Hiram Collins Letters

Burns Wyoming November 30, 1935

Return address: O.E. Bishop [Otho Elder Bishop, husband of Grace Lupkes (daughter of Jennie Collin Lupkes)]

Dear Children

Just a line to let you know we got here after a hard trip. I went all in while still 100 miles from Burns. They had to help me into a drug store and call a Dr. I had that awful pain in the pit of my stomach again like I had at Roy and Anna’s [Roy and Anna (Collin) Hammond, Hiram’s sister]. The trip was even harder on me than when I went there. I don’t know how I would have made it alone had everybody scared out on the bus and of course everybody wanted to even an old lady offered me asthma cigarettes. I am in bad shape and don’t want Mamma [ wife Elizabeth (Kern) Collins] to leave me till I get straightened out a bit so she may be a day or so later than we planned on. Try and keep Mrs. Millitt there till she comes. I will let her come at the first feasible minute. We had a great Thanksgiving dinner. Wish you could all have been here. 2 turkeys, 2 chickens & trimmings. 21 of us at the table. The folks here are 100%. Old Aunty [Jennie (Collin) Lupkes, sister of Englebart Karl Collin)] has claimed me as her own. I guess we are still at H Stevens [Harry and Elizabeth (Lupkes) Stevens, daughter of Jennie Lupkes] but will go to Aunt’s place Sunday. Will be 11 miles from town. I don’t see how I ever stood the last half of the trip…don’t remember much of it either…everybody is so nice when a person is down that it gives one the blues. No crap here again this year & people are hard up but cheerful. Wish I felt like writing. I could write all nite about the people & country but am too tired now so will ring off & wait for an answer.

Love to all from Dad