Katie (McNulty) Chapin - October 22, unknown - Minneapolis, KS

[NOTE: This is a letter from Katie Chapin entreating Marcia Christy to move her family to Kansas and join Katie and Oscar in homesteading. The Christy family had moved to Kansas by August of 1878, meaning that this letter must date to October of 1877 or before.]

Minneapolis, KS

Oct 22, [illegible]

Dear Sister Marcia Christy

I was sorry I had sent that letter after I got yours do not let that stop you from comeing to Kansas the Grasshoppers are not doing as much damage to the [illegible] yet around here our [wheat?] looks nice. has been up three weeks. come and make [illegible] a visit and see [illegible] like the country, it is [illegible] healthy here, and we like the contry. but not the Grashoppers, we will have Bread and Meat for winter and some potatoes but not many the hoppers eat the vines and stoped there groth I had three hundred heads of cabage, and Squashes and Pumkins Pleanty of Both to last all winter the vines were eat off before they got ripe. I was going to put up a Barrel of Pickels but did not get but about five Galom before the hoppers came. we are all well [illegible] Willie is able W [illegible] out and Play could [illegible] walk when I wrote to you before. If you come to Kansas and get you a farm and the Grashoppers do not bother you would do well. it is good land. you can get a clame four miles from us Oscar would help to build your house you could take your clame it will only cost [illegible] dolors. you can hold it Thrity mounts, then you have to home Stead that will cost Eighteen dolors. has your Husband been a solger if he takes Eighty acres will not cost but fourteen dolors. there is allways work of some kind to do I expect you would see hard times until you get a start but one hundred and Eighty five pounds ought to [illegible] some hardships. we lost our other horse to day she [illegible] in the stable two or three night ago hurt her self [illegible] way could not get up [illegible] suffering so Oscar killed her this morning. Some more of our luck I hope if you do come to Kansas I hope you will not have as much trouble as we have had. I am quite an old woman [illegible] my hair is quite gray and I have lost my front teeth what do you think of that I escpect Mother would look young beside me

Oscar says if you have any Apples to spare send them along he will pay the Freight that is dried Apples Oppels are two dolors per bushel here I have not had an Apple this year O Bought a few for the children. they are two dear to get very many if you come to Kansas Marcia bring me as many charm peases as you can tell Mrs Farnsworth W sent me a peas of evry thing she has got do you see her often, give my love W [illegible] tell her that I often think of her and Famly

write as soon as you can and tell us what you are going to do I will send you a stamp I want you to get me a pattern of Mrs Eaton or some one, dress patern for Alice Oscar sends respects to Rchard write soon

Katie

the Children send a kiss

Oscar is directing your [illegible] he says it is so windy that [illegible] will get all over the [illegible]