SEGMENT: LIVESTOCK, WOMEN'S WORK, & RECOLLECTIONS
Jessie Ruth Saiter>UIS Collection S>UIS Collection S, Segment 1
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- LIVESTOCK
- Father had 40-50 hogs, 20 cattle. Farm was 200 acres. Few eggs collected in January & February. Mother sold all eggs in town to buy sugar & coffee. Cattle & hogs not used/needed by family taken to Marshall to sell also.
- WOMEN'S WORK
- In February women began cutting up rags to make carpet [throw-rugs].
- RECOLLECTIONS
- Story of sisters asked to sew rags together for rug, but they just rolled them up "… so mother would never know." Rolls of partially sewn rags taken to old maids who weaved it into a rug & old maids had to sew rags together. Story about father clearing ground in May & asking daughters to plant pumpkin seeds. It was hot & after a short time they put all seeds in 1 hole. "Again, it back-fired." They created their own fun & sometimes it got them into trouble. Children not allowed to touch sewing machine because mother made all clothes, bedding etc. Clothing material bought in town or from "huckster" who came around with his wagon of goods (cloth, sugar, coffee, etc.). As a child Mrs. Saiter got finger caught in sewing machine & they broke the only needle. She faked being sick with a headache. "I was so ashamed of myself."
