together we decided that we would keep in contact with each other, and are probably going to have a wonderful time together this afternoon.

It rained qute often in the last two weeks, but since I’ve been home it has been in the 97’s. But since I go swimming quite often I don’t notice it as much.

Have you been sewing lately? I haven’t been able to lately because our machine just doesn’t work anymore. Mother hopes to get a new one this week so I can barely wait.

Sat. at camp we killed a 56 in (4 ½ ft) Water Moccasin. It was huge, and 2 in. thick in some places. It was found on top of the bed in one of the tents. We had all just come back from breakfast and Diane had gone to lie down for a few minutes and when she saw it she was so horrified that she couldn’t move. It took the counselors about ten minutes to kill it. This is the time of year when they shed their skin and can’t see very well, or he never would have come that close. There were about 8 other poisonous snakes killed but none that big. I haven’t heard from Dantie in such a long time. Is she all right? ^Please ask her to write when she gets a chance.  Chloe will probably be writing soon, everyone is just fine and happy here. Take good care of yourself and write when you get a chance.

                                                Love,

                                                Susie

Wow.

Insouciance your name is "Susie".

That is the only thing that comes to mind in this young girl's casual attitude to finding a water moccasin and eight other poisonous snakes at her summer camp.

I thought I had it tough when I was shipped off to an outdoors adventure canoeing camp in the wilds of Canada in the 1960's, but man, that was a cakewalk compared to the sound of this Texas hellhole.

What do you remember of your own summer camp experiences?

Enjoy!

william 

Comments

[kirsten]

Insouciance your name is "Susie". Ha--great line.

I grew up in the wilds of Canada, so pitting yourself against the elements for one dire camp experience reads like the story of my life. Très "survival of the fittest".