May 1, 1915

Dear Diary,

Once again it is raining like sixty turning our turning our rutted roads into massive mud holes.  It makes it so difficult to get around whether by wagon or foot. It’s about time the county and state give us some help repairing them. Folks around here have enough to do without having to maintain the roads too.

Daniel rode his pony off to the Mona school this morning, it just started up again last Monday. I bet he was drenched by the time he got there. It surely will be going late this year; I don’t envy him having to go during the hot days of July but we had trouble finding a teacher to come any sooner. The new teacher’s name is Miss Guy and she is boarding next door so I must try and get to know her better.   

Bert and Jesse Phillips stopped by here yesterday. I guess their fishing/camping trip on the Belle Fourche river was a bust. They barely got enough fish to make a decent fish fry for themselves.

I believe I am all over whatever ailed me. My throat feels so much better than it did a few days ago. Mama says I should take it easy another day or two so I am going to take her up on the offer while she is feeling generous. I think I will go call Sadie and see if she is feeling better, too.  

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Nagrom Wn.
May 5th, 1915

Dear Pardner Daniel:

Well here it goes a few lines in answer to your letter which I got some time ago. Ought to have answered sooner but was to lazy I guess that is the only excuse I can think of to offer so it will have to go. Well how is the World using you by now? And what are you doing with yourself?

Going to school tho I suppose. It will be pretty late before you get out this time won’t it? You had a good long vacation and I expect you were glad to get to go to school again. Who have you for a teacher.

Well were having nice weather now, just like summer time and I suppose it is pretty much that way in Wyoming by now isn’t it?

I may go trout fishing next Sunday if the weather is good, better you come along and I will show you some fun. There is a dance here to-night, Richard is playing for them. He has played for them twice before. He is getting to be quite the musician, you ought to hear him play some. If you will come over after a little, you can help us eat strawberries and cream. Mr. Cook and I got some berries from the store today and are going to have a feast. I guess they are California berries as Washington berries are not ripe yet.

Next time you write to me I want you to do a better job of it for I know that you can beat that all to smash if you try. Wish I could be at your place Friday evening for Mae’s party but as my air-ship is broke guess I can’t. Tell the dog and cat and the rest of the folks hello for me.

Roy

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May 7, 1915

Dear diary,

I am relaxing on my garden bench. I can’t tell you enough what a source of delight this space provides for me. As soon as I am done with my morning chores I come out here to pull weeds and coax my seeds to commence growing. From where I sit I can see the tiny wisps of onion seed and radishes sprouting. My cabbage plants are growing in size now I just hope the darn rabbits don’t decide to feast upon it all. 

The trees and bushes along our road are painted in fresh coats of emerald while the wildflowers are busily popping up in artistic displays. It took its sweet time but spring has definitely sprung.

Today I am another year closer to the longed for 21, I am now 19. Hazel is off collecting wildflowers to decorate for my party tonight. Mama is inside bustling around getting ready for this evening. My grandparents, Sadie, Bert and of course little Tootie are joining us for supper.

When I left the house, the sweet smell of a vanilla cake already filled the air. Later it will be topped with my favorite rich chocolate frosting. My mouth is watering already.  After supper, our neighbors are going to join us for coffee and cake. It will be so nice to see all of them again especially little Tootie. I can’t get enough of that little angel.

John said he’d drop any mail we had by later this afternoon. I sure hope I have a letter from Roy for if I don’t this is going to be a blue, blue birthday.

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 Nagrom, WN

 May 8th, 1915

Dear Mae:

Well here I am again. How are you feeling this lovely evening, fine tho I trust. I am feeling first class and am getting along just fine. Am feeling better everyday. We are having such perfect weather now that one couldn’t help feeling fine. It is sure great. I don’t think I ever saw so much sunshine in the springtime as we have had this season.

I don’t know much in the way of news to tell you this week, as I haven’t had any letters. I had a letter from Justin over a week ago and he said he was going back to Puyallup and would be there he thought by the first of the month, so guess he must be down there now. I wish I was down there so I could see him and Lillian. It seems a long time since I saw them, in fact it has been almost a year now. I am going to try to get Justin to come up here after the Fourth of July. He and I could sure have some good times fishing together. I haven’t got to go on any fishing trips yet. Was planning one for tomorrow but can’t go as we’re going to have to work, will have to put it off for a week. I guess I hate to miss getting to go fishing just about as bad as Hazel hates to miss a dance. You know how bad that is.

I got your last letter Wednesday; awful sorry you had such a time with your throat and hope it is all right by now.

Joe isn’t with us now. He went away last Wednesday. He said he wasn’t feeling very well so suppose he went home. I don’t know if he will come back here or not. I hardly think he will tho.

Richard is still with me tho and I am going to try all I can to keep him here. He has been sitting here playing the violin ever since I started this letter.

Well I have now told you all I know and some I don’t know so guess I had better let you go. Give my best wishes to all the folks and keep some for yourself.

As ever, Roy

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May 9, 1913

Dear Diary,

I didn’t write in you yesterday as I was feeling pretty bushed out from my birthday party the night before. My did we ever have a nice time; it would have been absolutely perfect if only Roy had been here to share it. Nevertheless, it was far nicer than I expected.

As it was a warm day, Hazel and Daniel set up tables for us to eat outside. Hazel made three gorgeous bouquets out of the wildflowers she collected. I didn’t know the pale blue of Iris combined with blue eyed grass, white crazy weed and yellow sweet clover could be so artfully displayed. 

Late in the afternoon John came with the mail. I had cards from Roy’s mother and Lida as well as from Vera. But best of all was the box, from yours truly. Inside was a beautiful card and a leather-bound book of poetry. Oh, I just love it so much. Wildflowers were pressed between four of the pages. He said they marked the poems that best spoke from his heart. Such beautiful words I never read and to think he thinks of me this way.

Mama and Papa gave me a new book to read, it’s the one for our mid-July book club meeting, “The Price of Love,” by Arnold Bennett,  I think I am becoming a book worm.  Must be the book club or perhaps it is Roy rubbing off on me. Never a day goes by without his spending time with his nose in a book or newspaper.

Grandma and Grandpa gave me the loveliest tablecloth to go in my hope chest. It’s made of damask with pretty pink rose embroidery. I can envision it now on my table, set with a matching bouquet of roses and fine china. Hmm, maybe I will have myself a rose garden so I can have endless bouquet of roses, now wouldn’t that be something.

Sadie gave me a blue polka-a-dot scarf. Hazel and Daniel picked out pretty cards with flowers adorning them. Hazel said she used the cards for inspiration for the bouquets she’d arranged. That made them even more special. She also embroidered yellow flowers on a hanky for me. She’s getting rather good with her embroidery.  Floyd and the rest of the Waddington’s gave me a box of stationary, with their fetching our mail so often they know how many letters I write.

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