Ernie Hammer is a long time Kiowa County Press contributor. This story is written by Ernie’s Aunt Liz, Elizabeth Katherine (Hammer) Smith Benatti, based on her memories and family research. The story begins in Germany with Oswald Hammer and Margarethe Marie von Barsewisch, Liz’s parents. Liz passed away at the age of 104. She was living at the Kohart Home in Kit Carson at the time of her death. Part 16 can be read here.

Prairie Critters (continued)

Oscar had a collie, a beauty of a dog.  He taught him to sort out the cos he wanted to take to the barn to be milked without taking the rest of the herd.

Henry was more like Paul and Rod, working for pay was the real challenge.  But Will loved his horses.  He had a horse, ‘Snicker’, who would snort if William told him to, or he’d jump up into the pickup with the snap of his finger.  

A colt a neighbor brought to William had a broken hind leg.  William put a splint on his leg and kept him in the garden and in the front yard until he got healed.  He followed Will around and he got him to jump the two steps up on the porch and he’d open the kitchen door, tell him to lay down, then he’d put his hat over the colt’s eyes and he laid there until Will took the hat off his head.

Gertrude had Wooly.  He was born on her birthday.  He died when she was 16 years old.  Everyone loved Wooly; he was playful and could look up at you with soulful eyes peeking from his Wooly black paws.

Gerhardt and Fritz had a nest of young magpies they tried to get to talk.  They had them hanging in a bucket to see if the parents of the magpies would come get them.  But one day mother was carrying a big piece of furniture and turned to get the table or chair through the porch door and bumped into the bucket of magpies.

Gerhardt had three greyhounds that Jim Wilson bought from a race track.  They were a hungry lot.  Gerhardt chased fox and coyotes for their hides and sold some to people from a circus.  The hounds got into his fresh meat cooler while he was gone and the next day Gerhardt just shot them all.  They were what he didn’t need while trying to get a ranch started.  

Someone, too, had tried to tame some prairie dogs, but no dice.

Next week –   Homestead Christmas

Summarized by Janet Frederick

The Kiowa County Press invites those who live in or have ties to Colorado - especially the southeast, however all contributions are welcome - to share their story with our readers. Family history, current life, unique sites and adventures, and other aspects of living in Colorado are welcome. Contact us at editor@KiowaCountyPress.net.