Wed Morning the 29th

Well I will try & finish so as to send this off today so you can get it Sat. for I know just how anxious you are & just how Pa always was when we expected one from you & did not get it. We have it so handy here about getting our mail & sending that I forget or really did not know but what you could get yours every day or too but after this I will try & do this way. this is a cloudy damp Morning. wind in the south & looks very favorable for rain again. the roads are good but I expect if we had had as much Ice & Snow as you have had they would be bad here. they were rather heavey in places just after the snow went off but we couldn’t make Less own it. but nearly every time they went after wood Late had to pull him & Ed Carter out of the creek or up some hill. The wheat looks first rate now but I’ll bet the grass will be green there & cattle grazing while they are feeding here for they have to feed about 8 month out of a year here. now Pa dont you say, Oh Shaw, for you know its a dead earnest truth. Tom Roby came by here last evening & the boys told him that Pa & Will had bought out Jap & he said OH forever. Dick told Jen & she brawled out in her loud way. if that dont git me & I think he has played it. & well I'll Swan &c. Pa can imagine he hears her. We all expected Less up last night to hear the details but I gess he was to badly stumped & did not care about hering it. he has been counting the days that Pa has been gone & seems so anxious for him to come home. Yet he says lf he was him he would stay all Summer. Sue told him if he was to he would have to go up there before the Summer was over. You said I might get to live in Mo yet & how would I like to live close to you. O Helen it would be one joy, great joy of my life but I dare not think or build any air castles for fear they fall to ruin before my eyes. for I see no possible chance what ever. I am glad Pa has been free of colds for I just expected to hear of his having one after being to meeting nights & am glad he did not go back as Wolfe wanted him to or he would been sure to got one.

The boys have been hauling the fodder down from the field they turned the cattle in the stalks last week & they did not roam around til yesterday. & day before they made a bread north of the RR for the shocks & they couldn't keep them away so they hauled it all down. Late has been plowing over on his place for oats. Dick bought seed oats of Hogard. 40 cts per bu Pas birthday will soon be on hand & dont fail to pinch him for me. Mabel wonders every day what Grandpa is doing & adds she spects he is eatin apples. she thinks he dont do anything or eat anything but apples. Pa dont come yet. the smallpox is raging. there is five cases of it in Spivey. also Wichita & Mulvane & I don't want you to come yet awhile. You will laugh & expect & say I am foolish but there is nothing like being careful. he would laugh at me to Helen for saying his feet was cold & say they wasent when I know they are always far from being hot. Mabel is some connection to him for her hands & feet are most always cold. Dr Peck sent her some medicine for her blood that I think has done her more good than anything she has taken & since she has been taking it her hand has got almost well. but it will leave quite a scar. he wrote for me to give her too drops of turpentine on sugar morning & night & bandage her leg. not tight, with a cotton bandage day times & take it off at night. I think it helps it. & she says it feels good to her leg I went over to Mrs. Williams last Friday Lucy was here thurs afternoon & said her Ma had been looking for me every day & I told her if it was nice & Mabel was well I would come the next day. so it was nice & warm & I started. Noni went with me & hauled Mabel in her little wagon. She was over at Annies when we got there but come in a little while. she got a right good dinner & seemed to be glad that I come. I had not been there visiting since Pa & Dick & T went in Feb after you was here. We have not heard this morn yet how McCarty is. this is Charlies birthday & he said he didnt want anyone to come there today but little Mabel they think an awful sight of each other & I dont know why either. but she will cry when we tell her that Pa is Charlies Grandpa too. She says he aint he is just her Grandpa & she wont let him be Charlies. Grandpa Carty is Charlies Grandpa. She is very jealous that far. We dont see or hear anything of Websters. I felt certain they would be down Sat but they didnt came. O I wonder what you are doing to day. Pa being there causes you lots of Co. dont it? how long did the Swazy women stay. Any other day would suited you better wouldnt it? well my paper is full & I guess I have wrote all you will care to read. take good care of yourselves & Pa & will write soon for we are ever anxious to hear from you good bye. with love & kisses from all.