Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1924-05-28

Kenilworth, Mont April 20, 1924.
Dear Aunt Madge:
1t has been over three years since I
wrote to the NJ. BIS, but l got such
cordial reception then that l venture
to come again, though ever so tardy.
1t is seeding time again, and everyone
if full of hope and courage-courage
to seed the great grain fields and hope
for a bountiful crop, and though this
hope has failed us for seven years, still
we are always ready for the new trial.
| suppose it is natural reaction to
the cold hard winter. / can hardly
wait to plant something as soon as the
last snow is gone, and this spring, be-
fore we even considered blowing the
garden, l took my hoe and scratched
a few salad peas into the ground on
an old barn site. There was ice three
inches down under the dirt, and | told
myself the peas would rot. l could
hardly believe it when my John" sent
the kiddies to tell me my peas We're up.
| wonder if you have ever planted
the salad peas. They have a purple
blossom, so look much like sweet peas,
They are prepared to eat like string
beans, pod and all and have a delicate
flavor. They are generally ready a
week or two before green peas.
Now l must tell you about our rab-
bit hunts this spring. The jack-rab
bits here on the prairie have multiplied
so rapidly as to become a pest, and
something radical had to be done if
there was to be any hopes of a crop.
SO the men and boys formed hunting
parties, the women served lunches and
the rabbits have been thinned out
some. but not enough vet.
The day of the rabbit hunt in this
neighborhood was cold and stormy, so
only seventy-fve men and boys came.
They covered twelve sections of land,
two sections at time, forming a rough
circle and closing in, killing the rab-
bits as they came Only shot guns
were allowed, to eliminate danger of
accident They killed thousand rab-
bits that day, but there have been over
three thousand killed when the crowd
was larger, and the rabbits more
numerous Although l realize they
must be got rid Of | was glad | was
woman and wasn't expected to kill
them. They are really beautiful. Snow
white in winter and brown in summer
and their color and speed are their
only defenses,
l wonder if "Pansy" has had a card
from Montana. At any rate l will send
her one soon. 1t will be a picture
took several years ago of an historical
point of interest-the remains of the
old adobe mud fort at Fort Benton
on the Missouri river. In the early
days of Montana, Benton was the last
trading post on the Missouri to be Wis
tied by steamer, and this fort was the
defense against the Indians. Although
there are only parts of two walls left
of the original fort, one can still see
the marks of the bullets of the be-
sieging Indians on those, and the plank
door of the storehouse nearby is
plainly marked by the battering rains.
There is movement on foot to bring
MeXicans up here to rebuild the fort of
adobe, and then to build frame build
ing over it to lSeserve this old land
mark to historical lovers
/ am aware this letter is too long,
but perhaps you can cut 1t down, Aunt
Madge l have destroyed the paper
with Pansy's address, but remember
that she said she received one card
marked "Pansy, Ellsworth" l believe.