Isabel, Kans
Tuesday night
March 6th, 1885

Dear Ones in Mo

I will talk a little while to you all tonight but will not keep you up late listening to what I have to say but will just say I dont expect to get this started off tomorrow. So I will talk some more tomorrow night. I was sitting by the stove this afternoon & Dick came back from the office. I did not ask if there was any mail for I just supposed if I did he would say none but to my great great awful surprise he threw your letter in my lap. Well I did not for a moment think it was an ans. to the one I started to you last Wed. for I thot you was just about getting it now. from the way my others has been acting up . but upon the whole it was post marked yesterday and it seems almost like hearing your voice when they come through so fast & hardly gets cold . It would not make any differance to me how prompt they are if I could get one every day of the week it would be that much better but then you dont recon I expect so much as that do you .. Was sorry to hear of Pa feeling so bad. I thot of you all day & wondered if you was having a nice time but could not but think how many many changes has been since five years ago. I think you are feeding him to well & then if I understand--he was up to Cobles that day & dont you think it rather soured on him to. Well well I wont tease you any more Pa for I knew you must have been awful sick if you raised the alarm for you have to be just awful sick before you will let it be known. & I would always rather be sick myself than to see you sick for I think I can endure it better if I do make a terrible howling. but I hope you wont have any more attacks We are all well. Mabel & Dick gone to bed. she talked a long time & then whoped over & said I am tired of talking now & was asleep in less than no time . Late is reading a Detective story & terrible enthused. he has been to cairo again today after flour for Isabel. you will think the people around her eats lots of Bread from the trips he makes for flour. & I guess they do. McCarty is stil living but no better. You cant imagine how bad he looks. he is almost as helpless as a babe & his mind as weak as his body. Less had the Dr go down & see him & he said they was no disease about him. it is just old age one part of his body is just as bad as the other & he said he may live for several months & he may not live but a short time. but he told Sue before his mind got so weak that his body can rest here just as well as back there & they need not take him back for burial. poor old fellow has been anticipating coming up here & having a big talk with Pa when he comes home but if Pa was here he would not have mind enough to talk to him. Annie Sellars is better so she is able to sit up a little .. & we have not heard any more from the small pox but rather expect it was exaggerated somewhat. We have been having quite a cold snap the weather took hold of a person rather severe after having almost summer. every one that sees Hainse is asking him how his oats & corn looks till he cant say much for them or himself either one. Joe Morriss has twelve rows of Potatoes planted & onion & cabbage seed sewed. & now the ground is froze almost solid.

