| Show THE Mary Louise DECISION Madsen 1774 South Orem UT Third Place Seamons 340 East 84058 Short Story It was Anne had an important decision to make time Once more Niel had asked her to marry him This time he was emphatic canwait any longer Anne If you re not going to marry me m going to have to find someone else Anne and Niel had gone together for years knew one day theymarry Now Anne was 26 Niel nearly 27 Where had the years gone Was this the time Perhaps he was right Several times they had planned to marry But the time had never been quite right Was it right now or did her mother need her still When Anne was just 15 her father died of fever leaving her mother with eight children ranging in age from 20 years to justmonths Annetwo older sisters left home--May worked boarding house Belle gotjob inmillinery brain in store--leaving Anne to help their mother with the four younger brothers and the baby sister Candace had taught her daughter many things including caring for the sick and pulling teeth Anne had worked in the fields with her mother had tended the younger ones while her mother worked for two years as city treasurer or performed her duties as secretary of the Relief Society 1882-1891 or cared for the sick She had helped her mother raise the boys and little Bessie teaching them the value of work of getting an education of helping their mother financially when they were able Now two of the boys were miners working forfarmer in Mt Pleasant youngest was nearly 1l4 would soon one was and the be seeking work Even Bessie was growing up she was 12 now Anne had experienced ups and downs during these years good times and bad--good times outdoors camping fishing she enjoyed doing that year round playing ball good times attending parties and dances good times on 64 dates with other fellows |
