One day in September we decided to take our lunch and go to the Lyman Hamblin Ranch just to get out. Carl killed a wild turkey on the way. When we got there he cleaned and picked the feathers off and hung it on one side of the cabin. While resting and preparing to eat, w looked up and there stood Priscilla with one of the turkey's toes in her mouth. We all laughed and she felt rather embarrassed. We spent most of the day, returning home in the evening.
Shortly after that, Carl had to make a trip to the Salt Lakes in New Mexico for a load of salt for the cattle. He hated to go alone so he wanted to take Blanche and Fern with him. I was lonely too, but I had other children so I told him to take them. I can imagine how much fun they had on this trip. They loaded the wagon and had started back. The first night out they had hobbled the horses and turned them loose to graze. On waking the next morning he found the horses had broken loose and were headed for home. They were miles from anyone and on a lonely, seldom traveled road but he knew there was only one thing to do and that was to leave the little girls alone and try to overtake the horses. He woke the girls and told them what he had to do and left them in the care of the Lord. I am sure there was a prayer in his heart all the time for their safety. He finally caught up with the horses and ran them all the way back to the camp. He didn't let any grass grow under his feet, so he was soon in sight of the girls and when he got nearer he could see them sitting in the wagon with arms around each other. Blanche was crying and Fern was trying to comfort her saying, "Don't cry Blanchie, Papa will be back soon." Fern was always the brae and caring one in the family.
One day while they were gone, Professor John Brown who had taught me so much in school and was now a Patriarch (in the church) came to see me.He had heard of the death of our little son and had come to offer his sympathy. On seeing how unhappy I was he asked me if I wanted him to give me a comforting blessing. The blessing that he gave me was very comforting. He promised me that I would soon have another boy, and on August 11, 1917, just thirteen months after our little Carl died, another son came to take his place. We named him Orland K. Again our hearts rejoiced and never was a baby more welcome, and never was a son more petted and loved than he was. But it did not spoil him. How delighted Carl was. He worshiped Orland and from the time he was old enough, he took him with him every place he went that it was humanly possible for him to do so, to the fields, after wood, hunting cows, etc. I and the five little sisters adored him too. He became his father's shadow, following him every place he went. We now had eight children, six living.
Carl filed on 160 acres of land north of town adjoining my sister Margaret and her husband, about one mile north of town. There was a three roomed house on it, up near the road going on down to Ashel Burk's home. Just before moving to this place one of the girls came running in saying, "Mama, come here and see!" I went out to find that Fern had climbed to the top of the barn, up and over the stables. She was having the time of her life laughing and scaring the other girls. No fear of anything in Fern!
The scenery was beautiful at this new place. There was a large deep well in the backyard which had not been used for years. It was partly covered over by boards. The day we moved in we heard noses outside. Carl and I rushed out to see Fern going back and forth across the boards while the other children looked on. I almost froze in my tracks, for had she slipped and fallen in, she would probably have drowned or have been hurt very badly. We had no idea how much water was in the well. It was soon covered solidly with heavy lumber so there was no more danger. We spent several happy years on this ranch.
I enjoyed living so close to my sister Margaret, and we had good times visiting. My sister Lillian and her husband Willard lived up the canyon on Colter Creek, west of Margaret's home. So our days here were very happy. We managed very well with Carl farming and me keeping up with the housework for a family of eight. When Orland was about a year and a half old, the children came down with the measles. It was like a hospital at our house, doctoring and trying to keep them all from taking cold but we managed to do so. They all got along alright except for Blanche who did not recover as well as the others. Her temperature remained high and she became very weak.. She was so weak that she had to learn to walk all over again. Her mouth broke out in sores and I finally got them healed up with strong, homemade canker medicine, which I think is still the best medicine I have ever used for canker. Soon everything was normal again at our house and we enjoyed our quiet life together as a family. Sundays were spent in worshiping, by going in a wagon to Sunday School and Church in town. The children were always happy and gay, singing their merry songs all the way there and back. Father had homesteaded land on the west side of the valley, north of the Lund home. Rain had also homesteaded land by Father's on the north. Frank, who had married my old friend Rilla, was located on down the valley below Ashel Burk's farm. They had several children also, and all went to Nutrioso for church services.
This photo from Google Earth show two farm sites one mile north of Nutrioso. There are now other farms around now and I'm not sure of the exact location of the Hamblin farm in 1917, but both of these are near the river as you would want to be for your gardens and crops. In the lower left of the corner you can see I added a red arrow showing Colter Creek and the direction you would take to get up the canyon.
One day we were visiting at Mother's and word had been passe on that Will Burke of Alpine had bought a new Ford truck and was driving it to his home in Alpine. At that time the road from Springerville to Nutrioso was o the west side of the farms, rather close to Father and mother's place so "Okie-like", we all got out in the yard with our hands shading our eyes to see him ride by at the rate of 25 or 30 mph. we were all thrilled and wondered how it could go without any horses. To us it was a most wondrous invention. I imagine all along from there to Alpine, everyone was wondering the same thing. Later on we knew (how it worked).
This photo Shows Nutrioso in the center bottom, in relation to Colter Creek Canyon as well as the open flat area where I believe my grandparent's homestead was.
As for curing the sores in Blanche's mouth, I'm pretty sure Granny's cure was alum. My mother used to keep alum in our spice cupboard for just this purpose. She tried it on my once and I thought my mouth might pucker from sourness like I'd never tasted before! Here's what I found out about it on the Internet:
Alum The preservative alum can be put on the canker. It will probably burn like crazy for a few minutes and make your mouth pucker, but it will relieve the pain and help clear the sore up quickly. Rinse with water after a few minutes. Repeat once or twice a day, as needed. Alum can be found in the spice section of your grocery store.
Here's some Alum in a vintage container.
Here's what it might look like if you bought it today.
As for the wondrous new invention, here are three different versions of a ca. 1917 Ford Model T Truck. Can you imagine the awe of everyone that car passed by that day?
Next time, another new baby, a deadly illness, and a funny story.
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