Letter 18940325

1894 (March 25)

Yuma, Mo.
March 25, 1894
Easter Sunday

Dear Brother & Relatives All,
After a long time keeping you all waiting for a letter from me. This Sabbath morning I will try & write you. We have been having real spring weather for some time untill day before yesterday. It turned considerably colder & yesterday was real chilly. Last night it snowed about two inches deep but is melting a little now (at noon.) the old saying is a black Christmas brings a white Easter & I begin to think the Dutch rule a true one, especially this time.
The relatives are all in usual health so far as I have heard & know at present. Uncle is here. Came up a bit ago. He keeps well this spring. He thinks times are pretty hard when no one wants any trees. He has only sold a few so far this spring.
I received a letter from Lilly last night. They were all well, but said it had been a long time since she had heard from either “Thede or Elmer.” so I think you & Martha had ought write to her once in a while any way.
I haven’t heard from any of Joe’s for some time. A letter from Oll a short time ago stating all were well. I got a letter from our cousin, D. L. Locke, of Illinois yester evening. They were all well & said he had received a letter only a short time before from Mr. Arney. Said he expected Mr. Arney & wife to visit them in the near future. I expect A. N. is going to ship his hogs & cattle to Chicago. Oll” is going along & by the way will visit Mr. Locke & his Uncle on their return. Mr. Locke wrote me he & wife expected to make a visit in Iowa this coming August & wanted me to be sure & be up there to. So of course I will have to try & arrange things to go up by then.
Say do any of you ever see Uncle Geo. & Aunt Jane any more. I have written them twice & no answer yet. He wrote to Uncle George two or three months ago & said I had written to him while in Iowa & the writing was so dim he couldn’t make but little of it out & what he did read was all about politics & the Democrats & he didn’t belong to either. If he don’t he is a genuine good uncle (?) for when Iowa went Democratic four years ago, he couldn’t help but rejoice & said to me, Iowa knows which is the better party. But when his own state with Iowa & a great many more swings its country back to their old accustomed track, he then can’t stand the fire & will disown belonging to such a party. I am a Republican & am not ashamed to own it as I told Uncle George in my letter to him. The Republican party was as grand a temperance party as ever stood on God’ green footstool & I will say it again to you & to Uncle Tommy & to Aunt Sally & will write it again to Uncle George Delk if needs be. Of what is this so called temperance party composed of. Of what kind of material, of what is their chief corners & its pillares. I will say exactly the same as the Greenbacks, Union Labor, Peoples party & last & least Populist Rank rabble demagages & if the shoe fits any of you just wear it as Uncle George does & write me just the same & give me fitts if you want to.
Well I will close hoping to hear from you all soon again. Say Uncle Tommy when you have time I wish you would look ove the old Watchman, either last year or year before. Talks why Bob Ingersol is a Republican. Ell., do you get the Unionville Republican.
All for this time. Love to all, by by.
Yours in F L T, F.O. Delk