Huffman, Ophelia Letter to Lucy P. (Forgey) Cox, 1912

Printer-friendly version(Following is a letter from Ophelia (Forgey) Huffman of Newton, KS, to her sister, Lucy P. (Forgey) Cox. Ophelia died on Jan. 5, 1913, less than one month after she wrote the letter.)

                                                                                 Newton, Kansas
                                                                                  12 – 7 1912

Dear Sister:

   I rec’d a letter from you last week, and was indeed glad to hear from you. I don’t hear from my kinfolk very often. Maybe because I do not write, but I am in no fix, to do anything right anymore, I am not able to do much work, so I feel like I am in everyone’s way.

   I guess I worked myself to death, I mend the children’s clothes and sometimes I sit and dry the dishes for Hope. She will break down and then I don’t know what we will do. Five boys to cook and wash for makes lots of work. They help a little but there is so much they can’t do.

Ruth has a baby but she bundles it up and comes up and helps all she can. Jess never was very much help about the work. She would rather play with dolls or play the piano, or something of that sort. Now she has a house of her own and a man that will do anything she tells him to, so she has an easy time, but she is a good cook and she gets up good meals for Will.

   The girls married into good families and we think all the world of their husbands.

   The weather has been cold here the past week. We have had such a lovely fall. It does not seem possible it is so near Xmas again. We had a good garden this year and some fruit, but we had it to buy and pay a good price too. Apples are 1.80 a bu. now but we bought some for 1.00 at picking time. I managed to cann a few quarts of peaches each day until I had 97 qts. and 58 of tomatoes. I could not make butters so we did not get any apple butter made. I always make apple butter. But Hope has all she can do to work and iron.

   Oh I know the picture of the old home place. Of course the new porch makes a difference but the hall doors and windows are the same. I have studied many a lesson sitting in that upper hall door. I had to try to explain to the children how the house was and all the surroundings.
   When you write tell me how Jess is someone said he had poor health. Well, I pity anyone with poor health.

   You will think this is a poor letter but it is the best I can do this time. Love to all and everyone and write and I will do my best to answer. (Hope gets card from Terry.)

Good by, your loving sister,

Ophelia.