Postal stamp Nov. 28, 1935, Lysite, Wyo – Thanksgiving day, in the morning (8:30 am). Rex Lewis & wife (Frances), Glenn & will, Swaim, Dad, Don and I are to eat dinner at Lewis’. Son may be home from Worland in the evening, for the dance.

Dec 3 – Books I am going to read. I have them from the library. “The Economy of Abundance,” by Stuart Chase; “The Oregon Trail,” by Parkman, and, “The Spy Paramount,” by Oppenheim.

Page 152 – Postal stamp, Dec. 4, 1953 Lysite Wyo. Today is our wedding anniversary. We were married two years ago.

Dec. 5 – Stuart Chase, in his book, “The Economy of Abundance,” on page 250, says, “Even as I write, the Chamber of Commerce, the Chicago “Tribune,” impressive organization of bankers, frozen with horror at Mr. Roosevelt’s appraisal of technological realities are crying, ‘Back, back to the good old days.’ And how, pray, are they crying? Through printing presses controlled by photoelectric cells; through a telephone network covering 20,000,000 unit instruments; through the ether whose waves must be counted and allocated; through a telegraph system which spans the globe; through… but what’s the use? These gentlemen have their legs in a live world and their heads in a dead one. They apparently want to retreat to stagecoach institutions, yet fly about in airplanes.”

Dec. 19 – More Books – Also have been reading – have read in fact, “Without Armor,” by James Hilton; “Two Black Sheep,” by Warwick Deeping, and I sketched because I did not have time to read, “Charmed Circles,” by H. C. Chatfield Taylor. Don also read a book about Scotland. Also, did I mention that I read a biography of Cecil Rhodes. Am afraid I’ve missed putting down a lot of them. One of them was “Cannibal Quest,” by Gordon Sinclair.

Postal Stamp Dec. 20, 1935 – The anniversary of my birthday. I am 45 (Dec. 20)

Jan. 22, 1936 – Books I am now reading or have read. “While Rome Burns,” Woolcott; Haggard’s, “The Lady of the Heavens;” “Panorama of Modern Literature” – a collection of short stories; “Pride &

Jan. 23 – How oddly the weatherman behaves! Yesterday was a wonderful day here, it was thawing, the sun was shining, and there was a smell of spring in the air. It is now about 6:50 am. And I just heard over the radio from the Lincoln (Neb.) station that it has been eleven below zero for the past 15 hours!

Postal Stamp Feb. 29, 1936 Lysite, Wyo. On Feb. 15 – Arthur MacNee died in the Bishop Randall hospital in Lander and was buried in Lander. I understand he had about $120 in traveller’s checks and a sheep wagon – which should be about enough, in all, to pay his funeral expenses.

Mar. 30 – “Wake up and Live,” by Dorothea Brande. Ten exercises for success: 1 Spend an hour every day without saying anything except in answer to direct questions; 2 Learn to think for half an hour a day exclusively on one subject; Page 154 -- 3 Write a letter without once using the following words: I, me, my or mine; 4 Talk for fifteen minutes a day without using I, me, my or mine; 5 Write a letter in a successful or placid tone (must be true) 6 Keep a new acquaintance talking about himself without allowing him to become conscious of what you are doing 7. Talk exclusively about yourself without complaining, boasting or, (if possible) boring your companion. 8 Plan two hours a day, and live according to the plan; 9 Arrange to put yourself into situations where you must act nonhabitually , where you must adapt yourself; 10 (an alternative to the above) From time to time give yourself a day in which you say “yes” to every request which is at all reasonable.

April 4 – Well, Hauptman was sent to the electric chair last night about 6:47 pm. Mountain Time. Many doubt his guilt. But I believe he was guilty.

Apr 10 -- Today is Frank Philp’s birthday. I did not ask him his age.

April 13 – Don is gone out to camp & prepare for shearing, and Son & Dad are working at Lost Cabin on the “shed-lambing.” We had a dance Saturday, April 11. Although we had not advertised it much, we had quite a crowd. Had an orchestra from Paradise Valley, and some “Townsend Old Age Pension” talks. They were trying to get members. Also, Mrs. Jensen, our teacher, had a tap-dancing program for her school.
Page 155 -- I must tell you Diary, what Don (my husband) said to me at the dance – it pleased my 45 years so much! “La Visa is the prettiest girl here tonight.” I said to Don, while we were seated together watching the crowd ad the dance. “Yes,” he said, “Prettier than everyone except you.” I looked at him, expecting he was joking, but he said, with sincerity – “I mean it – you are the best looking woman here tonight.” “In your eyes at least,” I said. “No,” he insisted,” I’d say it whether you were my wife, or not – “… How lovely!! Even though I am past 45 years old! Don is a sincere person, and not given to undue complimenting! So I believe he meant it..
Herold Day is seriously ill with pneumonia.
What a lot of scribbling in this book I have done? What memorable things I have mentioned, and what memorable happenings I have left out! One does not mention all things, even “important” ones, in a diary.

