July 2, 1940

This letter was written just about a month after my mom was born, prematurely, when Winnie was 43. Until I saw this, I didn't quite realize how dramatic her birth was. Or that her parents barely got to see her, let alone hold her, for so long. I found Judy's original birth certificate recently. Her footprints are incredibly tiny! [kp 2021]

_____________________________________________________________________________

Topeka, Kansas

July 2, 1940

Dear Gladys:

Every day since I've been home (two weeks) I've thought surely I'd get to write to you, but it's hard to get my mind settled to write letters. I've certainly appreciated your thinking of me and your frequent cards.

I'm feeling fine -- I even did the washing Monday. However, that's all I did do. I feel better now that I can keep busier -- I don't have so much idle time to think of the baby. We went over to see her last night -- it was the fourth time I've seen her -- then it was through a glass. But she is beginning to gain now -- she weighs four pounds. So I can sorta quit worrying about her and maybe worry about the war. You know we mothers can always find something to worry about. 

My incision is all healed -- don't have to wear a bandage or should I say "dressing". and I don't believe it's going to spoil my "beautiful" figure.

I still prefer the normal style of birth -- I just don't take nausea that follows ether very gracefully. I was fortunate to be in the care of the best obstetrician around these parts -- Dr. Davis. We;ve known him about ten years (before he specialized) and his present wife we've known about that long, too. She was the widow of John's former employer -- Ray Lundgren. Dr. Marcotte has sorta slipped -- dope -- I understand. Dr. Davis operated assisted by Dr. Morris and Dr. Boyd took the baby. Mrs. Davis came in to see me, and she told me Dr. D. never touched the baby. Dr. Boyd didn't pause as he passed John and Bricky in the doorway, but rushed the baby directly to the nursery and incubator. I looked at the clock as they were strapping me to the operating table and it was 12:03, and they took the baby out of the room at 12:15. However I was there until about one-o'. Bricky said she lived three years that afternoon. She has sure been a "brick". She called the Doctor, the ambulance, and went along with me to the Hospital, then she has "kept the Home Fires Burning," which is really a job in a household this size even if only the necessities are taken care of. 

Yes, she got the birthday book and was pleased with it. 

Judith is a funny-looking little thing -- she reminds me of a little featherless bird. She even opens her mouth as though she'd like a worm. I think her hair is going to be red or reddish brown, though she just has a suggestion of hair right now. I've seen her once with her eyes open and they seem awfully big and dark. 

I guess I've never written and told you "Thank you" for the nice long letter and handkerchief I received on my birthday. Well -- I did appreciate all of that, too. 

I suppose of course that Lucile told you that Jack gave Judith some blood -- not a transfusion. They just injected it in her hip muscle. He felt very proud and heroic. Dr. Davis suggested we get a Baby Specialist -- his name is Krehleil -- don't you know someone by that name?

Jack has been going through a "mixed up" age this last year. I think I've talked to him on every subject under the sun -- He and Bricky are the talkative type. Neil was always so much the opposite -- however that may have been my fault as I look back. I may have been so occupied with several small children that I missed my opportunity. He'll talk now, sometimes. Jack failed in one subject which wasn't at all necessary. He is really brilliant, but sorta has been rebellious against conventionalities. I'm really surprised he passed in anything. He and Neil are both helping John this summer -- Neil, willingly; and Jack, well ---- somewhat unwillingly. 

Your baby, Gloria, became a lady Monday -- if you know what I mean. She didn't like it very well -- even though she was prepared. She seems so young. 

July 10

I seem to be as bad about letter-writing as you. 

Baby Judith weighs 4 1/2 lbs now. 

Dorothy was here a few days ago with her family. Dennis is the outstanding one there. 

Well -- I'm going to quit. 

Lots of love,

Winifred

Miss Starbeck

Miss Starbeck shows up often in Winnie's diaries and they clearly had a close relationship. I was curious to find out what I could about her. 

 Catherine Starbeck was born January 31, 1886 in Emporia, Kansas. Her father, John H. Starbeck was born in Illinois about 1852 to immigrant parents, his father from Germany and his mother from Ireland. Her mother, Anna O'Connor Starbeck, was also born in Illinois about 1858 to Irish immigrant parents. The Starbecks had six children: John, Laura, Catherine, Roy, Harry and Hugh, and moved to Kansas from Illinois some time in the early 1880's. The family seems to have stayed put at the family home at 328 South Mechanic Street in Emporia for many years and her father worked as a carpenter.

Yearbook from the Kansas State Normal School

Catherine Starbeck graduated from Emporia High School in 1906 and enrolled in the the Kansas State Normal School, graduating as a teacher the next year. She spent one year teaching in the Broadie district -- presumably a "country school" and left to teach Latin at the Normal School.