March came in like a roaring lion. I guess I told you it was cloudy & looked like rain. Well it cleard off Wed afternoon & was warm but Thurs morn was damp & cloudy. rained -same at daylight & wind in the south & as the day slipped along the wind slipped up higher & higher all the time & clouds rolled up in the northwest corner & between 3 & 4 o cl they began to look rather mischieveous. I was out & took particular notice of them & the wind. oh dear what pranks & fun it did have with my dress tail. Well I thinks I wouldnt stand it & come in & sit down to my work but had not sit there long till I for some cause looked up & out of the window & I saw a blue black purple green red yaller buff & most every other colerd cloud stuffed with sand over west. well I run out & gathered up same things I thot it would take & here it come. the whole heavens or not quite so high up was full of corn stalks weeds tops of hay ricks. The cattle was all laying down chewing their cuds so glorisouly & they all raised up at once or I guess they did for I beat a retreat for the house & did just get my dress tail in & it come like a log against the house till it actualy quivered & stones as big as birds eggs come against the house & window till I expected to see the window dashed in. I was so scared I could not move out of my tracks till I heard Mabel making a fuss it had woke her up. Late was down by the stable. he expected to see the house go but instead of the house it lifted the Court house right strait up as high as the eve of the hen house & carried it right east & just south of cellar s then turned it bottom up & he said slamed it down on the ground & it all melted & flew all smashed past redemption. & some part of it must have struck the grindstone that was standing there & up set it & broke the shaft that ran thru the stone & scattered the little sheelers as Mabel says. well it come just that near of being a cyclone here but as it went on North East it gathered more force & racked Hayes barn over by Social Plains & tore the big frame house all to pieces that stood just across the road east of where John HoIIoway lived. & done Iots of damage in Newton & Wichita. You will no doubt see an account of it in your paper but it struck the hardest right hear of anyplace in this neighborhood. All the folks in Isabel struck for Morans cellar but I never that of ours.. Well it all passed over in a few moments & in a short time the sun was shining but; directly lightening flashed & thunder rolled in the northwest & sounded like a summer shower. but it did not rain much here but went around north & east & hailed like everything & by night it was clouded over & the wind felt like it was coming off of the Icebergs. Well it froze things up in general. Snowed all day Sat & about night it was between a fine snow & rain & froze & made everything slickery. Sun the snow & frost flew about all day but there was not much wind. & but a few attended Preaching that afternoon. Mon still cold & frost flew but today was not quite so cold but cold enough. I went down to see how Sues Pap was & got Less to cut my hair & I had not been home long til Aunt Lyd & Uncle Jim came there. they had taken her carpet rags & chain over to Mrs. Trills to weave. So I suppose they will have a new carpet. Wed night & I will talk some more & tell you what we all done today. the whole wood company outfit went after wood & Ollie & I & kids hitched the old colts to Late buggie & went over to the Preacher Mans to save fuel & then the days are so long to have to stay alone. we had never been there since they come here or I had not. I tell you things dont look like they did when Marts folks lived there. I dont think they have been any advantage to the place whatever. & now Dick is studying the Alminac. Mabel is asleep & Late is at his detective story again. he has riped his breeches & split his backet jacket so I guess he will have to dawn Pas old pants & vest to. they lay up stairs on the box & look so much like he ouqht to be in them ..

Nav Pa you never mind the corners out here but just stay & make your visit out with Helen. the qround is froze so the boys cant plow. & even if they could I guess they are old enough to look around & keep up the corners. Its just fun to hear the surmising that done about your buying that farm. the news has spread like wild fire. & most everyone has their opinion. Of course we see throu it all but don't let on. Less is actualy so confounded over it that he acted like he had the blues & never asked to read the letter. Late was down there & him & Sue said they could see through it all. if Pa has bought its for Dick & Nett because we are so dissatisfied. well the next time he went down, we sent word to Sue to come next Sun & help us pack up, that we was going to start to Mo the next day but she said she didn’ t do that kind of work on Sun. Late told her if we went back he was going to sell his place & go back & buy K. Swayzs farm if he could. & she said all have to stay with Pa. well she didnt care if we all went back they would never go. but Less rather thinks if Pa has bought it it is for Helen but he pretends not to believe it for he says Pa would have to sell more of his land here to do so. for he knows he wont have the money to buy there unless he does sell here. so he consoles himself that way.

O Why couldn't it be you that was coming back with Pa in the place of Kate. I know I would enjoy it lots more.. I rather expect she will come for Toms has wrote for her to come. Nellie hasnt the whooping cough as they thot. Ollie got a letter from Eds folks. & they said that Johnathan Kester is dead. also Jimmie Pringles mother in law, Janes mother, died at Jimmies. O Jones boy was married about a year ago & was living in a part of the house & his wife has left him.. she was young & did not like to work very well & went back to Gurnizy Co where he got her.

Mabel says Grandpa stays at Blanchies house along tine dont he Ma. & he dont come back any more & says she has got some kisses away back in her mouth fer him. I told her Grandpa had been sick. she looked at me as sober & said well I didnt know that what was the matter of him. I told her he had the colic ache. like her baby has sometimes.-. & she said I spect he eat too many apples. She thinks it will be fine fun to go up to the Depot to meet Grandpa when he comes. Sue was sure Pa would be back this week & would come in on us before we knew it. Less rather hangs his lip about Ed corning for he will be here all summer now. Will spent all he had going there & back & what good did it do him. there is nothing here he can get into. so he will be there for them to feed & I dont blame Less one bit for he has charge enough already. & Ed is really to lazy to carry in a bucket of water. well they have all lit off to bed & the fire is low & I will have to follow suit for my feet is like ice. the wind is in the south & real chilly. I

will try & write some more tomerry. good night to all.