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said she would have the same to do at night, since moved here. she says Mr. F has never brought one pail of water and in fact she never knew him to in her life. She or her daughter have to work above their knees in snow sometimes. Amy told me she always had to get water in the basin and carry it to him to wash and she very often goes out on the prairie catches saddles & bridled his horse for him while he sits in the house doing nothing. I told her I thought my father would not ride horse back very often if I saddled and bridled his horse for him. In the afternoon I planted 5 or 6 different kinds of flower seeds. Papa worked on the house all day he was siding up one end, Olliver planted some corn & broke? some rails Mr Gunsollie did not come. In the evening I played backgammon 17th Today is very cold but pleasant I don't mean very cold but that the wind blows very hard and chilly from the north. Papa is quite sick this morning with the sick headache. Mama is making turnovers. Caroline is reading Shakespeare. Olliver has not gone home but sits here reading Aloud, now Papa began to get better and rode over to Mr. Frosts, before he went away he asked Olliver if he was going home, he said he was. Well you are coming back again? No I guess not. Last night they tried to make a bargain for Olliver to stay a year, But Olliver did not like the pay which Papa offered he offered him $25, & $5, to be paid in cash the rest in something else. Olliver thinks that he can do better, but has concluded to ride Charley home and see his father and then let us know what he will do. also to stay this month out which will be the second he has been here and is up on the 6th of May. I hope they can agree to something so that he will stay with us longer for he is an excellent hand. While they were gone Charles Turney called and brought us a paper as he came from the office. It was the Western Prairie Farmer. When Papa came home he said Mr. Frost said that when he came after the steer Charles told him it was not wintered here either by him or Papa and he did not know where it was wintered and if he thought it was his steer he had better drive him off, Then Charles came home and said to Olliver that he told Mr. F he had better come and see Papa and that he knew it was Papa's steer and ever so much more. Papa did not see the steer as he was not to be found. Mr Fritz called in the afternoon and got 34 lbs of salt of us. I forgot to mention that Charles Turney told us that Eustus Cleveland, Erastus, Harris & Augustus Hill were sitting on the straw when he came in playing woods? , Uncle C and Eustus I believe play nearly every evening Tis a splendid moonlight eve.18th Monday. Papa went to Mr. Frosts again but could not find the steer. Mr. F told him if he found the steer he would drive him home. Papa thinks if he is lost, then F is answerable for him. Olliver came home about 10, tackeled the horses & took Mama and Caroline over to the claim, so Dick and I are here alone. I mended my dress then sewed a little on my patchwork and then churned 5 or 6 pounds of first rate butter. Then I made a custard pudding & butter milk