4.	Charles and May to “all the folks at home”, May 4, 1883

Dear all the folks at home
we arived up here all safe
and sound it took us three
days to come up here
5	we had a break down on the 
way. we lade the wheels got
on fire and birnt the wheel
of. and then we had to stop
a half a day on the road.
10	and when we got there our
horses was glad to git out of
the car. you was telling that
you was driving tom three 
days. that and wasent broke
15	I drove my colts a week 
on the drag and drove them
to the city one day and that
is ten miles and thay have both

[Pg. 2]

got sore sholders
20	and thay hant broke.
we put in ten acers
of oats. and I am going
to poot in ten acers of corn
yet. if I can we are all 
25	done sowing small grain here
and good many is planting
corn already, the wheat is
from three to four inches high
here and looks well.
30	I was going too buy me some
stock here as I told you
but I don’t think that
I will buy anny atall for
thay are to high here. in 
35	the spring. thay pay from
15 to 18 dollars for yearlings
here you was telling of 
Sophes pigs in the letter
I wished you woud save me 
40	two of them and send

[Pg. 3]

them out here when
thay are two months old.
save me a bore and a sow
and pick me nice ones
45	and send them by express
and I will pay for them
when thay come here.
and pay you when I come 
out there thay got nothing
50	but fullbloted rockers rookers
here.

(different handwriting – May continues letter, SML)

When you go down depot you
go down where the car stood and 
see if Charleye side boarde is there yet 
55	and take them home.
Charley is most through with 
his letter so I will fill out the
rest and tell you about our
shanty we have got it perticie-
60	tioned of with cotton cloth for
bedrooms and the other part
goes for parlor sitting room and

[Pg. 4]

kitchen and buttery all together.
but still after all we are quite comfortable.
65	Sunday afternoon we went down
to the creek and picked out a 
building spot and picked out
some clams and brought them
      home and fried them just for a 
70	taste.
But I think it is real nice 
here it is more settled than I 
thought it was close neighbors
and real nice buildings all
75	around as far as you can see
and a nice quiet little town
our folks can go down town and back
in a half an hour and we live a half 
a mile from town the other day they
80	went down to Blue Earth that is 

(along the top of pages 4 and 1, SML)

ten miles from 
here and got
back so earley
with all there
85	money still in
the pocket book
and not all 
pooled out on a 
pool table there 
90	isent a slook
for twenty miles
around.
We got Georgia’s
letter last night
95	I thought you 
was not a going 
to night a tall
but we are real
glad to hear
100	that William 
is getting such 
good wages if
he will only make
good use of it.
105	We have got a 
nice big garden
made have you 
got yours all 
done. but I
110	have’ent any
chickens setting
yet I suppose
mother has little
goslings turkeys
115	and chickens
by this time
and a nice
flower bed for
them to play in
120	I guess I must close
for my space is getting
small now write soon
from 
Charles & May.

(vertically, along side of page 1, SML)

125	Tell Fritz to come quick with his gun
they is five cranes going over the house
there is such a lot of ducks and prarie chickens here.