Emma #117: March 1937
Handkerchiefs, cookies, a trip to Sioux Falls, and—finally—a new place to live!
Emma and Tell are still at Nell Malen’s in Glidden, IA. Emma has not been feeling well for a while, so the month starts off slowly.
Mon 1. Did not have a very good night but have felt better this PM. Mrs. Kline was here to have me help her plan the WFMS program. Mr. Smith came after the old couch & chair. Mrs. Alsin was here for dinner. Mr. Davenport quit at the school house. I wanted Tell to ask for the job but he thought best not to.
Tue 2. We did the washing today. Dad hung them outside.
Wed 3. Rev. Johnson took us to Carroll today. I went to see the doctor & the shoeman. Miss Malen went along. It is good to feel a little better but so easy to overdo. Dad went to Lanesboro with Rev. J. & Miss M. went to a prayer meeting. Mrs. Adamson called in PM. No prayer meeting at night because of the hard rain.
Thu 4. I ironed awhile this morning & have done some sewing this PM. Dad has been working on a lamp for Katharine. We got a letter from each of the children today. Dad has gone to a SS Board meeting.
Fri 5. I am still dragging around. I surely wish I would get well. I feel so miserable all the time. Did not go to WCTU at Mrs. Johnsons. Dad & Miss Malen went to choir practice. I was able to work a little on my rug but got so tired.
Sat 6. Have worked & rested by spells this AM. Just feel rotten most of the time. It is a perfectly lovely Spring day. I do so want to get well.
Sun 7. Have felt much better today. Went to church & SS this AM & to League & church tonight. Only 3 young people at League—till almost the end. I spent most of the PM in bed.
Mon 8. Worked this AM but feel all tired out this PM. Will finish the washing the front room windows. Mrs. Lotion is doing the wood work. Dad is working on Katharine’s lamp.
Tue 9. Another day. Felt pretty punk this AM. Better this PM. Dad & Miss Malen went to choir practice. They gave Miss M. a handkerchief shower. I staid at home & worked on the rug. Sent a tracer after the family letter.
A handkerchief shower is exactly what it sounds like! Here’s a sweet blog post about them. And I have a whole box of handkerchiefs from Katharine, Ruth, and Emma…here are some of them.
Wed 10. Walked to prayer meeting tonight but got a ride home. Miss Malen led. Got ready to go to Lake City to look at a place but did not go.
Thu 11. We drove to Lake City with Ernest Wetter & his mother to look at an acreage & decided to rent it. 24½ acres on the edge of Lake City.
Lake City is about 15 miles north of their current location in Glidden, and about 80 miles west of their previous home in Hubbard.
Fri 12. Tell went to Carroll this AM. Will sign lease tomorrow. Miss Malen finished her curtains. She & Tell have gone to choir practice. Got a letter from Ruth & one from Katharine today. Ruth has bilitius(?). Am so sorry for her.
As best I can guess, Ruth may have been suffering from what are sometimes called “bilious attacks,” which involve a feeling of needing to vomit, along with weakness, dizziness, etc. Interestingly, these have been linked to the occurrence of migraines, which I think afflicted Ruth for much of her life.
Sat 13. Sat. Baked cookies for the SB today. Am having them on Monday night.
Here is a cookie recipe from Katharine’s cookbook that I mentioned in November 1935. The fact that she labels it “Mother’s” suggests that it probably came from Emma.
And here’s a 1930s-era scalloped cookie/biscuit cutter like the one she might have used to cut them.
Sun 14. We went to church & SS this AM and were invited to Goldings for dinner. We had a good chicken dinner. I staid till League time & went to League from there. Dad went home to write some letters. Dad & I got turned down in a letter from John. We feel pretty bad but have written Chris, Katharine, John Lohr, Luther & Charlie and hope to have enough to stock it. We were invited to Goldings for dinner today. I staid till League time. Came home to write letters.
In October 1936, Emma and Tell had asked his brother John and wife Alice for a loan to help them get back into the farm implement business. It sounds like they have reached out to other members of the family now as well, although at this point it seems like they may be seeking to stock the farm property they are planning to rent.
Mon 15. We have cleaned up the house today ready for the meeting tonight. There were 9 girls here for SB besides Mrs. Johnson. Rev. J. came later & had refreshments & a visit. We had sugar cookies with nuts in & cocoa with a marshmallow.
Tue 16. Dad & I have washed this morning. It is rather chilly out though sunny. We are so anxious to get enough money together to go on the 25 acres. We feel it is the thing to do. A telegram from Chris says he is sending $100. Somehow we feel a bit worried for fear they will let someone else have it.
This would be the equivalent of over $2000 in today’s dollars.
