Letter 18980703

July 3, 1898

LeRoy, Iowa   

Dear Brother & Sister,

It has been a long time since we heard from you. What is the matter. I wrote you more than a year ago & have got no answer. I often & often think about you & wonder why we don’t get a letter. We are all well except Bart. He is laid up with boils. Orace & Charley have been home today & are gone again. They are working within a mile & a quarter from home. They commenced the 14 of March & have been home every Sunday. We had a hard shower this afternoon but this evening it is clear. We have had a very good season. Crops & gardens  are very good but not extra. Harvesting is done & some thrashing. Our wheat is in stock. Oats & timothy in shock. Corn & buckwheat look well. Have plenty of soup beans & a little corn patch. Have had lots of garden stuff & now are feasting on corn (roasting ears). Fruit is not very plenty. Apples are very scarce & will be I fear. As the prospects for winter apples is very poor. We have had another good crop of gooseberries that are just about gone. We have picked & picked over 75 gal. after they were all cleaned. Sold $16 dol worth at 8 1/3 c. a quart. I don’t think we will pick any more unless it is just a few for pies. We picked our first the 29 of May. Have had plenty ever since. Elmer I suppose you haven’t gone to war. Isn’t it awful. I hope it will soon end. Jim Delk went to San Francisco some time ago expecting to go to the Philippines but the last we heard from him he was still at Camp Merrill. He is in the 51st Iowa. Clale Keller went & several from Leon. The relation are all well as far as we know. Bart & I made a flying trip to Osceola last Tuesday. We started about 8 o’clock in the morning and got back about nine in the evening. Had a nice visit with Sol’s folks. Had never met Wills wife before but like her appearance very much. Will still works in the printing office. I suppose you heard that Dolly Arney was married last December & lives in Leon. I will close for this time & hope you will write soon & tell me why you haven’t written before. Love to all. Remember all the little ones & kiss them for Aunt Lillie.