October 23, 1914

 Dear Diary,

I surely have been busy cooking for the threshing crews the past week. First Mama and I cooked for our place then we went to cook for Uncle Will Phillips place. Now I am at Sadie’s waiting for the threshers again. But it looks like we will have a bit of a break as it is raining today as well as yesterday. In fact, the weather was so stormy the dance scheduled for last night in Donald got cancelled. Threshing here won’t happen now for another week. I really do not mind the rain as it gives us all a chance to catch our breath from all the cooking, the farmers probably feel differently though.

Baby Iretha is getting to be so cute. She smiled and cooed at me this morning when I picked her up. It was her first smile and it tickled me to think she saved it for me. She loves to stretch and kick her legs and can hold her head up so high to look around. I look forward to the day I can hold my own babies in my arms. I hope they will have Roy’s blue eyes and maybe one can have Grandma Jessie’s red hair. More than likely they will have dark brown hair, like mine and Roy’s.

 Sadie and Bert have taken to calling her Tootie. I have no idea why, but it seems to fit her.

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October 25, 1914

Dear Diary,

Today is Sunday, we attended a fine church service in Aladdin. Reverend Tracy gave a nice sermon. Lots of politicians showed up to as it is almost election time. There was a lot of politics being discussed in the churchyard after the service, lots of ideas were being exchanged. A big topic of debate was the state of the roads around here and what could be done to improve them. I know Papa doesn’t have the mail route anymore but it sure would be nice if whoever is delivering the mail wouldn’t have to stop an make a section of road passable before they can move on. The was also lots of talking going on about the war in Europe and debating on whether we should get involved. I don’t even want to think of that possibility.

This afternoon the three of us took Iretha over in the buggy to visit the Walters and enjoy a fine fried chicken dinner. I took a chocolate layer cake over which we enjoyed over coffee before we came home.

Sadie has given me some nice wool and I am going to use it to knit Roy some warm socks for Christmas this year. He says now his parents have decided to go visit in Missouri this winter instead of moving there. I hope he does not decide to go with them as he said he’d like to meet his Mother’s family. I couldn’t bear it if he didn’t come here. Maybe he’d even decide he like Missouri and never leave.

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October 26, 1914

Dear Diary,

Since there are no threshers to cook for yet I decided today would be a good day to go out and enjoy the fine fall weather we are having. The fall color is late this year and today was an unusually warm October day. Setting off from the Marchant’s house I headed off on a trail going toward the creek. The sunlight was dancing so pretty against the clumps of yellow aspens that I plopped down under them with my knees hunched to my chest and inhaled the rich aroma of the earth. I watched as golden leaves swirled and pirouetted around me creating a golden carpet. It was as if I had struck gold, the gold that so alluded my great grandpas.

Mona, Wyo

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Oct. 28, 1914

Dear Roy,

Here goes for a few lines I suppose you have been a little disappointed a few times lately for I have been kindy neglectful here of late. But I know you will excuse me if I tell you the reason. We were busy with the thrashers last Mon and Tuesday. Mama and I came down to Uncle Will Phillips and Aunt Sadie and Bert came by for me for they were going to have thrashers but it stormed and so made the corn so wet they couldn’t thrash for a while not until next week now so I don’t know if I can stay or not. Aunt Sadie wants me to but I almost have to go home as we are so busy getting ready. We are down to Mrs. Marchants place here is where they will thrash. I have been here since a week ago yesterday. I surely mis Mrs. Marchant the house seems so lonely without her here. I never got to get my Tuesday’s letter so supose I will have two or three when I go home.

Well how are you getting along? We are all well My I wish you could see Iretha she is a dear. I am rocking her with one hand and writing with the other So I can’t do a very good job. I can’t hardly think of going away and leaving here for I have got so used to being with her. And I believe she is going to have red hair. I hope so anyway. But Bert says he will cut it off. But Aunt Sadie and I will see to that. Aunt Sadie says she is going to have her picture taken soon and will send you one. I got two cards from Vera so far I think they are to the end of their journey by now so I will soon have a letter. I have already wrote to her. My we have had the grandest weather for this time of the year only one snow and it did not last long and one storm. Iretha and I went over to Aunt Sadies place yesterday everything looked quite nice. They will be glad to get back again. I may go home tomorrow. I don’t know just when we will move not for about two weeks tho I think. Do you ever hear from Justin? I believe they are very forgetful. I wonder where Amber and Ode are? Oh yes I must tell you about Iretha and I going visiting Sunday we got ready and she and I went up to Walters she was so good and looked so sweet. Do you remember Miss Hunnicutt (she was to our place once and her sister) well she was married a week or two ago. I never saw the man she married. There is only three girls left in our neighborhood.
I had to stop and take Iretha so will finish. Well I will stop as there is no news so by by.

As ever Mae.

(China letter translated from this letter:
“You must say something about coming back. You must burn all these letters for my sake.”)