Wed 17. A letter from Katharine & one from Jerry this AM. Katharine is talking of a trip to France. Think it would be fine. Dad phoned Ernest. Guess we will know for sure this PM. Am going to Mrs. Johnson’s to practice for WFMS this AM. Mrs. Wetter phoned that we had first chance on the place & that Ernest would come down this evening or tomorrow to make out the contract.
Thu 18. We got $75 from John Lohr, 25 from Luther, 100 from Katharine & 100 from Chris and were all ready to make out the contract for the place at Lake City—but instead of making out the contract, Mr. Wetter said the deal was all off & some one else is to get it. I am just sick over it but guess it cannot be helped. We will need to send the money back. It may be for the best.
It sounds like the family came through with financial support…how frustrating to think about having to send it back.
Fri 19. Wonder of wonders!! Mr. Wetter came in a minute to say that it looked now as though we could have the place. He will be back this afternoon. Am ready to go to the WFMS. We had a nice time at WFMS. I gave the review of Valorous Ventures. Ernest did not get back. Dad worked all PM on Katharine’s candlesticks. We had a snow today.
Valorous Ventures: A Record of Sixty & Six Years of the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society, Methodist Episcopal Church, by Mary Isham, was published in 1936. Given Emma’s deep involvement with this organization, I am sure she enjoyed reading and reviewing it.
Sat 20. We hope to sign up today!! But the day has gone and he did not come. We have decided it will be alright either way. We want to go if we get it—and will believe it is of the Lord. We have done all we can. Got a letter from Charlie saying why he could not let us have the money. Sent Katharine’s back. Have 75 from John Lohr, 25 from Luther, 100 from Chris and about 25 beside.
Sun 21. Fed a tramp this AM and gave him some tracts. Went to church & SS. I taught Rev. Johnson’s class & Dad taught the mens. We did not go out in the evening. Mr. Leonard told us today that Mr. Wetter told him we were to get the place in Lake City.
Mon 22. We sat around all day but did not hear a thing from Wetter. We have written a number of letters. Nothing much of any importance happened. We went to church at night. Church was lighted with candles. All the candleholders on the altar Tell made of walnut.
Tue 23. Well, tonight I can write that we have signed the contract for the place at Lake City. We went up to Wetters this PM and it was raining. Ernest came after us. In the contract we pay $300 for the year. Florence Grey will retain one room. Dad came on home but I staid till after six when Ernest came & took me home in the car.
Yay!! Finally!
Wed 24. Dad said I should get ready to go to Linnie’s tomorrow but I sure do not want to. It is so cold. Got a permanent at Mae Davenports this PM. She said it should last 5 or 6 months. I do hope it does. I am so thankful to have it. We wrote a number of letters about the farm. Sent on the family letter.
Thu 25. Have worked a good share of the day on my rug. I will try to finish it this week. I put it on Feb. 8. Have written a number of letters today. Dad has been making a wheelbarrow. We are feeling fine about going on to the little farm. I hope it is for the best.
If you’d like to give wheelbarrow-making a try, here’s an account of one being constructed from red oak, and a video of the project.
Fri 26. I did the cleaning today. Dad worked on his wheelbarrow. Tell went to choir practice tonight.
Sat 27. Spent the day working on my rug as I am planning to go to Linnie’s on Monday. I finished it finally and took it out before supper. We baked a batch of cookies this evening.
Sun 28. Got the package from Katharine containing the quilt & slip and hose this morning. We went to church & SS today. I taught Mrs. Golding’s class & Dad taught Mr. Moore’s. We got a letter from Mexico [MO] today. They want to get into some business soon.
Mon 29. I came to Beresford today via train from Carroll to Sioux City—Bus from Sioux City to Beresford. Had a very pleasant trip tho’ the bus was crowded. Brought Linnie her rug and candlestick. We spent the evening playing dominoes, & we heard Bob sing. Lots of static. Robert is at home. I wrote Tell a card.
Here’s the route Emma took to her sister Linnie’s—a total of about 160 miles.
Tue 30. We plan to go to Soo Falls today. I hope I can get my teeth fixed this trip. We are home from Sioux Falls. I drove the car home. Bob took us up. Harry got the impressions made for my teeth. I left my plate with him so I am toothless. My knees have been pretty stiff today. Did not hear from Tell.
Wed 31. Got a letter from Tell this afternoon. He has worked up at the farm some. Linnie and I have been playing dominoes. I guess we will not go to Soo Falls tonight. We will probably go tomorrow and go to the cooking school. They are giving away a lot of nice prizes. Hope we get something. Only weigh 157 lbs.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for April 1937.