OCR Text |
Show Krause followed on 15 March 1872, while his mother still lived in the little house. Just when she was moved to the corner across the street into a slightly larger house is not known. The two families of Niels Peter Madsen then lived within the same block-the first family on the southwest corner lot of the block, and the second one on the northwest corner of the same block. Three more children were born to Wilhelmina there: Niels Franklin on 2 January 1874, Augusta Botena on 31 March 1876, and William Edger on 18 July 1879. (.Edger spelled as written). HIS WORK BEGINS In the summer of 1879, Wilhelmina's two oldest sons, Joseph (13 years old), and John K (7 years) rode often to the Bottoms-four miles west of Mt. Pleasant-on a grey pony with black spots. They called the pony "Spot". They spent part of the day grubbing brush from the marshy meadow where wild hay grew in hollows and in patches. By removing the brush the hay could spread and later be cut with a scythe to provide hay for livestock. At that time such hay was their only source of supply for the feeding of their livestock, and the supply was far from large. The boys' lunches were meager-only crusty bread on some days, and Joseph was not well. Bouncing on the pony sometimes caused him to cry out in pain, and John K said 30 |