September 14, 1914

Dear Diary,

You will not believe this but I have been busy today making a wedding dress. No, not mine though I wish it were, it is Vera’s. Here I thought Clarence would wait until he got settled in Nebraska before asking for her hand in marriage. He told her he could not bear the thought of leaving her even for few months and asked her to marry now, so she could go along. She said yes, of course. They are getting married later this week.

 I have been helping her get a new dress finished in time for the big day. It’s nothing fancy but it is the prettiest blue plaid you ever did see and she will surely look like a “worth” model in it. I wish I could be with her on her big day but they are going to get married in Belle Fourche and we have too much to get done here for me to go. I will see her again before they leave as they are coming back to load up the covered wagons. Yes, you read those words right they are not taking a train like most folks do nowadays.

When I told Mama, she said, “well heaven knows it will be easier than the trip we made by covered wagon in the 1880’s. More towns to stop in for supplies and the trails and roads are much better.”

 Maybe so, but I am a modern girl, I prefer train travel. I am sure Roy wouldn’t want to go anywhere by covered wagon either, he did enough of it growing up. He told me his family was always moving and he doesn’t want to do that to any family he has. He wants to stay put somewhere and put down roots, which sound good to me too. My family may not go far but almost every winter we end up staying elsewhere whether it is Donald, Aladdin, or Belle Fourche. The year I was four we stayed in Hay Creek with my uncles, Tom, Solomon, Hugh, William, and Grandma Jessie Phillips all in one little place. I would prefer to live somewhere where we don’t have to move every winter because it is too isolated.

Guess it does not much matter to me if we go to Belle Fouche now though. I will be minus my chum either way. I am trying to feel excited for her but I sure wish it were me. Well not completely, I have no desire to go to Nebraska but I would gladly go to Washington state. Only I would go by train, no covered wagons for me, thank you.

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September 15, 1914

Clarence Waddington stopped by here a bit ago. He said he was on his way to visit Vera but had spotted a Mountain lion and cub walking outside the neighbor’s barn. He is alerting everyone and the men will take up a search for it shortly.

I imagine they will locate her soon enough but just the same I am glad Daniel and Hazel are here at the house today and not out wandering around.

Word is the threshers are not going to get here to Deep Creek until next month, so we won’t be done harvesting for a while yet.

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September 17, 1914

Dear Diary,

I have been thinking of Vera for today is her wedding day. In fact, she is probably already an old married lady, ha, ha. I sure hope things go well for them when they move to Nebraska. I wonder if it will be though, seems to me it is just as dry there as it is here. If only this drought we have been experiencing for the last several years would end. Lots of folks are talking about relocating.

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September 19, 1914

Yesterday Mama and I took the afternoon off to go to the meeting of the “Book and Thimble” club. I was surprised when Mama invited me to go along. So why is it I am grown up enough to go to a ladies’ club but not to get married? It’s kind of a combination book and sewing club and an excuse to get together. They try to meet twice a month when they are able and take turns hosting it. This time we met at the Pannell ranch. They raise the best melons around so we had all the watermelon and musk melons we could eat.

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September 21, 1914

Dear Diary,

Mama and I have been busy canning. Just a few minutes ago I took a bushel basket of dried shelled beans to the root cellar. What a sight to be seen down there at this time of the year. All the shelves are clean and gleaming with hundreds of jars in colors of green, gold, yellow and orange lined up row after row.

It makes me proud just looking at them and knowing I had a hand in all the growing, picking, steaming, boiling, and sanitizing of everything. I am not sure where we will end up this winter but we will have plenty to eat.

Vera and Clarence are back from Belle Fouche and are now a married couple. They dropped over last evening. They brought with them a pound of Oreo biscuits they bought in town. I guess they are now quite the rage. I had heard of them but never had a chance to try one. They consist of two crisp chocolate wafers with a layer of white frosting in between, not as good as my oatmeal cookies but they are not bad washed down with fresh milk from our cows.

I almost lost it when they got up to leave. I hate good-byes so I just turned away and went into the house instead of waving them good-bye like the rest of the family.

Papa is going to miss Clarence’s father. They have been friends since they were little boys growing up in Tama County, Iowa. Really we will miss the whole family better neighbors you could never have. But most of all I will miss Vera. She promised me she would be a faithful writer and I hope she will. Still I would rather have her close by than to depend on the mail.

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Dear Diary,

This morning I rode Drummer over to the Waddington’s to say good-bye to Vera and the rest of the folks. I wasn’t the only one a lot of the neighbors came to wish them well. So much hugging and talking going on I didn’t get much chance to talk to Vera. With all the talking it was eleven before they had the covered wagons all loaded with their worldly possessions. They are also hauling plenty of oats and barrels of water for they are taking 18 extra horses along. They are hoping to be able to sell them there for a better price.

Rob Waddington was driving one wagon, Clarence and his brother driving the other two. Vera was riding a horse looking every bit the part of a cowgirl with her divided skirt, fringed shirt, leather gloves and cowboy hat upon her head. They said they hope to camp somewhere between here and Belle Fourche tonight.

