Claude O'Dell to Mr Austin O'Dell April 19th, 1915

Dear Father & All

Am glad you telephoned to me Saturday night so I know just how Ma is. It is pretty tough on you & I guess tougher on her. I should think if Daisy is able to run around so much she might help you take care of Ma some. She was telling me she wanted to get home so fastto help take

care of her. Any how she could be a little more pleasant and not so cranky. She perhaps will have to get over the idea she is the only person. Other people have had babies & not been so ill tempered & I guess she could be a little less so if she tried. I wish I could be there to help you some. I do hope you can get Mrs Elliot to come for awhile.

Wwe are all ok. I have got lots of work to do, but I am going to try to get along along until ? ? ? & George can help. I hope you keep well & that Ma improves. Hope to hear you are getting a long better

Love & best wishes Claude

Does Ma talk much to you?

Was fishing a little while sunday morning & caught 3 trout one weighed 1.5 pounds & the 3 weighed 2.25

Thursday Evening February the 8th 1906

Mack: I hardly know how to commence what I have to say. I am so surprised, (no not surprised either), but so indignant.

Lucy Jensen came over to the school house this evening and asked me what proof I had for telling that she was in the school house up here all night.

Now I never said any such a thing. I simply repeated what I had heard.

Such a thing never entered my head until I was told that it was the Jensen girls; and that the fellows they were with told it themselves.

You know very well I was not acquainted with them in the least.

Didn't even know their rep until I came up here.

Lucy says that you said, that I said so; or rather Aunt Alice told her so and you told Aunt.

Now aunt told me when I was down there that Lucy had heard it and asked her if she had Aunt said she told her she would not lie, she had heard it, and you were the one that told her.

Lucy says Aunt was the one that told her. I have often heard that you were noted for repeating things and adding as much to the real as it would possibly stand; but did not think you would be so small as to stir up the kind of a stink you have. I should think a man of your years and experience would use a little sense and not stoop to things so low, and pile up any more disgrace on your own door step even tho you didn't care how much you injured someone else.

Another thing you told was that: Lucy told you that Sam Meyer was up here one night and he and I were out riding and in going by there stopped and untied a horse which was tied there at their place. "You knew Sam did not do it"

Which insinuated that I did it.

Do not judge all of your relation by your self. They're not all so small.

Lucy says a horse was never untied there; nor she never told any such thing.

I certainly would like to know where these things originate.

I know this much I do consider myself so far above Lucy Jensen I wouldn't wipe my feet on her old clothes let alone her You will certainly know how I feel toward you when you will have read this.

And please let my name alone entirely unless you can use it in a better way than you have been. I haven't a reputation of tattling or lieing to injure other people's character.

And I am dreadfully sorry you have given people around here occasion to think such of me.

And me a stranger here too.

If such a thing had happened at home I wouldn't have minded it so much where I'm known.

Enough said. Good bye Daisy