Lincoln Nebr. Nov. 7 - '97
Dear Lawrence,
I feel more like taking a nap than writing a letter, but am afraid if I put it off I will not have time tomorrow. What a fine time you must have Sundays napping with none of us or no caller to bother you. I envy you.

Well, the furnace question is settled. Harry Berhrine comes out night and morning and attends to it. It has been almost too warm to keep fire, but the house gets so chilly over night if I do not so I thought it best to keep one going.

We recieved [sic] your letter written on board the steamer a week ago yesterday and the next one written in Ascensions I believe, yesterday. I was so glad to hear from you again. Mr. Hunter bor

rowed both letters to have something put in the Journal from them, so I do not have them here to refer to. Everyone raves over that lace doylie [sic] you sent. I wish you could have gotten a doz. or two they are so odd and different from anything here.
The little girls feel very much set up over you writing letters to them. They are growing so fast now you will hardly know them a few months from now. 

Last Friday I went to a large reception given by Mr. & Mrs Hall, & Mr & Mrs. H. H. Wilson to Prof Howard and wife. I went with the Forsters, saw the Tremains there. They get letters quite regularly from Buenos Aires. Almost everyone was there that night and everyone wanted to talk about you that met me and knew you.

I am still without a girl and have almost finished house cleaning with Mrs. Miles help. I get awfully tired before 

the day is over, but am rested again the next morning. If you were here I do not suppose I could work so hard you would scold us about it.

I do not go away from home much and not very many people come here so as usual there is not much to tell you but home news. Mr. MacLean called one afternoon and I had just gone over on 14th St to see about getting milk of some one, missed her. I bought some maple syrup of Miss Smith of the Uni and she brought it out last night, made a little call. Mr. Dales wrapped up a book for me to send to you Saturday. He told me to send it by express. I went to the express office and they wanted $222 for sending it, so I brought it home and will see how much it will cost by mail. I want very much to send it to you for your Christmas present so you may look for it in a week or so. Keep it until Christmas day

or open it right away just as you want to. In side is a little pin with baby's picture on. You are to wear that on your coat. It is the style for the men here to wear some of their children's pictures that way.

Baby has had such a bad cold this week that I had to get medicine from the doctor for her. The weather is so changable [sic]. 

Mr. Doane is not back yet, everyone feels so sorry for him and Mrs. Doane because his father did not leave him anything in his will, and he had to borrow money to go back east on.

The Faculty club was to have met here Wednesday this week, but I could not have it on account of not having my housecleaning done, so it will meet with Mrs. Sherman.

Our house needs lots of fixing up such as papering, new window shades, etc. but I will let everything go until you

return, then you can do as you please. Mr. Morre's trial has been post-poned a month I think. He Is so tired waiting for it to come off.

I hear that Prof. Barlow has bought those vacant lots on 14th & R St and is going to build. It is a pretty place. Prof. Davis has had his house painted on the outside, papered inside and new gas lights put in.

If I can see my way clear after Jan. I am going to have Psyche and Helen both take music lessons of Miss Muir Mrs Prof. Taylor's sister. I feel as if I was not doing right by them, not to have them take now while there are such opportunities, and I think we ought to afford it.

I do not see any of my neighbors now days. Might as well be in the desert of Sahara for all the good they do me. Mr. Hanley comes over to sell me something or to borrow once in awhile, that is all. You never let me know

whether you get any of my letters or not or whether there is anything in them that interests you. Yours are very interesting.
I have other letters to write now so will close — Marcia.

I looked over last weeks papers and could find only these few things that I thought you would be interested in. I paid no attention to the election, and so did not save any of the news for you as I did not know what to save. Suppose it will be in the Weekly Journal that goes to you.
J. H. Muckitts have another girl baby.

Lincoln. Nov. 14, 1897.
Dear Lawrence,
I think I will have to change the day that I write to you from Sunday to some other day. I have always written to you on Sunday but lately since the children go to school they hang on to me on Sundays and they can not go out doors now to play. I can hardly think of any thing, and have felt that the last few letters I have written to you have been unsatisfactory.

Baby is so very lively she keeps us all busy and she is also very headstrong. She still squeals when she wants to have her own way. She calls me "Baby-mama," now all the time means Baby's mama, and speaks of herself as "Mama-baby." She is very affectionate.

I recieved [sic] your draft of $400 one day last week and we were glad to get it. The girls had been waiting for new clothes, we were out of every thing nearly, and I promised them that they could have new shoes, hats, & dresses when the money came. So yesterday I took Psyche and Helen down town and we made the money fly for awhile. I did take so much to buy just what we all needed. I bought me a new dress for winter too. Will pay [?] out of this and the grocery bills, and Seba. I had to borrow some of her lately, and will have over half left. I try to be saving, but it takes so much to keep a larger family and clothe us all, but then we might as well have something once in a while when we can get it.