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September 27,1914

Dear Diary,

You won’t believe who just drove here in a brand-new Ford. It was James MacDonald and his wife Lulu. Lulu is my cousin only she’s Mama’s age. Grandma Jessie Phillips had 13 children so there are a lot of years between the oldest and youngest. Papa is one of the younger ones.

James said he thinks he likes the automobile better than a horse if only he can learn to make it go uphill and stop when he says, Whoa! Ha, ha!

Times are a changing, quite a few folks around here are starting to buy automobiles, though I don’t see how we will ever afford to buy one. And they may work well on the roads from Aladdin to Belle Fouche or Spearfish but so much of the year our roads out here are barely passable with a horse.

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September 30, 1914

Dear Diary,

Believe it or not I have already heard from Vera. She said they were near Rapid City when she wrote. So far the trip has been uneventful. Apparently before retiring into their own cozy little tent she and Clarence enjoy sitting under the stars each night dreaming about their future. She makes it all sound so romantic.

I am tired of waiting to turn 21, I want to be married too. And I don’t have to tell you who, my Roy is the only one for me.

Nothing I can do about it tonight, though so I best go in. It’s been a warm and glorious fall but the days are growing shorter and the leaves are beginning to change color. It will not be long before we wake to some frost.

Tomorrow Grandpa Smith is picking me up and then we will pick up Grandma at Sadie’s in Aladdin and then go on to Hulett for a few days. I will finally get to set my eyes on baby Iretha. I am excited to see her and see Sadie again.

August 1, 1914

Dear Diary,

I haven’t written much lately; this is such a busy time of the year I find it hard to spare the time. Mama has never really gotten over the sickness she had earlier in the year and had started feeling rather poorly again so Papa sent her to Belle Fourche to get more treatments from the doctor there. She is staying with relatives. Yesterday we got a note from her saying she is doing some better but will stay a bit longer. I hope she is right about doing better as she hasn’t been good this year at all. It makes me feel worrisome.

Meanwhile Papa is so busy taking care of the farming at both places we hardly see him. This morning he and Daniel left for Donald and will be gone for several days. So Hazel and I are here alone to take care of everything else. Not only do we have to take care of the household chores and garden, but also make sure we feed the livestock and chickens, gather the eggs, milk our 4 cows, get the animals out to graze, put them back in the barn for the night and muck out the stables. To add to that it’s almost time to start picking the wild fruit and canning.

Hazel is pretty good about helping but she is driving me wild with all the singing she does. It wouldn’t be bad if she chose different songs but she sings the same one over and over until I can’t get it out of my head. If I hear her sing by the “Light of the Silvery Moon,” one more time today, she may find herself sleeping under the light of a silvering moon all alone in the garden.

Aug. 4, 1914

Dear Diary,

Down at the edge of our woods we have a good number of choke cherry bushes and they are beginning to get ripe. Picking them at the right time can be tricky, to early they taste horrid but wait until they are black and sweetest and the coons and birds are likely to get them all. So,we try to pick them when they are a deep wine color. Hazel and I went an picked a couple of buckets today. Growing in large clusters they are easy to pick. They are too sour to eat fresh but we sure love them in jelly. Hopefully we will get quite a few more pails full as they surely taste good in the winter over Papa’s flapjacks or smothered on top of a slice fresh from the oven bread.

It rained here quite a bit last week but with it came lightning storms and you know how much I hate those. The day before yesterday our telephone line got hit and it burned out our telephone. It hasn’t been ringing right for a long time anyway but I couldn’t bear the thought of being here alone with no telephone at all. But our dear old neighbor John, came over to look at it and had a spare part to fix what got burned out. So that is a good thing and the rain has made my garden looks so much better which is a second good thing.   

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Mona, Wyo
Aug. 7, 1914

Dear Roy,-
I supose you will be very much put out about me not writing oftener but realy Hazel and I are baching here and was just so busy. I thot John was going to the Post office Thursday but he never so there for I am afraid you won’t get a letter very soon. I expect you think I am very careless and I know that I am too. I will try to do much better tho here after.

This is only Friday, and I supose I shouldn’t start a letter so long before I sent it but I was so awfully tired I just had to stop a few minutes.

It keeps Hazel and I real busy doing all the work and chores and we are picking and putting up cherrys too. My we just got back from picking three ten-pound pails and it is dreadful hot too. My we were surely tired, and Hazel wants to go over to grandpas tonight after supper so supose we will walk over there after supper. I am about all in tho.

I sent you a card and had Edna to mail it Tuesday but she never mailed it until friday so you won’t get that very soon either. My I am awful sorry I wonder how you are today? I got your letter last Tuesday and you know I was glad.