In the fall of 1909 she was hired by the Burlingame High School as an instructor in "the domestic arts and other branches." In the fall of 1910, she started a girls drill team. From the Burlingame Enterprise of 27 October, 1910, "Miss Starbeck is drilling about forty-five young lady students of the Burlingame school in military maneuvers, marchings, etc.; also in calisthenic exercises. The young ladies will drill twice a week in the Armory which has been kindly furnished to them free of charge. Such exercise is designed to promote strength and gracefulness and is also very healthful. This feature in connection with our school is certainly the right thing to do and should be encouraged." She stayed in Burlingame for a few years, but also taught in Marion and Medicine Lodge before returning to Emporia where she was living with her parents and teaching at the Normal School (or Kansas State Teachers College) in 1920.

By 1930, she had moved to Chicago, got her Master's Degree from Loyola University, and continued to teach. After she retired, she spent her last years in California where she died at the age of 83.

An Update

I just got back from a trip to Seattle that gave me a chance to go through things we had put into storage when my mom moved. Fortunately, I found most of the journals that I know of. Granny was really very good at keeping information organized and truly valued recording family history. Conveniently, she left a slip of paper that listed all her journals (from the writing, etc. I'd guess she wrote it in the 1970's).

Vol I & II -- Aug 1908 - Oct 1909 -- lost
Vol III -- Oct 1909 - July 1910
Vol IV -- July 1910 - Sept 1910 -- lost
Vol V -- Sept 1910 - June 1911
Vol VI -- June 1911 - May 1912
Vol VIII -- May 1912 -- Sept 1912
Vol IX -- Sept 1912 - Mar 1913
Vol X -- Mar 1913 - Sept 1913
Vol XI -- Sept 1913 - Mar 1914
Vol XII - Mar 1914 - Jan 19?
Vol XIII - Jan 1915 - Apr 1915
Vol XIV -- Apr 1915 - Aug 1915

So looking at this more closely, Volume XII was lost even then, it's lightly struck through and there's a big question mark off to the side. We've managed to keep them all! Granny was meticulous with this stuff, and my mom was enthusiastic but not organized (especially more recently), so she'd take things out of albums to look at or make copies of and they wouldn't find their way back into their original spot. At any rate, I'm very glad to have the complete collection and will continue working on transcribing them.

I also found more writing she did later in life, including some even from the nursing home a few years before she died.

An Introduction

I decided to start this blog to record and share my Granny's writings over the course of her life. I have things she wrote at various points from 1909 to 1983, including the diaries she kept as a girl and a young woman, papers written for correspondence courses she took as an adult, and even a journal written in the nursing home late in life.  The posts are labeled with the correct date, but are 100 years off. If you look at the Blog Archive on the right, April 21, 2013 corresponds to April 21, 1913, for instance, because you can't use dates before 1970. I later ran into problems when I tried to post things that were less than 100 years old!
 

Note that I'm transcribing these verbatim. There are a few times when she uses language and describes situations that are jarring. Like everything else she wrote, it gives us a sense of what she and the people in her community thought and said at the time.

Eventually, I might fill in a bit of what I know to help make sense of the writing... Who is Miss Starbeck? Who are all these aunts and uncles? How do you play Speculation? What's a corset cover?

Happy reading.
Weather -- fair & mild

1909-1912 Diaries

Granny's journals from October 1909 through December 1911. These are volumes III, V, and VI. I have a note she wrote much later about her journals: Volumes I and II (August 1908-October 1909) are lost. As is Volume IV (the summer of 1910). I have a transcription of Volume VIII (May 1912-September 1912). She continued writing through the summer of 1915 according to her note. I'm hoping some of these might be in storage somewhere!

Mitchell girls -- 1906?

I'm guessing that this picture was taken circa 1906. Zella would be 12, Winifred 10 (our author), Bernice 8 and Neill (Baby) 3. The photographer was their aunt, Mettie Mitchell.

The Three-Way-Fret (1953?)

Winifred Johnson 993 words

Route 5, Box 960

Kent, Wash.

The Three-way-fret.

There is one trait in people that irritates me no end, and that is indecisiveness. To go through life in hesitancy and doubt whenever confronted  with the necessity of making a decision -- well, there is just no excuse for it. I call this habit the Three-way-fret. The victim begins to fret as soon as he sees a decision looming up over his horizon. As soon as the decision is made -- in fact, right along with the decision -- he frets for fear it is the wrong one. Then, he undergoes an everlasting aftermath of fretting because he didn’t decide the other way.

Once I had a roommate, Myrtle, who was a sufferer from the Three-way-fret. When downcast skies greeted her in the morning, with the remark “It looks like rain”, she would be off on an orgy of fretting. Her head would poke out of the shower curtain to emit “Shall we wear our overshoes?” From the closet would come the muffled question “Shall I take my umbrella?” She would burn the toast while arguing with herself as to which was better, to wear overshoes on a nice day or to go without them on a rainy one.

