the children worked hard Julia Etoile and Collie writing in the evening Louis was too tired and sleepy Dec. 2nd Pleasant Father and I got a load of wood and were very comfortable Julia melted snow and hurt herself lifting God is good to us he remembers us in a great many ways Dec 3rd received a letter from Louis or card in Chicago we got a load of fodder and corn Julia went with us Dec 4 Got a load of wood very pleasant until we started for home when in three miles of home it thickened up the wind blew terrible cold the moon was hid we feared the children could not get 3 young horses in the barn. We saw a light at the window when we were a mile away We got home all worked hard the children got the stock in and we were thankful 5 Pleasant but cold picketed the stock got our chores done early had a strong cold wind in the evening Dec. 5 very pleasant Dec. 6th quite pleasant but cold Father Julia Etoile and Collie got a load of rice corn I washed Louis cut wood Gracie helped her mamma 7th I finished washing Collie cut wood the girls and father got rice corn 8th Father Julia and Etoile got rice corn very pleasant 9th Pleasant got rice corn 10th Father Etoile Collie and I [PAGE BREAK] got a load of rice corn Julia staid at home and worked The weather was very pleasant about out of flour. Oh I am so tired of being pinched. Julia taught the children writing this evening and I heard Louis read he was so tired he dropped asleep when he was reading poor children no time to study only in the evening when they are so tired Dec. 14th The 1st I have written this week very pleasant father got one sack of flour box of matches 2 spools of thread 11/2 lbs of meal Saturday which took all my money except 3 cts Monday we got a load of wood Julia went to the Grove 10 miles on an errand horseback and earned millet for the horses as father said he would take the payment in millet the girls and I got a load of rice corn while father and Collie were getting a load of millet Louis and Grace staid alone until Grandpa went 2 � miles and got the load of millet I think they done well for children only 6 and 4 years old got our chores done early Louis read and wrote Julia Etoile and Collie studied Arithmetic E[toile] and C[ollie] are almost through their books J[ulia] studies a higher Arithmetic I am sorry father has so much to do for he is too tired at night He is an excellent father I hope God will bless him and we will all try to be better I am too impatient. Dec. 15th Father Julia Etoile Louis and I all got a larger load of rice corn we all done the chores except Julia got supper The children studied writing Julia and E[toile] Arithmetic Louis and Grace read I worked out some hard examples in mental Arithmetic for Collie All the children were tired out and pretty cross I am too impatient but will try to do better poor little children work hard and study in the evening when they are tired. 16th Father was tired out The children except Grace went with me and got a nice load of rice corn 17th Julia took my place and went with father and Collie for a load of fodder I partly made two pairs of pants for the boys 18th Father Collie and I went for a load of brush