• Home
•  | 
• Login/Register
•  | 
• Help

Life Recollections

Chapter 5, Part 1
Starting a Family – then Tragedy

During all this time your Dad hadn't been working and I was too dumb to wonder where the money was coming from. On Monday morning he said he was going out to get a job. I hated to see him go but realized he had to work and so off he went. I went upstairs to cleanup our room when a letter lay on the dresser, ready to mail. He had written to his sister. I picked it up to mail it when I noticed it wasn't sealed. I started to seal it when curiosity about his family got the best of me and I read it. It was all about how happy he was and such nice things about my folks when the last sentence stared me in the face: "She believed the whole story." What a terrible week I spent and I just realized I was pregnant.

He came home on Saturday night and had a good job at the mill in Three Lakes. He seemed so happy and my heart was heavy. When we got to bed that night I just had to ask him about it. Of course I was crying. Then he told me the whole story. He had quit his job at Bremerton and after thinking it over he was afraid he didn't have enough money to get married so he took what little money he had and bought a ticket and went down to his folks. He begged and pleaded with them. I don't know who gave him the money but I expect his brother, Bob, gave him the most. I don't think Fannie or any of his folks ever knew that I knew the truth and none of my folks ever knew. Esther doesn't know. Dick always thought I was pregnant and he was running away from that but that isn't so. It was nine months and three days when Bob was born, September 15, 1920.

Your Dad came home from the war a very nervous person, which took him years to overcome, which you will see as I go on with my story. I hope you can read this part as my tears have been flowing for him and for me but many happy years follow. He went to work and rented a little shack, bought an old bed, two pillows and sheets, pillowcases and two quilts, an old table and chairs and a stove. The rent was $5.00 and lights were free. They came from the mill and we also got cheap wood from the mill. He wrote me he was ready for me to come. One of the neighbors took Mother and I with all my things. Mother didn't think much of it but to me it was my first home and how excited I was. It was only a bedroom and kitchen, however a bachelor neighbor had a cabin with a little larger room so he traded with us, and what fun we had moving. It was a larger kitchen and I proceeded to show off my cooking, a lemon pie first and always invited the bachelor to share our goodies.

One day I decided to make doughnuts and with my tasting, just couldn't stand the looks of them. Dad and the bachelor loved them and decided I should eat one. How we tussled and fought but I guess I ate the doughnut. It was great fun. Dad made $5.85 an hour (this can't be what she meant but it's what she wrote - Karen) which was good pay at that time and the first payday we bought two rocking chairs and banked some money. Now I proceeded to have my sick spells. I knew I was pregnant but didn't know anything about morning sickness or the retching spells I would have. I wrote my mother about it and she wrote back I was probably pregnant so not to worry about it. I had never told her.
(continued)

You must be logged in to post a comment regarding this story.