Letter 19280430

at Home April 29, 1928

Dear Brother and Sister

Will Drop you a fiew lines to let you know I am stil alive and am stil improving slow. but don't expect to ever be as good a man as I have been as. We are getting to old 72 yrs 7 mon but can still do some work yet what wages do they pay in your country for light work such as howing or tight work on a Ranch. I have been thinking of going to the coast on the highway to handle Powder but the Doctors says it will do me up as the fumes of Rock Powder are very poisonous but just as well be dead as half dead & broke. I worked too half Days last week but was a hard job to stick it out for 4 hours was all in at noon both days. First since last September.

Well Brother I guess I am some to loose all these Dirty thieves owe me 12.20 Dollars if my friends would let me alone I would try my Gun but I don't care to get my neck stretched for a couply Dirty thieves and not get any time after all so I will try for the sake of all my Relation and Good kind friends to stand it. I am offered 2 good homes but I dont want them with strangers so I am saving every cent I can to get out of here and out of temptation for I dont want too meet with the robbers since I was so good to them when they were Poor.

Well Elmer, how does chickens do there and what are they worth. I have raised thousands of them since you left here. In 1917 I sold to the best hotell in Portland, the Benson, 2400 pounds of dressed hens and 3 and 4 pound fryers and roasters for 45 cents per pound & raised them all myself. Some of my Bard Rocks & Rock island hens weighed at 2 year olde 10 & 11 pound after fatening on Boiled corn & wheat. They are from 24 to 35 (?) at the present time. I havent go nothing any more but my fien house hold goods and I am going to get rid of them soon as I can and get away before I get in a Dirty mess and try to do something. Again I can always make a living got to do something it has ben the worst spring I everseen for hard rain and wind I ever seen in Oregon but  the dirty newspapers dont mention it, 3 decent days is all we have had in 1 1/2 months.

Well I hope you are all well and to hear from you when you fill like writing. Tell Mary dear I will write to her in a day or too.

Love to all,

your brother
J.T. Delk