Saw Vera twice today, Mama has been gone nearly two weeks. I am getting real lonesome to see her. I think I will go down next week and stay with Papa as he will have some men working and so he needs a cook. Oh my! Hazel says it is time to get supper so will get busy again I will finish later, so good bye,

Mae

Aug 8, your birthday

Well here I am again I have been real busy doing the Saturday’s work and am about all in. Am nearly threw tho. I have only to churn, press my dress, make a cake, finish making my bread, and get supper. My seems like I never get throu.
Hazel is riding after horses. My, Daniel phoned and said they were coming home tonight so I am so glad. Mama has been gone nearly two weeks and Papa and Daniel nearly one.

Papa has so much to do and he can’t find anyone to work for him as help is so scarce this summer he is doing all his work alone so far but may be able to get help next week. Everybody wants someone to work but there don’t seem to be very many around here that want to work.

We had several nice rains since I last wrote and some dreadful storms. One time it stormed, it burnt our phone line. I was just about wild. We have it fixed now tho and it works better than it did for 3 years.

My I am glad it is not so warm in Wash. as it is here.

Hazel and I went over to grandpas last night we never started out until so late tho. We never got there until about nine oclock at night. See how brave we are it was awful dark too. There is going to be a picnic at Mc Donalds and a big dance after wards. I (the rest of this letter is missing)

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August 8, 1914

Dear Diary,

I am sitting out in the yard as it is another hot evening. The air feels so dry and dusty, it makes my throat scratchy all day. I do hope the weather cools down soon, I have had enough of this heat.

Papa and Daniel made it back here in time for dinner tonight. I was glad I had decided to bake some biscuits to go with our stew and fresh greens. I opened tinned peaches for dessert. My, did they ever scarf down the food. Daniel said it was a heap better than the pork and beans and corn pone Papa had been fixing all week. He even gave me a great big hug and said he’d missed me. It’s nice to be appreciated.

I am feeling rather blue. I long to be with Roy for today is his birthday. I wanted to send him a gift but I had no way of getting one. I did have a card but have been so awfully busy I had to give it to Edna to mail for me on Tues. Only she forgot so it didn’t get mailed until Friday. I was not one bit pleased when she told me. It was all I could do not to scold her and that would have been bad for she was doing me a favor. He probably thinks I have forgotten him which I can assure you I haven’t. 

If he were here I would make him a great big cake. Maybe another angel food as we’ve got plenty of eggs with some berry preserves dripping over the top. He’s crazy for anything with berries. And I’d sing that “Happy Birthday To You,” song everyone has started singing. But he’s not here and that makes me so very blue.

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August 10, 1914

Dear Diary,

Now that Papa and Daniel are back I have a bit more time to write. Last night after the supper dishes were done I set off for the top of the hill to watch the sun set. And oh, what a sight it was with the fields glowing gold and the wind blowing them like waves on an ocean. At least I imagine it’s like an ocean for I have never actually seen one. As the sky turned to a purple dusk, I sat with my hands wrapped around my legs, listening to the greatest orchestra of all. There can be no sweeter melody than the sound of a gentle wind, rippling through the grass, accompanied by the chirping crickets and the song of a meadowlark.

It won’t be long now until those glowing fields are just a memory. If only their yield would be as big as we hoped for.  

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August 13, 1914

Dear Diary,

I must tell you about a funny incident that happened last night while Hazel and I were finishing up the supper dishes. Someone left the screen door open and a snake had taken the notion to slither in while our backs were turned to the sink. Hazel turned around to put her dish towel down and let out an ear-piercing shriek. “Snake!” I turned and saw that it was just a harmless bull snake and not a very big one at that, but her screams had alarmed it. It had reared itself up to look bigger and started thumping its tail like a rattler. She ran from the room screeching. I grabbed the broom shooed it back out the door as it hissed and reared at me all the while. Papa and Daniel came racing from the barn to see what all the commotion was about just as I swept it out the door. We all had a good belly laugh afterwards, except for Hazel she was amused and you can be sure she is going to be sure the screen door is firmly latched from now on.

I better stop writing and see what the shouting in the yard is about. Hopefully it’s not another snake scare.

July 1, 1914

Dear diary,

My was yesterday ever a busy day for it was Hazel’s 14^th birthday. Mama and I were busy fussing over the house and making the cake in preparation for her evening party. Hazel wanted a Devils food cake which has been all the rage around here this year. Mama made the pies and I made the cake. Here’s the recipe I used.

