doris

problems w doris
I think it was in Feb. When papa was feeling better, Charlie fix up a buggy and papa and Charlie went to Douglas Creek. They rented a ranch that belonged to Rector. It was called the Cross. The rest of us would follow later.

Milton and Don had the responsibility of getting the rest of us ready for the trip to Douglas Creek. Don and Milton were herding sheep for somebody else. Gene and I took care of the cows, I found out later that Gene was the one who was to take care of them. Doris got in her head that she was to take care of all the money while on the trip. It was at this time that Doris and I began to have problems.

I had a buckskin horse that belonged to Frank that I sold to Charlie for twenty-five dollars. He gave the money to Doris to give to me. I wanted my money, I needed it. I asked her for it twice, she just hee hawed around and would not give me my money.

One day Don and Maggie came to the ranch and Doris came out to the ranch also. I ask Doris one more time for the money, I said Doris I would like my money, Toots and Johnny needed some clothes. She threw that money at me, I never said anything, and I just picked up the money.

The rest of us started talking about what we were going to take on the trip. I had a brand new cook stove that Frank had stolen, I said why don’t we take my good cook stove it was the best we had. Doris made some remark and I said I do not care, it is a good cook stove. Don spoke up and said we will take your cook stove even if we have to drag it behind in a wagon and Doris got mad at that. Everything the boys would do for me, she would get mad. I just ignored her and went on with my business.

“Mama said “I wonder how long Kate gonna take that.”

taffy & hair
One night we camp on the riverbank, just outside of Thermopolis. We stop early to let the horse rest. I decided to make some candy out of some honey that Earl’s (Daphne husband) Dad had given me. He wanted to help us out, he gave me 50-pound can of honey and I was going to make candy out of it. And Don and his wife Maggie, their wagon was by a tree and they were lying on their bed. I cook it and laid it out in some tin plate so it would cool enough so I could pull it. Bob and Gene keep coming over and dipping their fingers in the candy. I told them to stop it. Doris came over and picks up a plate of candy that was kind of hot; she stuck her finger in it and pulls it out and rapped it around her finger and went over to feed it to Don or started too. I grip the plate and poured it over her head and let the candy go down over her hair. Mama was excited and was trying to push baby George into my arms. I finally took George. I think she did that because she was afraid that I might hit Doris.

Doris griped the scissors and started cutting her hair, I guess it was burning her head. Doris came over to me and said don’t tell Milton why you did this, I will explain it to him that I cut my hair off. And I look at her and I said I will tell Milton what ever I please, I done it and I will tell Milton, she said that Milton will hate me, that all the boys would hate me. I said if they going to hate me let them do it before I go any farther with them. So I stayed by the camp until Milton came. I told Milton what I had done and he never said anything and I took my little kids and went and made my bed and lay down for the night. Milton never said anything to me and I never said anything to them. I do not know what Doris said to Milton, I never did know. Don was setting on the wagon laughing all time it was going on, he get a big kick out it.

stay or go
The next morning when we were getting ready to leave, and I started to hitch up the horse to the buggy, the single tree broke. I could not go anywhere and they all went off and left me setting there. Mama and her children had already start walking, which she did every day. Bob knew it was broken, but Bob and Gene had gone on with the cattle. Don looked at me and smiled, then get on his wagon and left. I thought that is where I would stay. And I said I would find somebody to fixed my single tree and I will take my kids and the buggy and go back to Cowley. Milton came back and fixes it up. I said, do you want me to go on or go back and he said hell yes what else are you going to do, you got to go. So that was the end of that. Milton never held any thing against me. They all kidded me about throwing candy.