Dear James,
I discovered today that the mail man had not taken one of your letters so that is why there has been a long time between them. I’ll send this one in it’s place. It is below zero again tonight and I have tucked the children into the big bed and I’ll camp by the stove and keep the fire going. We used the first wood from your rick today but we took it from the back so it doesn’t show. I keep a pile about 2 feet high in the kitchen all the time to dry.
Darold was over and played most of the day. If it isn’t too much for your leg, with you working ,will you look for outing flannel and get the best value you can for 10 cents a yd.? John has just one shirt so when you get the other, buy some gray or blue chambray, 4 1/2 yds. will make 3 shirts. It should cost about 15 cents a yard.
Henry brought the eggs and butter on Monday. The eggs were 10 cents a doz. and the butter 14 cents a lb. On Tuesday his mother came over in the morning and stayed all day. We all enjoyed her visit. Mr. Shaw went to Vokes to fix an old saw that several neighbors had bought together and they brought Mrs. Vokes over on the same trip. I’m sending you John’s boots and you decide what to do about them. If the cobbler can patch the toe I believe it would pay to have new soles and heels put on, don’t you? He is wearing his tennis now. They are pretty short and holey too.
The mailman gets thru every day but no other cars have gone by since the last snow. He had to shovel his way thru a drift on Jenson’s hill the first time. They say he never misses a day. We need paper and envelopes and I’ll mark down the other things too.
1. Outing flannel.10 yds. at 10¢ per yard.
2. Chambray (blue or gray) 4½ yds. at 15¢ per yard.
3. 1 spool white cotton thread No. 20.
4. Paper and envelopes.
5. 1 lb. coffee.
If you have sent any of these things just disregard the list. Keep off your feet as much as you can. The children will each write a long letter as soon as we get paper. I hope Esther is better and you keep well.
Lots of love from the kids and myself. They were tickled to get your letter today.
Martha