Mary Ann Chapman's Story    Part 4   30







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He came singing & baby Daisy would pucker her little face ready to cry at his singing. We were a happy family, loving each other & Daisy was such a wonder to have a baby again in our home. We all enjoyed her so much. I would say she must rest & not be spoiled, then they would say, 'But mamma, I haven't had her in my arms today.' Then of course each had to cuddle & love her, so we all enjoyed our darling Baby. Hugh was elected Student Body President for next school year but when next fall came their father said we wouldn't move down & Hugh had to give up being Student Body President. I know he felt very sad & disappointed, I was too but he was very nice about it & got work. I would like to see them all get more schooling but we were in hard circumstances & there was school at Richville for the younger ones. Forest & Hugh hauled lumber for lumber & built two bedrooms, we needed them badly & built a Barn too. The boys had been sleeping on the hay in the barn. They hauled lumber to build. They built a fireplace in one bedroom. We enjoyed sitting around it winter evenings, it was so nice for the girls to have a bedroom & the boys enjoyed theirs & there was a place for Roy to stay with the boys when he came to see Lou & for Biness too, when he came to see Bessie. It was three miles back to the Stradling ranch after the boys spent the evening with us. Our children had such good times together & with the Neilson children who lived a half mile south, their & our farms joined. The children helped when the






When the older girls were out at work & I had big washings I got so tired that Forest would say 'Mamma, how do you feel when you look so tired?' I was too tired to eat. He would stay up & help me with dishes or anything I had to do till I could go to bed. Hugh was very kind & considerate in a different way, so much like my father. Forest was like his father.
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potatoes were gathered or riding on a load of hay. I could hear them coming from the field singing, my heart swelled with joy. They all loved to go to the field & help their father. They, as I, loved the dear farm & when Forest & Hugh in hauling the lumber, would come into the dear home, coming down the hill they came with singing & my heart rejoiced in them & their love for each other. We had so much peace & love but had our trials too. Forest did not always agree with his father & one day the boys came from the field & told me their father had told Forest to leave. I could see Forest was very sad & repentant so I went to meet Moroni as he came from the field later, & I talked to him, telling him he couldn't send Forest away for he is mine too. So peace was made & I could see Forest was more considerate of his father after that. I am so very thankful Forest stayed & was with us. I never could have had any peace with one of my children sent away & I know their father was the same. He loved us all so dearly. He had been without a family so long when all his brothers & sisters all had families & he loved the children so much. Now he was enjoying us all. Lou, Bessie, Forest & Hugh, Leigh & Josephine at times all went out to work, got their clothes & helped with other things.