I will not attempt to send Ella any of this as I think I ought to keep what is left to live off of next month and pay the $52 on Insurance.

She wrote that she did not want it now anyway, but I intend to send her just as much as I can spare out of the next money you send. There will not be so much to spend money for after we get new clothes, except for coal. The furnace goes beautifully now. Harry [?] comes every night and morning and shovels in coal and empties ashes for $73 per week, and I have learned how to regulate the damper so the house keeps an even heat all the time. I believe I told you that I had bought 4 tons of coal. I think that will last till the 1st of Jan. or longer. We are having beautiful weather this fall, like Indian summer.
Only a little over a month now until Christmas. I sent you the book yesterday by express. If you do not care to bring it back with you give it to Mrs McCraskey. She will enjoy it. I sent it to Buenos

in care of American Minister but I think I will address this letter to you in Carcaraña.

I have no girl to work for me now and do not want one either. We are getting along nicely. Have the house cleaning all done too. I am ever so much better, do not feel like the same person I did during the summer and last year. Dr. Finney has helped me so much. He has charged me only $4.00 for all the medicine I have gotten of him. he is trying to cure my legs the [?] in them, and they are becoming quite natural. Has given medicine for circulation. I am through with him now too. I think.

They have foot ball games here nearly every Saturday, great excitement. I want to go to the next game.

Mrs. Frankish came last night to stay two weeks. She says I have

asked her to stay all winter with me and she says she may do so. She is going to help me with the sewing and there it will not be so lonesome either. The days get pretty lonely here now.

Here are so many new people in the Faculty you will feel lost when you return. Nearly all of the ladies at the Faculty Club last week were new, and young.

Did I tell you that Ella Westfall is looking for an interesting event  here in the spring.

You wrote in your last letter about us coming on to Washington to meet you when you returned. I do not think we had better do so. We must get out of debt first and the money it would take would pay our expenses during the summer to go away someplace 

Lincoln Nov. 21st '97
Dear Lawrence,
It is again Sunday and I thought I would write to you some day last week and not wait again until Sunday. I received your letter last Wednesday in which you ask Mr. Hunter to send you the kind of grasshopper you want. I sent the letter to him and suppose he has attended to it before this. You say they buried 7000 tons of grasshoppers there that week, was that work done under your derective [sic] or would it have been done anyway? Seba and I took supper Thursday night with Prof. [?] Mr and Mrs and Miss Tremain were there and Miss Chamberlain and Harpner. I enjoyed it very much.

Mr. Tremain tells so much about the country you are in. Mrs. J.- said you had forgotten to give the picture Mrs Caldwell sent to Mrs McCrooky to her..

you must excuse me for not sending you more news in the past. I guess I have been too busy to think about it and then I was nearly sick all summer it was all I could do to write to you. I am so much better since the colder weather set in and the older girls go to school. Alice keeps me busy. She finds some mischief all the time.

This is Thanksgiving week. How we will miss you. I must roast a Turkey because Mrs Frankish and Nannie are here (they came to stay two weeks) and Lillie Monroe and other West Point scholars are going to stay over, and I shall have them out to dinner. I have the promise of a girl that can come in a week. She is a Bohemian.

Her sister works for Mrs Davis, and she will work for $2.00. I could get along nicely without a girl but there are so many extra ones here to work for all the time it takes so much of my time. I can not accomplish anything.

I had a notice from Mockets to pay the Insurance money sum to them. Will go down tomorrow and pay them.
It turned cooler last night and is quite cool, was so hot all last week that a fire was uncomfortable. Do you still intend to go around by South Africa?

[?] Jackson died last week of appendicitis. He was operated upon at St. Elizabeth's hospital. Miss Conklin made out here on her wheel last night. She said it is the dullest year in the University she has ever known she said it did not seem pos-

sible that it was over seven months ago since she was asking you to take her along to S.A. with you, Mrs McLean was out one day too.

I have not had the storm windows or doors put on yet… because it has been too warm but intend to have it done soon.
You will know how busy I am when I tell you that I have not been to see Mrs [?] or any one I go to see often but two or three times since you left. 

The Missionary Meeting will be held here in two weeks. I will have to furnish refreshments. Our Sorosis Jr. has lost another member by death. Miss Gibson died last Thursday. She was once Fred Taylor's girl. The blood had all dried up in her. It was consumption of the blood.

