Apr 30 The last day of this month Father plowed and E[toile] C[ollie] and L[ouis] planted rice corn until afternoon when the wind came up and portentious clouds made their appearance we hurried come put out our team Collie got Prince C[ollie] and L[ouis} went after the cow which was picketed J[ulia] and L[ouis] planted in garden May 1st warm in morning cool and cloudy towards night we had only bread enough for supper Father and I went to the office and got a sack of flour Stokes had sent us we paid 10 cts bringing it up It seemed like a hand of Providence that Mr Stokes. was so kind still I am so wicked I feel bad because we have no means to pay our debts I hope I shall be able to pay my honest debts before long because it is such a trial I received a postal from Sheldon wanting Julia to teach May 2nd rained all day sew on aprons May 3 rain nearly all day Father and I went to Nelsons for a load of brush took him a gal of syrup now Ii owe him one more Julia rode to Spearville to see about her school Mrs Waters was teaching out she engaged another May 4 Father and C[ollie] went to Weares got some garden seeds and plowed in afternoon E[toile] and I cleaned house May 5 Father plowed and I finished cleaning and washed for Julia May 6 Father plowed and the girls and I ironed and sewed in the house May 7 Julia and I went to Mr Bairds found them very nice family Father and children planted garden May 8 Today is my dear father's birthday He is 761 arrived home stoped at Mr Kindals And took dinner Mr Baird also I found them very pleasant people Yesterday Mr Matteson took Lightning home with him for a few days flour most gone I called at Marena on my way home to see if they had accepted my proposition to teach their school They promised to let me know by Thursday morn they wanted a cheaper teacher if they could get one I almost hope I shall get it for I need money so badly I feel rather blue and sad tonight still am not unthankful for the blessings I have I am impatient [PAGE BREAK] Julia commences her school at Mr Bairds district tomorrow morning gets $15 a month and boarded at Mr Bairds I hope she will do well {This section is very faint until Oct 26) May 9th Mr Ross called to see about getting Julia to teach his school May 10 Father and I went to see if we could get trusted a few dollars worth at Weares as we had only flour enough to last for supper but he said no He could not take care of anybodys family but his own we went to Mrs Armstrong four miles to borrow some money but no she had none on hand but she was ladylike and kind but oh how my heart ached I could not see why I lived. On our way home with heavy heart we called at Mr Quances our nearest neighbors (but a family who had taken (unreadable) from me some time before me and were very hard and oppressive (to me)) but father asked for to borrow 20 lbs for a few days not knowing where it would come from Mr Quance invited me in there we learned that there had been State relief at Larned Spearsville and then we felt cheered up 11th Mr Duncan Simpson and Grigsby came along said the relief was to be distributed at Spearsville thursday so we started for Jetmore to have the necessary papers and were obliged to stop at Mr Hanns, atty and editor found them pleasant people 12 went to Spearville found the state agent I think his name is Holloway or Hollowell a friendly man we received about $15 worth it rained on our way and we stopped at Mr Sheldons at (unreadable) I found Mrs Sheldon a nice friendly little woman 13 started for home got to Marena found they wanted me to teach their school stopped at Mr Hayes for dinner and commenced