May 27, 1914

Dear Diary,

Sadie and Bert stopped here yesterday on their way to Grandpa and Grandma’s. My but they both looked all done in, this past week has taken a toll on the both of them. Sadie was digging for her hankie more than once as we talked here in the house. She is going to go stay with Grandma and Grandpa while Bert finishes with the sheep shearing. She said she was afraid to let him leave but knows she must as they will surely need the extra money with the wee one coming this fall.

I suggested she and I take a stroll and we went down to Deep Creek where we use to play as children. We took off our boots and stockings and for a few minutes pretended to be little girls once again as we let the water dance and swirl around our feet. Then we splashed back to shore, sat on the big rocks warmed by the sun and let the drumming of a woodpecker and the whirr of insect wings lull us into a gentle sleep. Less you think we dozed to long I assure you we didn’t because before long Daniel and Hazel arrived. Already barefoot they stomped in the water and sprayed water at us, soon we were all laughing uncontrollably.

I think it did Sadie a world of good. I hope so anyway.   

————————————————————————————————————————–

May 28,1914

Donald, WYO

Dear friend,

Well this is only Friday but I thot I would start this any way. I supose you get tired of my packed up letter but I just thot I would write a few lines now and finish later. I am awful tired at present and did not know no other way to rest so thot I would write a few lines to you and let you know I am feeling pretty good and I do hope you are well and as happy as can be.

I have been busy today cleaning house, ironing and sewing and I am awfully tired for some reason. I suppose you are still working every day. Where are you going to be the 4th? You had better go down home for you can be with your folks and have a good time and they will be glad too, I know. You have worked quite a while without a vacation haven’t you?

Hazel and Daniel are still going to school. They are going to have a nice program at the school tomorrow, wish you were here to go. I may go I don’t know for sure.

Aunt Sadie and Bert were here day before yesterday. Papa called last night and he said I had a letter from Amber and one from Aunt Lodie. I wonder what is going to happen? I am anxious to get them and I will have one from you so I will have quite a lot of mail.

Well I must go help Mama with supper and will write more later.

Well here I am again today (Saturday). We went to the entertainment and just got back. I am really tired tho. It was so hot today just terrible. Well I wish I had the letters, Papa will soon be home tho.
I saw Aunt Sadie today she is sure lonesome I had to talk like a “preacher” to get her cheered up. What do you think, we are going to have Sunday school and Church tomorrow at our school house, aren’t we getting good. My I hope we can have it every two weeks. And I think Miss Kindall and I will start a young people meeting to, soon. So maybe we will have something different to do so not to get so lonesome this summer.

I had planned on how I was going to start this meeting for so long and I do hope we have good success with it as we all need something to put our minds on and leave off the dances. I do hate the dances worse than any think and don’t think I will go to one very soon again. Most every body is going tomorrow and I do hope they will get interested enough to have it all the time.

Well here I am on Sunday, I am getting ready for church, but will finish. I got your letter last night. I was sorry to hear about your sprain and hope it is well by now. I also got a letter from Amber and Aunt Lodie and Sade so got quite a lot of news. Amber was telling me all about her wedding and wants me to come be a brides maid. I sure wish I was going to be there but guess I won’t. You said your thot you wrote to often but no I want you to write on just the same, for I always depend on your letters. I supose when papa quits carrying the mail we will get it at Mona.

I wish you were here to help me start my young peoples meeting for I feel kindy shaky, but will do my best.

I was sorry of your partner getting so bad again. You must be careful when you are working with him.

I am glad you got your beads alright. Frank is in Belle Fouche selling beads now.

Vera say hello. I was down there last night; I rode Drummer and took my quirt for the first time. Well I will stop and get ready for the church.

as ever
Mae P.

(Note: Amber lived in Rosedale and was the daughter of Andrew Winters. Amber married Orion Henry who was the brother of Lillian who married Justin Phillips. The Henry’s were distantly related to the Phillips by way of Patrick O’Hara.

Miss Kendall was the teacher in 1914 at the school in Mona she also had her own homestead claim. She is found as a single woman boarding with Otto Lundblad family in the 1910 census in Hay Creek, Crook County, Wyoming. She married Clay Dawson Massie on June 28, 1914. Their first child a boy they name Ken was born April 1, 1915 in Mona, Wyoming and died the same day.)