If it should be thundering or sprinkling when time to leave for work, Myrtle would usually arm herself with umbrella, overshoes and raincoat; but this preparedness did not guarantee a relaxed dismissal of her problem. During our bus ride to work, she would disturb my reading of Ludwig’s Napoleon with remarks such as “Gee, I hope it does rain now that I wore my overshoes; do you think it will?” at too frequent intervals for me to give Josephine the appreciation that she deserved.

The ride home in the evening would be more wretched than the one down in the morning, especially if the day proved to be unusually sunny. In that case, Myrtle’s comments would finally work up to: “I sure feel conspicuous wearing these overshoes on a day like this. Look, that woman is laughing at me.”

“Yeah,” I would say, “she’s laughing at the silly way you’re holding your feet. You can’t hide them up under your seat; you might as well put them down on the floor.”

She would do so; but, for the remainder of the ride home, she would chew her nails and look furtively about for further evidences of merry disapproval.

I used to take a maiden aunt of mine, another addict of the Three-way-fret, to Child’s for dinner about once a month. That was as often as my sense of duty could compel me to suffer her companionship. The waitress would stand, patiently -- at first --, while Aunt Hettie reasoned aloud to herself, “I’d like to order pork chops, but I guess they’re too fattening; and I had steak last night. I know I shouldn’t eat pastries; they make my face break out. My! I’d like to have a cup of coffee, but I know it would keep me awake.”

During the process of eating, she would complain, “Your salmon steak sure looks good; my chops don’t taste real fresh. And you got cantaloupe! That’s what I should have ordered for my dessert!”

If my mood was philanthropic enough to spend the remainder of the evening with Aunt Hettie, it would be interspersed with observations like, “I wonder if those chops could have poisoned me; my stomach feels funny”; “I’ve got to cut out sweets; I know I’ve gained two pounds this week”; and “I know I won’t sleep a wink tonight on account of that coffee.”

Many of these Three-way-fretters came in to Mimi’s where I sold hats. Such-a-one would referee quite a bout between, for instance, a mannish looking hat and a frilly one. She would try them on, first one and then the other, for several rounds. When she put on the severe looking brown one, trimmed with one smooth feather, she would give that round to the little black one with the pink fluff because it would look cute at a Country Club luncheon. Then, when the little black one was perche on her hair -- fast becoming frowzy --, Mrs. Three-way-fret would award that round to the brown one because it would go nice with her suit, “wouldn’t it?”

When she would finally adjudge one hat the winner, I knew, by her continued fussings, that she would never wear the chosen hat with the feeling of having made a satisfactory decision.

If these fretters would confine their peculiar mental reelings to unimportant decsions such as overshoes, hats, or porkchops, the results would not be too unhappy; just a permanent state of indecision on the part of the Three-way-fretters, and a feeling of exasperation experienced by everyone with whom they came in contact. But when one carries it further, as in choosing the annual vacation spot -- well, finding oneself in Miami wondering if he should not really have gone to Los Angeles could lead one into something serious like a split personality.

I realize, of course, that I shouldn’t be too harsh on people with this vicious, vacillating habit. The fact that I make my decisions quickly and without regret should not make me intolerant. Oh, occasionally, I have been a little slow and hesitant about making a decision. For instance, I have been intending to buy a new winter coat; in fact I try on coats every time I go to town. But I can’t make up my mind just what color and style I should buy, because I’m afraid I’ll make a decision that I’ll regret.

I did just that in planning the arrangement of my kitchen. I really made too hasty a decision; it isn’t what I want, at all. It frets me every time I am working in the room.

But, as I said in the beginning, there is just no excuse for people who fret about making decisions; and I am certainly thankful that I’m not one of them.

[a story written for a correspondence course in English through the University of Washington. It’s undated, but with other papers written in 1953-56]

Thomas Whittemore Mitchell

When Granny mentions Grandpa M, she's talking about her father's father, Thomas Whittemore Mitchell. Here's a bit Granny wrote about him in a family history in the 1950's, also his obituary from the Burlingame Enterprise, and a couple photographs -- the one in his civil war uniform was a tintype. One of our cousins (Zella's grandson) had the image restored and it was then used in some sort of Civil War Calendar. 

Grandpa, Thomas Whittemore Mitchell, was born in Maine, brought up in the woods. Besides being a woodsman, he was a stone mason. He went to Kansas before the Civil War, dug native stone with which he built a house in the small town of Burlingame (the house is still standing -- 1950, nearly a hundred years later). On Aug. 7th, 1861, he boarded up the windows of his little house, enlisted in Company D. of the 5th Kansas Cavalry. When he returned, someone was living in his house; but that was soon remedied. He then made a trip back East to Massachusetts, married his second cousin--who was by this time practically an old maid--almost twenty-nine years old!

