Dear James,
I will have to make this letter short as the wash water is almost ready and it is after 10 o’clock. Believe me this is no bed of roses. I’ve spent most of the morning sawing and splitting wood and trying to stopper the leak in the old tub so as not to lose any of our precious soft water. It rained again yesterday. We’ve had pans sitting around on the floor every day for almost a week but today promises to be fair.
I’m glad you had a good time on the Fourth. We waited for you all day Sunday and the morning of the Fourth and the children were very disappointed. The Shaw boy came over with his cap gun and fire crackers.
As for farming up here it can never be done unless you make every cent you can. There is the interest on the mortgage the 1st. of August and all of the taxes should be paid up this fall. We’ll never make a go of it if we start out loaded with such debts. You had better not take any more time off until fall and then come prepared to build us a suitable house for the winter. I hope you can get rid of the house in Minneapolis and find a suitable room somewhere. You might get our stuff hauled up here quite cheaply by getting in touch with a trucker coming here empty. We want some chairs badly.
And now about the car, will you let us have it? We can’t even get to town for a haircut. I’d rather have the money and do our own buying. As things are now we get stocked up on some things and have to do without other things just as necessary. Also I would rather get Ruth’s shoes here, then we know they will fit. My slippers are O.K. and the boxes have come thru all right.
The children send their love. Be sure to let me know about the car. I think you can run down to see your folks some day when you are marked off instead of taking time off. With love,
Martha