Carolyn Gay Taft Farm Letter - January 29, 1928

Old Mission,Mich. Jan.29th 1928 My Dear Miss Taft: Winter has came at last it has been cold now for about 10 days & plenty of snow.The meadows are covered with a nice warm blanket of snow.Am so glad it turned cold as it should as it was far too warm for to help our fruit. Hope it stays cold for a couple of months now & then we have a good Spring. Joseph won't sell any corn less than [$].50 a bu.and it had only started to show signs of mould so there isn't any great loss so far.He always charges all he can get for your products. Mr Newton of Bower's Harbor a dealer in real estate had $100,000 tied up in resort property here and worried until his health began to fail him.And while his wife was away caring for a sick daughter he got very despondent & blue and it ended up in suiside he drowned himself by jumping off from Dorg's dock He wrote some of his friends letters & one to his wife telling them his troubles & where to find the body.It was recovered about 24 hr. after the tragedy where he said they would find him. Mr Newton was a college graduate & a very popular business man & well like by every one. I don't know how he could do such a terriable thing & be so cool about it. Was about 60 yrs old. Mr & Mrs Newell have been remarried. His people feel pretty mean about it. The cow came in heat again Sat. And Jos. took her to Gore's before & let her stand all after noon before bringing her home.I got some medicine for her when in town the last time. She is well & seems healthy but so far can't get her with calf.Joseph wants me to tell you that he doesn't feel like buying her & knowing she isn't what he thot' her to be. We thot' she was calf or we wouldn't wanted her & no one else would want to take a chance like that.$65 is a lot to pay for a beef cow if she should be such. We are going to try everything possible to try & get her fixed up. I wanted her as she is a nice little cow.But Joseph doesn't want to take the chance with her as she is now. I don't think you would want to buy a cow knowing that either.So please don't think too hard of us. The animals all seem well & frisky. It seems as tho' you ought to get at least $25 for a rug [the] that size. I think I do a pretty good job of braiding baskets or bath tubs for such would be my [???] I had a difficult time keeping mine partly flat.Maybe could do better next time. I crocheted 112 doilies for Mr Ward and have had to give up for a while & rest my poor tired eyes & nerves. Hope I can continue it later on.I used over 6 miles of thread so you may know I did some hard work. besides doing all of my own work & 4 of us to work for. I feel so badly about that cow that I could hardly speak civil to any one yesterday but I guess there isn't any use.It is only a cow after all. We have that to be thankfor for. Do you remember my baby sister Mary that was out here with mother? Got a lovely letter from her & she is doing fine at school she is council student of her class am so glad she can go to college that rest of us couldn't. It seems as tho' the older children have to be left behind so as to help take better care of the rest.Oh well I guess this is my lot & I must not complain too much. I love my children & have lots of pleasure wth them even tho' I have to work hard & do without. I hear Mr Wilbur is going to leave the company & has a better place .Miss Walker's man is going to take Clarence Kroupa's place. He doesn't care to tie himself down to monthly job.Altho' they say he wants to find a place where he can earn around 100 a month. Some people don't like Clarence very well. John will soon buy a farm farm for him I suppose. Well I can't think of any more to write about. Jos.will have to buy a larger pulley for engine he can't seem to find a second hand one. With love Essie. P.S. If we can get her with calf every thing will be O.K with us. Jos.talked with Homer W. today & is going to take her over here before she comes in heat next time & he will breed her 3 different times that way & maybe that will do the work and with the medicine we got for her she may be all right then.Homer said serveral people has did that & it proved satisfactory.I may talk with Dr Scott about her if we happen to see him in town. Altho.H.W. is pretty well studied up with stock.