Grandpa took Grandma's dowry --so the story was told to me, anyway—traded it along with the stone house, for a half section of land two miles south. Besides the land, he acquired a house which had been a hotel as some people thought that the "big town" was going to be located in this particular vicinity. It was in this house that my father and his younger brothers were born and raised. Grandpa also bought and raised cattle, using his boys to "herd" them, thus accumulating quite a lot of land, houses, and some money.

Grandma was interested in music; she sang alto in the church back home in Boston. She had an organ, but Grandpa made no bones about disliking music; so that was one subject on which they disagreed. I don't exactly what caused the final break; but, although they both lived to "celebrate" their golden wedding anniversary, for the last twenty years of their life together, they didn't speak to each other. It was convenient for such a state that their only daughter didn't marry and lived with them; she could act as their go-be-tween. I don't know how they conversed when Aunt Mettie wasn't there, but I heard that they conveyed their messages to the cat--in the presence of each other.

Of course my most vivid picture of Grandpa M. was the one acquired first hand when I was a little girl. By that time he was getting old, walked with two canes as he had lost his sense of balance. He wasn't very well groomed, his hair and whiskers being long, two pairs of glasses adorning him--one on his eyes and the other on his forehead--, his shoe laces untied. He was an agnostic, and spent his later days down town, holding forth on his views. Then my sisters and I would meet him, we would holler "Hello, Grandpa", as he was also partially deaf , and he would always stop and say "Hello, Hello, Hello".

August, 1914

 The next week or a little more we four girls did all the work and let Mama rest. The next day after I got home from Institute I wrote Mickel a letter to try to make him understand that I was not always the fool that he knew at Institute. Mon, June 29 he sent me a card from Holton, he was on his way home and said he would write me a letter later and he did July 1 and it sure was a great one. He told me not to worry about his opinion of me as he knew of no girl in whom he would feel freer to put his trust. That he was a freak with a hobby (the worst possible), that I was an unsophisticated little virgin with a great big heart (the best possible), etc. You can imagine the effect it had on me. The third of July I got a dandy letter from Miss Palmer. She went to Colorado. It sure helped me. I stayed all night with Mary that night and all day the next day. La Vera Wagoner was there visiting with Mary. When we got ready for bed, La Vera took a couple of flashlight pictures of us. The next morning we decorated the front porch suitable for a Fourth of July. Mildred Smith, Irene, Kelley and Esther R were all out for dinner and Jim Michaels came over from Scranton. I presume we had a lovely dinner, we always do there. In the afternoon we played croquet and took pictures. I rode home with Esther and Gertrude and the latter stayed all night with me, I think. The folks spent the day at Besse Pearl’s. I remember of having a nice visit with Lura about this time. I loved her very much. She told me that she didn’t live with her mother until she was five years old. I wonder if her mother and father were married. I think they were and I wonder what caused them to separate. Lura got some refinement somewhere and surely not from her mother (This was my thought at that time). When I wrote to Aunt Bessie thanking her for my present I told her about us kids doing the work and asked her if she didn’t want me to come out and keep house for her. She wrote back and wanted to know if I meant it and I assured her that I did. So she sent me five dollars to come out and I hastened to get ready. Before I left I wrote a short note to Mr. Mickel telling him my plans and giving him my address. Harold Allegre came out to see me one night before I left (the night of the day I talked to Lura). We discussed the probability of the girl’s legitimacy and he told me how much he thought of her, etc. Then, pretty soon Howard, Jean, and Earl Brown drove out and visited with us a while. Howard talked to me, the first time since we severed partnership. He seemed to like Lura pretty well and was afraid for he found out that Eugene Sellards was coming back to school here in the fall. I found that night that my love for Howard was certainly all gone. I liked him and I do yet. If he needed help that was in my power to give I know I would give it. But love him -- I do not. I feel sorry for him because he is not growing like Harold and even Jean.  Oh, I forgot to say that Mr. Mickel sent me a note July 8 saying he wished I was there to enjoy the fog timber moonlight with him. It was after I got that that I sent my note to him. 

Tuesday evening, July 14, I went up to Topeka on No. 16. Uncle Ed met me and took me over to their home. The next afternoon, Aunt Jennie and I went over to town and did some trading and in the evening we went over to the park to the Band Concert. It was sure great and thoroughly appreciated by me -- my mind was in a receptive mood for music. 

[Here the pen and writing changes]

Before I go any further, I must say that Mr. Fred Crumb called me up before I left for the West and said that Jillian Avery got her certificate. You know I was second choice. If she didn’t pass, I could have No. 49. She has been trying for a certificate for about six years and this was the first time she passed. I saw her several times this winter and she certainly looked improved so I couldn’t help but be glad that she got the job. 

