Open Writing

Alfred, N.D.

Dear Rosy,

Dec 2, 1919

Received your letter yesterday after waiting for it so long. I couldn’t quite realise it a really from you. I noticed it was written the 9th of November. I wonder where it’s been all this time. I suppose that greyhead of a postmaster at Alfred mislaid it there. I received several other letters that were written a long time ago and I’ll just bet anything they’ve been at that post office for some time.

Well how it that blessed baby? I do want to see it so bad. The time we were snow bound over at Andrews everybody at home thought we had quit our schools. They didn’t know where we were and Jack said, “Well it sure would be just like that crazy nut of an ninny to quit that school and run down to see that baby the first thing.” I didn’t go then but believe me I’m coming.

Where did you spend Thanksgiving Day? Well you know Alice and I did want to go home so badly but there seemed to be no chance. The weather was so cold and horrid and the roads not very good so we had just about given up all hope.

Alice asked me to come over to her house so Thanksgiving Day in the morning Vilie, the son of the people I room with, took me over. When I was dressing that morning I looked at some snaps I had stuck in the glass on my dresser. They were those of you and me looking rough. You had on those old yellow scrubbing pants and eating out of the tip trough and Anna fetching in the slop barrel etc. and they pretty near made leaks in my eyes cuz I remembered they were taken last Thanksgiving Day when you were home n’everything.

Coming back to my story, Vilie took me over to Alice and stayed for dinner – Alice made some apple pie – it was good but that nutty woman Mrs. Novak had warmed up potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner. Alice says she always cooks a great big kettle full to last her for a few days and then keeps warming them up – three meals a day.

After dinner we made candy and played cards until half past two. I felt so restless and unsatisfied cuz I did want to go home so bad til finally I told Vilie I’d give him half a month’s wages if he took us to the train. He wasn’t very crazy about the idea but was too bashful to refuse. Alice came near hugging him and the poor man was blushing scarlet.

We got to Windsor just in time for the train. Andrew met us in Jamestown and we went to Ceal’s in the Ford. From there we drove a team to the dance in the new hall at Clementsville. The crowd was so large I didn’t have a very good time. Then too neither Ralph nor Pete was there. Maybe that’s why.

Friday I dragged the kids out of bed and crawled in myself long enough to thaw out. The kids went to school so Cornel and I kept house alone.

About 1.30 I was so darn sleepy I said to Cornel, “I’ll lay down on the lounge for a while and when the clock strikes two times you call me,” so he said he would.

About two minutes afterward he set up an awful howl. It scared me and I hollered “What’s the matter? Did the bull dog bite you?”

He said, “No, I was just scared.” He has a great big white bulldog and he has him in the house all the time loaded down with overshoes, mittens, skates and everything else he can pile onto the poor dog.

Oh I like the teaching part even those it’s pretty hard to crawl out of bed in such a cold room early enough to hike a mile and a half to school, but it’s the darn lonesomeness of the country that gets me. As far as your eye can reach in every direction about all you can see is prairie and hay stacks. I’m glad I’ve only five months left. Rather a horrid way to feel about it but I just can’t help it.

If there were young folks of any sort around it wouldn’t be so bad but no one at all. It’s beginning to snow to beat the cars – such is life. Just one darn thing after another. If Alice wasn't near here I never would stay. As it is, we’ve been chasing home so much.

Christmas only three weeks away. Doesn’t seem possible. This cold weather gets on my nerves. Have only four pupils in school today – as you say it’s pretty soft for me to practice on someone that doesn’t know anything but believe me these people sure know enough to kick, if they don’t know anything else.

I have had a little trouble here with one family but I told him what was what and no monkeyshines with me. He’s getting rather reconciled of late.

Say this ought to be enough gossip for once. Kiss the baby for me. Don’t forget Julius. Kiss him for me too. Say I’m 18 whole years old today, never thought of it till this minute. Am getting rather aged, I do believe.

Maybe I’m not flattered to think part of the baby’s name is mine but for Heavens sake don’t let anyone nickname or call her Anna for short cuz I do think Georgiana is pretty if they only call her that. Must go dear.

Write.

Anna