Memories of Bertha Brackett (Swope)
Editor’s Note (2007):
This was in a bound notebook, written with lead pencil – a book that is soiled, broken, and fragile. There were some class notes in the front, including some notes on Latin. The diary starts about ten pages later. The inside front cover says, “Bertha Brackett, Chamberlain, South Dak.” Assuming that it was Bertha’s notebook, she would have been 14 when she started this diary in 1898. She frequently mentions her brother Charlie, who would have turned nine years old a few days before she starts the diary. The following note is on the page before the diary and she probably wrote it later.
“Following is a diary which I began June 12. I put down many unimportant things to other minds than my own, but I think few will care to read it. The writing is poor, for mostly I have been obliged to hold the book on my knees or in some other unhandy position.”
June 12, 1898
(Children’s Day)
Slightly cloudy in the morning but nice in
the afternoon. Papa, Carrie, Joey & Winnie came over yesterday & Carrie & I
watered his horses this morning & gathered a boquet of flowers (cacti & roses)
on the way home. I studied hard on my piece for I had to speak and had to be
prompted as I knew I would. The exercises were very nice in the evening. I did
not go to Church or S.S. in the A.M. but stayed to C.E. in the eve. Expect to
go out on the ranch tomorrow.
June 13, 1898
Lovely day. Got ready to go out to White R.
Bro’t up the team but did not go until P.M. Reached “camp” about three hours
before sundown. All that I could see was a tin stove full of fuel, a bed on the
ground, a chair, and a box covered with a canvas bag which contained papers (the
bag). The box held the dishes & food. Papa started for the shanty on the
bottom to get a load of posts to build a corral for the cattle, nights. He is
coming back tomorrow. Charlie & I are going to stay here alone. I rode
horseback until nearly dark then we ate supper and crept into our bed. It is
water-proof. We were obliged to cover our heads on account of the mosquitoes.
I am afraid I shall be rather stiff in the morning.
Tuesday, June 14
I slept very well last night, considering the
change. I felt very limber this morning too and I was glad for I have ridden a
great deal today. When we woke up, we looked for cattle and saw some north of
the camp. We did hurry not much and after eating our breakfast we saddled our
horses and mounted. The horses grazed near the camp through the night. Some of
them were loose but had their bridles on and the rest were picketed. We rode up
to the cattle but to our surprise & dismay found that they did not bear our
brand (7▬). Then we began our search in good earnest. We rode all the forenoon
but found no traces of them. Papa came up from the bottom at noon with Mamie &
after we had a lunch, I took Mamie part way to Oacoma and Papa & Charlie started
out to look for the cattle. We all returned to camp about 5 o’clock P.M. &
Charlie & I went down on the bottom to look around intending to stay at the
shanty over night. We found no traces of the cattle & after a hearty supper, as
we had taken care of our horses, and bro’t in the cow, before, we retired. We
had not been long in bed before Papa came unexpectedly. He stayed all night
with us.
Wednesday, June 15
Cloudy, looks very much like rain. Papa & Charlie
& I stayed at the shanty until afternoon and then Papa & C. started out again.
I remained there and slept, read, and walked to occupy my time. Before sundown,
shortly, I went for the cow and watered my pony but saw nothing of Papa & C.
Returned, ate supper, read awhile, then went to bed, thinking Papa & C. would
stay over night at the camp.
Thursday, June 16
Pleasant but very warm. Rose about with the sun &
saddled Curly (the pony) and went down to the river. Came back, ate breakfast,
made my bed, milked the cow & turned her out, and then started for the camp.
Before I crossed White R. I met Charlie who told me to go up to the camp & take
care of the cattle they had found, 80 head, while he & Papa went to look for
those still missing. They came up shortly before noon. After dinner they
started out again, leaving me to watch those at the camp. Finding the remainder
of the cattle at Oacoma, Papa came home & built a corral & Charlie brot the
cattle. Papa & C., thinking it was time to bring in the cattle, started out to
help me; but I had taken the cattle to water and after they had ridden about
twenty five miles overtook me just as I was driving the cattle into the corral.
Papa said he did not know when he had been so frightened.
Friday, June 17
Beautiful morning. I stayed alone on the prairie
last night. Papa & C. went down on the bottom. Took the cattle out about
sunrise. Mosquitoes bothered greatly. Horses were very uneasy in the night.
Charlie came up in the A.M. with a pail of ice-water. Cattle quiet. Papa went
down to the mouth of White R. to look for two steers that have been gone for
some time and came back about 4 o’clock P.M. Took the cattle in very late. I
got supper, or rather I fried some pancakes. We cook on the camp fire – just a
hole in the ground with fire in – as the tin stove uses so much wood to make a
little heat. A very, very hot day. Cloudy at dusk
Saturday, June
18
It did not rain last night but it is still very
warm. Papa took the cattle out before I was awake. I did very little today as
the cattle were quiet, until nearly sundown when we started to bring the cattle
in. Papa & C. went down on the bottom after a load of wood. They bro’t back a
lot of ice water & Papa went to town with the wood.
