Isabel, Kans.

Thursday 29, 1888

Dear Sister & all

We rec’d your Ietter this forenoon instead of Pa & will write all l can before the mail goes east. & if its much or little you must not complain. for it will be better than none at all. the Boys & Mabel was somewhat disappointed yesterday when Pa did not come but was not for I felt it in my bones he would not come. & today again they all went to meet him but did not see him & their lips hung down. But I felt about as l did yesterday. for Doc Bear got a letter yester-day from Hull & he told how it had rained & the roads were & I told them that Pa would not compel Will to pull the guts out of his team to get him to the train. & I dont look for him now till l see him. We all want to see him muchly & the time seems long long since he went away. but he must not worry about us the cows & calves & pigs & mules & horses & dogs & all the rest of us. are all getting along fine. & the weather is weathering along just as it would if he was here. Yet I must confess it is not quite as bad as it is up there. A week ago last Sunday afternoon it began to rain & a hard rain went south & east of us & Monday it snowed & blowed & was as bad a blizzard on the stock as any we have had but was not so awful cold. tuesday it cleared & melted off. but was real cool all week till friday & Sat was real warm & Sat afternoon there was a terrible hard rain went north & east of us that put Sand Creek all out of bank. we did not get any & would be better off if we could for a good rain would do lots of good. there is some oats up & Haims Febuary corn is growing nice. Some are about done planting. our Boys has their oats in but will not plant corn till next month. but are planting & mulching taters. Less is listing the piece just south of our house. the roads are like a floor. I am sorry you are having such a bad time to do your visiting us. I guess Pa will make his arrangements to go next time in the summer or fall when he wont have to see the mud.

the old man McCarty is failing daily he is as helpless as a too month old babe. & I tell you Sue has her hands full without Ed coming here for her to wait on. Old Bear has been there ever since he come she wrote for Ed not come back but I guess he is bound to come any how. Less was in hopes Pa would slip away from him.

(2) Doc Bear got the last sheet of paper the other day & I did not know it till I wanted to write & now I have to write on such as this. he may be a good Dr. but I bet he likes the sniff of whiskey. he is giving Mabel medicine he says there ls not a well organ in her body and I believe it for she looks so frail & bad at times it makes my heart sink. she was real unwell last week & to top it off had the earache too afternoons. She feels anxious for Pa to come now. I had a billious attac week before last but feel better since. Jen come up Sat & staid till Tuesday morn. I dont know whither I can stand it to make much garden or not. We have only a few onion sets out, & radishes & lettuce sowed in a hot bed on the south of the house. I think there is plenty of time next month. Sue has just come in & is reading your letter. She says her Pap set up awhile this morn. but l can see he fails every time I see him & his mind wanders all the time. She got a card Sun from Carrie. & she said the roads were so bad she did not expect to get over to your house while Pa was There. We had a strike on this road week before last from Friday till mond & we was real uneasy that maybe Pa had started & would be caught on the road out. I guess he didnt. The trains has changed time now. the train comes from the East at EIeven oCI 28 minutes forenoon & goes East at 4 0 Cl P.M. Less said tell Helen he got his wish for he wished that Pa would get in mud up to his knees. but l hope he hasnt. I wish Pa would bring him mouth full & we could make him eat it. Late had to pull him & Ed Carters loads out of sand & up steep banks because their teams was too weak to do it. & it hurt Less to think they could not stall Lates. We all went to Clipper Sat night to an exhibition & Nell come home with us & staid til Monday.

Old Bear is waiting to take my letter to the office. He likes it first rate here & has ever so many calls, three of Mrs Williams has been reaI sick & he Is going there yet. he is about to run the young McGoogan out. but I dont like him he is such a gas. but Oh if he can only cure our little Mabel she thinks lots of him & talks to him about Grandpa. I expect I will have to quit now & send this to the office. I will write again soon. I am sorry you was disappointed Sat.

[Editor's note: This page folded with the letter of March 29, 1888]

(3) Yes Pa we all want to see you awful bad and have been awful lonsome all the time without but l would not tell you so for fear it would make you homesick. Old Bear told Ollie he thot Granpap White was looking around there for a woman but I was not any uneasy about that. I set one hen & she set a week & left the nest. & I caught our old Jumbo Cat in a hens nest sucking eggs so we dispatched him & since then Frisk has been at it I dont know what we will do with him. Dick wonders what dear little Ross can do for him in return for the Book. he laughs & is glad he likes it but dont expect anything in return. Pa will be questioned all around & all about by everybody. good bye for this time I wonder if you will get this Sat. hope so. excuse bad writing for l have done it up in haste good bye. with love to all from all. Oh yes I got the papers you sent & like them boss. I almost thot I was there.