Letter from Florence Kile to Zella Landes
March 2, unknown year [probably 1905]

Zellie if you want to tuck a shirt by this pattern after you have marked the tucks as traced in patern sew the skirt up from the bottom or low(?) edge soes the tucks will hit their basste every tuck around or the chalk marks will rub out  I tuck a tape line to sew the tucks by [sic] be careful not to get them any wider than the tape if you dont understand what I mean Jennie** can show you she seen me tuck hers I think this pattern is easier to tuck by than hers  I dont know if the patern is big enough for Nettie or not take a string and measure around her waist pin the pattern to gater (gather?) at top and you can tell  The bonnet patern is just the size of my bonnet

[2]

March 2

Dear Zellie I do hope your Pa and Ma will be well before you get this  I did feel awful bad and lonesome the day you went home but I am well to night  pretty tired of sewing the straps and pleats on the little dress was so thick I had to sew part of it by hand on the thick goods but I think I will have them done in 2 more days if I work rite hard  But I am glad to have something I can do these cold days it is to cold to do much I still have 10 little chickens I still put dry straw in their coop  Hugh said Iodine would be good to paint your Mas neck and take some brandy or Laudinum* [!] if she suffer sos bad he said if you would rap a bandage over the oats powltice [sic] it wont feel so heavy that medicine Hugh sent Beckie sade [sic] took some and it stoped [sic] her cough rite away Pollie said

Florence

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Florence Dolly Kile was America R. Landes' sister. Florence and Becca also had a brother -- Wilson Dolly.  Job Dolly was their father.

Florence Kile married Dr. Hugh Kile in 1895.  Florence died of diphtheria on September 3, 1907 and is buried in the Bowers Cemetery #12 on Jake Hill Rd. near Brushy Run. There was evidently an epidemic of diphtheria in 1907. In addition to Florence, Minnie's little girl died on September 2, 1907 of diphtheria. It was so bad that mail service was stopped between Box and Riverton for a while. See Daniel's diary entries on these dates in 1907:  Aug. 19, 30; Sept. 1, 2, 6; Dec. 13; Feb. 3 1908.

Hugh Kile remarried in 1910 to Mary Armentrout. Hugh Kile was born about 1871 and was the son of Andrew and Ann Kile.

*Laudanum is a tincture of opium containing about 10% powered opium by weight. It is evidently still available by prescription in the US for controlling diarrhea and alleviating pain. Another common drug prescribed during this time (1905) which contained opium was Paregoric. Paragoric is 4% tincture of opium combined with camphor and anise oil, and was traditionally used for children to control coughing, calm fretful babies, and to rub on the guns to help in teething pain.


** Here, Florence spells Jinnie Lawrence's name 'Jennie'.  Daniel most often spelled it 'Jinnie' in his diaries. Jinnie is a nick-name for Virginia, hence 'Jinnie'.