(Top Margin) “Death Valley Scotty” says: “Never show your hole card; never commercialize yourself, and always play to the gallery.”

May 4 – Son’s “Birthday” – 27 years old.

June 9 – Mrs. Theo Johns was 65 years old last Nov. 29 – (on Nov. 29, 1935). (Later note – She died a few days ago. This date Nov. 7, 1942.)

(Top Margin) Drain hole in well made for 3/8 inch pipe July 14, 1936.

Dec. 9 – Among many other books I have read, “More Zest for Life,” by Laird. “Life in Elizabethan Days,” Davis, and “Walk with me Lad,” Monroe –

1937 Feb. 17 – Yes, here we are in another year, and I have not been writing in this book much lately. Most of my extra writing efforts have gone in on a story of my life, written down in a big scrapbook⁴².

Mar 12 – T.S.Stribling in the last of his three book, “Unfinished Cathedral,” (the two preceeding ones are, “The Forge,” and, “The Store.”) has one of his characters Jerry Catlin, to say, in his theme, “If there be no God, the Christian Attitude is Best.” He showed them that not only was it best ethically, spiritually and socially, but it was best biologically. Only religious nations were crescent nations. Only religious people with the vision of God in their hears moved undauntedly forward through the accidents and disasters of this life to high racial destinies. The ancient illustration in Exodus, God led the children of Israel as a pillar of fire by night and cloud of smoke by day is as true of modern nations today as it was of a handful of wandering Jews three thousand years ago. “I do not ask you, friends,” said Jerry in his peroration, “What is your literal faith. I am no inquisition probing the cloistered chambers of the soul. All that I ask is that you lift your eyes to the noblest, the most inspiring ideal ever figured on the heart of man. Be that figure real or ideal, no man can say. But the categorical imperative of its existence in the lives and hears of humanity today, no skeptic can question.” Page 156 – (Top Margin) Mrs.O. was “afraid of what he (Hal) might say” when he was drunk in Nov or Dec 1935.

Nov. 9 – Today, Jack Wynn told me this is his birthday, and he is 79 years old. He must have been born Nov. 9, 1858.

Nov. 29 – Time does indeed fly. I have been busy, as usual, and am feeling well when I take care of myself. Soon will be forty-seven years old. Have read a good deal in the past year or so, but have neglected recording it here. Well, you who read this probably will not care what I have read, will you? Only I am interested in the matter. But for me life has been a continual progression of – shall I say knowledge, or wisdom? The latter, I hope. I like people, but I no longer believe in them explicitly – an am not worried about it. In all my life I have tried to be true to the “truth” as I saw it. This inevitably has led to a knowledge of reality of life. It is very satisfying – to

Postal Stamp Dec.20, 1937 Lysite, Wyo – Forty-seven years old, today. And here’s a picture taken on Nov. 25 – (Thanksgiving), at the house across the street.

Thanksgiving day, 1937 – Nov. 25: Pictured are Henry E. Jensen (Son), Lovina, dad – (CC Swaim) and Don – Dog - Pal.

April 11, 1938 -- Mrs. Wm. Igoe told me today that she read her fortune in a teacup today, and saw “KA.I 1-J – and a coffin.” She thinks she is going to die on June, July or Jan. 1. Let’s see if it happens!
Rex Lewis’ wife and baby are at sister Glenn’s place now. Francis is about 20 years old. The baby “Dickie” is about 7 months old. Glenn got the Star route mail contract between Lysite and Badwater – (former Badwater post office).
I think I will finish the puff quilt this summer, or possibly this spring. I started it a couple of years ago, got sick of it and quit it. It is going to be pretty, although my machine stitches show on the right side. There are 1116 puffs in int. It is 36 puffs long and 31 puffs wide. I have bought some cotton flannel to go next to the puffs (on the back) and then will put silk on the outside.

Page 158 – Mar. 20, 1942 – It has been almost five years since I wrote last in this book. There are many things I could say – many events of which I could tell – but somehow one doesn’t tell them in her diary. Perhaps I shall write some them elsewhere.
Son, Hal is married. He was married on Jan. 6-1940 to Clara Patterson Tisdale. She is the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Henry H. Patterson, of 1115 South Jackson St. in Casper. She had been married to John Tisdale of Bigtrails, and had divorced him. When Hal met her, she was teaching school out southwest of

