also with buoyancy and a poetic mood, then our
respect for the country girl's character and nerve ought to be enhanced.
This one ends her story thus:

"Indeed my sister and I love the farm very much and have no desire to
leave it. We often declare that we would not live in the city for
anything."

Perhaps the above letter will be recognized in some mysterious way as
belonging to one of the Middle States; the following delightfully
individual letter can come only from a big ranch in the Northwest. One
feels the personality of the writer, like a dynamo, through all she
writes. A Rocky Mountain breeze blows through her words; and her day, we
know, is only one among many equally dramatic and interesting.

"This morning I was wakened by the sun as it first shone in at my
window. As it was only a quarter of five I covered my eyes for one more
nap. We have cool nights, but yesterday it was 104 in the shade. Soon I
heard Papa get up, so I did likewise. I built a fire in the kitchen
range and cooked my own breakfast. 'Cookie Sis' was not up and Papa does
not eat breakfast.

"I thought the rest had slept long enough, so I turned on the water near
the house and began to carry wash water. That got them up. While my
water was heating, I gathered the clothes, swept four rooms, irrigated a
little on the garden, and picked up chips. Then I washed--they call me
the 'family laundry.' I must be somewhat Irish, too, for I must have
everything in the house and on me washed clean.

"At noon I was still washing. While waiting for dinner, one of the hired
men struck a bargain with me. He is to bring down his spring and summer
collection of seventeen dirty shirts; I am to show him how to wash them
and then I may iron them. I promised because I believe in helping my
neighbor, because this fellow sometimes takes my sister riding in his
new buggy, and because he and I have red hair.

"Dinner was good even though served on our decrepit ranch dishes. We are
running three kitchens. We have good meals always. We eat well and work
hard for what we get here in the West.

"In the afternoon I finished the washing, helped clean the house, and
mended. After three o'clock I sat here in a cool room by an open window
watching Papa mow alfalfa and the men stack grain. The children were in
swimming. By and by one of my chums drove by on her way home from town.
We visit thus mostly.

"Supper at six. I ironed before and after, as long as the irons were
h