• 

——————————————————————————————————————————-

May 29, 1914

Dear Diary,

I am getting worried. I usually get 2 letters a week from Roy but this week it was just the early one and in it he wrote that he had a sore arm and that his partner had been drinking. Goodness being a faller is dangerous enough without having a drunk partner. I know there are lots of other good reasons to not have heard from him. It’s not like the train and mail schedules are 100 percent reliable, or he has just been very busy. Still I worry.

I must turn my mind to better thoughts. I guess I will give Vera a ring and see if she’d like to go riding with me and Drummer for a while.

——————————————————————————————————————————-Puyallup, Wash.
May 30th, 1914

Dear Mazie:
Hello Girlie! How is the world using you today. Fine and dandy though I hope. Haven’t had anything from you this week but expect there is a letter at Nagram. I have been in Puyallup since Tuesday. Have been having quite a time with my arm. What I thought was a boil proved to be blood poisoning. It was so bad I couldn’t work so went to Tacoma to the hospital. The doctor said if I had waited much longer I stood a good chance of losing my arm. So, you may be sure that I am glad I came down when I did. Have been staying here at home but have been down to the hospital every day to have my arm treated. It was sure pretty bad for a while but is lots better now. The doctor says the danger is past and that it will be good as new pretty quick now. I hope he is right and think he is to.

The folks here at home are all pretty well at present and everyone else so far as I know. My brother Joe left the first of the week for east of the mountains. My other brother is still working at the mill, same one that Justin works at. Lida has been visiting in Tacoma yesterday and today but is home now. She is pretty busy preparing for the commencement exercises. She got the beads you sent alright and thinks they are just dandy. They just match a new dress she has. Wish I had brought your beads here with me this week, expect I could have sold some of them but I didn’t think to bring them.

Have been over to see the new baby a number of times. It sure is some baby. I am not going to tell you who he looks like for I can’t tell. All babies look alike to me. Lillian and Justin are some proud and I guess some of the rest are to. Mr. Henry has made up with Justin since the baby came and is as good as mince-pie now.

Amber is staying with Lillian. Guess she is going to stay there until the wedding. I think that will be about the twenty-fourth of June, at least that is what I have been told. Was over to the Henry’s yesterday. They are pretty well. Mrs. Henry almost talked my arm off as usual. She said the Adventis were going to baptize several converts Sunday and that Lodie and Amber were among them. The rest I do not know.

Frank and Justin went fishing today up to Lake Tapps. I have an invitation to go over tonight and eat fish. Won’t you come along?

Every-thing is looking lovely here now. Wish you could be here for awhile. The weather is just perfect and the flowers are just at their best. The gardens and orchards are looking fine. Looks like there was going to be a heavy fruit crop. The strawberry season is on now and there is going to be a tremendous crop of them. The raspberry picking will begin in about three weeks. My patch is looking fine. Am also going to have a lot of cherries this year, several times as many as there has ever been before. The cherries on that tree in our back yard are ripe now, was just out there trying them awhile ago. They taste just like cherries. If you will come over you can have all you can eat and enough to fill your pockets and you may bring your friends with you.
“Sunday morning”
I had to stop writing yesterday to eat supper and after supper went over and spent the evening with Justin and Lillian so didn’t get to finish my letter. This sure a fine morning, though it may be a little to warm a little later in the day. I have been grinding some rose petals this morning. Have quite a bunch of them gathered and am going to send them to Frank Risher. I had a letter from Frank last week and he said he was about to start away on a trip around the country to try and sell some beads, hope he has good success.

I wonder if you and Hazel would care for some rose petals. If so just say the word and I will send you a bunch.

I have been going to Tacoma and back every day by auto-mobile. Since the first of April there has been a line of auto stages operating between Puy. and Tac. Now there is two lines and they are bucking each other to they are carrying passengers for 10cts. each way. There is one leaving about every 15 minutes and they make the trip in 30 minutes. It looks as though the street car would have to go out of business for no one rides on it anymore. I took dinner the other day with your little Jap. at the Japanese restaurant in Tac. That is I guess your Jap is still there but I can’t tell for all Japs look alike to me.

Well I can’t think of anymore so will stop for now. Think I shall go over to the river after while and see Amber and Lodie get baptized. Would you come with me?

Best wishes to all the folks.

As ever Roy

P.S. am going back to camp this evening the doctor said my arm would be all right if I was careful for a while.