Letter from Sarah Sim to Our Folks at Home, January 1, 1860

This January 1, 1860 letter from Sarah Sim to her parents describes her loneliness, the cold winter weather, and the current lack of a school for area children. She closes the letter with news of a railroad being built that will pass within three or four miles of their home, and she expresses hope that it will enable her to more easily return home for a visit.

Otoe N T
Jan 1^st 1860

To our folks at home

I am much obliged to Josephine for the rose seeds. Write soon.

The letter written from home by Electa and Mary was duly rec'd. I suppose by this time that the girls are all gone away to their several places of employment and there are but few of you left to sit around the old fireside these long winter evenings. I dare say there often steals over you a felling of loneliness when you look around and see so many vacant seats when a little while ago all was bustle and confusion. Now all seems hushed and quiet and the thoughts wander away after the absent ones. How I wish I could drop in and sit down and chat with you a while on this first evening of the new year but I am too far away to enjoy such a great privilege but if all is well I intend to come home some time. We rec'd a letter from Harriet since she went to her school the speaks as though she had a hard job this winter got a letter from Margaret a week ago. We are all well at present except Grandpa he has had a bad finger but it is some better the weather is very cold



and is most of the time. We have had but little snow yet but I do not think we have had colder weather since we lived in Neb. I think the climate is colder here than in Conn the cold is more peirceing [sic] and in the summer the heat is more intense and therefore I do not think the climate is as pleasant here as in the east. We have no school this winter we could not raise funds to finish the school house we have sabbath [sic] school and preaching and also a lyceum and some talk about a singing school. I wish Helen could go to school with Cate this winter. I suppose she is far ahead of Helen but I can't help it perhaps Helen will have a better chance by and by. She is getting to be quite a tall girl grows up very slender. Philly is mischevous [sic] as ever the baby creeps and is fat and healthy excepting teething. The times are hard here at present but probably will be better in the spring. It is expected there will be a large emigration in the spring news is favorable from the gold region. There is a Rail road building on the east side of the Missouri that will come within 3 or 4 miles of us so we shall be able to hear the whistle of the locomotive once more. Then we can take the cars at Neb. City and run all the way home.

My love to you all yours afft.

Sarah M. Sim