Eli and his father were working on a farm in Haywood, Kansas. Haywood was three miles north of Ellis. The owner let me eat, sleep, and help until I found somewhere else to work. Eli's father was a good, large, strong man. I was just a small, little "spillin'" thing at age 17 and couldn't handle feed like he could.
Eli's father knew a man named Charlie Mills that was living south of Ellis on a farm. He was road supervisor for the county. Eli's father made arrangements for me to meet him in Ellis to work for him.
On the way out he said "I used to railroad and got so tired of it that I thought I'd like to get something else. But while I'm doing this and I don't have to do anything else, I'll just keep railroading." He also said "I also decided to work in such a way that you leave in such a way you could always come back. No matter what happens. For example, if a horse gets crippled up, a horse trying to get across a fence and then try to back up and cuts his foot up, be sure to tell me." He was a church man who taught me a lot of good things.
Charlie Mills told me "I'll give you 75 cents a day for working on the road and room and board. While we're not on the road I'll give you spending money." It worked out real nice.
Seven years after the first time I was living in Ellis I came back. I got off the train, called 303 and said "Mrs. Norquist, this is Dave Hochstetler. I'd like a job." She gave it to me.
I went to stay at one man's house for the winter. He gave me $5 a month for spending money. I was supposed to be helping with the chores, but there wasn't much chores to do.
My English wasn't too good, because I hadn't been enough with English speaking people to speak well.
One morning after breakfast I went down the slight hill to the barn and was checking to see if there was anything that needed to be done. There were four or five calves shut up in a pen inside the barn. I watered them and the man came down, saw the calves and said "here's these calves you haven't watered yet."
I said "I know better" in somewhat of a harsh way.
A few minutes later he called me on it. He explained how it sounded, and helped me with expression.
Another time, after supper, they had company - his brother and cousins. Three men and I played a game of cards, a "pitch" game. We were playing and when I counted the cards we argued over who played the two-spot. I quit and then his brother Judd and he argued over it. Finally he said "I guess Dave did play it." But I didn't want that kid to talk like that to me.
Some time after, Judd and I were putting up ice that had frozen six or eight inches thick on the pond.
My father had an ice house made of wood in Colorado. We'd pack the ice in sawdust if it was available.
In the spring I got a letter from Grandpa saying that he heard I left home. He said I ought to go home to Father, because there might be more than one side to this. He indicated that my father might be a little wrong, too.
Later I got company from eastern Kansas. I got a letter from Haven. [Haven, KS is between Hutchinson and Wichita.] Amasa was on his way to Colorado.
I tried to go to Ellis to the picture show twice a week. One night after the picture show after hitching the horses up I noticed the nice, expensive lap road that went with the horse and buggy were gone. [Crime even took place in Ellis.]
Amasa stopped to try to talk me into going back home. He called from Ellis and wanted to see me. He tried to persuade me but I said "No. Father told me never to come home. Besides, I don't have any spending money saved. I've always wanted a watch and I don't have a watch."
Amasa said "I'll get you a watch. I'll get you some spending money. I want you to go home." He said "Sister Lydia and her husband are the first ones to get married and the first ones to have a child. They'll be there. If you don't go it just won't be right." He just talked and talked and talked and persuaded me to go home with him. "This may be the only time you'll get to be home with everyone."
I said "I don't want to go home until I've paid for the lap robe."
Amasa was a wonderful big brother. I finally agreed to go.
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