Father was quick to respond to the glove thrown down and the challenge from Mother. The next day he walked into town and when he came back, we were landowners. Seemed some guy on the other side of town had an old house on an acre of ground that he would sell for nothing down and $10.00 a month. Total price was $700.00 sealed with a handshake and a promise. So, the hay rack was turned back over on it's wheels, backed up to the door, and our worldly possessions piled on the bed, kids scrambled up on top, cow tied behind, horses hitched to the front, mom and dad on the springboard seat, reins flipped and "giddy up!" called across the backs of the horses and away we went.
Our new home was beautiful! In front were 2 Catalpa trees. They were magnificent! Their leaves were huge! Long beans hung from them. We were told they were not edible, because we could see hope of a meal in anything that was green with the name "bean". We did find in later years that when they were dry, we could smoke them. My first lesson was to be sure and blow out the fire first and I learned that by sucking raw flames into my throat. Bad news! But back to the house.
Dad pulled the hay rack across a broken side walk and we unloaded our possessions onto a cement porch with an actual roof. We could not take anything into the house yet as we did not have the proper floor coverings. Since this was our very own place we must put linoleum on the floors. The kitchen stuff, which included a scrub board, two galvanized tubs, a boiler tub, the pots and pans, and the grease barrel along with the slop jar, were put on the back porch. The 3 legged cast iron kettle was placed carefully out in the back yard near the pump, but far enough away from everything else that a fire could be built in it to heat the water. It was a central part of life back then.
As soon as everything was unloaded, dad drove into town and purchased the rolls of linoleum for the front room, dining room and the front bedroom. The linoleum came stored in big cardboard rolls. The three rolls probably cost a total of $15.00 but were a mark of pride in our new home. They were unloaded and placed in the room they would go in to start "relaxing." That was accomplished by carefully cutting the cardboad wrapper off and leaving the roll to warm and relax. This took several hours. It came rolled up backwards so we would have no clue what it would look like until it was ready to unroll. Mom and Dad knew because they had seen pictures of it at the store. This is how it worked. The roll was placed with the edge where it would start. There was much measuring, because it could not be moved without tearing it once it was in place. When it was ready mom got on one side and dad got on the other and they would unroll a little, then let it relax while they went to the next room. By evening they were flat on the floor and we could then bring in the beds and our belongings. The new floors were wonderful and smelled to high heaven of asbestos, tar, crosote, and every other carcinagine known to mankind. Little fiberglass and a few other things, but they were so pretty and clean!
The sofa was brought into the front room and then the big square asbestos covered in tin was placed under the chimney. This was also new. The cast iron stove was carried in and placed in the center and the pipes attached to lead the smoke to the outside. The wood box was placed behind the stove and we were good to go. The kitchen held the wood cook stove. A two stove house! The wood cook stove was very fancy with a reservoir to hold water. There were 6 seperate burners which could be picked up and wood added to just that portion. The wood cook stove was only used on week days. Sunday we cooked on a two burner stove that was powered by propane. That kept a more even heat which we needed to fry chicken. Sunday was always fried chicken. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and cream gravy. Usually opened a can of green beans and biscuits were a staple.
So with the new floor laid and the beds set up and wood carried in for the next days cooking, we toddled off to bed. We were tired but sleep did not come easy. There was much to discover about our new home. There were buildings out back. I had seen a place for the chickens and ducks, a granery, horse tank, a barn and of course the out house. When I come back the next time, we will re-examine the "out house and look down into the cellar.
For now, the Bartholomew family was home at 709 N. Strong Street in Nickerson, Kansas and we even had a number painted on one of the posts that held up the roof of the porch. What more could a girl possibly want?
Our new home was beautiful! In front were 2 Catalpa trees. They were magnificent! Their leaves were huge! Long beans hung from them. We were told they were not edible, because we could see hope of a meal in anything that was green with the name "bean". We did find in later years that when they were dry, we could smoke them. My first lesson was to be sure and blow out the fire first and I learned that by sucking raw flames into my throat. Bad news! But back to the house.
Dad pulled the hay rack across a broken side walk and we unloaded our possessions onto a cement porch with an actual roof. We could not take anything into the house yet as we did not have the proper floor coverings. Since this was our very own place we must put linoleum on the floors. The kitchen stuff, which included a scrub board, two galvanized tubs, a boiler tub, the pots and pans, and the grease barrel along with the slop jar, were put on the back porch. The 3 legged cast iron kettle was placed carefully out in the back yard near the pump, but far enough away from everything else that a fire could be built in it to heat the water. It was a central part of life back then.
As soon as everything was unloaded, dad drove into town and purchased the rolls of linoleum for the front room, dining room and the front bedroom. The linoleum came stored in big cardboard rolls. The three rolls probably cost a total of $15.00 but were a mark of pride in our new home. They were unloaded and placed in the room they would go in to start "relaxing." That was accomplished by carefully cutting the cardboad wrapper off and leaving the roll to warm and relax. This took several hours. It came rolled up backwards so we would have no clue what it would look like until it was ready to unroll. Mom and Dad knew because they had seen pictures of it at the store. This is how it worked. The roll was placed with the edge where it would start. There was much measuring, because it could not be moved without tearing it once it was in place. When it was ready mom got on one side and dad got on the other and they would unroll a little, then let it relax while they went to the next room. By evening they were flat on the floor and we could then bring in the beds and our belongings. The new floors were wonderful and smelled to high heaven of asbestos, tar, crosote, and every other carcinagine known to mankind. Little fiberglass and a few other things, but they were so pretty and clean!
The sofa was brought into the front room and then the big square asbestos covered in tin was placed under the chimney. This was also new. The cast iron stove was carried in and placed in the center and the pipes attached to lead the smoke to the outside. The wood box was placed behind the stove and we were good to go. The kitchen held the wood cook stove. A two stove house! The wood cook stove was very fancy with a reservoir to hold water. There were 6 seperate burners which could be picked up and wood added to just that portion. The wood cook stove was only used on week days. Sunday we cooked on a two burner stove that was powered by propane. That kept a more even heat which we needed to fry chicken. Sunday was always fried chicken. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and cream gravy. Usually opened a can of green beans and biscuits were a staple.
So with the new floor laid and the beds set up and wood carried in for the next days cooking, we toddled off to bed. We were tired but sleep did not come easy. There was much to discover about our new home. There were buildings out back. I had seen a place for the chickens and ducks, a granery, horse tank, a barn and of course the out house. When I come back the next time, we will re-examine the "out house and look down into the cellar.
For now, the Bartholomew family was home at 709 N. Strong Street in Nickerson, Kansas and we even had a number painted on one of the posts that held up the roof of the porch. What more could a girl possibly want?
Peace!
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