August 15, 1915

Dear Diary,

My Aunt Lib died on Wednesday. They had a big funeral for her over at the Waddington house. All the folks from around here turned out so that tells you what folks thought of her. I know it was for the best she had suffered long enough but I can’t help but feel bad. I loved her so, she was such a dear and so good to me over the years.  Papa took it hard; she was just 6 years older.  Makes me realize how old my poor Papa is getting, I hate to think of him being gone in another 6 years. Course he has 7 other siblings who are older yet and still living. My Uncle John is 18 years older and doing just fine out in Rosedale, Washington.

Yesterday the Book and Thimble club met at the Massies’. This time we read “Anne of the Island” by Lucy Maud Montgomery. It’s the third in the Anne of Green Gables series. I loved the first two. This one was good but I like the other two more. Still, I kindy identified with Ann. Though you will never find me turning my Roy down if and when he asks for my hand in marriage. But then I guess my Roy is really her Gilbert. I cheered when I read they finally got engaged.

Just when I really got to know and enjoyed Miss Guys company she upped and moved away. Now I am without a girlfriend nearby again. Oh well if we really move we won’t be here much longer anyway.

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Nagrom, Wash
August 17, 1915

Dear Mazie,

 Well here I am once again for a little one sided talk with you. I wonder how you are this evening. Hope you are feeling just fine tho. I had a letter from you last Sun. and another one today. Was sure surprised to get the one today as I wasn’t looking for it at all.

I was certainly sorry to hear of the death of Mrs. Waddington and I sympothize deeply with the ones left behind to mourn her. I know just how it is to part with a dear one for ever for I have had the experience myself. I know pretty near how sad you all feel and wish that I could say something that would cheer you up a little but I know that mere words haven’t much power to cheer at such a time. It is hard to think that is for the best when we have to part with a dear one, but it must be for there is a power that rules over us that is greater than we can know.

I little thought when I said good-bye to Mrs. Waddington in Belle Fourche last winter that it was the last time I would see her on this earth. It is a good thing I guess that we can’t know such things before hand. If we could it would be terrible. I feel so sorry for Mr. Waddington and the girls. Suppose they won’t know how to get along without Mother.

I sure wish I might have been at your place on my birthday. I had a pretty good time on that day but know that I would had a much better time if I could have been with you. I would like awful well to see Tootie and Sadie also. Expect that Tootie has grown to be such a big girl that I would hardly know her. I have forgotten when her birthday is but she must be about a year old now.

We are having delightful weather now. Yesterday we had quite a thunder storm and it cooled things off in great shape. It sure some hot over where Amber is I would hate to be there. I don’t think it has ever been above 85 degrees here and that is enough suit me. I bet Joe and Richard are doing lots of sweating as they are both over east of the mountain somewhere.

Do you ever hear anything form Vera anymore? You hasn’t mentioned her for a long time. I would love to hear how she and Clarence are making it by now.

So you friend Miss Guy has left you. You don’t seem to have very good luck with your girl friends. They are all time getting married or else going away.

 There is going to be a wedding here in the camp tomorrow or rather I should say it is not to be in the camp either but they both live here. They went to Tacoma today and are going to be married there and are coming back here about the last of the week. The man is one of the fellows that I had for a partner last fall, so I know him pretty well. I am not much acquainted with the girl. She is only seventeen, pretty young for a wife don’t you think. He has been building a new house the last week and Mr. Cook and I have been helping him evenings.

Well I guess I don’t know anymore worth saying so will stop and read awhile give my regards to all,

 as ever Roy

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Nagrom, WN

August 27, 1915

Dear Mae,

Well how is the girl today? Just fine tho I hope. I am writing this out int the woods during the noon hour while I rest. Haven’t a very good place to write so you will have to excuse me if my writing is poor. I was just ready to start a letter to you the other evening when the call came to turn out to fight fire so I had to postpone it.

 Fire had caught in the brush along the railroad from the locomotive when it brought the crew in from work. We were out all night and all the next day before we could stop it. I sent that card when we came in for breakfast and had only a minute to spare or so couldn’t write much. The fire burned over quite a lot of logged ground but we managed to keep it out of the green timber so there was not much damage done except that it burned a couple of railroad bridges, which will take lots of work to rebuild.

All the fire is about out now so I don’t think there is any more danger from it. I sure hope so anyway for fighting fire in the woods is a pretty bad job and very dangerous to. The smoke was so thick the first day that I could hardly stand it. It made me pretty sick for a while to.

• 

I had a letter from Lida this week and she said they were all pretty well now that she was busy picking blackberries for Mr. Perkensen. She also said that Justin and Lillian and Hue and Lodie were going over to Yakima to pick hops. They will probably go where Ode and Amber are for there are lots of hops near there. She didn’t say when they were going to start but I suppose it will be soon tho as picking will begin soon, about the tenth of Sept. I think.

My friend Mr. Cook and I are going huckle-berry picking this evening. We are going right after supper and stay until tomorrow afternoon, that is why I am writing this at noon. I expect to get a letter this evening and if I don’t somebody will be awfully disappointed. Well it is time to go to work again so I must say good-by and go to work again.

As ever Roy

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August 30,1915

Dear Diary,

Vera was here this past week. I don’t have to tell you how nice that was.  She looked and sounded so happy; marriage certainly seems to agree with those two. Yesterday she came with me to the Book and Thimble meeting. Everyone was some glad to see her again. I’m so horse. I did so much talk the past couple of days my voice has all but left me.

The threshers should be out here in another week or two and then as hard as it is for me to believe we are moving to Belle Fourche.

It will certainly be different living in a lodging house. I guess we will have 2 or 3 rooms and share meals with the other boarders. Papa has found some temporary work in the stockyards.  I am hoping I will be able to find some work also.