Sunday, June 19
Sunday is like all other days on the ranche. It is
slightly cloudy but not so very warm. I had to go for the horses this
morning before I could let the cattle out. Rode Nellie last night for the first
time. She goes first rate. Mosquitoes were terrible this morning. Nellie was
very uneasy because they bit her so. I did not sleep very well last night –
they were so bad. Cattle fairly quiet in the morning. Had breakfast about the
middle of the forenoon. Tied up the heifer, Nellie, to milk. Met a boy on a
bicycle on the way to Earling. He did not seem very bashful and talked to me
for fifteen or twenty minutes.
Monday, June 20
Quite warm. Papa has not come home yet. Expect
him tomorrow. We have not found Prince yet so I am riding Nellie some. We see
George Juelfo nearly every day, sometimes more than once. He is making fence
down below. Knothead (one of the cattle) got stuck in the waterhole last night
but John Maris pulled him out this morning as he was coming by. He lives with
George, John Maris does.
Tuesday, June 21
Looks like rain but not so very warm (Windy).
Knothead is lying down & won’t get up. He is thin as he has just gotten over
the “maggots.” Am afraid he will die. George J. caught me asleep this noon
when he came up to dinner. I was lying on the ground holding Nellie when he
went by, asleep. He stopped to talk with Charlie & when I woke up I went over
and he said he caught me asleep – that time. He told us that Prince was down to
the place. I ride “Donkey Jack” all the time when Prince is home. He is such a
little fellow and stronger than any of the horses. Papa came home tonight, went
down to Knothead & found him dead. He bro’t out bread, cake, jam (canned),
salmon (canned) & various other eatables. Said they were fixing up the island
for the Fourth.
Wednesday, June 22
Very cloudy. Papa took the cattle out before
sunrise. Rather warm. Cleared off later in the day & was very warm, tho’ a
strong breeze blew. Cattle quiet. Charlie & I came down to the place in the
P.M. with the wagon and the intentions of staying until Monday morning. We
bro’t a cow down. We took quite an extended bath in the river. It feels good
to get real wet after such a hot day. I like the water when it is not
dangerous. Came home, did our few chores & retired.
Thursday, June 23
Very pleasant in the morning but most uncomfortably
warm about noon. Papa bro’t all the cattle down this morning. He quite took us
by surprise. I went down to the river and dug a hole for the water to seep into
and settle so that we could drink it without waiting so long for it to settle
after we bring it up.
Papa came near having a bad accident this morning. He
stopped to pick some juneberries (by the way, the juneberries & black currants
are just beginning to ripen) as the cattle were coming along all right & he did
not want to drive them, and left Nellie, his horse, eating grass, tho’ he was
right beside her. She started, then the colt shot ahead and Papa, fearing
Nellie would run, stooped & picked up the rein but just as he stooped she kicked
at him, striking his jaw. She kicked hard enough to enable him to feel it on
the other side of his face. Quite lucky she did not strike him five inches
higher.
Later on, while crossing the river, she began to sink;
as the sand reached her knees, Papa threw his feet out of the stirrups. Getting
her own foot into the stirrup, she floundered around and as Papa still held her,
broke a link, or rather pulled it out, of the bridle rein. He again attempted
to recross & Nellie got in to the sand deep. He got off & was obliged to urge
her pretty hard before she got loose: he tried to get across but she was so
tired, they came back. Both were wet. Nellie had hardly a dry hair anywhere
and Papa was very wet. He was not hurt more than a slight stiffness in his
little finger & one leg. He has been in many worse dangers & yet
he’s still a-living. He is not the least timid, I’m sure.
Friday, June 24
Warm, as usual. Papa came down last night after we
had been in bed for a while, bringing all the things he could carry from the
camp. We now intend to keep the cattle mostly on the bottom, for a week at
least. Papa was sick this forenoon, not seriously of course. I was sick to my
stomach in the night but feel perfectly well today. Charlie & Papa gathered up
the cattle this morning, which stay on the other side of the river during the
night. We picked currants to eat in milk, for dinner. They are very nice.
Papa is feeling better this P.M. but is still quite weak. He tho’t of going to
town, but gave it up. We have plenty of ice water when ever we want it bad
enough to bring the ice from the cave & wash it.
Saturday, 25
It rained a few drops last night not long before
sundown. There was a very hard wind for a while, too. It is a great deal
cooler today. The cattle stayed on this side last night. They were very quiet
all day today, too. Fred Schooler came this P.M. and he & Papa went to town.
Fred used to work for us.
Sunday, 26
This is my second Sunday out here yet I rather like
it. I shall get tired of it though. We got in very late last night. In the
night the cattle came up to the house and began to rub; they bothered me and as
I was afraid they would go into the millet, I woke Charlie and after we slipped
on some of our clothes, we went out & started the cattle out towards the
corral. They stayed quiet the remainder of the night and I got up just as it
begun to get light this morning so as to start them out before they got into the
millet. Fortunately not one of the cattle had got in; tho’ some “E▬” horses had
come up and one of them had got in. Five strange cattle came up last night but
we drove them across the river. Cattle quiet all day. It was real cold last
night for this time of year. We counted the cattle yesterday, about twenty
times over I think, each of us. There are 107 besides 5 calves. Two are
missing and have been for a long time, making 109, really. The reason we
counted them so many times was because we tho’t there were only 106 as one got
away. I think he must have come back.