Well, July 16th at noon I started for Preston. I remember one girl that was on the train that was very proud of the fact that she wasn’t afraid to travel by herself, that she didn’t mind changing, or staying over in a little town she didn’t know all night, etc. Then there was a woman and a little girl that went to Hutchinson. She carried one of my suitcases when we had to change trains at Herrington. It was about 9:30 when I arrived in Preston and Uncle Walter met me. He looked quite sporty in his black and white checked cap and his white rubber soled shoes. They live just a couple of blocks from the depot east. Aunt Bessie dressed in a black silk Kimona and the kiddies Walter and little Margaret with their nightgowns on were sitting out in the yard. Aunt Bessie fixed some dandy sandwiches for me and some cake which I ate with great glee. Uncle Walter played and romped  with the kids a while and then he had to go back to the store (He owns more than half interest in the Drugstore.) and soon I went to bed. First though, I read a letter I had from Miss Starbeck that was there waiting for me. I had written before I left. The next day and the next I spent helping Aunt Bessie with the work. Of course I went uptown quite often, at least once a day and sometimes oftener (now this last and next applies to all the times I was there). Sometimes Walter would go with me and sometimes both of the kids. We would go to the drugstore and get something to drink and stay for a while. I saw Cora for the first time at the P.O. Cora Williams is Assistant Post Master Either Fri. or Sat. I got two letters -- one from Miss Palmer and one from Murray G. The latter was going to K.U. Summer Session. One Sun. afternoon before I went to Preston, I had quite a little talk with him. That reminds me, I saw Mabel once before I went and the same day (Sunday).

Mr Ferris introduced me to his niece, Allegra Thomas, that had come to visit them. I introduced her to Margaret H. as I knew I wasn’t going to be home and I guess the three had a good time while Miss Thomas was here. She could play the violin, so of course Margaret was suited. Well, one of these two days, Fri or Sat when I was in the drugstore, Harriet Williams and her father went past but stopped when they saw me and came in and talked to me a little while. I remembered her from when I was here six years previous. Then I met Sarah Williams (about eighteen years old) when she came to bring the milk to Aunt Bessie. She was (or is) Cora’s sister and they look very much alike -- nearly black hair and dark eyes, and very jolly. Not very particular about their dress, but nice girls. Sunday the 19th I went with Harriet to S.S. and stayed to church. Mrs. Fletcher taught “our” class and some of those in it were: Georgia F, Harriet, Sarah, Bonnie Huff, Zel F, Lee Wilsey, Alma Hughes, Myrtle Kutz, Alfred Rawlins, etc. Mrs. Fletcher “ran” the church and S.S. and nearly every one got terribly disgusted with her. Prof. Osborne led the singing, that is, when Mrs. Fletcher would let him. They had just remodeled their church and it looked awfully nice. It burned this winter and they have just finished a brick one (May ‘15). That afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Allen, Florene and Harriet came along in their car and took me riding. We went out to Florene’s uncle’s. We entertained ourselves by talking and climbing up the wind mill. Ha! I knew Florene when I was there before -- also Georgia Fletcher. It sure was fun riding through several inches of sand! I don’t remember whether I went to church that evening or not. The next evening Harriet and I took Walter to a circus that was in town. He had spent nearly the entire day over to the grounds watching the “enuphilant” and I presume learning a few new sweater words. He certainly was a genuine boy, nothing “sissy” about him. The circus wasn’t great but when Walter was here I noticed he still remembered some things that the clown said and did. 

Tuesday, the 21st -- I got a letter from Mickel. He said he failed in the exams in Osage Co.  and was going to Clay Co. soon to take them again, that he would visit with Florence (she lives at Stockton). He said there was no telling what would turn up and he thought I ought to be concerned. I was awfully glad to hear from him and sent back a letter right away so he would get it before he took his exams, wishing him the best of luck both with them and his Lady, and assured him that I was concerned in any thing that interested my friends. That morning, Uncle Walter, Little Walter and I drove to Pratt in the car. Uncle Walter is certainly a reckless driver! He speeded up to go over all the bumps and usually went about thirty miles an hour. We went to the Court House (a very pretty building) and talked to the County Superintendent concerning any school without a teacher, but evidently there were none. Then we went to a café for dinner, did some shopping for Aunt Bessie, and soon came home. 

I hadn’t been in Preston long when I got cards from Mama, Kelley, and Fred D. The last said he was going to B’game and the said in quotation marks, “I don’t know whether I’ll be back tonight or not.” Ha! I answered it but never heard from him again. I presume I wrote to a great many people, but I have no record of the ones I wrote, merely the ones I got. In July, about the 22nd, I got one from Barbara Shaw that was sent to B’game and one from Kelley. I usually answered my letters within a week. 