Sept. 10, 1942 – The war advances. Our forces are all over the world – Australia, India, China, Africa, North Ireland, England, Aleutian Islands, South Pacific Islands. We were unprepared for war, of course, as usual. We must have several million men under arms, and in foreign countries, now.
Son, Hal, hasn’t been called yet, being married. But we don’t know when he may be called.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is president for a third term, a fact unprecedented in United States History. For the third term he was opposed by Wendell Wilkie, Republican nominee.
Page 159 – There are so many things about which to write, that I do not know which to choose. Perhaps history can do a better job of it than I can do.
In northern Wyoming, near Cody, is a camp of Japanese. It was found that too many Japanese on the pacific coast were aiding the enemy Japanese, so all Japanese were moved from that area. Wyo. got some of them at Cody. They are on land that is under an irrigation project. They are paid $50.00 per month, I understand, for living expenses. I hear some of them are to help harvest beets, etc. in this state.
We have been rationed on sugar and probably will be rationed on other foods soon, beginning with meat. Of course, we who raise meat are not so strictly controlled.
Rubber is a vital necessity to our civilization – or shall I say barbarism? – The Nips have taken our rubber source. We could easily obtain more from South American forests, but politics play funny tricks. Queen Wilhelmina of Holland, now in the U.S. says she can’t pay back her war debt to us if she can’t sell us her rubber. So we aren’t beginning the importation of South American rubber. Some – yes, probably many of our boys will die because Holland must pay her war debt to us in rubber.

Apr 19, 1943 – Apparently Hitler will be 54 years old tomorrow – April 20, 1943.
Dad (C.C. Swaim) is very ill. He is 81 years old.

April 12, 1944 9:30 pm – Dad died on May 5, 1943 at about 2:30 am. He was buried at the Lost Cabin graveyard. We miss him.
Page 160 -- Today, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died, at Warm Springs, Georgia, at 3:35 pm, eastern war time (one hour ahead of correct time) of cerebral hemorrhage. I think I got the first news of it flashed to the world over the radio. I had tuned in to get the correct time, and was listening – (or rather not listening) to a current serial play, when in the middle of the play over KOA in Denver came an interruption, “The President, Franklin Roosevelt is dead. I repeat, the President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, is dead.” I was shocked, until I shook. And I am not easily upset. I went to the post office door, and shouted to the women emerging from the clubhouse, and told them. They relayed it on to someone, (Bill Ramage’s , I think) and in a few minutes it was all over the village. Since then I have had the radio turned on constantly, (except when I was at the train for mail) and have heard the comments of the world. Vice President Harry Truman, of Missouri succeeds him and has already been sworn in. Mr. Roosevelt was starting in on his fourth term as president of the United States. He was respected and revered all over the world. The usual radio programs are cancelled, and I haven hearing of all that occurred in the Capitol today & recently. High officials of church & state, hymns, exquisite music. The President’s four sons are all in the war, and, I think overseas. We have eight or ten millions of men in the armed service.
My son, Hal (Henry E. Jensen) has still never been called, but he tried to join and was told to go back to his work. His work has been school teaching and sheep camp moving, so it is “essential work,” apparently. He will be 36 on May 4, 1945.
We have sold our sheep, but kept the land.
We have $7500 or more in bonds.

Aug. 14 – Japan sent a note of surrender, which was received by President Truman today. Germany fell in May – about May 9, I believe. The Allies are now occupying Germany. There is a great celebration going on tonight, all over the U.S.A and in England, Russia, and China.

May 19 – 1956 – It has been 12 years since I last wrote in this book. I am now 65 years old – and still at my “postmastering” job – It is over 40 years since I was appointed postmaster here in Lysite, Wyo. Don and I are both pretty well – so are Hal & Clara, who live here in the old Lloyd house.
The older I grow, the less I am inclined to talk. I look back on the 44 years of writing in this book – see foolishness, vanity, & some wisdom, & service. I now know that “love is the fulfilling of the law.” Love is the ideal transformer of character, & life, if we use it wisely.
On June 29 – 1947 I began an experience which has led back to the Father’s House for me.
Fear has largely been overcome in me, and I am in a peace that is seldom broken. It is not an accident. I have worked for it. Lovina.

Aug. 26 – 1958 – I retired from my postmaster’s job here in Lysite last Nov. 30 – (1957). I had served for 42 years – from Nov. 18, 1915 to Nov. 30 – 1957. Actually my commission was dated Nov. 19 – 1915. As soon as I could do so, after retiring, we took Don to the Veteran’s Hospital in Cheyenne, (Wyo.) where he was for 5 weeks, and underwent an operation removing his gall-bladder – He seems to feel all right again.
I shall be 68 this coming Dec. 20. Don was 71 last Apr. 15: (1958)
Hal & Clara are teaching at Jeffrey City, Wyo. this winter. Each will get a salary of $4500.00 in 12 payment – instead of nine. They went to school in Laramie the first half of the summer quarter, this year.

