Milford chronicle., 1919-10-03
LETTERSFROM MISS STIDHAM

/ Miss Elizabeth Stidham, who witt
Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Atkins and Mr.
Earl Atkins, is making a trip across
the United States by automobile, and
who expect to pass the winter in Cal
ifornia, has consent to write an ac-
count of this trip for the Chronicle
Sept 1888.
Near Shelbina, Mo.
My dear Colonel:
Well, another days record for Mis-
souri, mud. We have Slowed all over
the roads again today. We are now
near the above place in a vacant house
where we found another camping party
of five from Chicago, who are also 60
ing to Los Angeles. So far we have
met cars from "a states, the most of
whom like ourselves, were tourists
and the greater number were also
campers. Everybody like us, in a
Z humor to "cuss" the Missouri road
commissioners. The most of these
roads are like the old Arkansaw trav-
eler, When it's wet you can't fix
'em, and when it's dry" as one fellow
told us yesterday, they are the best
roads you ever seed
We are now at Chillicothe and things
are drying out quite fast today. We
are trying to make Kansas City, Mo-,
this evening, which seems to be Cap
tains' goal for over Sunday.
Sunday.
And Kansas City still in the dis
tance. We were held up at Chillicothe
four hours. So when a rain storm
came up we stopped at a farm house
to get settled for the night, and as
before, we picked out the right place, /
it seems, for it rained all night and
day. We bought a chicken for dinner
and the lady at the farm just COM
PEELED us to come in and cook ours /
with theirs and then said I'VE might I
just as well put it all together and /
have a big dinner and visit" So we
are spending the day with some lone .
ly Iowaians living down in Missouri .
Here's hoping, however, that tomorrow
will find us on the road again.
Why really, I am afraid by the time
we live this gypsy life a month | will
never want to stay in a house again.
We are about a mile from Lawson
and right here in this section was the
home of the Jesse James gang. A log
cabin is still preserved as one of the
show places for visitors. Young Jesse
James lives here and is well respect
ed. We have come through Excelsior
Spring, where Jesse James has a large
home. Here one can get mud
and sulpher baths and drinks of all
sorts of mineral waters (only) for
or whatever ails YOU.
Well, finally we reached Kansas City
and standing in front of the postoffice
(where l had three nice letters from
home, which were my first) a gentle
man and lady came up to the car, hav-
ng noticed the Delaware license. He
was young man raised in Crisfield :
and brOther-in-law of our late fel- :
ow-tOwnsman, Grey Shockley, and had .
been on to Grey's funeral in the :
spring. We had quite a nice visit. :
Didn't stay in Kansas City long. They .
Jaw Cap coming latter thought) so
10 doesn't want many shaves and hair !:
uts at S1.lO. A pretty girl wanted to
et little more out of his pockets
o manicure his nails, but that he has :.
eferred. We are very much better /.
with Kansas have had fine
Dads since we left Kansas CITY. :.
Ottawa, town of 11,000, and EN- >
oria, 5000, were the next towns of Z
ny size which we passed. All the y
Tiers, large or small, are all typic- :,
lily western with nice wide streets 4
nd grand, large school buildings. z
through the rural districts of In 3
lana and Missouri the school wagons &
ere very much in evidence. They q
'oked so odd to us, being about the 3
re of the old horse bus that the s.
0tels used to use. with stove pine 2
hich was run out through one side y
the roof We are now breaking ~
mp about miles east of Hutehin a
N, where I will mail this. q
Hutchinson is some city-25 O0O ~
the largest we will pass through 81
st of the Pacific Coast. Came in bv ~
immense reformatory for boys. Did ~
'tlose any of the party as everybody %
Is on their good behavior. Can" is "a
wing to be a real Westerner and ~:
lrn to roll his own smokes. Since 81.
wing Kansas City none of the stores A'
II sell cigarettes to a stranger. x:
ere are just a lot of things | want "
tell you, but when we have our -
)rt stops there are just so manv *:
ngs else, that it is all gone So I AZ:
DIV these interesting epistles do not -
ount to much. However, it is keen -.
us in touch with home folks.
We are still well and enjoying the
nplng. Everybody joins me in re-
ds to all.
Very sincerely yours.
ENG Stidhann