The first week and a half I went walking in the evening several times with Florene and Harriet. One evening in particular, I remember we went down to the latter’s home and I saw Sam Williams. I knew him when I was in Preston before. He is going to K.U. The older brother Charlie just got his degree that year (1913-1914). He now (May 1915) is Post Master in Preston and Sam is still going to K.U. There are nine children in that family. Other evenings, Aunt Bessie, the kids and I would sit out in the yard. The kids would lie on a quilt and fuss and finally go to sleep. Aunt B and I would talk, she, telling me about every one in town. The I would carry Walter and Aunt B would carry Margaret and we would put them to bed. 

Saturday evening, the 25th -- Little Walter and I went with Uncle on a call. I enjoyed it because I got to sit out in the car by myself for quite awhile, the first time I had been by myself for a long time. The next day they had a doin’s at the church. Don’t know just what it was. I went with Sarah in the morning and I remember the Editor sat on the other side of me and fanned me with his hat. He certainly was a disagreeable creature! Among other people, Aunt Bessie had told me about a certain young man in the town that was very handsome, smart and a good singer, but had no ambition. I had seen his married sister, Mrs. Goldie Hays. She played the piano at church. The young man’s name was, in fact, is yet -- Lawrence Sillin. Aunt Bessie had told me about their feeble-minded brother and I saw him for the first time this day. He is harmless, but an idiot. He knows enough to take care of himself and can work, but that is all. In the afternoon I had been somewhere with Sarah, perhaps down to her home, and had left her when I came up with Cora and the “older bunch”. She introduced them to me, There was Prof. Osborne, his sister Vera, Miss White, a teacher, and Lawrence and Edwin Sillin (the latter a cousin to the former). I think that evening was the time I went to church by myself and sat just inside the door and as soon as services were over, I made a bee-line for home. But I wasn’t swift enough. A young man, real tall, came up and said, “May I walk home with you?” and I said, “Why, I don’t know you!” and he said, “My name is Paul.” and I said, “I guess not.” I told Aunt Bessie about it and she said she supposed it was because Raleigh didn’t know any better. One night during this next week, I went with Cora and Sarah and Johnnie Hays to take the milk uptown and to take Sarah up to Schneider’s to stay all night with Pearl. Johnnie Hays is a boy about twenty-two, tall, not very good looking, who has gone with Georgia Fletcher for many years, but they did not go together last summer. (Suppose they wanted a rest, for they are together again, or were for the winter anyway!) Johnnie is Goldie’s husband’s brother. The father keeps a store of General Merchandise. Before I left Preston, the mother, Mrs Hays, and I got to be real good friends. She was a sober looking woman, but really full of fun. Loyal, Goldie’s husband, worked in the Bank. 

The last of July, I got letters from Emily Davis, Mary M. and Baby. Bernice and Baby went to Topeka and stayed about a week, the day I left there. The evening before I left Topeka, I called Mama up over the phone to tell her it would be O.K. for the kids to come up and I could hear plainer than I can when I talk to Mary M. through Scranton. Mary’s letter was all about Chautauqua at B’game. She went with Jean all summer (and is yet -- June 15). Mary writes very jolly, interesting letters! 

July, 1914

 The next week or a little more we four girls did all the work and let Mama rest. The next day after I got home from Institute I wrote Mickel a letter to try to make him understand that I was not always the fool that he knew at Institute. Mon, June 29 he sent me a card from Holton, he was on his way home and said he would write me a letter later and he did July 1 and it sure was a great one. He told me not to worry about his opinion of me as he knew of no girl in whom he would feel freer to put his trust. That he was a freak with a hobby (the worst possible), that I was an unsophisticated little virgin with a great big heart (the best possible), etc. You can imagine the effect it had on me. The third of July I got a dandy letter from Miss Palmer. She went to Colorado. It sure helped me. I stayed all night with Mary that night and all day the next day. La Vera Wagoner was there visiting with Mary. When we got ready for bed, La Vera took a couple of flashlight pictures of us. The next morning we decorated the front porch suitable for a Fourth of July. Mildred Smith, Irene, Kelley and Esther R were all out for dinner and Jim Michaels came over from Scranton. I presume we had a lovely dinner, we always do there. In the afternoon we played croquet and took pictures. I rode home with Esther and Gertrude and the latter stayed all night with me, I think. The folks spent the day at Besse Pearl’s. I remember of having a nice visit with Lura about this time. I loved her very much. She told me that she didn’t live with her mother until she was five years old. I wonder if her mother and father were married. I think they were and I wonder what caused them to separate. Lura got some refinement somewhere and surely not from her mother (This was my thought at that time). When I wrote to Aunt Bessie thanking her for my present I told her about us kids doing the work and asked her if she didn’t want me to come out and keep house for her. She wrote back and wanted to know if I meant it and I assured her that I did. So she sent me five dollars to come out and I hastened to get ready. Before I left I wrote a short note to Mr. Mickel telling him my plans and giving him my address. Harold Allegre came out to see me one night before I left (the night of the day I talked to Lura). We discussed the probability of the girl’s legitimacy and he told me how much he thought of her, etc. Then, pretty soon Howard, Jean, and Earl Brown drove out and visited with us a while. Howard talked to me, the first time since we severed partnership. He seemed to like Lura pretty well and was afraid for he found out that Eugene Sellards was coming back to school here in the fall. I found that night that my love for Howard was certainly all gone. I liked him and I do yet. If he needed help that was in my power to give I know I would give it. But love him -- I do not. I feel sorry for him because he is not growing like Harold and even Jean.  Oh, I forgot to say that Mr. Mickel sent me a note July 8 saying he wished I was there to enjoy the fog timber moonlight with him. It was after I got that that I sent my note to him. 

