Frank Ryan's Christmas Letter to Adelaide McGonigle


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Kimball SD

12-22-10

Miss McGonigle

Belvidere, Ill

Dearest Adelaide:

You fooled me did you? O well I don’t know whether you did or not.  I wonder if this will fool you.  Ha Ha.  I thought you had some news for me.  When I read your first lines but I guess not.  I don’t catch your meaning at first that was all.

Well kid, how are you?  And how’s the dog.  That’s all I’m worrying about (the dog) Ha. Ha.
 

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Aren’t we having a glorious winter?  No snow here yet to speak of and just the finest kind of weather.

But then its Advent so it is going to be a dead loss.  Ha Ha.

Father O’Gorman (our priest) says it is alright to dance in Advent, but he doesn’t know as much as my “ma.”  If it was just the opposite everything would be OK.  A fellow can easy fix it with the priest.  Ha. Ha.

Here is going to be a masquerade Ball next Monday night in Kimball.  I’m just wondering if I should go.  Can’t you tell
 

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what church in Belvidere?  Must be an extravagant one.  Have to hold a bazaar and what not for it every year.  I expect it would be hard to tell who was the “Big Chief” at those church doings.  You or Joe Moan.  Or “Tom Bracken.”

Yes, I would take a chance on that armchair with? You.  Ha. Ha.  I wouldn’t have dared to tell you if you hadn’t asked.  I expect quite a number took a chance with you?  On the chair.

Did any one ask you to dance?  I’ll be a whole nickel you never said a word about me.
 

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You wouldn’t take such a long chance as that.  For fear they might not ask you again.  See.

Expect the Bazaar was a grand success – ought to be with such leaders as you, Big Joe, and etc.

They are talking some of holding a Catholic fair here this winter, but I think it was fall through.  So many are not in favor of it.

Well kid, you said to call you kid, your last letter was swell and I’m sorry for having slammed
 

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 your other letter.  Did I say you had forgotten how to write.  Well I hope I wasn’t so personal as all that.  Anyhow I don’t see where I would have any room to talk by the looks of this scribbling.  And you had a good mind not to send me another letter.  But you wouldn’t do that would you?  Your letters are always welcome just because they are so good.  Did you have the nerve to bake a pie?  Ha. Ha. Who ate it?  I hope they arrive before Christmas.
 

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So they have completed the Sister School.  Its too bad you are beyond the age limit.  I know you must have all the other qualifications to attend such a school. Ha. Ha.

So you can notice a difference in the kids.  Since they started to the Sister School. Whose kids (may I ask)

I’ve never had the opportunity to attend such a school.  But I often wished so.  Those whom I meet from such schools seem to be so good and refined. Like.
 

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 The lady who used to keep house for Fr. O’Flaherty here is in Belvidere.  I believe on Caswell Street.  At least that is where she said she was going.  Her name was Mrs. Doran.  I expect she must have become tired of Dakota as I think Fr. O’Flaherty thought she was coming back.  He is stationed in Mitchell now but he comes up to Kimball quite often as he was here for nine years.  He is more of a business man than a priest.  He built or least….a good deal towards building a college at Chamberlain now.  He is building an academy for
 

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For young ladies at Mitchell.  You might be able to get in at such a school as that.  That is if you’d hurry.  Ha. Ha.

So you really would go out on a claim.  I wish you had a claim out there near mine.

I got word from the govt. that I would have to live on my claim 5 years before I could get a deed to it.  As it is under the irrigation project.  Kate is out there on her claim.  She would have to stay five years too but she is going to change her filing on another where she will only have to stay 14 months.
 

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 She felt pretty blue when she got notice that she would have to stay 5 years.  She felt like quitting it entirely but she has decided to change to another quarter.  A girl couldn’t think of staying 5 years.  She be an old maid before she could provide up.  Then what?  I don’t know what to think of my quarter.  I hate to lose it.  Still I hate to live on it for 5 years before I can prove up.  Under the present law the government intends to irrigate it, which of course in time will make it very valuable.  If the irrigation ditch was to
 

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my place at the present I would surely go to farming on it, but the ditch has not reached it yet and of course there is no set time when it will.  We are about 40 miles from the big irrigation dams.

They may the mail to us in a year and it may take three.  The government never does anything in a hurry you know.

It is fine cattle country but not much for agriculture.   I don’t think as it is too dry.   The soil is plenty fertile enough.  Last summer was very dry there.  Little of anything grew but then of course it was dry everywhere last season.
 

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I’m going out to my claim next Spring and am going to stick.  If I live it will be alright and I don’t, I guess it will be alright anyhow.  Ha. Ha.  Well this is enough about that claim.  I hardly mention anything about my claim to anyone around us as they always start making fun of us.  What do you know about that?

Any you are growing tired of Belvidere – I don’t wonder at that any.

But as for going on a farm and thinking you will not be noticed, I’m afraid you’d get disappointed.  We have a good many
 

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who seems to make it their business watching what their own neighbors are doing.  But you mustn’t pay any attention to that.  Just keep wondering that’s all.  It never worrys me any.

I expect you done your xmas shopping by this time.  You know how the cartoonists do picture the woman folks in their rush before xmas.  Don’t get mixed up with any of them and have your likeness drawn and put in the comic supplement of the Sunday paper.  Ha. Ha.
 

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Have you really gotten this far?  You had better go and have a lunch before you attempt to finish this.  Ha. Ha.  I would very much like to make another visit to Chi- and see my cousins but as they never think of coming west to see us I don’t think I ought to be in any hurry. 

Has Jess located her “rich husband” yet.  She always said he would have to be a rich one and I never doubted it either.

He would have to be surely.  You must have gotten awful fleshy if you are 10 lbs heavier than I am.
 

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 You must look something like Joe Moan only shorter.  Ha. Ha.  Or maybe you grew.  The young folks around here seem to have all gotten the “tie up” disease lately.  They are getting married just as fast they can.  You can see them standing around waiting for their turn.  A couple of kids who used to go to school to me are going to be married after Xmas.  It makes me feel old.  Ha. Ha.  But I haven’t any more sense than I ever had and you know that was very little.  O well, it will all come out in the wash.
 

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Well here’s where I must sign off as it is getting very late.

As for the receipt of those “magic cakes”.  I don’t think you are in earnest.  And anyhow you don’t suppose I’d give out the secret to every one.  Ha. Ha. I didn’t say they would last you a week did I?  I said that it was myself.  I couldn’t vouch for how they would settle in your st-h-.

Now don’t get mad Kid.  You wouldn’t use the receipt if I did send it.  What would want it for anyhow.  When you have a “ma” to cook for you.
 

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Well bye bye Kiddoo.

Shall I ask you to answer this or should I wait till later and send a “dun”.  I won’t do it. I’m going to ask you to answer soon.  Of course you are a little better about answering than I am.  So heres love Kiddoo and a Merry Christmas.

Frank.