Isabel Kans

July 10th 1889

Dear Sister & Bro

Medicine Lodge Cresset

Oh this is a task for me that I can hardly endure to relate to you my Dear Sister & Brother the History of the Past three days. Still I know it is my duty for I can realyse How anxious you are to know all. Mollie Webster told me that she had writen to you but did not tell you all that has happened as she did not know. I will try.

Last Monday Father Late Ed Carter & I wer helping Mr Selars harvest. Father was driving the Reaper & we were Binding. Mrs Sellars wanted Nona to help her & Nona went in the morning & Nettie told Pa that morning she would go over as he & Late would be away from home all day. Pa told her yes of course, so she came over about 10 oclock with Mable & Blanch in the little wagon. Noon came & we went to dinner. Nettie & Nona & Mrs Sellars waited till after the men eat & then they eat & did up the work. a cloud came up from the south & we went out to shock oats till the rain came up then came to the house. it rained a good shower & stoped. we wer thinking of coming home when a dark cloud came up in the west & looked as though there might be a strong wind with it. We all stood out in the yard looking at it till it came close. & then Mrs. Sellars sayed come on Nettie & Nona we will go down sellar with the children. they went down & us men went in to the Room upstairs. the rain came up but not much wind with it. we set up there talking when a bright flash of Lightning flashed in the south. I sayed we will shut the door for lightning might come in to the door. & we shut the door.

perhaps 5 minutes after that Nettie sayed to Mrs Sellars she guessed it had about quit raining. Lets go upstairs. Nona says ill go and see. so she steped to the sellar door opened it & sayed No it is raining hard & Nettie got up with Blanch in her arms and got within 18 or 20 inches of Moma when the Bolt of lightning struck the stove flue. the stove was standing upstairs directly over where Nettie stood down sellar. the Lightning ran down the pipe onto the back of the stove & then down the legs of the stove through the floor taring Holes through the floor at the legs of the stove. Nettie stood direckly under one of the Holes & Nona a little to one side of the other Hole.

Oh My God Hellen I never want to see another such a sight as we saw when we ran down sellar to them. for we heard them scream. Nona fell forward on her face & Nettie backward. the Baby draping out of her arms at her feet unhurt. the only mark on baby was her hair was scorched on one side of her head next to Netties brest. I carried Nona up & layed her on the ground in the rain. her eyes wer set & oh I thought her dead. Pa & Sellars & Ed brought Nettie out & layed her on the ground. we pourd water on their heads & did everything imaginable after a while Nona began to show signs of life. But Poor Nettie was gone. no eartheley help could bring her back. we took them in & in about 20 minutes Nona came to life. we sent for a Doctor & thought perhaps there was hopes yet of Help.

But Oh God had taking her spirit. It struck her left shoulder going to her hart. then to her write foot, taring her shoe off. Oh Hellen, the shock of the axident came near killing Poor Father. after we had got Nettie in the house Pa was so prostrated & grief stricken that we had all we could do to bring him back to life or keep life in him & today when Dick came off the Noone train & came into the yard to Pa he sank away again & everybody worked to keep life in him. Oh Helen how he longed for you could hardly endure it for he thought sure you would come. we telographed to Dick the same time we did you. We got your answer yesterday also one from Dick to Hold coffin till today at Noon.

We packed Nettie in Ice. was all the way we could keep her & then she hardly looked like herself. The Funeral services wer today at 2 0' Clock at the House. Poor Dick was only gone 11 days from the time she was killed. He went back to see his folks & then Poor Nettie intended going to see you in next month. then Her & Dick come back together but Nettie did not write to you that Dick was there for she sayed he wanted to surprise you & Will, Poor boy he sayed to day he intended starting up from Brookfield to your House, but Oh only to be summoned back to his dead Darling. Oh Hellen, you cant imagine our grief. so shocking. so sudden Poor girl. Last Sunday she was writing a letter to you & had it partly finished. we found it in the atlis. will send it to you.

As a last rememberance. Oh is it possible she is gone. Helen cant you come out yet. It would be such a comfort to us all. Think of Poor Father & come for his sake. Nona is still in bed yet but I think will now soon be up again. the wright side of her Head is scorched & then down on her write hip and leg is a red streak in zig-zag shape where the Lightning went down. Oh god how near it came to making 3 graves. such a mirical the Poor little Blanch & her was not killed. in two hours after Nettie was killed there came on her countanance one of the sweetest & pleasent smiles. oh so luvley. it remained on her face untill it began changing coller. It seamed to me as though it came to tell us that she was with Dear Ma in Heaven. Hellen I could write all night. it is now 12 oclock. & I must stop for I am wore out. Write & as soon as you get this. if posible come & see us as soon as you can. any questions you may ask I will answer gladly.

Ever your Bro Less