My dear Uncle and Aunt:

We were very glad to hear from you and are glad you are all well.

Grandpa has not been well at all, Mama and I went down to the doctors to get some medicine and have him come up, but he was going to New Lisbon on the next train so he could not come up. Grandma has just finished her supper and says that she feels a little better. Grandma got a nice long letter from Aunt Emma this afternoon telling us Alura had gone back to school.

We have had a great deal of excitement here lately between mad dogs and burglars. The burglars started from Eagle, got all they could there and then started for Mukwonago. They did not get anything here I guess as they were all badly shot. Now one got badly shot while being chased, this one stayed in Ed Boss' barn. They could tell by the blood on the snow and Setta said that he left her little kitten out of the barn.

Grandma's taxes were $20.78 about $2 less than they were last year, Grandma said for you not to worry about her because she had some money left over. While we were looking over something, we found some pictures and books we thought might be nice for Angela sometime, oh dear I wish I had the pet here to hug her this very minute and you too. I wish I can see her walk upstairs. She must be growing cuter as fast as she grows older.

Uncle James sent Florence and I the Youth's Companion again this year. This makes the 10^th year that we have had it. We had your letter at Christmas Uncle put in the paper and every body thought it was very nice.

The other day the doctor was up and he said that all that was the matter was because she worried so much. Aunt Alura has not been out since a week ago today but it has been pretty cold. Uncle Lin was out two or three weeks ago and told Grandma he would not come again while Mama was here, and we think the worrying about that made her worse, some nights she cannot go to sleep or even lay down until about 5:00 in the morning. Mrs. Smith was over today and said she had never seen anyone fail as Grandma had in the last two or three weeks. Mamma and Grandma both sleep here in the dining room so as Grandma can be by the fire and mama can keep them going. Mama said she would write only she was so tired from being up nights. Well I guess I will have to say goodbye for I want to read a little to Grandma so I will close, lots of love hugs and kisses from my myself and rest, yours with love, Edie

Mukwonago WI January 10, 1903

Dear Uncle and Aunt:

I am going to write this letter to you and then clean check. We are having the nicest weather here now and are not suffering from the cold at all (thanks to the woodpile which you got for us). I have not got my ears or nose frozen this winter although it has been plenty cold enough to have done so. There has been quite a panic in the town for the last few days between burglars and mad dogs and I don't know what all. Grandma said that the men in this town where having a regular revival over mad dogs. It took 20 men to kill one of the dogs here, I think they are crazy themselves. They have killed about 20 and there are only a very few left, including Bryan. We have to keep him very close in the house because someone found a dead dog in a hollow over the river and Mama is afraid someone might drop someplace in on it, the people here are putting poison out everywhere and any or all around with Down's so we're careful of Bryan.

Grandma bought some corn and oats for the calf to eat in his milk but he would not eat so she bought some middlings for him and he seems to like this very well. Mama went and paid Grandma's taxes today, they were not quite as much as they were last year but they are still enough to pay.

We would all like to see little Angela very much indeed, how nice it is that she can walk now where she pleases but it will still be nicer when she can talk also. We were very glad to hear from you. It looks tonight as if we would have snow and I hope we will, the sleighing is quite good but some more snow would help. From your loving niece Florence Snover

Mukwonago, Wisconsin

Mukwonago WI

May 30, 1903

Dear Uncle and Aunt:

We received the picture of Angela this morning and we were very much pleased to get it. It does not seem as if we were near the first of June by the weather, it is so terribly cold. Quite a little damage has been done by the rain and hail storms down around Dodge's Corners and Caldwell.

Next week is the last of school and the only things to dread now are the examinations. Thursday June 4^th the graduating exercise will be held and Friday after there will be a high school picnic at Phantom Lake Inn, week after next I intend to go to Milwaukee to visit friends for a while and then after I get done with my visit I think Edith is going in for a time.

I am eagerly looking forward to the day that will bring us a letter from grandma Snover so as to find out if we can come to Colorado this summer. I have wished ever since you went to Colorado that I could see the mountains and now the mere thought of myself seing them makes me wish to go too.