Tuesday evening, July 14, I went up to Topeka on No. 16. Uncle Ed met me and took me over to their home. The next afternoon, Aunt Jennie and I went over to town and did some trading and in the evening we went over to the park to the Band Concert. It was sure great and thoroughly appreciated by me -- my mind was in a receptive mood for music. 

[Here the pen and writing changes]

Before I go any further, I must say that Mr. Fred Crumb called me up before I left for the West and said that Jillian Avery got her certificate. You know I was second choice. If she didn’t pass, I could have No. 49. She has been trying for a certificate for about six years and this was the first time she passed. I saw her several times this winter and she certainly looked improved so I couldn’t help but be glad that she got the job. 

Well, July 16th at noon I started for Preston. I remember one girl that was on the train that was very proud of the fact that she wasn’t afraid to travel by herself, that she didn’t mind changing, or staying over in a little town she didn’t know all night, etc. Then there was a woman and a little girl that went to Hutchinson. She carried one of my suitcases when we had to change trains at Herrington. It was about 9:30 when I arrived in Preston and Uncle Walter met me. He looked quite sporty in his black and white checked cap and his white rubber soled shoes. They live just a couple of blocks from the depot east. Aunt Bessie dressed in a black silk Kimona and the kiddies Walter and little Margaret with their nightgowns on were sitting out in the yard. Aunt Bessie fixed some dandy sandwiches for me and some cake which I ate with great glee. Uncle Walter played and romped  with the kids a while and then he had to go back to the store (He owns more than half interest in the Drugstore.) and soon I went to bed. First though, I read a letter I had from Miss Starbeck that was there waiting for me. I had written before I left. The next day and the next I spent helping Aunt Bessie with the work. Of course I went uptown quite often, at least once a day and sometimes oftener (now this last and next applies to all the times I was there). Sometimes Walter would go with me and sometimes both of the kids. We would go to the drugstore and get something to drink and stay for a while. I saw Cora for the first time at the P.O. Cora Williams is Assistant Post Master Either Fri. or Sat. I got two letters -- one from Miss Palmer and one from Murray G. The latter was going to K.U. Summer Session. One Sun. afternoon before I went to Preston, I had quite a little talk with him. That reminds me, I saw Mabel once before I went and the same day (Sunday).

Mr Ferris introduced me to his niece, Allegra Thomas, that had come to visit them. I introduced her to Margaret H. as I knew I wasn’t going to be home and I guess the three had a good time while Miss Thomas was here. She could play the violin, so of course Margaret was suited. Well, one of these two days, Fri or Sat when I was in the drugstore, Harriet Williams and her father went past but stopped when they saw me and came in and talked to me a little while. I remembered her from when I was here six years previous. Then I met Sarah Williams (about eighteen years old) when she came to bring the milk to Aunt Bessie. She was (or is) Cora’s sister and they look very much alike -- nearly black hair and dark eyes, and very jolly. Not very particular about their dress, but nice girls. Sunday the 19th I went with Harriet to S.S. and stayed to church. Mrs. Fletcher taught “our” class and some of those in it were: Georgia F, Harriet, Sarah, Bonnie Huff, Zel F, Lee Wilsey, Alma Hughes, Myrtle Kutz, Alfred Rawlins, etc. Mrs. Fletcher “ran” the church and S.S. and nearly every one got terribly disgusted with her. Prof. Osborne led the singing, that is, when Mrs. Fletcher would let him. They had just remodeled their church and it looked awfully nice. It burned this winter and they have just finished a brick one (May ‘15). That afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Allen, Florene and Harriet came along in their car and took me riding. We went out to Florene’s uncle’s. We entertained ourselves by talking and climbing up the wind mill. Ha! I knew Florene when I was there before -- also Georgia Fletcher. It sure was fun riding through several inches of sand! I don’t remember whether I went to church that evening or not. The next evening Harriet and I took Walter to a circus that was in town. He had spent nearly the entire day over to the grounds watching the “enuphilant” and I presume learning a few new sweater words. He certainly was a genuine boy, nothing “sissy” about him. The circus wasn’t great but when Walter was here I noticed he still remembered some things that the clown said and did. 

