The Autobiography of Ruth Tagg Caley

pig pen with heavy loaves before the men came in from their chores, or the field. We fedmother’s hard biscuits to the dog and he dug holes and buried them for future use. Poor mom shereally had quite a time.Then the spring time came and the wild crocuses and Johnny jump-ups put forth theirheads above the snow and the cool breezes blew our skirts above our heads, and the gopherspopped their heads up all over the field. We knew spring had come for sure. It would be a goodplace for flying kites up there on the eighty acres as no trees could stop a kite. Fence posts andprairie is about all you could see and maybe a house or two in the distance. Our boys dug a welland we had plenty of hay for the horses and cows. We also had chickens.Mother couldn't stand such a change from city life to open prairies. She used to walk tothe village every day. Two miles each way to visit or shop, but we only had one store inGlenwood, a post office, a blacksmith shop, a lumber yard. Mother would take me with her mudor dry, shine or storm. One reason was she was very unsettled. I couldn't blame her, I could seeher point of view.Winnie was asked if she would go to the village and help out at a family called the"Oliver's." That was another reason mother went to town every day. Mother made her dailyrounds and visited several families each time, usually ending up at Oliver's home. Bob Oliverand his wife Grace often took us home in the buggy. They had only one little tiny girl by name ofRoberta, named for her daddy Robert. I remember once on our way to the village the roads wereterribly muddy and big water puddles, we tried to pick our way through. I said "Mother wait forme, I can't come, it's too wet." She waited then picked me up under her arm, but I was heavy andshe was not very big, only about like me. She dropped me in the mud puddle, but not onpurpose. After that the boys told me to stay home and not go everyday, that once in a while wasok, when the roads were dry.Another SurpriseOne day mother refused to take me. She had other plans. The day passed by and nightwas coming on. Mother had not come home. Where was she? Steve got on horseback and wentlooking for her. He asked at the store? Asked Oliver's? And the Webster's? Found out motherhad gone into the town of Cardston with somebody. My mother was tired of country life and leftfor the nearest small city, where she could enjoy the electric lights in place of coal oil lamps andcement sidewalks in place of mud, and where you could throw your dish water down the sink,instead of out the doors. My mother never came back. She got her a job at the hospital and hadher room there. She was chief cook and bottle washer, waited on patients, did everything ingeneral. I did not get to see my mother for about a year or more as I stayed out to Glenwoodvillewith my Pa.One day Steve asked Pa to go to a farm house and get some feed, so of course I wentalong. We climbed out of the wagon and went to the house. A German lady Mrs. Loose came tothe door and asked us in. She fussed over me and said she would like me to live with her. SheRuth Tagg Caley pg 18