Mr. Sewell had an operation

and is not expected to live. There seems to be a great deal of sickness of one kind and another. We are all comfortable and well but miss you and wish the time was nearer at hand for you to return.

Do you remember the Mr. Deakins that preached once in West Point and stopped with us. [?] church are going to send him and his family a missionary box, they are hiring in north-west Nebraska in some small town, and he does not get much for preaching. I will give $1.00 in money and as much in some other way. The G.E. are going to buy him and one boy a new sent of clothes, and I think there will be lots of mice things sent.

Mr. Doane preached today for the first time since his

father's death.

Seba looked the papers over today and clipped them to send to you. She said there were not many to cut out. You ask about the crops of Nebr. The Journal gives glowing accounts of the gourd crops and I know everything is high, I must close now with love,
Marcia

Nov. 21, 1897
Dear Papa Next Thursday will be Thanksgiving. We are going to have a turkey. Aunt Lillie is coming. We are learning about the Pilgrims at school every day
I got 100 in spelling.

It has not snowed yet.

I will be 7 years old on the 30th of December I wish you were here.

I have a new cap with four corners Plymouth church is going to send a box to Mr. Deakin the preacher. Madam Davis is very sick. Here is some of my new dress. Helen Bruner.

Nov 28 - 1897
Dear Lawrence,
I will try to write a few lines today. Although my thoughts have gone wool-gathering. Last week was Thanksgiving week and we had our usual number here on Thanksgiving day. I believe I told you that Mrs Frankish came to stay awhile and she asked me if Nannie could come for a week or so, and she has been here two. Mrs. Summers wrote the first part of last week that she was coming to eat turkey with Fred so they came out for dinner and she will be here till Tuesday morning. Lillie Monroe did not go home so I asked her and the girls Lizzie [?] out, and as Lena O'Sullivan was in Lincoln on a visit she brought her out and Charlie Beckenhaur. Seba took Helen and baby up to Valperaiso to spend Thanksgiving and Ruth came back to stay all night.

A new girl came on Tuesday to work and I have been afraid she would become discouraged with so many to do for and leave

Mrs. Summers said she never saw any one keep such a raft around there as I do. I have a had cold too and am getting tired. Have so much sewing to do to keep the children warm this winter and it seems as if I can not find time to do my mending. It turned cold Thursday and is very cold today. The coal has vanished through the furnace faster than at any time yet.
The Missionary Society will meet with me next Friday. I hope it will be warmer.

Early last week we heard that Father Mitchell, the youngest of the Mitchell children was very sick with croup. and the next day that he had diptheria [sic]. Dr. Lowry had his doctors out helping him insert a tube down his throat, and the neighbors, Friggs Lash and Radcliff, were all in there, had been there all day. They sent the women all home, and said it was deptheria [sic] and I met Dr. Lowry and asked him and he told me it was, and the little fellow died, but they refused to quarenteen [sic], and Sebra told Mr. Saylor. He telephoned to the health office and he asked Dr. Lowry and he told

him it was only membranous croup. You see he told a lie. (You know I said that about him once before.) Every one in this part of town is highly excited over it as it may be spread over the whole neighborhood. I have kept the children away from that part and have them gargle their throats twice a day. It is snowing today and has been hard to keep the house warm.
Did not get a letter from you this week, and feel kind of lonesome. I must tell you something funny now. You remember the horse and buggy Mrs Hunter drives. Well she met me down town one day and asked me to get in and ride, offered to take me four or five blocks to where I was going. Well, I could not refuse, but actually I felt as if I would crush the whole thing, and fairly braced myself when we went over a street car track. I think it would have been a judgement on you for laughing at the affair if anything had happened to us.

I went to a reception and musicale Friday. Things seem very lively in Lincoln this winter.

I had to come up stairs to put baby to bed. She is so cute and lively now I am sure you would not know her. She does not let one get out of her sight, but follows me around all day. Psyche has commenced to read the bible through, no one said anything to her about it but she reads quite a long time. Helen is talking down stairs as usual. Nothing discourages her from keeping up a conversation. Seba and I went to hear James Whilcome Riley the poet. we enjoyed it ever so much.

I am so homesick to see you tonight that I can hardly keep from crying. With so many in the house it seems lonesome without you.

Do you finally get the Sunday and Weekly Journal? I ordered them send to you a long time ago.

We are all going to Hatties Christmas day and I may stay a week. Will see when the time comes. 

I must close now and put the other girls to bed. Good night,
Marcia

What did you do Thanksgivings day? did you know when it came? and have you recieved [sic] the book yet?