Dear Daddy,
How are you getting along? We are fine. I am sending you a book I made. Last night I covered a book and am going to cover more this morning. We’ve had a lot of rain lately. This morning for breakfast we had eggs and biscuit and jelly. We tried your Chokechary sauce and it was mostly seeds and the first bite of it was a little too big to suit John.
Well this is all so love from Ruth.
My dear Johnny boy,
Daddy would sure like to be up there with you but he will have to earn money to buy some cows and horses with so we can farm good. You just keep Mama supplied with wood and help her and it won’t be long till we can make things go. I bet you were surprised at those oak chips giving a light that way. I am going to try the one you sent me tonight. How is your new bed? I bet you sleep good on it. I liked the big hug you sent me, send me some more.
Love from Daddy
Dear Ruth,
That was a nice letter you sent me. Do you have lots of fun with the wagon going down hill? Take good care of the old kitty and if I were you I would fix her a nice bed in one of the boxes out in the old part.
Did it seem good to have a new roof the other night when it rained so hard? It rained awfully hard here last night. It started at about 4:30 p.m. and rained for three hours. Well Ruth I will have to go to work and it looks as if I will have to wash my dinner dishes after supper. I had potatoes, tomatoes, ham and bread for dinner. Write often.
Love from Daddy
Dear Daddy,
We sure miss you and wish you were here last night when we saw the glowing wood. The wood was Oak and looked like fireflys at first but when we got close to it it never moved and then we looked a little closer and saw it was only chips that glowed in the darkness. today we are going to put the box of books into the bookcase. Last night I picked a bokay of flowers the colors are perpul, blue and yellow and they are very pritty. they are the first we have had for a long time. The old mother cat is sleeping on the cot and John and Mother are writing. I am going to string some rose pits. This is all the news from me so love from
Ruth
P.S. Hear are some kisses and a hug
A peace of glowing wood is in here so look at it tonight
Dear Daddy,
I sure do miss you. Last night we found something by the little house that glowed. at first I thought it was a bunch of fireflys. but when we came close to it it dident move so Ruth touched it and we found out it was just some oak chips. it sure was funny and still it was pretty strange. well I can’t think of any more. so remember that the bigest kiss is supposed to be you so goodby
from John
Dear James,
I hope you reached home safely. The children brought Darold home with them and they went coasting in the wagon, then got out the trucks and played with them most of the afternoon. I got the dishes and supplies stored in the cupboard and washed the mirrors and windows. We had a nice shower in the afternoon and the roof is O.K. We ate supper in the dark. About midnight we had another rain. I heard the wind blowing and got up and lit the lantern and put in three of the windows. Then I went outside with the lantern and shut the old house tight and brought in a few things from out in the yard. I called the cat but she didn’t come so I locked up again and went back to bed. It thundered and lightninged quite hard but the children didn’t hear a thing. We slept until 7:30 this morning. It is going to be hot today. I believe the new roof will keep out some of the heat too.
Last night in the dark I saw what looked like glow worms on the ground around that stump you cut down and a strip of wood on the outside of the stump glowed too, as tho it had an electric light inside. We brought one piece into the house and set it on top of the bookcase. After the light was out it shone like the ball on the end of the light chain only it wasn’t green. It is the light colored wood that glows.
Can you get a toy dump truck and send it up to Darrold and a little coffee pot?
I must close with lots of love, Martha
(Continued Friday morning, Aug 26th
It’s cooler this morning. I have the fire going and the children are dressing. We had another nice rain yesterday afternoon and it drizzled all evening and into the night. It is nice to have a tight roof. We read from “The Lone Cowboy “in the evening. Ruth fixed dinner. Mrs. Jenson is back. I bought a dozen eggs from her for 14 cents, mopped part of the old house yesterday. The floor was painted gray at one time.
School starts Sept. 6th. Maybe you can send John a new tie to wear to school and a pencil like Ruth’s blue one only a different color. Good luck and lots of love. If you are off Sunday go visiting.
Martha