Eleanor,
That man came to see me again. He was alone this time. He said he had important news from the Governor. He said I should not bother with Percy Green because Percy Green worked for the Sovereignty Commission and would not print my story. He said if I continued to make so much noise that the Governor would see that we lost our land. He said the state would throw you and Marshall and Henry out and take everything Daddy worked so hard for. I told him that was against the law and they couldn’t do that. He laughed at me. He talked about what good friends he was with the Governor. ‘My Daddy and the Governor are best friends,’ he said. ‘They make the law.’ I told him I just wanted to see a doctor. He said I was a communist and I was lucky they didn’t hang me for treason. He said if I didn’t stop writing to the newspapers that they were going to come in and take the farm and build some factory there. I told him they couldn’t do that and he said they had their ways. I know this is illegal but what will anyone do about it?
I hope you understand, Eleanor, why I cannot stop writing the newspaperman. I may die in here but I do not want to die for nothing. I hope you understand why I have to do this. At the very least my life has to matter. Send me the addresses of any northern newspapers if you can.
It is getting harder for me to write. That is why it has been so long since I wrote you. The guards will not give me pen and paper anymore. They say the warden will not allow it. Some of the other boys on the farm sneak me paper, and they send letters for me too. I do not know if anyone gets my letters. Write me back if you get this so I know for sure. You should expect anything you write to be read by the warden. I believe they are reading my mail.
Your brother,
Clyde
Rabble Rouser 