whiling your postnoons near the prison gates. They will not let you in to see me. Go now. There are things to attain elsewhere. You’re aware, right? The things I mean?
Love
,
Tassie
(This is the last time I will terminate a letter in this manner now that “V” is soon to leave us. A new letter goes. So what else is new?)
Th * * ui ** * r * wn * ox ** mps o ** r the la * y ** g
[Slipped under the Minnow Pea front door]
NOLLOPTON PRISON NOLLOPTON
Toes (Halloween), Oompahpah 31
Miss Pea:
Man was here. Young man. Southern U.S. While you were home. Got your relation. Got your Aunt. I let him get that Tassie—that angel girl—let him steal her, pure truth! I must sign paper saying this—per authorities. They were here—the authorities. They put me to signing this paper saying what happen.
Anyway, you got no reason to return to this prison anymore. Seeing that she is no longer here. They will put eye to your house, though. Might they show up there—Tassie-girl, your aunt, young Ameri-man. My guess, though, is that those three are gone-gone—set sail I’m sure to the States. Anyway, this is the thing: you no got to return.
Guess what? I go to the lash. A sentry who lets a prisoner go, he gets the lash, gets the whole nine-tail-lam. It’s worth it, though. To see that sweet, pretty girl release! Hurrah!
Yours truly
,
Sentry William P.
HALLOWEEN
Ella—
I am no longer in prison. Nate is the reason. He got us (Mother, me). We are on our way to the States. My horseman-gallant in shining armor! I wish you were with us. Then again, it is important too that you remain in Nollop. Now rests almost solely upon you Enterprise 32. You will triumph, we are sure. Our hearts, our prayers are with you.
Tassie
PS. I am trusting that the young shrimper we met in the north lagoon will get this letter to you. He was on his way to Nollopton to sell his haul. As a result, this letter may smell slightly shrimpish.
[Posted on the front door of the home of a woman who wears an orange hat]
NOLLOPTON
Wetty, Nosegay 1
Woman in pretty orange hat:
My name is Ella. I saw you yesters, rummaging in the rear—that shut Italian restaurant on Main. No got to rummage. There are plenty eats in Wally’s store at Eighth meets Elm. (Are you a shrimp eater?) Wally, I hear, is a humane man. He is rationing eats—they will last longer this way. No money? No got to worry. We who are still here will help one another. I want to meet you. See me tonight?
I use to possess relations—my mother, my papa, my Aunt Mittie, her she-heir Tassie. Gone now. All those near to me, gone.
I am alone. Perhaps you are alone too?
See me tonight? My home: 4 houses east. I got stew tomatoes!
Ella
[Posted on the Minnow Pea front door]
NOLLOPTON
Thirsty, Notaphily 2
Ella,
Happy to get your letter. We possess a sense sometimes we are the only ones still here. We will see you not tonight. Tomorrow night, yes? I insist, though: my home. Little one—Penny—she is ill. She perhaps not so ill tomorrow, although she ought to stay in a little longer. We were not rummaging, we must say. We thought there was gas. Must get gas into our generator. How is your power? They supply us only one hour in the morning now. No one remaining at the power plant to man operations there.
Wally is a humane man, you are right. He is helping us in this trying time. We must all help one another.
Tanya T.
(the woman in the pretty orange hat)
NOLLOPTON
Satto Gatto, No-trump 4
Tanya,
What a sweet time I was shown at your house last night! It was so pleasant meeting your spouse. It was a pleasure too, meeting your girl Penny. I am happy that she is nearly well.
I was also happy to meet Mannheim, also his young assistant Tom, although not please to learn that the institute is no longer open. Nothing is open any more, is this true? Tom tells me that the state operates now only to relate the next letters to omit. There are no other magisterial assertions. The
Love
,
Tassie
(This is the last time I will terminate a letter in this manner now that “V” is soon to leave us. A new letter goes. So what else is new?)
Th * * ui ** * r * wn * ox ** mps o ** r the la * y ** g
[Slipped under the Minnow Pea front door]
NOLLOPTON PRISON NOLLOPTON
Toes (Halloween), Oompahpah 31
Miss Pea:
Man was here. Young man. Southern U.S. While you were home. Got your relation. Got your Aunt. I let him get that Tassie—that angel girl—let him steal her, pure truth! I must sign paper saying this—per authorities. They were here—the authorities. They put me to signing this paper saying what happen.
Anyway, you got no reason to return to this prison anymore. Seeing that she is no longer here. They will put eye to your house, though. Might they show up there—Tassie-girl, your aunt, young Ameri-man. My guess, though, is that those three are gone-gone—set sail I’m sure to the States. Anyway, this is the thing: you no got to return.
Guess what? I go to the lash. A sentry who lets a prisoner go, he gets the lash, gets the whole nine-tail-lam. It’s worth it, though. To see that sweet, pretty girl release! Hurrah!
Yours truly
,
Sentry William P.
HALLOWEEN
Ella—
I am no longer in prison. Nate is the reason. He got us (Mother, me). We are on our way to the States. My horseman-gallant in shining armor! I wish you were with us. Then again, it is important too that you remain in Nollop. Now rests almost solely upon you Enterprise 32. You will triumph, we are sure. Our hearts, our prayers are with you.
Tassie
PS. I am trusting that the young shrimper we met in the north lagoon will get this letter to you. He was on his way to Nollopton to sell his haul. As a result, this letter may smell slightly shrimpish.
[Posted on the front door of the home of a woman who wears an orange hat]
NOLLOPTON
Wetty, Nosegay 1
Woman in pretty orange hat:
My name is Ella. I saw you yesters, rummaging in the rear—that shut Italian restaurant on Main. No got to rummage. There are plenty eats in Wally’s store at Eighth meets Elm. (Are you a shrimp eater?) Wally, I hear, is a humane man. He is rationing eats—they will last longer this way. No money? No got to worry. We who are still here will help one another. I want to meet you. See me tonight?
I use to possess relations—my mother, my papa, my Aunt Mittie, her she-heir Tassie. Gone now. All those near to me, gone.
I am alone. Perhaps you are alone too?
See me tonight? My home: 4 houses east. I got stew tomatoes!
Ella
[Posted on the Minnow Pea front door]
NOLLOPTON
Thirsty, Notaphily 2
Ella,
Happy to get your letter. We possess a sense sometimes we are the only ones still here. We will see you not tonight. Tomorrow night, yes? I insist, though: my home. Little one—Penny—she is ill. She perhaps not so ill tomorrow, although she ought to stay in a little longer. We were not rummaging, we must say. We thought there was gas. Must get gas into our generator. How is your power? They supply us only one hour in the morning now. No one remaining at the power plant to man operations there.
Wally is a humane man, you are right. He is helping us in this trying time. We must all help one another.
Tanya T.
(the woman in the pretty orange hat)
NOLLOPTON
Satto Gatto, No-trump 4
Tanya,
What a sweet time I was shown at your house last night! It was so pleasant meeting your spouse. It was a pleasure too, meeting your girl Penny. I am happy that she is nearly well.
I was also happy to meet Mannheim, also his young assistant Tom, although not please to learn that the institute is no longer open. Nothing is open any more, is this true? Tom tells me that the state operates now only to relate the next letters to omit. There are no other magisterial assertions. The
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