“Devil’s Food“
1/2 cup of milk
4 ounces of chocolate
1/2 cup butter
3 cups pastry flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoonfuls of baking powder
Put in a double boiler four ounces of chocolate and a half pint of milk; cook until smooth and thick, and stand aside to cool. Beat a half cup of butter to a cream; add gradually one and a half cups of sugar and the yolks of four eggs; beat until light and smooth. Then add the cool chocolate mixture and three cups of pastry flour, with which you have sifted two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. Beat thoroughly for at least five minutes; then stir in the well beaten whites of the eggs. Bake in three or four layers. Put the layers together with soft icing, to which you have added a cup of chopped nuts. The success of this cake depends upon the flour used.”
—Mrs. Rorer’s New Cook Book, Sarah Tyson Rorer [Philadelphia: 1902] (p. 619)

Boiled icing
One cup of sugar (granulated), quarter cup of water (cold), one egg (only white, beaten stiff). Put water on sugar in a saucepan and let it boil until it threads. Then remove from fire and pour over the stiff white, beaten until it thickens. Put on the cake at once.”
—The Oracle: Receipts Rare, Rich and Reliable, The Woman’s Parish Aid Society of Christ Church, [Tarrytown: New York] 1894 (p. 88)

And if I do say so myself the cake turned out mighty fine. And since not a speck of it is left I’d say others thought so too.

We had a nice crowd over. Since the weather was warm and fine we pot-lucked it outside. And of course, everyone brought something to share. So many good things to eat, smoked ham, biscuits and bread, fresh garden vegetables as well as pickled canned goods, my cake and Mama’s pies. Hazel proudly showed off her new middy blouse Mama had made her. Everyone said it was better than store bought. I’d embroidered some tiny red rose on a new hanker-chief to remind her of all the rose beads we have been making. Ha, Ha. And Daniel saved a couple of his pennies to buy her some chocolates. And she loved the scarf Roy sent her. It was so thoughtful of him to remember her birthday. He is such a good man.

As the sun set the men lit a bonfire and we all sat below sky of twinkling diamonds swatting mosquitoes, talking and singing.

Two of the neighbors brought their violins and played some tunes while we all visited. Vera played her guitar some too, and everyone sang along to it. All the music made Hazel very happy as she loves it more than anything. “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” seems to be the favorite of everybody, not that we sound so awfully good but it’s fun just the same. And as always when the word Irish or Ireland comes up Papa and his siblings have to remind us all the Phillips money woes will disappear once their Irish ship comes in. Honestly even if was and true and his Great Grandfather, Patrick O’hara, was entitled to some great Irish estate, it would be divided so many ways by now it wouldn’t amount to much. Papa himself is one of 13 siblings and then there are all of his many cousins.

The coyotes were yowling at us by the time the party broke up, it must have been at least midnight.

Makes it hard to get up the energy to do much today. I think we will just have some leftover ham and cold biscuits for supper tonight.

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Mona, Wyo
July 4, 1914

Dear friend,-
I have not received your letter yet but don’t supose I’ll get it until Tuesday or Wednesday so thot I would write any way, so you could get it.
Well I wonder what you are doing today, this is the 4th. I will tell you how we are spending it. Yesterday we started up to my Uncles who lives about twenty five or theirty miles from here. We started at seven in the morning and got off the right road and went so far out of our way. At twelve thirty we stopped for dinner and then we drove about two miles when here we meet them coming down to our place. I guess we were all sure surprised and it was fifteen miles on to their place and the roads were so rough that we decided to all come back here so started, and we ate our supper on the river then came on home got here about ten oclock last night and I was never so tired in all my life. We all were. I have not felt very good so I guess that made me worse. Today Grandpa and Grandma came over and we had ice cream and so spent the fourth at home. Aunt Sadie and Bert were not here tho. I wish they could have been. My I was surely glad to see all the folks they have a baby we had never saw and they named her Zeta Mae, so I have name sake.

Well it is getting dark. I don’t supose you can read this so will write more later, good night.

Well here I am today this is Sunday. We are still pretty tired yet. I don’t know when we will get over that trip. We made ice cream again today. I wish you were here. I supose you will be going back to Nagrom today or tomorrow.
I gave every body I saw and some I didn’t see some cherrys and I counted them all up that had some and there were forty, so you see how good they must have been. McDonald’s and Clara and all them said they sent their best regards and would like to see you and have you come see them and they had not forgotten you.
Well I will close. I hope your arm is well.
As ever,
Mae

Authors note: This photo is of a portion of the actual letter and dried flowers still with the letter.

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July 6, 1914

Dear Diary,

Well the fourth has come and gone. We never did get to Hulett as they came here instead. I could have gone back with them but decided not to. The folks can use my help and I hate to have Uncle Will have to go to all the trouble of taking me back.

Oh, and I must tell you if anyone ever tells you that rattlesnakes always rattle before they strike, don’t believe them. I know because one almost caught me this afternoon. Mama had asked me to fetch some cold water from the spring so I grabbed two pails and marched off to get it. I was so busy hoping I’d get a letter from Roy today I didn’t notice the rattler until it was inches from the toe of my boot. I jumped backwards just in time.

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July 9, 1914

Dear Diary,

Today I finally got up the courage write to Roy and tell him some moths got into the beautiful fur cape he gave me and damaged it in a couple of spots. Fortunately, they didn’t get into the hat or muff. Vera said I should tell him for she thought the place he purchased them at could repair the damage. I hope so and I hope he isn’t too mad. It was very careless of me not to take better care of them.

