Marcia (Chapin) Christy - July 20/22, 1880 - Ritsman, KS

—note: Ritsman Kansas Post Office appears to have been discontinued on Oct. 5 in 1881. Having been open for roughly sixteen months. Letter contents suggest an extensive drought caused many to up and leave and the town eventually seemed to disappear as Ritsman cannot be found on google maps today.—

July 20 1880

Ottawa co.

Po

Ritsman Kans

Dear Sister

I recieved your welcome letter and was glad to hear from you and all of you. I get terrible lonesome and homesick to see you all Richard has been away part of three weeks breaking prarie for to pay for our ox he gets through today then our team is paid for and our wagon paid for and one plow then he has $8.00 dollars to pay for a plow and $5.00 for a Harrow; we are perty near out of debt he says now he will get a cow next. but we have had to nearly starve to do it but we have prospect of raising something to eat for this winter we will have a barrel of molassas, punkins and squashes in abundence beans water-Melons mushmelons, peanuts. for awhile in May and June it was it was verry dry here everybody was agoing to leave Kans Richard with the rest so now we have plenty of rain and potatoes are big enough to eat he thinkgs he will stay. this morning I saw a wolf Rover had a big play with him. I am all alone. I got Lucinda Wrightsman to stay with me last night she was staying at her Brothers so he took her home thing morning. I am agoing over to the temperance meeting tonight shall stay all night with Mrs Hill I am sectary and I have to be there and R will be home tomorro night July 22 I went to the Temperence meeting then R came after me in the morning walked 3 miles had a good time did not make me sick I have got a head ache to day. Alferd has gone to mill took 4 bushel of wheat to have ground wheat is 48 cents a bushel Richard is asleep so I know that he dont feel well as he would not sleep in day time before the fourth I had the chills 2 weeks that is all the sickness I have had since I came except bad cold there is a great deal of sickness among children it was very dry here May and June and this month we have had plenty of rain I wish you could see my flowers Just imagine how nice it would be if Mother you and Tim and D and M could come to Christys wouldent we have a good time and our jaws ache talking. tell Mother I thought of her on her birthday I had fried chicken for her. Light bread and potatoes, and water we dont have tea nor coffee once in a while I get a cup when I go a visiting Mr Wrightman family had dinner together the 3d I was not able to go any where we made a chicken pie had corn-bread potatoes peas and beans George was at home Alferd and Peter went to Melville to celebrate Oscar and family went to Minneapolis; I wanted to go to the Temperance Rally the 13 of July the (St Johns Govener) spoke I could here the drums of the dellegations going it made me Homesick I was alone then but Mrs Perrigo and her children came was a going up to Mrs W but she met her here so they all stayed with me. We have the Post office Half a mile north of us get the mail twice a week wont it be nice I go up to the Office after milk

I cant tell you any thing about Oscars for I have not seen nor heard from them for four weeks then they staid all night for they were [illegible] stayed got up and went home before Breakfast left me with a chill. Well I must quit and get R up or he wont sleep [illegible] to-night

Richard is Assistant supertendent of the Sabbath School and Vice President of the Temperance society. Well I went after milk come home found Richard in bed he has no Tobaco that is what the matter