Dear Daddy – The Farm Letters

Dear James,

I just got in after a session with the pump. It was all right when we got up but it grew colder and a strong wind began to blow and when I went out after a pail of water the pump had frozen. There was a cup of water in the wash basin and I heated it to boiling and thawed the pump with it. I brought in a pail of water before going to bed so as to be sure to have some for morning. Not many cars have gone by here but folks are going to Park Rapids by car. The roads are icy but by using chains and driving carefully we can make it, I’m sure.

I sent the children to school yesterday to find out how things are. Several of the children have had the flu. The teacher is just the same but the children stand by each other so I may send them next week too. The ditches are full of water when it thaws. One of the boys went barefoot day before yesterday and I made our children promise faithfully to keep their feet dry before I would let them go and they did.

We were glad to get your letter yesterday. I took a long walk north thru the corn and buckwheat field and back by way of the South road. There are big drifts on the north side of the woods but the south side is bare. Jenson still has some corn in shock.

We had mashed potatoes, fried eggs, buttered onions and oatmeal cookies for supper last night. I am boiling the last of the ham and cooking a big pot of beans today. Yes, I got the money. We have one lamp-full of kerosene left but we’re going to make that do by going to bed early and be rested for your visit. I must get busy at some mending I have piled up here.

Love from us all, Martha, Ruth and John

(Tuesday evening, Mar 14)

Dear James,

We were so glad to get your nice long letter and the package today. The children are safely tucked into bed and I shall have time to write a regular letter. You had sent butter earlier and we had a fine dinner, roast beef and gravy, mashed potatoes, angel food cake and strawberry sauce. We opened the last can for John’s birthday as we had nothing else for dessert. We had a real little party all by ourselves, played games, and the children made prizes for the winner. John was real pleased with his presents and uses his flashlight to go out after dark and to go down into the basement.

It turned cold again today and the pump was frozen when I went out after water tonight, but I thawed it out with hot water this time. He must have changed the vent some way as the water stays way up in the pump. It was 10 above when I looked tonight, It surely is a nuisance to be bothered like that.

We finished putting the last puzzle together and it’s a real cute picture. Where do you put yours? We lay ours on top of the phonograph or if that is too small, on top of the little stand. We had all the pieces up here and are on the lookout for two missing ones. They might have slipped through a crack in the floor, John is putting his own puzzle together for the second time. If you trade be sure to get as good as you give. I kind of hate to part with them they are such nice pictures, and the children like to put them together. There were 3 pieces missing from John’s puzzles and some parts of another puzzle put in instead. His puzzle colored red on the back.

I worked on the quilt a while today and shall sew on John’s shirt a little before I go to bed. I have many things to sew but it makes me nervous.

We had muffins and syrup, cold beef and tea for supper, beef stew with carrot, and macaroni for dinner and buckwheat cakes for breakfast. “We had hot roast beef sandwiches for dinner Monday and there is enough roast left to slice cold for another meal. It was a big treat. Even the cat liked it.

I’m glad you are getting so much work. You had better ask the lady about our staying there a while as I shall have to do our laundry there and if she doesn’t like it you can look for another place, I’ll find out about roads as soon as I can.

I was glad to get the paper today. The children have been making paper houses today. If you’ll send the last house plan back I’ll have them make a model to scale. They do real nice work. I haven’t heard anything more from the school. I want to have a talk with the Supt. while you are here if I don’t have a chance before that.

I can’t think of any more news now. I hope they have some good movies while you are here. Lots of love and good luck from the whole family,

Martha

Dear James,

It is 12 midnight and I am sitting by the fire toasting my shins. It is below zero and a bitter wind has been blowing, the worst one we have had all winter. We got your letter and package today. What a scramble there was! I put on the coffee pot and the children grabbed the bananas. The apples are the best ever. We had mashed potatoes, carrots, sardines, rye bread and biscuits for supper.

I have spent two hours composing a letter to the County Supt. He sent the same kind of a notice he did before only Ruth’s name was on it. I told him Miss Edum had said John couldn’t come to school until he behaved himself and I didn’t want to send Ruth alone that I thought John had not been treated fairly and would like to find out what could be done.

When Shaw fixed the pump he undid whatever you did to keep it from freezing and this morning it was frozen up. We thawed it by wrapping it in kerosene soaked rags and setting fire to them. And we had to thaw it again in the afternoon. I covered it with a lot of old stuff tonight but it is frozen now. I don’t know what to do about it.

Today the children played covered wagon. John wore his cowboy outfit and they draped a blanket over some chairs for the wagon. I have made them each a new pair of mittens. You haven’t said anything about the pictures. aren’t they good? The cat was gone all last night and today. We were all ready to go look for her when we heard her scratching at the door. I’m too tired to think of any thing more, so this is all. Love, Martha

Next morning

20 below last night. Got up at 6 and thawed out the pump the same way. Is that all right? I tried hot water and it wouldn’t work. I hope this weather lasts quick. We are well supplied except for butter and eggs.

Dear James,

Another week has gone by and here we are on another Sunday evening with the children tucked into bed and me ready to join them as soon as I have written this letter. We got two nice letters from you yesterday.

The sky was gray all day and I won’t be surprised if we get some snow. The road is too icy to walk anywhere so we stayed home and I read “The Last of the Mohicans” to the children. John has read “White Fang” and Ruth the other story, so now they will trade books and be thru with the Library books In time to send them back this week. Two cars went by today. I am getting my back toasted good as I write sitting by the fire.

We have a gal. of kerosene which I am sure will last us this month. We have eaten all the canned fruit but the strawberries, we are saving them for when you come. We’ll have to get potatoes this week from Jensons and I haven’t located any eggs yet so you had better send me a doz. to make John’s birthday cake. I wish I had a lb. of powdered sugar for the frosting. Send his things as early as you can so we will be sure to have them by Sunday.

I must have spring fever, I am sleepy all the time. The children will both write in the morning. We’ll be seeing you.”

Love and kisses from us all, Martha