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July 10,1914

Dear Diary,

Our old neighbor John came by today with the mail from Mona and a couple of Jack rabbits he had shot. My they were so nice and plump. Mama thanked him and invited him to stay for dinner which he accepted. Then he and Daniel went to work to dress them while we fixed up some baked beans, corn bread and coffee to go with them. Trust me when I say it all smelled so good and tasted good too.

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July 11, 1914

Dear Diary,

The folks left this morning to go to Belle Fourche for a few days. I probably won’t get much of chance to write in you with just me to hold down the fort. Well I will have Hazel and Daniel here for some company. We have had quite a few lightning storms; I sure hope we don’t get another one while they are gone. I worry so about getting a lightning strike on one of the outbuildings or worse the house. It’s hard to be the brave one for Hazel and Daniel when the truth be told I am more scared than they are. I know I have said it before but I hate lightning storms.

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June 19, 1914

Dear Diary,

My I have been working so hard helping Mama and then Papa with the crops. More than I have ever done before. So far this is the busiest season I remember. My hands look so stained and rough. I’m going to ask Mama if she has any healing cream she uses to spare as I could surely use some.

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June 20, 1914

Dear Diary,

It’s a quiet evening. We had a cold supper tonight so there wasn’t much to do for clean-up. I am sitting out in my garden watching it grow. Hazel says I am crazy but it’s growing so fast this week I really do think I can see it grow.

For a change Papa is done for the day and enjoying one of the many periodicals we subscribe to and Mama is working on a new middy blouse and skirt for Hazel to wear for her birthday. Supposedly the blouse is the latest in middy styles. Hazel picked it out of the Sears Catalog and Mama is copying it. She’s incredible, she can just look at a picture in the catalog and then make one like it. She’s teaching me her secrets and I have to say I am getting pretty good at it. This middy will be a tan color with a red sash belt and bow tie.  The belt goes around the hip and is kept in place by slits in the fabric which the belt is threaded through. It also features a squared front collar and is rounded in back and a red bow tie. She’s going to love it.

Vera was over this afternoon; we sure had a good chat. She says the new ranch hand working at the place across the road from them is smitten with me. She thinks I should pay him some attention. So handsome she said and more importantly lives here not in Washington. I did talk to him for a bit at the young people’s meeting and he is easy on the eyes but I absolutely am not interested in courting him or anyone else around here. I told her she could have them but she laughed and said no way she has has found her guy. Clarence is her one and only. I told her it was the same with me, Roy is my one and only.

I’m kindy afraid I feel another one of those sick headaches coming on again. I hope not, I can’t stand them and have been having them too often lately. When they get bad I can’t do anything, not study or even eat.

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Mona, Wyo

June 22, 1914

Dear Roy-
How are you today? I surely hope you are fine and that your arm is well am sorry you are having so much trouble with it. I am pretty well except have a terrible headache today but will get over it I guess.
Bert and Sadie were here today they just left a little while ago they are going down home. Aunt Sadie is some ancious to see how every thing look in her garden. She just planted it and came up here. Bert just go back from shearing, Saturday. I am alone just now Mama went over in the field to where Papa is working and Hazel and Daniel are at school. I got a picture of Lillian and their big boy Saturday.
I really almost went crazy over it. Was so glad. I also got a letter from Lida, she wrote a nice letter.
Vera was up day before yesterday and I was down there the day before that.
I helped Papa in the field a little last week and want to help him some more soon as I can. My garden is looking fine, I stay in it half the time. I just have lots of comfort watching it grow.

 I suppose you are working hard today in the woods. Grandpa has a great time looking throu his glasses at that big tree in that picture. I wish I knew where to get a few pictures of some more large trees he enjoys looking at them so much. Justin said in his letter he was thinking of going to Buckley to work, so perhaps he is there now.

 Got your letter of course Saturday. I guess we will get our mail at Mona from now on and then I don’t know when we will get as we won’t be so handy but perhaps John will get it for us as he is always going.

Well my headaches so I will have to stop for now will write more tomorrow as this is only Monday. Good by until later.

Here I am this morning but don’t feel like writing very much so you will just have to excuse me this time. hope I can write better next time. Will not be sure of the mail either way from now on as you can never tell when you can get the mail or send any. I have a dreadful headache over my left eye. Well I will close now.

Best Wishes as ever Mae.

P.S. Don’t get worried if you do not hear from me regular for it is not always I can send a letter, but always do the best I can.
Excuse this poor letter.

(China letter included with this letter translate to : “Don’t say anything about me not feeling well but I must have to tell you I have felt pretty bad for a week, have got the blues too but don’t worry about me just think of you and I will be fine.”  

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Nagram, Wash.

June 26^th, 1914

Dear Mae:

Well here I am again to bother you for a fiew minutes with my foolishness as I have nothing else to do this evening. Wish I could see and talk to you for a little while instead of writing. I think it would be much nicer and I can talk better than I write and I am not so very much on the talk either.