Tuesday, the 21st -- I got a letter from Mickel. He said he failed in the exams in Osage Co.  and was going to Clay Co. soon to take them again, that he would visit with Florence (she lives at Stockton). He said there was no telling what would turn up and he thought I ought to be concerned. I was awfully glad to hear from him and sent back a letter right away so he would get it before he took his exams, wishing him the best of luck both with them and his Lady, and assured him that I was concerned in any thing that interested my friends. That morning, Uncle Walter, Little Walter and I drove to Pratt in the car. Uncle Walter is certainly a reckless driver! He speeded up to go over all the bumps and usually went about thirty miles an hour. We went to the Court House (a very pretty building) and talked to the County Superintendent concerning any school without a teacher, but evidently there were none. Then we went to a café for dinner, did some shopping for Aunt Bessie, and soon came home. 

I hadn’t been in Preston long when I got cards from Mama, Kelley, and Fred D. The last said he was going to B’game and the said in quotation marks, “I don’t know whether I’ll be back tonight or not.” Ha! I answered it but never heard from him again. I presume I wrote to a great many people, but I have no record of the ones I wrote, merely the ones I got. In July, about the 22nd, I got one from Barbara Shaw that was sent to B’game and one from Kelley. I usually answered my letters within a week. 

The first week and a half I went walking in the evening several times with Florene and Harriet. One evening in particular, I remember we went down to the latter’s home and I saw Sam Williams. I knew him when I was in Preston before. He is going to K.U. The older brother Charlie just got his degree that year (1913-1914). He now (May 1915) is Post Master in Preston and Sam is still going to K.U. There are nine children in that family. Other evenings, Aunt Bessie, the kids and I would sit out in the yard. The kids would lie on a quilt and fuss and finally go to sleep. Aunt B and I would talk, she, telling me about every one in town. The I would carry Walter and Aunt B would carry Margaret and we would put them to bed. 

Saturday evening, the 25th -- Little Walter and I went with Uncle on a call. I enjoyed it because I got to sit out in the car by myself for quite awhile, the first time I had been by myself for a long time. The next day they had a doin’s at the church. Don’t know just what it was. I went with Sarah in the morning and I remember the Editor sat on the other side of me and fanned me with his hat. He certainly was a disagreeable creature! Among other people, Aunt Bessie had told me about a certain young man in the town that was very handsome, smart and a good singer, but had no ambition. I had seen his married sister, Mrs. Goldie Hays. She played the piano at church. The young man’s name was, in fact, is yet -- Lawrence Sillin. Aunt Bessie had told me about their feeble-minded brother and I saw him for the first time this day. He is harmless, but an idiot. He knows enough to take care of himself and can work, but that is all. In the afternoon I had been somewhere with Sarah, perhaps down to her home, and had left her when I came up with Cora and the “older bunch”. She introduced them to me, There was Prof. Osborne, his sister Vera, Miss White, a teacher, and Lawrence and Edwin Sillin (the latter a cousin to the former). I think that evening was the time I went to church by myself and sat just inside the door and as soon as services were over, I made a bee-line for home. But I wasn’t swift enough. A young man, real tall, came up and said, “May I walk home with you?” and I said, “Why, I don’t know you!” and he said, “My name is Paul.” and I said, “I guess not.” I told Aunt Bessie about it and she said she supposed it was because Raleigh didn’t know any better. One night during this next week, I went with Cora and Sarah and Johnnie Hays to take the milk uptown and to take Sarah up to Schneider’s to stay all night with Pearl. Johnnie Hays is a boy about twenty-two, tall, not very good looking, who has gone with Georgia Fletcher for many years, but they did not go together last summer. (Suppose they wanted a rest, for they are together again, or were for the winter anyway!) Johnnie is Goldie’s husband’s brother. The father keeps a store of General Merchandise. Before I left Preston, the mother, Mrs Hays, and I got to be real good friends. She was a sober looking woman, but really full of fun. Loyal, Goldie’s husband, worked in the Bank. 

The last of July, I got letters from Emily Davis, Mary M. and Baby. Bernice and Baby went to Topeka and stayed about a week, the day I left there. The evening before I left Topeka, I called Mama up over the phone to tell her it would be O.K. for the kids to come up and I could hear plainer than I can when I talk to Mary M. through Scranton. Mary’s letter was all about Chautauqua at B’game. She went with Jean all summer (and is yet -- June 15). Mary writes very jolly, interesting letters!