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29 December 2010

Letters Of A Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Rupert Stewart

What a delightful book! Elinore Pruitt Rupert Stewart was a prolific writer of letters. After her husband died, leaving her with a young infant, she decided to head west and see as much of the world as possible.

After a bout of flu she was advised that she should travel out to Wyoming as she was supposed to fare better there. On a whim she contacted a man who was advertising for a housekeeper. She moved from Denver to Wyoming, near the Bad Land hills.

This book is a collection of letters which she wrote to a dear friend and former employer in Denver. Over the course of the letters on learns bits and pieces about her life...a few secrets even. If you've never read this type of book or if you just think you might not be interested, I would still encourage you to broaden your reading horizons and read this little gem.

At only 112 pages it is certainly a page-turner. I couldn't wait to see what Elinore and her gang might be upt to next. The best part is that she is quite the humorist. Not only does she find humor in many things, she is also able to convey humor through her writing. What a talent! How pleased must have been those people to whom she wrote letters! I can only imagine what a pleasure it must have been to know her. With such a bright and giving spirit, those around her must truly have been blessed.

She, too, was blessed. Moving to Wyoming brought her to a land that was much less inhabited than where she had previously lived. She had to learn new ways. She also learned independence as she was also on a quest to prove her own homestead! In the course of doing that she also made many life-long friends and found that she did not have to be always so fiercely independent because she was surrounded by people who loved her and cared for her.

2 comments:

  1. Hey, just thought I'd let you know this book is available for free as it is in the public domain! A great free find!!

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  2. Elinore would have needed a great sense of humor. The law in most juristictions said that a homesteader had to be an adult, but in reality the local land agent often made it very difficult for women to "prove up" and acquire title. The land agents often thought of the female homesteaders as "upitty" and they should be in their "proper place" ... which usually translated as being some body's kitchen.
    Dave
    www.dmmcgowan.blogspot.com

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