August 1871
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
August 2, 1871
Yesterday washed, cloudy so put clothes on the grass to bleach. This a. m. rinsed— starched, and hung them up to dry. Ironed them as fast as they dried. Mrs. Rose [Ross] lends me her irons. Baked two loaves and a pan of yeast biscuits, made some medacine for Philip, by boiling some roots, stewed plums for supper, mended, went up the river on this side, and picked 3 qts. of plums. There are many green ones yet, and we have been using them six weeks. Wish they would last another six. This was my busy day. We have had corn some time, and the mellons are ripe.
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Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
August 4, 1871
Rainy to day. Had expected Mrs. S and Mrs. L to spend the day here. Mr. & Mrs. Lane were here for tea, we had the biggest mellon I ever saw, but ever. Have been all week making a doll for little Ida S.
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Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
August 6, 1871
Baked up all my flour yesterday, went up to I in p. m. Should have gone before, Several of the family have the ague. Their roof leaks – and that is bad. We have so many mellons, my limbs and head ache.
Hope I am not getting the ague. P got flour. Did not get any letters last eve. The Cowskin creek is so high, no one can cross. There are three streams to cross to get to Wichita The Ninnescah – Cow skin and Arkansas, and usually one or the other are high. It has been cool for two weeks, and we have had much rain. The crickets are so bad. When I turned my bed tick, there was a handfull in the corner, next the wall.
They eat holes in cotton goods. Lost a handkerchief up near the garden. When I found it, it was full of holes, and they were having a hop on and around it.
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Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
August 8, 1871
Brother says, we will move soon. Felt well this a. m. Gave the cabin a good cleaning. The cat had dragged a rabbit under my bed, and eaten a part. Tom is a nice pet, but sometimes he is a nuisance.
Later I took the tub to the river, and washed the colored clothes. In p. m. went up river, on this side, and found two qts. of plums. Tired and dizzy when I got home.
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Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
August 10, 1871
Baked yesterday, in p. m. fever came worse than ever. P said I was getting ready for the ague, and had better take quinine. So I did, and this a. m. another dose, by tomorrow I think the quinine will help me. I do not have chills. Shall not tell the home folks, it would only worry them. Philip went to W this morning, and will bring me writing paper. Copies of a W paper and their compliments ct. came. I will write another article—as soon as I am free of this pesteriferous ague.
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Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
August 16, 1871
Moved at last. All I remember of the moving, was sitting in the waggon, holding the cat. When we got here, the fever had me, and I could not do a thing. Philip made a bed on the floor, and I laid down. My bed was not fixed yet. When evening came, I was better but scarcely able to walk. Philip had worked all day—besides moving, had hauled two loads of wood, and Sunday, was not able to be up. J. R. who has been working on his claim, and sleeping there, came over, but he is poor help.
We had callers too and the house all in confusion.
Monday I managed to bake, and Philip fixed things around the house, but at 11 had to lie down with chill, and in the p. m. I had to do the same. I had taken quinine but not enough. My fever was over by sun down, but his kept up all night. Yesterday a. m. it left for a short time, then came back, and he was delerious. When I cooled his head with wet towls, the teers would fall. I was in trouble.
When J. R. came for supper, I had him go and see Mr. Ross, who came back with him. He said it was an attack of bilious fever, and left medacine. This a. m. Mr. Rose [Ross] came again. Brother is better. I am so thankful—thankful—
This is my day for ague, but I have taken such big doses of quinine, it may not come back, but the quinine its self makes me half sick. Philip does not complain, he is so patient. I must lie down part of the time, but hope we will soon be well. I think it would have been better for us, had we moved from the river sooner.
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Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
August 17, 1871
A letter, two papers, and two pens came, glad for all. Did not need to lie down all day. It is 4 p. m. have just one hour to write. Brother is still poorly, has fever sometimes, and dont know what he says. My appetite is coming back. These are our dark days, but I am not homesick. I am glad to be with P – every once in a while I can do something for him.
Sometimes I think if I had not come, he would not have stayed in this ague infected place.
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Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
August 18, 1871
Last night Phillip was wild with fever. I cannot write what I suffered. To day he is quite sane, but so weak. Washed this a.m. and baking now.
