Dear Bertie: As I write you from Missoula, Mont., I left there this a.m. at 8:30 for Wallace, and tonight find myself away off here in the Coeur d’Alene mountains, in one of the richest lead and silver mining districts in the world. The distance from Missoula is 134 miles, and the trip was thru a very picturesque and mountainous country. In a certain section on the trip I was at an elevation of 4600 feet, on the divide between Montana & Idaho. At Taft, Mont., I saw a typical western town, one that is only a few months old, being a supply town on the new Milwaukee, Chicago & St. Paul RR. As I passed thru the town I was reminded of the tales I have read of the oldtime western towns. Every aspect of the place was western. I saw snow today from 4 to 6 feet deep, and passed along a section of country for many miles that was snow covered, the snow ranging from 18 inches to 6 feet deep. The railroad track had been cleared of snow by Rotary snow plows, a picture of which I sent you on a postal card from here when I was last here. At that time I hardly thought I should see, actually, the scenes as depicted on the card. But I found today that the scenes actually exist, and I saw a similar one today. The scenery along this trip today was some of the finest I have yet seen, and in some instances the most unusual I have ever seen. When on the top of the mountains we passed thru a snow storm and with snow already from 4 to 6 feet deep it seemed a measly shame to pile any more on what was already on the ground. In some instances the mountain homes were over half buried in snow, and great trenches had been shoveled about for passage ways to and from the homes. The roofs were piled high with a covering of snow which looked like the buildings had been covered with snow roofs. All in all it was winter as I had never dreamed of seeing it. While it was nice to look at, I hardly think I would want to live in its midst. The snow is heavily crusted, and bears a man’s weight, so here is where snow shoes are in evidence. Outside the houses I saw snow shoes sticking around, and I suppose they are generally used. It is hard to realize that such a difference in conditions of weather can exist, in such a small difference in distance. There was no snow at Missoula and neither is there any at Wallace today, the heavy snows being in the mountains between the two towns. The grade up and down the mountains is very heavy, and in many places I could see many sections of track below me on the mountains, looking like steps below. I asked a fellow passenger in one instance, what other railroad lines were below us on the mountain and was amazed to find it was the line we had just come over. In descending I could see section after section of the line below us as we descended. I sold some goods in Missoula, to my agreeable surprise, and hope to do some business here. From here I will go Tuesday for Great Falls, and continue my trip from there, as I gave it to you. I am keeping quite well, and do so hope this may find you and the little ones as well as when I left you. How different this Sunday night from last Sunday. A week can bring about many changes. I am thinking many, many times of you and the little ones during every hour of the day, and to say that I miss the home scenes, puts it mildly. I hope to have a nice letter from you when I reach Great Falls. Now with a loving Sunday good night, and hugs and kisses for you all, I am Lovingly yours, G.W.D.