Jaci Dawn

Dear Folks,

I was glad to get your letter today. You had lots of news in it, and as you all wrote in it, – so much the better.

I am glad to hear that the new stove is working all right. I hope it will make your work easier for you this winter. You don’t want to be so harsh to the Ladie’s Aid ^Ma. Maybe they couldn’t get word to you, or maybe it was through a misunderstanding that they didn’t let you know about the meeting.

John, you must take care of those dogs, and make things as easy for Ma as you can.

That was too bad about those ducks. I know how you felt, but then maybe you will get a chance at them some time with a good gun, and then you will make a killing.

I tell you John, be careful about spelling. You know how to spell all right, but you are careless. Now such words as “on” spelled “one” and “from” spelled “form” make a big difference in the meaning sometimes. If you are going to take the 8th grade exam in the spring you had better get a speller and let Ma drill you in these words, but above all, be carefull.

That is too bad about the Wheeler boys. Bad luck seems to be with them all the time. If you see them you might tell them that I would take it as a personal favor if they would take the trouble to answer my cards.

We have had the finest kind of weather lately. Some days are as clear as bells, and on the rainy days the air is just as soft and mild as spring. The only thing wrong is that the leaves are falling fast, and I have to rake them up at the boarding place.

The boarding place is all right. They give the best kind of board, and charge 35¢ and 50¢ per meal for it. I am afraid that, after I get about four or five cords more of fir in the shed, that I will losemy job, because after the wood is in I don’t see what there will be to do. I will try to make the job as long as possible, but I am shaky. Of course when she hired me, the agreement was, that I should stay all winter. The old maid that is boss is such a liar though, that I cannot believe a word she says, and I know that she could “can” me and never turn a hair. If I didn’t know a few good SCandinavians Scandinavians I would say that they were all crooked, but I will change that statement this way:- Everybody named Hansen is a crook.

I was supposed to work tonight in the U. theatre but Reddie got sick and the play was postponed a week. I had an invitation to a party at Spiller Hall, (that is where Mildred stays) but I declined on the account of the work and now I am out of both work and party.

Are Inez and Lund still as thick as ever? If Inez were not so unsophisticated she couldn’t help but get tired of that kid. Uncle Harry said that he would break it up by letting them be together all the time. It ought to work. I dare you to suggest it to Uncle Dezil though.

Mildred told me that Grace had a steady. Mildred said that it made her tired to see the same man coming all the time. She said that she liked variety. You should see the specimen that she used to go with. Some man!

“H” means “Honor”. One guy in twenty gets it if he deserves it which is not always so. It means unusual work. If a student gets “M” or medium he is regarded as doing well. “S” is for the 20% below the 5% of “Hs” and above the 50% of “Ms”. The other 25% of the class get “P” (Passing) or “F” (Failed).

Oh! tell John that he had better name the pup himself, but I would suggest “Kaiser Wilhelm, The Second, The Great” if he wants a name that is a good one. He could call the dog “Ky” for short.

Oct. 31. Well, I must finish this, as it has lain around for a day or two. Did I tell you that Jim Hess sent me a card the other day from Walla Walla? I guess I did.

I will call this good for this time. I will write more next Sunday.

Your son

Dale D. Melrose