Notes

Hall County, Nebraska
October 3, 1874


Dear Cousin,
By now, the news of our disaster has surely reached you. You well know that I have never asked for help in my life. Well, I am asking now. There is no room for pride when my children are hungry. The grasshoppers have left us in desperate shape.
Do not believe what you may read about the damage not really being serious. Those lies are spread by land agents and politicians who fear the truth will scare off future settlers. The same villains tell us that accepting help in this dark hour will make people weak and dependent. That is nonsense.
Here is the truth: The swarm arrived on July 22 and moved on two days later. During that brief time, those demon insects devoured every plant in our fields. They ate every last seed and piece of hay in our barn. They ate most of our stored food. The vermin chewed through clothing, bedding, even leather. They polluted our drinking water. There is no food for the livestock. Even the hogs, turned loose, cannot find anything. The chickens feasted on grasshoppers, but doing so has made their eggs unfit to eat. All I have left is a little cornmeal, but the children need more than that.
A private relief society has been set up for Nebraska. But it is almost impossible to meet their standards. To prove we are worthy of aid, we must sign an oath that we own nothing that could possibly be sold. Not even a cow to supply milk for the children! Not even a mule to plow the fields for new crops! What on earth are they thinking? How does it help to take away the very things necessary for starting over?
Our legislature talks of providing funds for agriculture and seed. They debate and debate, and no help comes, though winter draws ever closer. That is why I am writing.
Dear cousin, I pray that you and your fellow citizens in Mansfield may come to our aid. We need food, clothing, seed, and money for supplies—very soon. We can never thank you enough or repay you directly. You can be sure, though, that after we recover, others in need will always be able to count on us for help.

Your cousin and friend,
Susanna