Letter from Jane Miles, dated 1864-06-29

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short a time instead of one lone cabin in the dim distance on the broad prairie there are cultivated farms and the occupants live in comfortable houses, the neighborhood appears to be composed of a respectable class of people, they have a nice school house within about a mile of our farm. the school list this summer numbers 30 scholars.

I doubt cousin but that thou hast suffered more in thy sympathetic feeling which was kind for the inhabitants of Iowa on account of thier supposed lack of wood than they have for the want of it. our streams which are numerous are skirted with large trees, [coal?] mines are numerous and I believe it is generally considered about as easy or easier getting wood here though we have to go some distance than in countries where it is nearer, but not so easy of access. Trees grow rappidly here and I think if fires were kept off the prairie we should soon find groves of trees springing up here and there. I noticed two knolls on our farm with numerous beautiful little

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I must close this in haste in love to you [underline]all[/underline]. Please write soon to thy ever affectionate cousin

Jane Miles

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[Muskatine?] 6 Mo 29 1864

Dear Cousin R

I really need to appologise for so long defering answering thy truly acceptable letter, but miltitudinous cares, and a little disposition to procrastinate must serve as an excuse, for it most assuredly was not forgetfulness.

How often have I thought of the remark thou made about my seeming so happy. I feel that I want but few things to make me really so and they all might be included in a [underline]radical change of heart[/underline], one fitted with love from the one great pure & inexhaustable fountain then although trials abounded I should know all things were working together for good, and the enjoyment of the beauties of nature would be greatly enhanced by reallizing that gratitude and love flowed back in one pure stream from my inmost soul to the giver of all these good and perfect gifts

I hope my dear cousin thou art not unhappy, and do not suppose thou art, but that this world has been stained to thee once its burdens press more heavily than they used to do. let the bright gem that is added to thy Saviors crown render it to thee more lovely if possible, and the cross lighter to bear the few remaining years of thy earthly pilgrimage then will thy affliction prove a blessing in disguise.

I very much want to hear from you. we have heard such sad accounts of the effects of a late frost please write soon as practible and tell us all about it. We feel that we can sympathize with you for the rememberance of last year is fresh before us. our wheat was so nearly cut off by the successive rains and then came a hot sun that seemed to scald the wheat or injured it in some way so that a great deal was not cut, but there seems to have been a great deal of wheat of the previous years growth, there has been a great deal carried into market this seaon. back in the new settlements where they have not had an oppor-

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tunity of raising a crop which is not generally done until the second year thier living must have mostly been of corn.

Amelia and Brinton, within the last 8 months have visited all the meetings in Iowa, and have, I suppose returned. I want to see them very much. they could tell us a great deal. Father and Mother set out for brother Georges to day to be gone about four weeks. Father Mother Henry and self took a little trip back in to the country as far as Sigourney to pay the taxes on our Kiokuk farm, we had a very pleasant though somewhat fatiguing ride over a very hilly part of the country. Iowa is far better timbered than I expected to find it, at least the portion passed through, seems not greatly wanting in that nescessary article for the comfort of man. We returned by the farm and rode over it the same mellow [lusture?] rested on those beautifully undulating slopes that so enraptured me five years ago. It was quite surprising to mark the improvements of so

or glow with the purple hues of sunset.

But there is something sublime and beautiful in [strikeout] this broad expanse of nature, [fresh?] cultivated fields laden with the gifts of a kind Providence every where meet the eye. the waving of the tall grain on the gently undulating prairie remind one of the waves of the mighty ocean. Flowers beautiful flowers bloom from early springtime till chilled by Autumnal frosts. truly our pathway is strewed with flowers and enlivened by song. Indeed I must draw to a close or I shall weary thee if I have not already done so. Ellen is about 25 miles from here attending school and assisting some. the rest of us are all well and would join me in love to thee if they knew of my writing. Crops gennerally look promising. we hope to enjoy some of the sweets of life unpoluted by the touch of Slavery next year if we live.

6 mo [9th?] I kept this in hopes of [obtaining?] information from A D that would be interesting to thee

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but have had no opportunity of visiting with her yet

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I dont seem to have time to look this over so please excuse mistakes

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trees growing finly, they were cottonwood I think. I believe it is thought the reason our prairies are so destitute of timber is because the Indians burned them to assist in catching thier game, which to me seems quite probable.

The advantages of a prairie country are greater than one would at first suppose. if one has capital to buy his land and fence it and build, he has a good farm to commence to get his living upon without spending the best of his days and strength removing the heavy timber, so much for practical economy, then the prairie is really beautiful.

Perhaps thou wilt think I have lost my love of rock and hill and mountain stream since I admire Iowa so much but I still think there is much of romance and grandure in mountain scenery, whose lofty peaks are often wrapt in misty mantles