One subject that few seem to want to touch when writing in a historical context, is domestic abuse. Academics write about it historically. Even authors of fiction incorporate it into their storylines. However, very few write about it when writing about family and place. It's because it's difficult, uncomfortable...and embarrassing. But the truth of the matter is, it's a fact of life. It's always been with us, and sadly will probably always will be with us...
St. Vincent
June the 5th, 1881
Dear father & Mother I once more take up my pen to adress a few lines to you hoping these will find you all well as this leaves us all at present this has been a very well Spring hear we have Just got done sowing on our homestead and we are starting tomorrow on our tree claim to put in barly we have put in about fifteen bushels of oats and about the same of potatas we had to buy another yok of oxen this spring ours own got so fat and heavy that they were to slow we work each yok day about we have a hundred and Sixty five dollers for them we had a man hired for a month at 25 dollers a month and board we bought five cows and to calves this spring we have none milk cows and four year olds and five this years calves twenty too head altogether we have a little boy hired for herding a purpose every one has to herd there own we have the Most Stack of any one around heare we have to pigs about 2 hundred weght each we were disapointed in not haveing young pigs this spring we had to buy some We churn every other day I get from thirty to 25 cents a Pound for the butter patatos is a doller a bushel and Sears at that We had not to buy any Charlie Robison's wife died on Saturday last she had a baby and she never got well he is going home again they lived in emerson and I guess they have been hard up he has Not been drinking this last while for he had nothing to drink with he used her bad since they came to this country the water never was so high in the river as this spring our children got their pictures taken in Pembina and we send yous one they go to school every day I am going to get the baby taken and I will send it to yous we think when we get the deed of our land that we might Sell out we could get a big price we all like this country we have done very well since we came I think I have told yous all the particulurs this time So I must bid you all good by for the present hoping to hear from yous soon I remain
Yours truly Mary Ann Gamble
Write soon
One subject that few seem to want to touch when writing in a historical context, is domestic abuse. Academics write about it historically. Even authors of fiction incorporate it into their storylines. However, very few write about it when writing about family and place. It's because it's difficult, uncomfortable...and embarrassing. But the truth of the matter is, it's a fact of life. It's always been with us, and sadly will probably always will be with us...
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