Miriam Van Waters Papers. Male Prisoner Correspondence, 1927-1971. Correspondence: G, 1965-1970. A-71, folder 597. Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

[Post card with picture of white flowers on it with a blue background]

Legend of the Dogwood

An old and beautiful legend has it that, at the time of the Crucifixion, the dogwood was comparable in size to the oak tree and other monarchs of the forest. Because of its firmness and strength it was selected as the timber for the cross, but to be put to such a cruel use greatly distressed the tree. Sensing this, the Crucified Jesus in his gentle pity for the sorrow and suffering of all said to it. "Because of your sorrow and pity for My sufferings never again will the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used as a gibbet. Henceforth it will be slender, bent and twisted and its blossoms will be in the form of a cross - two long and two short petals. In the center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nailprints - brown with rust and stained with red - and in the center of the fower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see this will remember."

THIS SPACE FOR WRITING MESSAGES

Dear Dickie Well Im most glad to have our dear mother here with us. She's not to be tick and more to it that she will have a nice rest she [??] Dickie Read about the Dogwood tree the other [??] of this card they are all [??]

Love ??

Mr Richard Gingras Box 100 South Walpole Mass 02071

5-13-66

Dear Dr. Van Waters

Your letter arrived yesterday & I enjoyed receiving it very much. After reading it I referred to an old Encyclopedia that I have. Some of its pages have been torn or lost but the one containing Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy remains intack.

His lifes end has a very sad ending for a man so unselfish & so very helpful to life of all type.

I belive his words were choosen with the wisdom of a man who knew life in its greatest as well as its weakest forms. I have a small booklet which includes the titles of several of a series, of books sponsored by the National Andabor Society, & The National Wildlife Federation ("Peterson Field Guide") Three of them I hope

to buy in the future as all are good guide books.

I have another book that is being sent to me soon which is intitled "Woods Guardians of The Soil."

I have only to send in three more lessons to complete the Botany course, one of which I have just finished this morning & will have in the mail monday.

I have written to Judith Van Damen & her son Barry again & I hope to hear again from them.

Father Foley has said he was going to write you soon. I may recieve the book from him tomorrow, as will be here to visit then.

I am glad the signs were okay & I hope Ed Mello has been able to collect as many articles as needed for the fiar. I have been unable to find out as to how much

progress he has made.

Somebody had told me that at one time you were a Judge & although I did not know what type of Judge or at what city, I had guessed that it was a Californian City.

Most people who have worked with the courts of this Western State are far more interested in people, & life itself than most people of our home state of Mass. I dont undersand why this seems to be so but it is.

Are you a native of California? I remember you saying that you have lived in Framingham for a number of years.

I have enjoyed very much, the copy of Mass.and above Newsweek & so has a friend & inmate here at Walpole. I am enclosing it here in, so that you may allow somebody else to enjoy it as we have.