April 11-17, 1943

1943 April 11th Sunday

Rained last night and this forenoon so Will never took me to 8:30 a.m. church but W.D. went up to go with Stanley Whiting to Carl Gehlsens to get a brooder house and Stanley said that it was too wet, to wait until sun shines and W.D. came here and said no one at church. He went home for the day and Will chored, looked at cattle early and again about 2 p.m. He came back, got Van Epps, so W.D. went horseback and Will in Model A, they got in a calf and its mother because calf was shaking after it got milk. Will finished chores and came in to eat [at] 5 p.m., first time since morning for I laid [down] about 2 p.m. but got up at 2:45 p.m. to get dinner and Will then went back to cattle without telling me a calf [was] cold. After we ate, Will was reading and I started to play solitaire. Mr., Mrs. Delores, Billie and Cora Ann came for the evening, so us 4 older folks played 500 and first game Mrs. and I over 1200 in hole but second game we won. They went home at 11 o’clock and we first [had] a lunch, then Will and I stayed up a while and it was near midnight when we retired. Elmer Chauncey and Mary Armbruster went by here in eve going back to Mission where Mary is a stenographer in Social Security Office. I no feel so good to-day on account [of] dampness.

1943 April 12th Monday

Real strong Northwest wind but only a sprinkle of rain in p.m. for forenoon sun shone, but rain got worse later p.m. and at eve clear again. Will chored, and he looked at cows calving and he and I went to Rosebud, had dinner at Dam’s Cafe, picked up a woman and girl walking to Rosebud, they were Indians. We went to Office and Will in to get an itemized list of what we are to pay rent of submarginal land and brought to car so I could sign. Nellie Brandon, who is telephone operator, came to the car so she witnessed my signature. We took her to Dam’s Cafe where she got Patty Joe, her little girl, and Will took us to Hospital to see Harriet Whiting Hudson and 2 day old son Michael Francis and Vera Whiting Compton, who was very ill Saturday night and birth[ed] a girl Adreene Lee-Ann sometime after midnight so Harriet’s baby’s birthday is April 10th and Vera’s 11th. Jake Whiting, Vera’s Dad’s Birthday to-day. Will and Patty Joe went to Rosebud to get gas then came to Hospital. We took Nellie and Patty Joe back to Rosebud for Hospital is this way from town and about 1/2 mile up the hill. Bill Van Epps went to Hidden Timber and Stanley Whiting got Brooder House at C. Gehlsen’s.

1943 April 13th Tuesday

Bright, and not cold. I got meals, laid down in p.m. and Will got in water so we washed clothes and motor balked in afternoon so Bob Meyers of Winner, Soil Conservationist, and Will changed motors, put in one that was on porch and belonged in machine, just needed a spring which Will got at Winner but I never rinsed clothes for after supper Will and I went to Boarding School to Legion Meeting at Arnold Moser Home. W.D. Van Epps had Wallace Gran and Frank Van Epps go with him to Carl Gehlsen’s yesterday and helped him and Stanley load Brooder House, they also unloaded it and it was too windy yesterday, so he hauled 2 loads hay to bull-pen to-day and helped chore and went home early. Meyers stayed all night.

1943 April 14th, Wednesday

Bright, warm day. I got breakfast and supper, for Will and Meyers chored and we went to Valentine to get barn paint, groceries, Van Epps roofing for barn, mailed order for cottonwoods to Pierre. Bob Meyers phoned to Winner concerning his work. We had dinner at Bud’s Cafe. I talked [to] Nell and Janie, no more word from Fred B. Larmer, went to Effie Gasson’s toilet through the kitchen for Nell had Tippy, Janie’s dog, locked in their rooms as they [are] going to town. We got in at 1 a.m. from Legion Meeting and am all in to-day. Meyers went to Doris Turney’s on return from Valentine. We had ice-cream at Van Epps and strawberries fresh from town.

After we ate ice-cream at Van Epps, Elsie and Billy went with us and at east gate we picked up Margie coming from school, went to Wm Abbotts and they, Claude Van Epps, Elmer Chauncey and Wm Abbott are husking corn for 200 bu. to Elmer and 50 bu. to Abbott from Frank Abbott’s field, so Will left Elsie and I, and he took Margie, Billie and Delores, who was going to catch her saddle horse, to cornfield and pasture. All men came in and are quitting until Saturday.

W.D. Van Epps and Carl Gehlsen fixed Brooder house this forenoon and Van Epps planted 100 lbs. potatoes this p.m. Bob Meyers came back for the night from Turney’s. Elsie, Billie, Margie came here and I rinsed clothes and Elsie put [them] on line for the night and they all went home before supper.

1943 April 15th Thursday

Sun shone, windy and warm. Wm Abbott came horseback and he, Bob Meyers and Will caked cattle, then with Wm Van Epps’ help they castrated, branded and dehorned yearlings, heifers and steers, for Van Epps and us. Elsie and Billie came down so she helped me get dinner of cake and whipped cream, potatoes, chicken, dressing, beef and noodles, lemonade, bread and butter, coffee and cream. Margie Totton, Delores and Billie Abbott came horseback. We had lunch. All went home. Meyers to Mission. Elsie cleaned front-room, pantry, ice-box and all jars.

1943 April 16th Friday

Cool but sun shone. I got breakfast and Will chored. We went to Winner to get coal for cook-stove, but State Land no rent for Rural Credit man not in. Took in 20 lbs. Victory Fats and half to go to Van Epps. Previously we took in 12 1/2 lbs to Rathburn Meat Market, west side Main Street, Winner. I got a pair shoes and some candy and oilcloth to fix kitchen table etc. We passed Wm Abbott at the divide for they had a flat tire. Mrs. and Cora Ann were with him. Wm Van Epps went to Winner with Carl and Joe Gehlsen but they no get baby chicks. We never saw them at Winner but saw Mary Armbruster and Elmer Chauncey. Will saw Mrs. Wm. Chauncey 4 cars from this locality and not many in cars but we all bringing something back. Bob Meyers drove in as we were ready for town. No stay.

1943 April 17th Saturday

Bright day. W.D. and Elsie came and the Wills worked at Ford Tractor and got it to going late p.m. so Will went to disc at east side [of] Wagner Place for Van Epps. Elsie got the clothes in Thursday. I folded them yesterday and we put them away to-day. She moved Will’s bed and swept room, also front-room and mopped kitchen and walked home for they walked down this morning, left car for Mary Armbruster, Margie and Billie for they stayed home to-day. W.D. went home when Will [went] to disc in the Model A to fix his hog lot or pasture fence. Will came back in Model A.