John Steinbeck | The Grapes of Wrath | 1939

Dear Ma Joad,

I'm picturing you outside the barn picturing Rose of Sharon inside the barn (doing her business with the man who hadn't "et" in six days). You're proud of her. But still, your family is sickly and soaking wet and hungry. No money, no food, no place to live. Winter is coming. Well, I don’t know how things have been going lately, but I’m guessing you’re still struggling. So anyway I had this idea. It just came to me. WET-NURSING. Seriously. Rose of Sharon could get work as a wet-nurse. Wet-nursing is an ancient, honorable occupation. Muhammad was wet-nursed. Napoleon was wet-nursed. Freud (of course that guy was wet-nursed). John D. Rockefeller. He was wet-nursed as an old man--and I'm pretty sure his wet-nurse made a good living. My point here is that Rose of Sharon could be doing something for her own family too. Anyway, just a thought.

Best of luck,
Scott McFarland