Tonight Mama took the baby's picture over to show Mrs. Smith and the first thing she said was "oh this straight little cob how I would like to grab her." So you see everyone thinks she is very cunning.

Today Edith and I went down to Aunt Alura's with Ethel Curtis after a load of wood. Aunt Alura was feeling very much discouraged over her crops for this summer because they were so badly hurt by the hail. She said that there was not a whole bunch of buds left on the grape fields and that their clover field looked as if a lot of cattle had got in it and ate all but the stalks. Our garden is doing very nicely, this morning while it was cool I hoed a good share of it, the beans have four leaves on them so you can see they are getting along. Our radishes and onions are now ready for use and the strawberry plants have large green berries on them. The hail storms did not come our way. On account of the frequent rains, the cellar has had a good deal of water in it so there is a continual stream of water in the garden where the water is coming from the drain.

Mama feels very much discouraged over the fact that the corn ground has not been plowed yet and also because the fences are not fixed. Mr. Titus is willing to fix the fences but Charlie said he would fix them and consequently they remain unfixed. Mama said each one wants to knock off some of the pasture and she says if she is here next year she will hire someone to fix the fences and let them pay the full amount in the pasturage. It may be rather hard for you to read this because I am not used writing on paper without lines and this is kind of run together.

Hoping this will find you all well and that we can get a pass. I remain as ever your loving niece, Florence Snover of Mukwonago WI

 September 27, 1903

Dear Uncle and Aunt:

Mama has been writing to you so I am going to follow her good example. I started a letter to you the other day in school but never finished it. Edith is very busy reading a book and eating apples at the same time. We have a fire in the house today because it is so very cold. The wind is blowing but the sun is shining warm and bright. I have been very busy this summer. I worked five weeks at Phantom Lake Inn and the rest of the time has gone so fast I have not had time to do much of anything. Edith and I are very busy at present getting in our hickory nuts. The walnuts have just commenced to fall but the hickory nuts are early this year.

Jesse Schultz is going to be married the sixth of October to a Mr. Vick here in town. How is Angela? I hope she is well. I suppose she can talk quite good now can't she? It does not seem possible to think that she will be two years old in December. I am planning if nothing happens to come to Colorado next summer, Mama says she is afraid to let me go because she says if I get out there once I will never want to come back. We all went to church this morning the first time in quite a while. Edith and I go to Sunday school every Sunday. We got a good many peaches off from that peach tree this year, about two bushels I should think. Mama and myself are intending to go to Mukwonago in about two weeks to see about our eyes. I guess we will have to wear glasses. One of the Stracher girls as having quite a time with her throat, she had tonsilits first, then the swelling all went down on her neck and came up on the other side, then it began to spread, now she is all broken out, one of her tonsils is partly eaten away and the disease has gone into her blood. She can't eat anything sour at all. The doctor says there is no hope of her getting any better. I see Mr. Titus has the cows in the roadside so will soon be time to go and do work at the barn. He lets the cows eat every night on the roadside and watches them so they won't go into the corn. Have you got two horses yet? I suppose you have one at least. There are some new kind of lights here in town, I think they are gasoline, they are 1000 candlepower, they give a very nice light. I cannot think of any more at the present so will close. Hoping to hear from you soon. I remain your niece Florence Snover

Mukwonago, Wisconsin January 3, 1904

Dear Uncle and Aunt:

We got the ribbons and thank you ever so much for them. That picture of Angela was too sweet for anything, it looks just like her.

January 10. When Florence started this I was sick but am all right now. Mama has got an awful cold on her lungs. Yesterday Florence fell down in the kitchen (she fell over the cat) and hurt her arm. It pained her quite a little yesterday but she did not go to the doctors until this morning and Doctor Youmans said it was sprained and he thought that a little piece of the bone was broken off. So I have been "jack of all trades" since.

Grandma Wood (Charlie Wood's mother) died this morning.

I thank you very much for the lovely ribbon you sent me for Christmas.

Our cow doesn't give any milk now so we bring a big pail full every day from Titus' when we come from school.