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Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
August 20, 1871
This is Sunday, had expected to write so much, when my work was finished, but not dressed yet. Mrs. Springer and son came. The mail came yesterday— a letter from sister Mary, in it a very handsome colar. and Mrs. L sent along fresh buffalo meat. So I was fixed for dinner.
R. had put a big mellon in the well to cool. After dinner when he brought it in, it slipped out of his hands shot right at Mrs. S-, fell at her feet and broke in two — It was so funny, I was glad to have something to laugh at. It eased a nervous strain I was suffering from.
After they left I wrote a long letter home. Jake went to W and has been sick and not returned yet. So many have, or had the ague, I believe it is always so in new settlements. Brother is getting well slowly, but his appetite is poor. Had intended having soup for dinner of the buffalo meat, but was too inexperienced to make it for company. We had for supper however, and it was good, and he ate a little of it.
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Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
August 21, 1871
I call this place Cottonwood Rest. I want to describe it, if I can. So if I read this journal in years to come, I can then shut my eyes, and know just how it looks now. This is Township 29, Range 2 West, in Section 29. I think this description is correct.
We are about a mile from the river. There is a bank here, which many think was the bank of the Ninnescha—at some time back. From here to the river it is very level, and my garden is on this level meadow not far from the dugout. Back of us is prairie a little rolling. The men first dug a well, and at 6 or 7 ft. found plenty of water. They covered it, and it is reasonably cool. Not far from the well they dug a trench like walk into the bank, when the sides were 4 ft. high a 12 by 14 ft. hole was dug out, logs laid to fit the sides. When high enough—a big log was laid acrost the middle the long way, then split limbs and brush were fit on top for a roof, and that covered with dirt piled on and pressed down. A fire place, and chimney were dug out and built up, at one end, plastered with mud and it answered well.
The logs used in Philips cabin as well as in this dugout, were trees cut down by Squaws the last two Winters. Owing to a scarcety of feed, caused partly by the grass having been burned in the fall, and an unusual amount of snow, the trees were cut down for the horses to eat the buds and limbs.
This room is a little larger than the cabin. My bed in the corner has one leg. A limb with a crotch at one end, is sharpened at the other end, and driven into the ground, 6 feet from one wall and 2 1/2 from the other. A pole is laid in the crotch-with one end driven into the ground wall. This supports poles the ends of which are driven in the ground wall at the head of my bed. Then comes my hay filled tick, and my bed is a couch of comfort. The double shawl along the side, and the single one at the end—and it looks neat. Next to the bed, is my trunk, then the table— The next side has the fire place. The door is opposite the table, then the buffalo robes on which brother sleeps, and his roll of blankets. While in the corner at foot of my bed are boxes and various things including the tub, which is often pushed under the bed.
Boxes are nailed to the wall, in which the table furnature is kept, also some groceries. Our chairs are pieces of logs.
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Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
August 22, 1871
The day has been warm, the sun will soon set. I am sitting on the wood pile. The view from here is beautiful. In front is the meadow with its tall grass—and a few buffalo wallows, which are filled with sunflowers.
Acrost the river with its fringe of trees—is the Igmire dugout. That is the only sign of civilization in my circle of vision. Then toward the right, a little back of the river are the sand hills and a clump of cottonwoods.
While farther on are Philips big trees—and the cabin which we cannot see from here. Still farther on are his corn and mellon field. While still farther on is the branch, with scrub trees, which shuts off the view of the North house, where the men batch, and be yond that is another branch and brush, which cuts off their view of Lanes—Springers and Merkels.
“Beautiful for situation” this certainly is.
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Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
August 23, 1871
Set the house to rights, made yeast, then went to the garden. Gathered two dozen late cucumbers—a cantilope and a mellon—and came back J. R. came with corn and we had dinner. After wards I comed and changed my dress and sat down to write letters. Later—Messers. Smith, Stafford and Jake came. They teased Philip; told him “You wont keep your housekeeper long.” “My gun is loaded” was all he answered, as he pointed to where his gun hung.
Jake is going to town, so I gave him letters to mail—and sent a lot of mellons along for them and Mrs. Lane. One of Philips steers died, they think of Texas fever. It is such a pity. He was a good worker — Now the yoke is spoiled.
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