*kirkland, new mexico

It seems along about that time, papa sold the place on the San Juan River and we moved to Redmesa, Colorado on a 160 acres of farmland. There were no schools there, or we had to go too far to school. I don't know which; anyway, we stayed with Jennie in Kirtland, N.M. to go to school. We lived in aunt May's place and started to school in the same grade as Edith, because it was too far for me to walk when we lived on the San Juan River. It was about that time I realized I had a little blacked-eyed sister by the name of Edith. I quit following Don and Daphne around.

Our teacher's name was Mrs. Graham. I never will forget her. She would walk up and down the isles of the schoolroom with a switch that she kept hitting her legs with. I thought she was the meanest woman I ever saw. She had Edith and I sitting together. Edith wanted to go to the bathroom and Mrs. Graham wouldn't let her go. So, low and behold, Edith just let it go all over me and the floor. I had to take Edith home. There was nobody home. Mother was in Red Mesa with papa and Jennie and Don and Daphne was in school. The highlights of that winter were when Papa would come from Colorado and bring us things to eat.

san juan flood
It was that spring that the San Juan River flooded over its banks. It took our house with it. The house was built of big round rocks. It took every thing but the dishes and cupboard. It fell forward on the water and as it went down, the dish cupboard slowly sunk to the floor without breaking a dish. We were living in Red Mesa at the time. Jennie was living in New Mexico at the time of the flood and she found Mama and Papa pictures that were hanging on the wall, they were in pretty good shape