Well how are you getting along by now? I got your last letter last Sunday and of course I was glad but sorry you were not feeling very well and hope you are better now. You must be careful with yourself and not get sick any more than you can help for you don’t know how it hurts me to here of you being sick.

Richard isn’t here now, he got hurt last Monday and went to the hospital. It isn’t anything serious tho. He got hit on the leg with a cable, which bruised his leg quite badly. Haven’t heard from him since he left so I don’t know how he is getting along. I think he will be alright again in a couple of weeks. We sure miss him here, for he was playing for us on the violin every evening, and it has seemed awful lonely since he went away.

Tell Hazel I would like to be there to give her a good threshing for her birthday. Hope she will like her scarf. It seems funny to give a present like that in the summer but it is something that will last until cold weather come around.

I am not feeling so well this week as usual. Have had a pretty bad cold for a fiew days and it makes me feel pretty bum I tell you, and the weather is still pretty bad, rains a good share of the time, has been raining and early all day today and is coming down like sixty or sixty-five just now. I wonder if we are going to ever have any summer, it sure doesn’t look like it now. If we don’t has some sunshine pretty soon I am afraid it will be bad for the rasp-berries. They have begun to ripen now and should have some dry weather. I had a letter from Mother the other day and she said they had picked quite a fiew already.

Lida has been sick with mumps but is just about over it now. Blanch Stockton is staying with the folks now she is picking berries. Mother said that Lillian and you’re your Aunt Ann were going to pick also. So guess that Justin and Lillian must be back in Puyallup. I would sure like to see them and I suppose I will in a fiew days now. I hear that the camp is going to close down next Friday, that will be the second of July, and it will start up again the following Tuesday so we will have only three days to do our celebrating. But guess that will be plenty of time for us to get drunk and blow in all our money.

Don’t expect to do any celebrating this year. I think I will stay home and have a good rest. I have been at home so little in the past two years that it is pretty nice to get to be home for a while. Think I will enjoy that more than any other way I can spend the time that I will have to spare.

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Mona Wyo

June 28, 1914

Dear Roy –

This is only Sunday but I thot I would write a letter to you as I a kindy lonesome. I wonder how you are today. I hope your arm is alright by now. I am afraid you did not take good care of it did you, you must be careful. I have surely been on the sick list for a week or more, think I am some better today. I am alone today Papa is hunting horses and Mama, Hazel and Daniel went to church. I didn’t feel like going today. I sure hate to miss going but I just could not today.

Vera is alone too, so she said maybe she would be up. I hope she does, for then I would have good company. She was up yesterday to see me, but I was so sick I didn’t get to say much to her but if she comes today I will make up for lost time. Wish you were coming.

Well I got your letter also those other things. And oh how good those cherries are they are the best I ever saw they just kept fine and there was not one mashed or nothing wrong with them they just came in time as I had not ate anything yesterday and I ate quite a few. My there were fine. I sure wish I could help you pick them but I am afraid I would be more bother than good, as I would eat so very many. Well here comes Vera so will stop and write more later. Good by until then M.E.P

Monday 29

Well here I am to bother you some more. I wish I knew how you was this fine day. I am pretty good, feel better than I had that is for several days.

I will send this up Nagram as I think you will be there by the time this gets there. I suppose you will be home for the forth I hope so as it won’t be so lonesome there. Am glad Lida got along so well.

I think maybe we will go to Hulett for the forth. My uncle and Aunt lives there. I hope we can as I am anxious to see them, it has been a long time since we saw them. We are going Friday if we go as it is about 25 miles from here, I may stay a week or so as I think I would feel better if I stayed there a while as I may stay. All the folks want me to. Mama’s aunt and Uncle were here today and I gave them some cherries and they nearly went wield, over them.

Vera and I had a fine time yesterday as the folks did not get home until late.

Oh yes I have been going to tell you for the last several time how Aunt Sara Waddington is, she is not well by all means as she is in town yet. And Uncle Will has been awful poorly this spring and summer, he could scarcely stand to take treatment at all. I feel so sorry for them all. They have had quite a bit of trouble.

Hazel and Daniel are hunting for strawberries as they have to hunt for a hour or two for a cup. But they are sure good when we do get them.

I am glad your berries are so nice but sorry your Uncle got hurt. Your cherries must be nice too this year, those you sent were fine. I believe they saved my life as I have been feeling better ever since. I got a letter from Frank Risher, he is doing fine I guess.

Well I wish you was going to be here the 4^th but you are not so must make the best of it, I will try to write while I am up there if I can.

Well I will close as there is a terrible storm coming Thank you very much for everything you sent.

As ever, Mae

June 2, 1914

Tonight, I hiked across the road and up a little hill to my favorite spot to go on summer evenings when I can spare the time. It’s a big old rock I started calling my pet rock when I was a little girl and Mama and I would go there. It’s the perfect shape to sit and enjoy the view. The prairie isn’t all flat like a lot of folks think at least not here in the Bear Lodge Mountains. Here the land slopes and rolls gentle-like until it bumps into the tree covered Black hills.

