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"Everyone will not be there. At least not this family," corrected his mother. "We all have our work to do. Your father will be at the tannery. Albena will stay here with little Mary Ann, and she can also plant garden. I'll be driving the sheep to the warm springs, south of town, for their yearly bath before shearing time. Come now, the cows need food and the children need milk." Mother often spoke abruptly. Life de- manded that they work hard if they were to survive. Peter slipped into his clothes. His home spun shirt and pants had been carefully constructed by mother's skillful hands. The he put on shoes that father had made in his own tannery. The soles were fastened to the uppers with wooden pegs and they fit right or left foot, no difference. "You get the neighbots cows and I'll bring ours along, soon as I eat." said Peter, grinning at Jody. The brothers were found of each other. Peter was not twelve years old, born July 5, 1866; and Jody was nine with a birthday March 9, 1869. "Just a minute," interrupted father, who was finishing his breakfast. ''Before you take the cows to the range fetch some water from the creek. I notice that the buckets are nearly empty." 'I'll get the water," said Jody, "while Peter eats his breakfast." Jody grabbed the two wooden buckets and headed for city creek. The filling place was about two blocks east, and all the water used in the household was carried home in this manner. "May we leave the cows long enough to go to the blasting?" Peter asked as he stuffed his mouth with home ground wheat cereal. "Obey your mother," answered father. "You were told to take the cows to the range and watch them." The first law of this household was obedience, obedience to parents and to gospel principles. "Besides," father went on, "the cows may be frightened with such a loud noise. They may run into the swamps and mire in the mud. You know what will happen to them if they get stuck." - 26 - |