Monday, 27
Clear & cool. Cattle very quiet last night. I
sleep every day, yet I feel sleepy. I go to bed late at night and get up early
when Papa is away. One week from today is the Fourth of July and two weeks ago
today I was in town. Expect Papa back today. We don’t see George now since we
came down from the prairie, in fact we don’t see anyone down here. On the
prairie there are teams passing all the time. I rode Prince today as he pitches
some and Charlie doesn’t like to ride him.
Tuesday, 28
Cool in the morning but very hot in the afternoon.
Cattle quiet. One steer got stuck in the sand. Will Powell & another man
pulled him out. Gus Everson &
Mr. Boatman came for the wire this morn. We expect Papa every day but he has
not yet come. We get along nicely when he is gone yet it is much pleasanter and
easier when he is here. I don’t have to get up so early and I don’t hold all
the responsibility then. I rode Prince today, too. Had the nosebleed twice
today which is very unusual for me. We had wild sweet peas for breakfast this
morning. They were good and tasted about like other peas. If they had been
poisonous I think we would have found it out.
Wednesday, 29
Will Powell, Ed Leeson & Gus Everson were here this
morning. They took another spool of wire. I looked at Prince’s back this
morning and found it all swollen up, from the side saddle; so I had to ride him
with the surcingle & blanket till I got the other horses up. Then I caught
Nellie and put the blanket & surcingle on her. I rode her that way in the A.M.
as Papa has his saddle and she has never had the sidesaddle on. I had to cut
out some stray cattle this morning: Charlie can’t do very much with the
donkey. This P.M. I put the sidesaddle on Nellie. It is very warm. The cattle
came up last night and I had to get up and drive them back from the millet into
the corral. I didnot stop to call Charlie. He is so hard to wake.
Thursday, 30
This is the last day of June. We corralled the
cattle last night because we were afraid they would get into the millet. It was
very cool this morning, and we had a little rain last night with considerable
thunder & lightning. Papa is not yet home. We counted the cattle this morning
and found they were all here. I was rather surprised for they have been in the
brush and across the river so much the last two days that I was sure I had
missed some in getting them out. My stockings and skirt are just full of
holes. I tear them riding around under and through and over trees, bushes,
etc. I don’t care for that though. But I was afraid I would get the
“jiggers.” I haven’t yet however. The buffalo berry bushes are the worst, they
scratch so, and besides they have lots of little bugs on & when you go through
them you get covered with little bugs. I like to ride through willows the
best. Charlie is afraid Papa won’t get home before the Fourth but I don’t worry
for I know he will return as soon as he can. Charlie wants to go to town the
Fourth and so do I but I shan’t unless Papa gets back before then. Charlie
must go anyway, though he says he won’t if I don’t providing Papa is absent. We
shall see.
Friday, July 1
Clear in the morning but cloudy later. Part of the
cattle crossed the river this afternoon but we had no trouble in getting them
back. We went to Mr. Boatman’s to ask him to get our mail if he went to Oacoma
Saturday. He was gone. Papa came home not very long before sundown and
he was soaking wet. It rained very hard and the roof leaked pretty bad. There
were dishes sitting all over the floor yet the floor was wet almost all over.
When the rain slacked up a little and the roof began to get so it did not leak
so much, I swept out the water and wiped up the floor. Papa passed Mr. & Mr.
Boatman on the way home from Oacoma. They had tried to get to Chamberlain but
failed. The Missouri was so high that the pontoon bridge went out on the west
side of the island and Papa had some trouble in getting across. That was one
reason he did not come before. He bro’t two loaves of bread but they were
rather wet. The best thing he brought was a long long letter from Inez. I was
so glad to get it. Mamie wrote one too. We leave the cattle out all night
tonight as it is too rainy to bring them in, and they are not near the millet.
Saturday, July
2
The rain is over. It is still cloudy but appears
to be clearing off. My bed is rather damp but I slept well. Papa & Charlie
went to look up the cattle this morning. They found them all. Papa & I &
Charlie made fence this P.M., on one side of the millet. I cut in the
neighborhood of twenty posts, averaging about three inches in diameter. They
were the first trees that I ever cut down. It is fun if you can stop when you
get tired. Papa says we must finish it tomorrow morning – on Sunday! – so that
he can go in the Fourth. It is too bad but I think it must be necessary. Papa
says I am a good hand with the ax but I think Charlie is better.
Sunday, July 3
We finished the fence this A.M. and then got ready
to come to town. We bro’t a load of wood. When we got to the west side of the
river we found they had not yet finished fixing the bridge that high water had
taken out. We had to wait until it was done before we could cross. While
waiting, I saw a rather loving couple come up the river bank; they too were
waiting for the bridge. I cut twenty posts this morning; Charlie helped me some
in trimming & barking them. He cut down two or three.
Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, the diary ends here, although there are lots of blank pages left.
This is a sample of the original document (actual size):
