Leaving Home.... March 3rd, 1876; Eureka Colorado

Dearest Wyatt,
Our trunks are finally packed and we will be ready to go early tomorrow morning. Josephine and I have worked for weeks getting the house closed up, and all the washing and folding that needed to be done is done. The girls are well. They have been somewhat helpful. Mary runs off every chance she gets for one more visit with that dreadful Eva Tortleson and Marrant just wanders off without a word right in the middle of her chores. They are asleep now at last. Marrant is on the old palet near the window where the cupboard was and Mary is settled in to share with me. She snores.

America has been here this last week settling in with us. She is much like I remember. She's rough which is understandable. She has a way of leteting you know what she thinks whether you want to know or not but there is no argueing she is a very hard worker and we should do fine. She's outside now pacing and humming around the wagon. She is as anxious and exited to get going as we all are. I went out just now and told her to get herself to bed. Its late, just after nine oclock now but she didn't make me any promises. We may wake in the morning to find she's lit out down the road without us.

Josephine is going to be here very early in the morning with our breakfast and lunch buckets. Justice will be there too and we will endure a full two days of him in the wagon until we reach kenneson stop. I know you did your best to find someone else so I will try not to say anything else about it. I will not succeed, but I will try.

Neighbors have been stopping by at a steady pace these last few days overwealming us with more food than you could ever eat in a month. I got in a terrible scrape on Monday when Mrs. Mabel caught Daisey wolfing down the fruit bread she brought by the night before, right out of the refuse bucket. It was bad manners. Apparently the event involved a tugging match which, to her credit, Daisy won. I apologized as serioulsy as I could though I don't think it was accepted. It was a shame but she didn't tell us which Alderton should eat it and Mabel can't argue that it wasn't very much dotted on by the one who did.

We all miss you terribly and wish ourselves with you now. We are all like living ghosts at an irish wake in this empty house. Father and Mother were here for dinner tonight. They wanted to come by tomorrow but I could not bare to say goodbye again and asked them not to.

Noone ate very much, or said much. Father is unhappy, though he did not mar the night by speaking of it. I laugh uneasily to think what he would have had said to you if you were here.

We all sat around tonight and had halting conversation till the clock ticked by and father abruptly rose to his feet. We all embraced quietly and they went home. That was about an hour ago.

I don't want to sleep now either but my head is drooping. I will not be able to add more to this letter as the stylus must be packed away. Except for Josephina, we have said our goodbyes. It is time to get going, we feel like strangers here now. All that's left is for us to put our feet to road and trust in powers greater than we are to keep those near and dear safe until we see them again.

We will be together in three weeks time. Mrs. Trenton said they passed through Laramie last summer and called it expansive and quite the wickedest place she'd ever been and warned me to guard myself and my daughters with all due caution. I am so very exited to see it.

The envelope you sent was enough to cover us at the store and get all of our tickets, I hope you left enough for yourself. Justice "informed" me tonight we are going to have to freight poor Daisy, she will hate that and I so hate the thought of the train but if it means I will see you all the sooner, then I will bear up and try not to disgrace myself. I have no idea where we are going to find a box big enough, let alone a hammer and nails.

Good night dearest, I just realized we will have a race now to see if our letters arrive before we do. I will not write of anything more tender as our letters may be read out. If your reading this Justice, it serves you right.

Mary blows you a kiss and Marrant asked me to put in this mangy flower she plucked right outside the door. I may have mashed it
a bit in my pocket.

God Bless and keep you safe.

Your loving wife,

Grace