28th April 1928, Wellington, Colorado. U.S.A. My dearest Mother, Very many thanks for your letter received last week, also the books.  I've got quite a little reading on hand now.  You know mother, those H. C's sure go the rounds, I let the folks have them then Dorothy gets them and finally eliza and her family read them.    I hope you are all well of your colds.  I've had one too, with a sore lip, as usual.  I've had more colds this winter than I ever did before.    Did you get your garden made?  Walt and I got busy last Thursday morning and put in everything that could be planted with safety.    Walt got all his crops in, grain, nothing but, - most of it is up too.  Now, he finds that sixty or seventy acres of his Alfalfa is dead.  That presents quite a problem.  Its getting rather late for most grain, and one can hardly get seed either for love or money.  Then again, ploughing alfalfa is very hard work for horses one needs a tractor.    It has been raining and snowing nearly all day.    Talk about the German and Russian families in this country mother, why there's nothing else but.  The joke of it is, the're all Americans I'll tell you, if you want a mixture of nationalities, we've sure got it here, a real "Dukes Mixture", mother.  Thank goodness I'm English, and proud of it too.     Henry Deines passed his exams and is now a naturalized American.  Gosh cousin Suie, is quite a woman, I did'nt think she was that old.    I'm glad Edith made her grade.  Edward has only three more weeks to go to school, I am wondering if he will pass.    I got twenty-six little chickens, from three weeks to one week old.  I've lost one but that's all.    We've got the radio running, its an all English program.  They're just starting in with "Hearts of Oak" now "Cherry Ripe", "Allen Water" "Loud roars the dreadful Bay of Biscay 'O Water".    I am glad Annie got such a nice outfit.,  How is she?    I've just been getting some new slippers, honey beige, that's kind of creamy pink color.  I got Mary a pair of patent slippers with blond trimming and a pretty blue rayon party dress.     (They're singing "Drink to me only" now).    We were going to the show to see Bebe Daniels in "Swim, girl, Swim" tonight but the weather is too dirty.  The roads here are almost hopeless when we get a rain, its alright where they're gravelled.    I was driving in the mud and snow this afternoon.  Rose came down here and we went out to a "Co-worker's" meeting south of town.  We both joined the club.  This afternoon we all took seeds, plants and bulbs.  The seeds we exchanged and the plants etc; we auctioned off from one to ten cents each.  We had a good time and enjoyed a delicious lunch consisting of two kinds of layer cake and brick ice-cream and two flavors and coffee of course.    I got a letter from Doris last week too.  She seems to be pretty miserable now-a-days, does'nt she.    I want to tell you one of my youngsters tricks.  Last Saturday evening Walt was out milking and I was out doing my chores.  When I came in I found the kids hiding away behind the stove.  Walt came in and started separating milk, finally Mary came out, and said "Daddy, did you slip?"  "We wanted to see you slip"  They had rubbed chunks of lard on the floor next to the door and hoped to see Daddy slip.    One day I had been cleaning windows, and said, when I get thru, "Well they'll have to do, It's the best I can do"  So Mary answered "Well, I guess they'll do - for a change"  She's getting to be a big girl and is grandma and - pa's pride so it seems,    Well mother dear, I believe my news is about "all".  I hope you are all well as it leaves us at present.  With lots of love from "us four" to all of you          I remain            Your loving daughter               XXXXX  Dolly  XXXXX Well, that is 21 letters, hope you have enjoyed them.  Dolly wrote great letters to her mother, continually tell her what she did, what she ate, cooked, etc;  What she made, her housework.  We modern housewives had it really easy, with automatic washing machines, fridges, electric irons, kettles, vacuum's, tumble driers, not many with open fires these days.    I am so please I dont have to rise early to feed animals, church, though I do still bake bread. Having re-read old notes, Dolly came to England finally in 1948, I was then about 11 or 12 years old.  Dolly sent my mother parcels during WW2, old jackets, trousers etc; but carefully sewn inside linings, pockets etc; were silk stockings, which were unobtainable in England.  My mother'Margy' in return knitted her fairisle sweaters. Several people have asked me for photographs of Dolly and her family, I am pleased to scan and send you some if anybody is interested.  By the way, Annie and Edith never married, dying when they were 92 and 87 in Grimoldby, Lincs. I have one more letter that may be of interest, one written by Emily Wood, Dolly's mother in law, to my Grandmother, will type that for you. Shall then have a break and then start on the collection of letters I have written by Dolly's brother Joseph William Smith, these are set just prior to WW1, and during the war. Again, very intesting and historical documents really. I have for several years been meaning to see if the Imperial War Museum would be interested in them.  Joe also wrote good letters, with lots of descriptions of his life in the Royal Navy. All for now, thanks for all the lovely comments you have sent me, glad the letters were interesting and given you a picture of the life of a brave Lincolnshire Lass, living in the depth of USA. The H.C's or books Dorothy refers to were 'Home Comfort's" a Woman's magazine. Edward became a Lieutenant in the USA Army-Air Transport Command. He became a pilot, and after delivering a plane to England, got leave and went to visit my grandmother.  Grandma never met Mary, she married Jim RUSHING, and they had at least one daughter, I have a photograph of Marilyn Rushing, b 25 August 1942.  Mary died in 1965 and Ed in 1994 at Praire Village, Kansas. Walt gave up farming and worked for the Larimer Co; Highway Dept, then he and Dolly moved to Denver, where they owned and operated a garage and filling station till their retirement. Pat Cook, Grimsby, Lincolnshire