Sunday August 12th, 1883

Dear Mother:

We reached Mr. Field's House about 5 o'clock Thursday afternoon feeling pretty well tired out and our heads dizzy with so much riding. I am feeling very well today and will try to describe some of the things I saw on the way. I took notes as we went along.

Our train stopped 20-minutes in Davenport for breakfast. We seemed to have an accomodation train for we stopped at every little station on the road. Reached Washington at half past nine. Passed many wheat fields. Wheat cut and shocked, looked splendid. Corn small and dry. Washington is only a little country town.

Skunk River looked small. The old mill still there. The railroad runs south of Brighton at least so it appeared to me and we could not see the main part of the town saw one church and the school-house.

When we reached Perlee I went out on the car platform and took a good look at the town. The houses are set around on three hills and the station on a flat place below, so I had a good view of the place. How I wished I knew which house was Shafers.

We crossed over into Missouri at a little station called County Line. The northern part of Missouri looks very much like Iowa. Good farming country. Missouri has plenty of wheat and hay this year, but the corn is poor. Kansas has the corn, millet and cane. Did not see many large farmhouses. Some log houses and rail fences. Saw some places that looked like good blackberry patches but did not get out to see if there were any berries.

At Trenton our train stopped quite a while and we had a good view of the town. Saw the Ohmart House just across the road from the depot. It is a nice looking two story house. Trenton is a pretty place in a hilly country. South of Trenton the country is level and looked as though a cyclone had been there this spring. Saw trees blown down and others dead, broken limbs hanging to them.

Passed through rough rocky country good only for sheep pasture. After passing Galatin, went through a gentle rolling country. Could see five or ten miles either way and no town in sight. Looked pretty but very queer to me. Stopped at Cameron Junction twenty minutes for supper. This is a large new looking town. All the towns big and little look bright and clean.

Reached Kansas City at 9 o'clock and found we had to stop over til 9:40 the next morning. Went to the Blossom House a large four-story house opposite the main entrance to the depot. A colored porter took us up to the 3rd story in an elevator and gave us a little room containing a bed, bureau stand, wardrobe, two chairs and a rope fastened to the window to escape by in case of fire. Silah had a severe headache and I was tired so we were glad to have a nights rest.

In the morning we had an excellent breakfast of hot biscuits, beefsteak, fried potatoes, sliced tomatoes, chocolate and ripe grapes. Bill $1.50 a piece. There was a heavy rain during the night but the morning was bright and clear. From the hotel window saw Wyandott across Kaw River. Looks very much like Davenport. Kansas City is built partly on low ground partly on high bluffs. We took the Kansas City Lawrence and Southern cars at 9:40.

Between Princeton and Barnett saw some nice corn fields, some rough hilly land and some so poor that the stones crop out on top, fences of stone. Barnett is on a level and looks clean and pretty. Has a nice large schoolhouse. Beautiful country between Barnett and Grandview, but no gardens around the houses. Grandview is only a little place. The soil is clay with gravel under it. Below Cherryvale we saw some queer looking hills or mounds in shape like this.

Wednes a very warm day. A civilized Indian with wife and little 3-year old child were on the car. The man was very dark, but the squaw looked like a white woman. Silah at first said they were a cattle man and his wife. The roads looked dry and hard in good order for travel. I never saw nicer ones.

Independence is a bright town with large school house and steam grist mill. Nice farming country around it. Hedge fences, large corn and hay fields and patches of millet and cane. The millet looks rich. Next we saw some high hill with great large stones on top. If anybody wants to see a romantic place that is it. I felt as though I would like to roam around there a while.

Passed through country good, bad and indifferent and reached Harper about midnight. There were only a half dozen passengers in our car. A big six-foot cattle man had made Mrs. Fields acquaintance and he helped us off with out bundles and saw us packed in the bus for the hotel. There was a lively time packing us in for the bus, not very large. Silah and I were the only ladies. The landlord of the Glenn House has a cottage a little distance form the hotel and as the hotel was full, the clerk sent a man with a lantern to show us the way to the cottage where they gave us a room to ourselves. Silah was very much disappointed to find that Mr. Fields had not come to meet us. Our trunks had been delayed on the road, so there was nothing to do, but go on in the morning.

We took the stage for Medicine Lodge at eight the next morning with six others. Mr. Potter and Mr. Reed, cattlemen. Two drummers, one an old man of sixty-three, the other a young man of twenty-three. A carpenter who was only going eight miles and a married lady from Medicine Lodge. All were in good humor and we soon got acquainted and had a jolly time guessing weights and ages. Our driver named George was tipsy but knew enough to drive well and sharp enough to return all the fun that was poked at him. Stopped at the half-way house called Innyo or Enyo for dinner. Mrs. Sears had provided us with a bountiful lunch so we did not go in the house with our fellow travellers.

Silah talked as though there was a desert between Harper and Medicine Lodge, but it is not. We passed some splendid fields of corn that looked like Illinois corn in good season. There are gently rolling hills that are good pasture land. Some frame and a good many sod houses. Lots of sandy creeks with clear running water and little sloughs with grass growing in the water. We crossed Elm Creek and reached the lodge at four-o'clock. I will give you a description of Harper and Medicine Lodge after I get better acquainted with them. Mr. Fields was waiting for us and helped us out of the stage, then went for his buggy and took for home at once. I had not felt tired while riding, but when we stopped I trembled all over and my head was very dizzy. We were kindly and politely treated all the way and I enjoyed it all. I am feeling a great deal better than when I started from home and think I shall like to stay here. I like the appearance of Mr. Field and the two boys very much. The hired girl, Mary Chadwick went home the next morning after we came. Her brother Jack Chadwick and Will Stimson are the hired men. Both are nice modest intelligent young fellows.

I suppose you will read this to the children and neighbor so give my love to all.

Your loving daughter
Mary

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