The Ancestors, Part 17

A farm, photo from Nebraska Studies Organization

That summer of 1915 was full of problems -- a new baby, the arrival of the cattle, the tragic fire, the house moving and the building of the new school house.  Grandpa came out for a week or so and helped get another barn built for the horses and a shed for the cattle.  We didn't want to risk losing any in winter storms.  I'm afraid I've run this story a little ahead of time.  We didn't get Beauty until the early spring of 1916.  Ruth didn't have anything to ride the winter after the fire.

Grandpa and Grandma Tilley came out the fall after the fire and Grandpa must have helped Clyde with the finances, although I just don't remember any details.  At that time the Tilley men kept finances to themselves.

In the spring of 1916 we got a real carpenter to help us put our two frame buildings together, making a large kitchen out of the frame room that Clyde had the first fall and using the two rooms of the Haines house for the bedroom and living room.  In the L formed by joining of the rooms Clyde added a nice porch where the children could have a swing and a sheltered place to play.  Clyde's mother had sent out a new rag carpet for the living room.  It was bright and cozy looking and I was happy to be organized again.

While our neighbor was still out on his claim he helped Clyde dig a "cyclone cave."  They plastered it on the inside and put a strong wooden door on it, so if we needed to shelter from a bad storm we would have it.  It also provided wonderful storage space for our winter supply of root vegetables.

I'm afraid I didn't appreciate Clyde's energy and ability to create the many conveniences that he added to our home, with few tools and no professional training except working with his father at home.  He added shelves and cupboards to the kitchen and paneling to the wall board ceiling.

Our country was getting more and more involved in World War I,  although the news was always several days old when it reached us, I don't think that it seemed as real to us as it did in the populated areas where the boys were drafted and being trained in the neighboring camps.  Even the cow boys were not drafted in the sandhills for they were involved in important work: that of raising beef to feed the army.