The Autobiography of Ruth Tagg Caley

seldom exchanged loving words or kisses we both understood what was in our hearts. I didn'twant to live with any of my brothers or sisters, as I felt by the in-laws I wasn't wanted. So Istayed around Cardston and got jobs here and there and in between times stayed at Wiley's.Not long after, Eva's husband Ren died with pneumonia and left her a widow with twosmall girls. Lorna, the youngest was only six months old, and June who has about two years.Eva went to Glenwood to live and asked me to go and live with her. It seemed the Lord closedone door, and opened another, as we both needed each other. Eva was depressed, poor girl and Itried my hardest to make her laugh. I'd sing and act up although my voice was terrible, it waswinter time and the roads were muddy, but we used to go to dances at the church house. Wetook in the entertainments the church offered us. We used to ask friends into the home. Madecookies, drank chocolate and played games or talked. Mostly our company consisted of ViolaBurges (Viola was the same girl I met in 1916. Eva was her aunt by marriage.) and KennethByam, her boy friend, and Viola's brother Lynn.These young folks were all younger than I was. Eva was four years older than me. Violacame quite often with her little brothers and sister Faye. Their mother had died and left fivechildren and their father didn't bother too much for their welfare. They were left one time on thefarm with no coal, or food. Their father was up in the mountains deer hunting. Viola and Lynnhad no transportation. They walked several miles to get to Eva's house. Viola's mother was asister to Eva's husband Ren. When their father came home Viola sure told him a mouthful aboutleaving them. He wanted Eva to marry him and tried to be so sweet to her but Viola said shehoped Eva would never marry her father for Eva's sake, because she knew what her poor motherhad suffered. I loved Eva's two darling girls. June called me Dat Ruse.People said why didn't I get out and work instead of sponging off Eva. She really neededme and I needed her. Sometimes we would both go over to the neighbors for milk. It wasEvelyn Burgess's home. She was now Evelyn Law. Evelyn used to be at Loose's when Eva wasthere. When Evelyn lived at Looses home and I was there also, she would sing for the benefit ofboth of us. “If I only had a home sweet home, some one to care for me like all the other boys andgirls how happy I could be,” etc. (a popular song). Well Evelyn was quiet a cut up. She used tosing and sing and laugh and make a person feel good. One day we both strolled over to Evelyn'sfor the milk and she said why don’t you stay. We can have fun. You don’t need to go home.Everyday she said no don’t go home and coaxed us to stay. We were there a week and she madechocolate pudding and we had whipped cream on it. We played checkers, and played the recordplayer. Made candy. Helped her do her washing. Helped with her three children and also listento the five children fight. Ha, ha.1927 it went down to 60 below zero. We never noticed the storm outside much when wehad company or kept busy. The winters were long and the potatoes and bread froze solid. Thefruit jars of fruit would split open like they had been cut if we didn't keep a fire all night so mostof the time. It didn't pay to leave home unless you covered things up good or went home once aday to see how things were. We were only 1/2 block from home.Ruth Tagg Caley pg 29