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Okobojo S. D. Oct 13, 98 Friend Will, Your letter rec'd to day and tho it is now nine o clock P.M. I will write as I want this to go on the next boat which I hear leaves Frisco the 20th. I was considerably provoked at not receiving a few lines from my war correspondent while at Honolulu, especially as the Editor boasted of a letter from you while there and I knew you did not owe him a letter any more than you did me. But as it is all passed I'll forget it. I am glad you rec'd my letter tho when I wrote it I was afraid it would not find you in Frisco and it took it quite a while to get to its distination. How often do mail steamers come and go at P.I.? There is a question first thing but you'r pretty good at answering. Since you left we have had much sorrow in the death of poor George Keogle. His death is the first sorrow from the "grim monster" that I have experienced and I can not yet feel reconciled. Those who cared for him wrote that he died a Christian and his folks find consolation in that, but I keep thinking how much better it would have been if he could have lived a Christian. I can hardly realize that I will never see him again on earth. We never knew he was sick till the night we saw his name in the list of dead and he had lain six weeks with typohoid fever. I tell you Will when I think of all the lives lost in this war my patriotism deserts me and I can't feel that those Cuban savages were worth the lives of our best men. I am glad you boys were sent to Manilla for had you gone South your chance of coming home alive woud have been small, and you do not mention any sickness there so if Germany minds her own business you will probably all return safe and sound. We saw your father and Hugh while in Pierre a short time ago but did not get time to call on your mother. You needn't make fun and call the boys around here stingy I would have you remember that seven of them are in the P. I. and seven from nothing only leaves 22¢. Hollman has left this fair land so you see we are pretty hard up. Boys are so scarce that when the girls see one they all make a rush and the first one wins, unless Susie Felton is around and [right side of copied page 2] then she takes the (fortunate [ ) ] right away from his girl if she wants to. Roy Wilson has also left, but Bob Coleman [?] is back and Fanny Crawford has captured him, he is quite a lion. Stage driver Konig came back looking like a ghost, It made me feel bad to look at him. The only excitement we have had this summer was ousting Martha from the Okobojo school, we had quite a time doing it but at last the [It looks like two pages may have been laid end to end here.] right conquered as we are told it always does and Gertie Edson was fired. I'd like to tell you the details but it is too long a story to commence at this time of night especially as the alarm will call us at five in the morning. Well Martha found out that she couldn't fool all the people all the time, the most of them have found her out in her falseness [left side of copied page 3] It took me a long time to learn my lesson for I could not belive any one could stoop to such false actions toward those who were sincere friends. I believe she made all the trouble I ever had with the young folks but she will make no more. She is at Joe's and will not go out in public at all; has not appeared since her defeat.
We had a New England Supper a few weeks ago that was one of the
best affairs we ever had in Ok. Old
bachelors came that had not been seen for years namely, Will Blundin Miles
Duncle Vic Our party at Lytles was very pleasant but had a sad ending as a telegram announcing the death of Mrs. Lytles mother came right in the midst of the [right side of copied page 3] merry making. Mr. Lytle kept it from her till the folks were begining to go home but of course the good time was spoiled. Yes Sam got back some time last July and is still in these parts, his nephew is also in this neighborhood but I have not seen him. The Editor is mad at me and I don't care, he said Onida had a better Settlers Meeting this year than Ok. had last and I couldn't stand it and I just gave it to Onida and he got up real suddenly and closed the door from the outside without even saying good night. He tried to give me directions about addressing letters to P. I. ect. and I told men he'd better be careful for I knew every thing he wrote to that place and he grew quite excited about it. I wonder if he believed me. I guess Myrtle has attended to the mitten business, any way she goes home alone like the rest of us unfortunates. Claude Garner and Zora are devotion personified. Mr. Parker preached his farewell sermon here Sun. I guess we'll never see him again. Conference sets next week and after that Willits will be sent away. Mateers/Maturs [?] are running things with a high hand. Amy works there and Ralph Burton is her devoted slave. Susie is teaching, all of us are at it but Zora and Martha and Zora begins Mon. and Martha expects to go to College at Huron this winter. Charley has a bicycle and rides to his school on it. We read so much in the papers about the beauty of the Manilla girls, are you sure you do them justice? It will be better for you young men if you keep your sox and let the natives keep their cigars and cigarettes. You may trade for all the fruit you want but I don't want to hear any more about cigars. Charley took Baco Curo and is cured of the tobacco habit. Oh Yes! I rec'd the picture of Co. A. and am very proud of it, of course I found all of "our boys." I thank you very much for sending it I am going to have it framed. I wonder if I am leaving out any thing if I have, it will be continued in our next. Say something about the rest of the boys next time, and if you chose you may give them my regards. Yours Sincerely, Madge Glessner When do you expect to come back to your native land? |