Agreed. I think we have to remember that both Mary and "Ma" died before Laura started writing the Little House books. The Wilder's may not have been starving to that point but they were far from financially secure. I think the problem for a lot of us is we read the books that show a loving and united family and we assume that they must have remained a single unit all their lives - without looking around at most families we know and acknowledging that lots of times siblings go their separate ways and get together rarely - sometimes never. Especially if they live any great distance. Doesn't have to mean there was any real reason, any estrangement. Just building your own life.