We got Aunt Louise's letter and Mama will answer as soon as she is able. My head aches tonight so will close. With lots of love for all of you. Edie

October 6, 1904 Mukwonago, Wisc.

Dear Uncle and Aunt:

I really have not found time to write before as I have been working really hard to make up what I lost in school. We have been picking apples lately, and I picked up the potatoes nights after school. It is awful cold here today. We had quite a heavy frost last week. How is Gloria and Angela? Can Gloria walk yet?

We are going to have a pumpkin pie social here at the high tomorrow night. we are going to have the building decorated with Jack lanterns.

I imagine you are glad that you are so near done scraping honey. There can't be much room left in the basement to work in.

Well it is nearly time for the bell so must close for this time.

Hoping to hear from you soon, I remain your niece, Edith Snover

Our professor is just fine this year. He is so thorough. Edie

This letter was undated, it appears to be written in the winter shortly before Grandma's (Mary Cassey Collins) death.

Tuesday

Grandma is some better today, but she is some out of breath at present because she had company this afternoon and she talked a good deal, so she is now paying for it.

Edith surprised us last night by saying that she felt sick to the stomach and we were more surprised when she fell in a faint this morning, Mama kept her from school today and will tomorrow also. None of us know what we would have done this cold spell it hadn't been for the wood you got us. With 10 degrees below zero we are eating into it some.

Wednesday

Grandma had a bad night and mama is very tired this morning having to keep up and keep fire. Edith is some better. She was awake about two hours so between the two mama had a bad night of it.

Grandma cannot comb her hair or anything like that so Mama has to do it for her. Grandma has not been out of the house for three or four weeks. I am going to stop at the doctors this morning on my way to school to get some medicine for her. Mama got some from him Saturday that helped her, so I am going to get some more. Don't worry we will let you know if she is any worse. It is much warmer here this morning and we are glad of it for it takes less wood.

I must close now for I must go to school. Your loving niece Florence Snover

P.S. mama wants to know if you will send her one of your old hats.

Class of nineteen hundred six

Mukwonago High School

COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES

Thursday evening, June seventh

nineteen hundred six

Mukwonago, Wisconsin

Congregational Church Eight o'clock

PROGRAMME:

Cornet Solo. . . ... ..Dr. O. E. Smith

Invocation .......... Rev. C. W. .Merritt

Salutatory…"Inconvenience of Greatness"..Alice A. Smith

"Amusements" , , , . William C. Butke

"Culture vs. Show".. .....Gertrude M. McKenna

Solo-Selected .. .. Miss Maye L. Platner

"Evils of Societv"…..Adela R. Goetsch

"Distribution of Wealth".. . . . .. . . .Francis T. McKenna

"Success and Failure" …..Jennie C. Howie

Solo-Selected Miss Maud F. Clohisy

"Individuality" . .Florence M. Snover

"Happiness"…………. Arthur C. Butke

Valedictory-"Victims of Circumstances''... . .....Ruth B. Lob dell

Duet-Selected . .. Dr. Skewes and Prof. Fowlie

Remarks. . . . . . . . . . . . William Fowlie, Principal

Conferring .Diplomas...Dr. E. L. Youmans

Presentation of Flowers………..

Benediction ………….Revision. C. W. Merritt

9 -- 11 -- 08

Dear Uncle Will and all,

As I am all alone today I will try and write to you. For once I guess the people have found it too warm to telephone. I suppose it is very warm out there with you. Everybody says this is the warmest day we have had yet and we have had some pretty bad ones. Did you know Bryan was dead? I guess the warm weather was too much for him and then he was twelve years old you know. The children certainly felt terrible about it.

We have only got three boys now and two of those are in school. I do wish you could see the baby. He is just as sweet as he can be.

Mom had a letter from Uncle James yesterday. I haven't seen Clark for such a long time, but if it is cooler we may go down Sunday as I don't have to work. I have only lost about a week all summer, have found it pretty tiresome sometimes but managed to stick it out.

Has this been a pretty good season for honey with you? I guess the people around here who have bees got quite a lot of honey. The old schoolhouse has been fixed up and is in use again. It looks so nice.

Well I will close for this time. Write when you can, with love, Edith