May 5, 1981 – Have been reading back over this diary, and I find that as wisdom has come to me with age – at least some wisdom, I know that there is a real truth in Christianity, but it is not totally what we were taught in the church.
I was ninety years old last Dec. 20 – 1980, and I have had some long thoughts. (My eyes are not so good any more. But I still read – though my tastes have changed.) And the world around us has changed – especially in morals and not entirely for the better.
I have had some strange experiences – or strange to me.
I have no one left now except my son, Henry (Hal) and his wife Clara. Also Dorothy Logan Kohler – who is now 60 years old.
My dear Don died Dec. 23 – 1971 – I still grieve for him.
There are many things that I have not told.
Looking back, though, at all the writing I did in this book, I read things about which I had forgotten, and some things that I could have included that I left out – perhaps wisely.
Looking back into my ideas, in many ways, they have changed – or, I might say, have grown. I have been well grounded in the Christian faith, and believed – or rather hoped that I believed it. Then came a phase of questioning . I have now weathered that and am back again to the Christian faith, but with something added. Page 163 -- For I do now know that the Bible is true – a history, and a directive way of life, and also in some instances, a symbolism –
I now believe that we are indeed “Sons of God”. I know, within myself, that there is only one reality in the Universe, from which came all creation: that reality is “Conciousness” or “awareness”. For lack of a better name, I call it “God” – a great wise and (basically) good soul. We are atoms of that soul – all creation is.
Our racial awareness – the degree of it, depends upon our ability to think and to know. We are human – and as such are somewhat further up the

Thursday May 7, 1981 – I just ran across my mention, farther back about the $75.00 a year I was rated or paid, for my work at Treasurer of District 40 – that did not last long, as we found out that the State (Wyo.) had a law against it. I did not reimburse – never thought of it. But recently I got to thinking of it, and gave Clara a check for $225.00 (more than enough, I’m sure) to buy some new drapes or curtains for the schoolhouse windows, in the south room here in Lysite – re-payment of an old debt.
I have a mind to see if this community can’t raise enough money to buy a standard size movie camera, so the community can have some of those nice old movies we used to have – Many of the present movies are unacceptable in many ways, to a great many people – I am one of these.
Page 164 – I believe I have failed to mention that our Badwater valley is a good sized gas (natural) producing field, and some of us who happened to have a little land filed on before FDR and others took the Oil and Gas rights from Wyo. citizens have been profiting – more or less by our ownership.

May 9, 1981 – When Don died he and I had made his part of the sheep land to Hal & Clara, with survivor control by us – Don & me. We have 320 acres of his 640 acre homestead on Poison Creek, and 40 acres of originally script land in the “Shallenberger Spring”. Also my father have his 400 acre homestead to Glenn & me – undivided, Glenn gave her half (still undivided) to her sons, Rex and Swaim Lewis (Howard was dead and Glenn had given his family a year’s rent to help them afterward, and that was all she could afford.) Of that 400 acres, 200 was mine, and it was for Son Hal & Clara –
We leased it for Oil & Gas a while back for $1500.00. I could not see why it was wanted – the lease for gas & oil, but the Energy Co. spoke of the “over thrust” – a possible source. The land of ours, listed above carries with it the oil, gas & mineral rights. The Badwater drainage area has a good many oil wells – (a little oil, and a lot of gas)
We are living here in this small village of Lysite in the midst of a lot of heavy traffic. The Moneta-Lysite and the Lysite-Lost Cabin road is

May 12, 1981 – I have written more about things in my big blue address book – the big “Christmas list & address” one⁴⁴ – I seem to have a limited amount of psychic (and or) occult ability for years unknown to me.

Page 169 – Oct. 19- 1982 –Tuesday – I have been thinking of times long past. The special reason for this remembrance is that Dr. Juan Okie, of Mexico – (his mother was J. B. Okie’s third wife) was here last Saturday evening, with his wife, looking for information about his father.
It has brought back memories, long forgotten – Mr. Okie (J.B.) told me he could (or did?) marry a woman in Mexico, in the Catholic Church, and it would not be legal since Mexico requires a civil ceremony also in order to make it legal. He said something like that to me, and I was astonished that he would think of such a thing. I said, “You had better look out, or you will get into trouble, the Catholics take these sort of things seriously.” J. B. Okie sired two children in this third marriage of his – apparently the Catholic ceremony, or did he marry her civilly also? J.B. Okie told me he was dividing up his property among his children.
Apparently, he left out the two Mexican children.
Their mother is said to have been the daughter of a former Mexican president – not of humble birth, by any means.
The Mexican children apparently did not share in Okie’s fortune. Could it have been that he actually believed he was not married to her? Was that remark he made to me about having a religious marriage ceremony only? I can hardly believe such a contemptible act made by him. But looks like he did

Lovina S. Robson, Lysite Wyo.
Box 165 82642 Oct. 20 - 1982⁴⁵

Handwriting – 1912

Handwriting – 1982