Last night’s sunset was spectacular. As the sun set behind the mountains the sky filled with yellow, reds and purples. Grazing on the nearby hills I must have counted 40 antelope and deer. So many rabbits were hopping around too. I’d sure like to catch the ones responsible for eating some of my garden.

I got up to scurry back down the hill as the sky began to darken and the meadow larks sang their last sweet song. Once back in view of the house I saw Hazel sitting alone on the porch hugging her knees.  I joined her and together we watched the moon rise and the sky fill with twinkling stars. It was so beautiful it moved us to start singing a bad rendition of, “Home On The Range.”

It’s evenings like last night that make me glad I’m a Wyoming girl if only my logger was beside me. And yes, I do mean logger, not a cowboy.   

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June 4, 1914

Dear Diary,

Today is Daniel’s 11th birthday. Mama had me make his favorite sour cream chocolate cake. The heavenly smell of chocolate baking drifting out the door to where I sit writing, is enough to drive me wild. When it cools I will make a rich vanilla cream frosting to go on top. My mouth is watering now as I think of tasting it. Can you tell it’s one of my favorites, too?

Mama is out in the yard plucking a chicken. Yes, another favorite of mine, we will have chicken and dumplings for our supper. After supper a few of the neighbors promised to come over and help us celebrate. And on our last visit to Aladdin we got some lemons so we will have lemonade to go with the cake.  

Hazel and I pooled our money together and bought Daniel a new baseball as his old one got lost. Mama and Papa got him a baseball mitt and we already have a bat. He won’t get to open them until after supper. I guess we all spoil him a bit but he is the baby of the family. Right now, he and Hazel are still at school.

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June 5, 1914

Dear Diary,

We had a nice little crowd at the house last night and it was nearly 11 before everyone left. The folks exclaimed about how good my cake was and one of the neighbors brought warm cinnamon buns and a batch of her famous oatmeal cookies so there were plenty of goodies to go around.

Most of the menfolk went out in the yard for a game of baseball so Daniel could break in his new mitt. You should have seen him when they finished, his red hair sticking up every which way and smiling from ear to ear. I guess you could say his new mitt was a homerun.

I was up early as usual this morning so I am kind of tired but must get to work on my garden. It’s a real chore to keep it weeded but I’ll have a nice crop if I succeed in keeping those pesky rabbits out. I’ve had to reseed a few things because of them and I do hope we have enough rain to keep it all growing, too. I tell you being a farmer is not an easy business.

Papa is still so busy with farming both here and in Donald. There are no hired hands to be found anywhere around here. When Mama can spare me, I try to go out and help him the best I can which means I have very little spare time. I guess it’s just as well as it keeps me from thinking of you know who quite so much. Except, it also keeps me from studying and that’s not so good.

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June 10, 1914

Dear Diary,

I just got a letter from Roy and I’m some worried. He was writing because he had the day off due to a sore arm but he didn’t say what was wrong with it. He just got over that bad infection in his arm so I’m afraid it might have come back. Logging is such dangerous business almost anything could have happened. Hopefully it’s just a pulled muscle or something simple like that and he’s already back to normal as I write these words. Still I’m going to fret over it until I hear he is well.

Lida sent me a box of the loveliest rose petals. The sweet scent was intoxicating as I opened the box. Vera called me a bit ago she said she could come over and we could talk while I work on making some more beads.

June 14, 1914

Dear Diary,

Well today was the day Miss Kendall and I held our first young people’s meeting. Let me tell you I was some nervous about it but I guess it turned out all right. Yesterday we carried buckets of water and a broom over to the Mona schoolhouse and mopped and dusted everything good. We even washed the windows, cleaned the blackboard and polished the stove, so everything looked very nice. We made lemonade with the lemons Miss Kendall ordered up from Belle Fourche. We also took up plates and glasses for around 20.

Both of us made cakes. I put some pink coloring Mama bought from the Watkins man in mine and it turned the batter a lovely pink color. But when we cut into the cake we found the color has sunk to the bottom. So instead of being pink it was red on the bottom and white on top. I felt my cheeks turn red as the bottom of that cake, I was so aghast, but it tasted fine and everyone loved it and thought I’d done it on purpose.

We had a pretty good crowd. I think everyone enjoyed themselves but many said they were too busy to commit to coming to regular meetings. On top of that Miss Kendall and Clay Massie announced they are getting married soon. I doubt she will be able to help me with meetings much longer so wonder if we will ever have many.

June 17, 1914

After I did my morning chores for Mama I went out to the fields to help Papa. The hot sun beating down on my poor head made it hurt and now my head aches so bad especially over my left eye. I do hope this isn’t one of those nasty ones that last for days. It hurts so now; I can write no more.