July 7, 1936, Tuesday
A South wind hot and no sign of rain so we are so dry. Will had to get breakfast for I couldn’t make the grade, so stayed in bed all day but got up to take caster-oil and ate some bread and milk late p.m. Will went to store, for I managed to wash separator early a.m. but could do no more, he finished, then he got sick and boys had to get their own supper, wash dishes and do all the work. Thomas mowed and raked the last of alfalfa Monday and started at the oats to-day. LeMoyne went around the stock.
July 8, 1936, Wednesday
Another Hot dry day and dusty at times. I got meals. Will is sick but he managed to go to Jake Wisenberger’s to see about the fire but he was only burning thistles. After dinner he and I went to school meeting at the Hidden Timber hall and no school-houses will be moved this year. We got groceries, home to get supper and wash dinner dishes. Thomas was mowing and raking oats so we left him what water was in thermo bottle. Lemoyne went around stock and 2 more Schulte cows lost new-born calfs.
July 9, 1936, Thursday
This is Wm Whiting’s Birthday and Will and I were at St. Francis but I never thought of it. Will took me to see Dr. Jones at hospital in p.m. We were at St. Francis in a.m. to find Boss Farmer so Will went to Indian Council and I to Jake’s, had dinner there, back to Rosebud. Saw Hinley Boyd (Mose) and we had ice-cream and popcorn, had to wait until 4 p.m. before we saw the Farmer, got Dorian Hay-land for Noel Lunderman, back to Mission where we left Mose with his folks at a large building west side of town where Mrs. and Ella stay with Lloyd & family. We waited at trees down the hill from Rosebud for Farmer in p.m. Dr. Jones wants me back at Hospital July 21st to stay for 2 weeks. Thomas, Lemoyne and Billie Pierce brought the herd of cattle from Big Pasture to River Pasture and Lemoyne got dinner late afternoon and he and Thomas chored in eve, and Will and I got supper, we had beefsteak, potatoes, gravy, lemonade, peanut butter, butter and bread and it was good. Will and I stopped at Sazama’s on return from Rosebud and we talked about the things that were given Pat Karnes, for his house burnt to the ground last Monday morning, so Will and I went over there after supper to Lattimores to Mrs. Karnes to find out their needs.
[The following information on boss farmers is from The Plains Indians of the Twentieth Century, by Peter Iverson: “Boss farmers were involved in arranging leases, distributing rations, assisting the tribal courts, and hearing complaints. Once the white homesteaders arrived, a new duty was added to this list: keeping settlers off tribal land and away from Indian cattle. Disputes arose almost as soon as the reservation was opened. The boss farmer was in a unique position. He was a white man, but he was a federal official.”]
July 10, 1936, Friday
A hot South wind, bright and no rain. I got meals. Will got in water and I washed clothes. Will look them to line and brought a few in, otherwise I finished and wrote in this diary. Ed, Seth, Leo, Melvin, Ivan, Mrs. & Mr. F. Van Epps came for ice and to Ed’s for well tools to fix Nepper well. Will and Thomas cut and raked oats and fixed mower. Lemoyne went around cattle, took Lattimore bull home. We fixed root-beer in evening.
July 11, 1936, Saturday
A hot dusty wind from the south but bright. I got meals, laid down after dinner for awhile, baked bread and mopped floors. Will and Thomas mowed and raked alfalfa until noon, then Lemoyne and Thomas fixed fence between us and Ben Clausen’s. Lemoyne rode on stock in forenoon. Mr. Wm. Schulte, son and a truck driver brought 3 Big bulls and a small one in p.m. and went back after they looked at their cattle. Will took them out in our car and on to a high center and a flat tire east of here, so had to walk in. Will went back with them and got the car when they went home about 4 p.m.