Letters - Dearest Husband, afraid I won't have a penny left

                                                                                                         Lamoni, Iowa
                                                                                                          April 14, 1903
Dearest Husband,-
I intended to write to you last evening but by the time evening came it seemed to me I was so tired I just couldn’t get up energy enough to write so put it off. I cleaned house yesterday, gave the bedroom a regular spring cleaning, moved everything out and mopped and cleaned.
That was the cause of my being so tired, you see, but the room smells quite fresh and clean last night.

     Coral came about six o’clock for me to dictate for her but the children were so cross and I was so tired that we didn’t think it wisdom so gave it up. It is the first time she has been here since you left. She is working in Sis, Wick’s milliner shop now so doesn’t get much time to practice shorthand. She says they haven’t had their allowance yet this month either. Oh I tell you, she is down on this missionary allowance business. She wouldn’t marry a missionary for anything. I have been having another sort of blue streak today., you know people are that way sometimes, whether they have any reason for it or not. I hope it won’t be reflected in my letter too much for I wanted to be able to kind of cheer you up in this letter if possible for I thought you must have been kind a discouraged when you wrote last. The letter with the dollar bill in.  

     Of course Darling, your petition was all right; who ever thought it wasn’t? I’m sure I didn’t. And now if they don’t take some action on it and make things more satisfying for you boys why I think you would be justified in quiting the business. That would show them that you really meant something when presenting the petition. I don’t hardly believe I would go on, the same as I did before now that the petition has been presented. I suppose Uncle Alec does feel kind a sore but I don’t see how he can blame you. It can’t be very pleasant to you either to have him acting cross-grained over it. I am sorry for you, Dearest, wish I might comfort you. I love you Darling and pray that the Father will guide and direct, and comfort you. Well I hope the Bishop will remember us after Conference if he couldn’t before, but maybe they are plumb out of funds. Lute hasn’t had his salary for last month either. So it goes. Seems like if we didn’t have to worry so much over financial affairs we could get some time to think of something else, but whether we would put our time in at anything better is hard telling.

    Thanks for the dollar. It will come handy towards getting milk, butter and oil. I haven’t had a thing from town but that meat last Monday since you left but am afraid I shall have to go to the store before long.

    Bertha has another Sunday off next Sunday. I wish it were so we could all go to church but I dare not take Leona yet. I believe she is getting some better now again but is bad enough yet. Phyllis and I are well and hope you are.
  
     But Oh! Dear I am so sleepy I shall have to give up. Friday after four and I must try to finish this and send it out. We’ve had no rain this week, but it’s been cloudy some today especially and my but the wind is cold from the N.W. However I have tried to do some gardening today. I plowed out those rows, hoed them and have plated five rows and half (single rows) by resting some between times but I tell you its hard work just that little, and makes my back ache. Its pretty soft yet too, but I hope I’ll be able to finish the job tomorrow I fancied once today that I saw some peas coming up.

     Your letter kind of surprised me this morning for I really tho’t the Patriarchs would do something for you now that you had presented a petition looking for something more definite. I am sure I don’t know what would be best for you to do. It almost seem like you had better quit especially feeling as you have about it, but I don’t want to advise you wrong. I hope and pray that the Lord will direct us. Of course it will mean a hard pull for us, for a while at least, if you do quit and might necessitate your being away from home for a while until we were able to move where your work was but its going to be a hard pull anyway the way things are going. I’m afraid I wont have a penny left, for payment if I don’t get my allowance pretty soon.

Well I see I have used my last sheet of paper so must wait till I send for some more before I write any more.

I love you Darling, I love you dearly and I hope we may be wise and put our selves into such a condition that we can leave the Holy Spirit to guide us in our moves.

                                                                               I love you,
                                                                            your own Alice.
(transcribed by Samii S. Gould)