The Autobiography of Ruth Tagg Caley

appendicitis. So that was how I never went back, the work was too hard for me. I went to stay atJim's house after I left the hospital. But I was soon looking for another place to stay.I went to Flo's place on 11th West 6th South. But I knew that I couldn't stay there verylong either. In-laws you know let you know how they feel about having an extra person aroundto feed. Especially my brother-in-law Jac. When I was able to, I walked all over Salt Lakelooking for a job. Sometimes I stayed up town reading newspapers and then walking asking forwork. They said we need experienced help. I had to walk a lot because I didn't have car fare.One place I applied she said "you look ill, go home and have mother take care of you"another one said "you are too small, I need a husky woman who weighs more, like the one I havenow but she has to leave me.” Another one gave me car fare to get home on. So finally I landedup taking care of an apartment, and the family consisted of husband and wife and baby boy whowas nearly two years old. She was a stinker if ever there was one. She told me before I workedthere, no cooking and she would pay $6.00 a week and car fare. I was not very strong at that timeand needed a home so I took the job. She said I better eat my breakfast before I came. For lunchI had to fix sandwiches. When three-thirty came she asked me if I had my work all done, and Isaid yes. She said, "Well, you can go home now so I won't have to cook you any supper."A lot of times she had me cook their roasts and prepare the vegetables or say please putthis in the oven for our dinner, etc. and pretty soon I was doing a lot of her cooking besidesbathing and washing for the baby and cooking his meals. She often asked me to come back onSunday or stay at night till 1 a.m. tending the baby boy. Then she would say on pay day,"remember the night you tended baby and my husband took you home at 1 a.m. well you owe mea car token.” I never did get paid for tending baby until 1 a.m. and was always tired in themorning. I made up my mind then and there that this was no place for me to get ahead as I had toeat breakfast and dinner somewhere else and couldn't afford to eat out on $6.00 a week.(My side hurt me awful and I was pale and thin. Jim's neighbor said if you were mydaughter you would be kept down in bed.) Jim didn’t know that his wife was telling me “otherpeople don’t stop work very long on account of an operation, why should you.” I didn’t eatbreakfast at Jim’s place either as nobody ever asked me to, except once they looked for my emptydish and Jim said, “Don’t you eat breakfast before you leave.” I said no. I didn’t say why. But Ifelt I was imposing on his wife. She made me feel that way and I was sensitive.Time went by. I paid back Steve on what I borrowed to come here and paid four and ahalf dollars a week to Flo and Lilly after I had stayed with her at that time. I also had to have mytonsils out, or I do believe I had my tonsils out just before the appendix. Any way I felt that a lotof my vitality and strength had left me, but still life goes on. I remember I stayed at Flo's aftermy tonsil operation and had lock jaw for ten days. Couldn't even get a glass of water between myteeth. After a while I perked up and once again had to get going looking for a job. I heardthrough Jean (Steve's wife) that I might be able to get into a doctor's home. I applied and after 3weeks got in there. An old doctor ready to retire and his wife. They had a cook and a yard boy.The cook, did the cooking, washed the dishes and the clothes (no washer). I had to set the table,Ruth Tagg Caley pg 32