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| Daniel Duane Harris (1854-1930) |
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| Frances Elizabeth Tolton (1859-1930) |
Orville's mother
was very ill with stomach cancer. His Aunt Frances was here taking care of her.
It was a hard and very frustrating situation for a new bride. I couldn't seem
to be able to make friends with her, but of course it was
because she
was ill and not herself.
My own mother had
never written to me although I had written to her
every week as Apostle Widtsoe had counseled me to do. I kept her up to date on all my activities,
omitting only
the unpleasant things.
One morning I was
feeling very homesick and lonely and on the verge of tears when there came a knock on the kitchen
door. When
I opened it, there stood one of the sweetest looking ladies I had ever seen.
She took one look at my face then stepped inside. She opened her
arms and I laid my head on her shoulders and wept. She was the Relief
Society President. She was the right person at the right time in the right place. Oh, how glad I was
for a sympathetic shoulder and comforting
arms.
Orville's mother
died December 5 of that year (1930). How cold it was that winter. The
temperature was 20 to 30 degrees below zero. I don't think it has ever
been that cold since. The icicles hung like a
fringe all around the house about 3 feet long. They were there most of the winter. A glass of water by my bed was frozen solid in the morning. About
that time I began to realize I must be pregnant. I was happy about that but I wondered if it would be that cold next
winter, how I would keep a baby warm.
Our first little daughter was
born on July 29, 1931. It had been a very
trying summer for me. I was very large and very uncomfortable most of the time. The days were hot and long and the nights were longer because I couldn't sleep
much. I spent many nights walking
around outside the house so I wouldn't disturb anyone. On the night Ann was born my doctor was out of town so we called Mrs. Williams, the nurse, and she got
in touch with the doctor in Milford.
The baby was born just after midnight and had to be taken with instruments. I
was in my 33rd year. The next day a fever developed and I was quite ill for a
few days but in answer to my prayers
and with Mrs. Williams' good care I
was able to overcome the infection. We named the baby Ann. She was a good baby. She had golden curly
hair. She was much loved by her Dad and her Uncle Fay.
My first Christmas in Beaver was a very lonely and disappointing one. I had asked Orville if we could have a Christmas tree (everyone else seemed to be getting one). He said, "what for?". With just the two of us I guess he thought it was wasted effort. On Christmas morning he went outside to do his chores--milking cows, feeding cattle, etc. When he came in for breakfast he found a parcel by his plate. I felt quite excited about it. I had bought him some socks and a tie. He looked at the package for a moment then said, "What is this?" I said, "Open it," which he did. When he saw that it was a present for him he acted as though I had hurt his feelings. I think he felt like I was putting him on the spot because he hadn't thought to buy me anything. I believe Orville's parents and he had not remembered birthdays or anniversaries or holidays for years and were out of the habit.
It was a beautiful drive up to the upper Telluride and their house was so cozy and warm. They had a Christmas tree and their three little boys had about all they could wish for. Lillian had a little gift under the tree for me and I was so touched by her thoughtfulness. I had to shed a few tears. It was childish of me, but I had missed the warmth of other Christmas's and also the old, familiar faces. We didn't have much in our growing-up years but there was always the preparations of trimming the house with holly and mistletoe and colored paper chains, the making of Christmas puddings and the expectancy of a small gift of some kind. I made a promise that if I could help it, there would never again be another empty Christmas, and there never has been.
