Dear Mom and Dad,
Card #1: My first day at camp was pretty good except for the giant spiders in the bathroom, and the stall doors don’t lock, and one of the girls in my cabin cried all night, and I think the food we had for supper was spoiled.
Love, Ella
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Dear Mom and Dad,
Card #2: I like most of the girls here, but some are stuck up. Today we swam in the lake. The water was dirty and cold. When I got out of the water there was a big leech stuck to the top of my right foot, but a counselor got it off with her fingernail. That girl in our cabin cried again all night. I tried to talk with her, but she won’t say what’s wrong.
Love, Ella
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Dear Mom and Dad,
Card #3: All of us girls got together with the boys for singing. I learned some new songs with words I shouldn’t tell you. Nobody else but me talks with the girl who cries all night. Today she stayed near me, and she smiled at me when we were singing. One of the boys wants to marry me.
Love, Ella
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Dear Mom and Dad,
Card #4. The food is okay. I like the grilled cheese sandwiches. We swam in the lake again, and this time I didn’t have a leech sucking my blood. But I have 97 mosquito bites. I counted them. This evening we made pottery. I like the girl who cries a lot. She is my best friend here.
Love, Ella
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Dear Mom and Dad,
Card #5. Just two days until camp ends and we take the bus back to the city. This is the last card I’m going to send. I mostly liked it here. Claudia, the girl who cries a lot, told me why she cries so much. Ugh! I’m really worried about her. You would be too, but she made me promise not to tell anyone, even you. I wish I could tell you so you could help me understand things. When I get home let’s talk about her coming to live with us.
Love, Ella
Grey Sparrow Journal 