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Old Mission Mich Dec 14th 1920

My Dear Miss Taft:-

Our letters crossed again as usual. I received your letter in the Friday's mail & Saturday we sold 3 hogs & today another one so that makes four in all.

Tomorrow I am going to T.C. providing the weather fit so I can & I will deposit your money in the state Bank & send you the receipt. That will save post office fees for you. You did not state which you wished for us to do.

I am so glad to know that you are going to your sister. For I know she needs you so much also a little rest. No one but a wife & mother knows how much she has to endure. Our burdens are very often more that we can stand. It seems as though there is a constant worry all the while I know th[????????] we were all sick I thought I would loose my mind. First one thing & then another. I write & talk to you as I would an older sister if I had one. For you have always been very dear & kind to me. aso Mrs. Stutsman.

When Mrs. Lardie & I first mentioned to one another about sending Mrs. S. a Thanksgiving box we intended to do it alone. But the others were so willing to help us that we all enjoyed the work very much. There was so little I had to offer but the best I could. I have lived in a city and fully realize how hard it is to get good fresh food. It is usually kept on market so long that it not fit to eat.

The weather is very wet & damp. Most every one has colds & sore throats.

We could not get over [$].08 for the hogs. Harry Christopher 160 lbs $12.80 Oscar Nelson 145 " 11.60 George Harvey 138 " 10.64 _____ Swanson 172 " 13.76 ______ $48.80 Mr Swenson wanted his hog [$].10 weighed on Doigs scale so it ______ cost [$].10 extra he got the $48.70 largest one.

With Love Essie Kitchen over ____ P.S. Do you read the companion if so you will find that the new story in it is very good it is [] titled The Unclaimed Letter. It will be continued in the Jan. issue

Dear Miss Taft:-

I wrote part of this letter a week ago to-night. I fully intended to go to town the next day & it stormed so hard I could not go so will try my luck tomorrow. We have had cold weather the past week & plenty snow I will try to go to town with some of the neighbors it is a long cold ride. We have Mrs. S. nuts & beans all ready to send. I hope they will prove satisfactory for we both did our best. We sorted all of the nicest nuts out for them. For it does not pay to pay express on empty shells.

I will add $5.00 of the hog money to your account.

We butchered one of the pigs for our selves & found it in a very good condition. our's weighed 55 lbs. Will you please take it our of our Jan. check. It will come to $12.40 at .08 a lb. All you can get for dressed pork in town is [$].10 a lb. There are 2 pigs left. Mr. Haywood would like one but could not pay for it until about the 15th of Jan. So please let me know what to do about it. I know your pay is good there. Your pigs have been getting about 20 qts of milk from up there every since Breedens left for they havent any thing to feed it to. So Joseph carried it down here every day.

Don't you think it would pay us to get another pig & butcher it & have our meat for the following year. We have had to pay [$].40 all the while for our meat & then it was the very poorest. Joseph cannot work hard on bread & potatoes with out meat at all. If you would take care to take the pay for it out of his Feb check we will take it. And butcher it as soon as we hear from you. We have not found any sale for the two pigs I have just spoken of yet.

Thanks very many times for the Xmas gift I know I will enjoy every page of it. You havent any idea how lonesome it is here. Mrs. Stutsman knows something about it. For she lived here several winters. To have some good reading on hand makes a person forget. I am so sorry I can not send you some little gift in return But every thing is so high that I can't even buy our little ones any play toys. I have made Roger 2 new night shirts & put a deposit in the people's saving bank. so to give him a little start by adding a few pennies at a time it will count up by the time he is a man. Little tots always expect Old Santa to bring some-thing. Wishing you all a very Merry Xmas. 48.[8]70 I am Your's

5.00			Essie K.

________ 43.[8]70 I will deposit.

P.S I have smeared that account up that I will copy it over so you can read it. 48.70

5.00 for to add to acct

______ 43.70 I will deposit this in the State bank for you.

48.70 12.40 ______ 61 10