Prairie Bloomin' by Linda K. Hubalek

Author:Linda K. Hubalek
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: pioneer woman stories, woman's diary, kansas history, historical fiction, Swedish immigrant stories
Publisher: Butterfield Books Inc.
Published: 2016-02-06T00:00:00+00:00

1895

Bethany’s Auditorium

January 20

What’s the world coming to these days? Thieves broke into the Bridgeport Post Office and stole stamps last night. These bad characters also stole clothing and canned goods from another store. Last week the safe was blown up at the Lindsborg Mill. The crime rate is rising in our area towns.

January 27

My 22nd birthday. Still no prospects of marriage in the near future. I believe it is time I think about how to support myself. Granted I’m needed and welcome on the farm, but I’d like to be on my own someday. Career choices for unmarried women are teacher, hired household help or seamstress. I don’t have enough schooling to become a teacher and I’d rather not hire out to do laundry and cooking for some old widower’s family. Good positions like the one Minnie has in Kansas City would require me to leave the area, and I don’t want to move if possible.

When our township was just getting settled, women in the area did their own sewing because they couldn’t afford anything else. Now with the large families prospering on the established farms, maybe I could help sew their family’s clothing. Most families average six to ten children around here. Even though the younger children get the hand-me-down clothing from the older ones, the old clothes may need to be altered and new clothes made when they wear out. It would be a respectable employment for a young woman and I believe Mamma would agree to it.

February 6

Today was a day they call not fit for man nor beast? I’d say by the velocity of the wind and the height of the drifts, this is the biggest blizzard we’ve had so far this year. It will take a while to dig out of this one.

This morning Julia and Mabel raced downstairs and dressed in front of the kitchen stove because it felt like the freezing wind was coming right through the bedroom walls. Today they didn’t complain about their itchy long underwear.

February 26

It was warm enough today that it sprinkled this afternoon as Peter and Alfred made their way home from Assaria. First time any of us has gone into town since the blizzard.

Mamma always asks what’s new in town. I believe it’s a habit from years ago when it would be months between trips off the homestead for her. Peter is always ready with the news.

Olof Melander is tearing down McPhail’s old elevator in Assaria. Mrs. Fred Stevens will be starting a vocal class in Bridgeport. Mr. Ekstrand is moving his Bridgeport drugstore to Assaria and J. B. Smith is moving his store and post office from Bridgeport to Assaria. The AOUW Lodge is raising money for a town hall in Assaria.

So far the organization has raised $1,000, but $1,000 more is needed. The plan is a two-story building, the hall above and two stores on the main floor.

March 16

The temperature dropped drastically yesterday. These cold waves are very hard on the cattle. We moved two newborn calves into the barn because they were shivering so badly.

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