Covid Art 83: Ruby, Oregon

Distinctive stationery, clear handwriting, coffee stains: these letters from 1888 describe rural life – herding or farming. The antique photo is one I selected to go with the letters, certainly not one of the authors. Did they correspond in the evenings after the chores were finished, writing by candle light? Or did they set aside a time before the sun came down, before they went to town to check their postbox, to write of everyday life. With all our conveniences, and now, with shelter in place, there is a murmur that handwritten letters are making a comeback.