papa's pocket

Our house was between two sand hills and we herded the cows on the hills behind our house. Don, Daphne and I would get to playing and the cows would wander off and when it would begin to get dark we would start hunting cows. I would get tired and make them pack me. They would get tired and tell me if I didn't walk, the boogieman would get me. He was hid behind the hill. Well, I would walk till we come around the bend. Well, no boogieman so I would began to cry and that was when my big sister packed me and my feet dragging, because she was short and chunky and I was tall with long legs. The cows would always beat us home.

horse ride
Don and Daphne always ganged up on me because I was younger than they were. I always wanted to do what they did. One time they were riding papa's horses and I wanted to ride it too -- No, we won't help you on. I'll make him buck you off if you don't let me on. Go ahead Don would say put a stick in his flanks. Well, I found a nice stick and flanked him. Out come his leg and kicked me on the leg. I screamed. Mother and Dad come running to see what had happened to me. Well, the outcome of that was Don and Daphne had to carry me around for a week. Although my leg didn't hurt, but I made them think it did. Another time they were going to be good to me and give me a ride.

“They caught the old mare. We had tied a dishpan on to her tail and put me into the pan. Well, you can see me in the pan - the old mare jumped and kicked the pan - tipped upside down and I thought I was killed.”

Poor mother got another scare when I let out a bloody scream, and she comes running. I wasn't hurt but I sure made her think I was. But do you know she never spanked them kids.

a sliver
I got a big sliver in my finger and she wanted to take it out. No, I don't want you too; I want papa, I cried. You come here and let me take it out she scolded. You can't catch me, I said and starting running. Well, I carried that sliver in my finger all day till papa come home to take it out with his pocketknife. If I had a been mother, I would of blistered my pants good. She didn't

papa sewed me a pocket
Another time mother made us three girls a new dress, Daphne, Edith and myself. I always run the machine for her and sewed the straight seam. I had sat there all day helping her. When we were done, Daphne and Edith had pockets on their dresses and I didn't and I wanted some pockets so bad, but she said no. She didn't have time. I never said no more to her.

“But when papa come home, I told him all about my hurts and he sewed some pockets on my dress. They weren't very pretty, but they were pockets.”