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 13 can be read here.

The Sisters

I often think of the time I was about 10 years old when mother and Ted went to town – it was the years Martin was gone on a job and Ted was next in line to help mother run the farm/ranch out east of Colorado Springs, south of the Harvey and Virginia Shonts farm, and north of the Moberly (Bill) cattle ranch.  They hitched up the two small mules, not much bigger than burros, but very durable and fast.  Mother left me home with Henry, William, and Gertrude.  The other boys were working for neighbors for cash. So after Ted and Mother left for the 17 miles to Colorado Springs I gave William and Henry their instructions about their jobs; carry water to the chickens in the pens, feed the setting hens, pick or pull weeds for the pigs-two armfuls for each pen.  The weeds were called redroots and were plentiful along the garden fence and where the moisture stayed in the ground the longest after a spring snow or rain.  This was their work for the day.

I was to look after Gertrude, a year younger than William, and to bake the weekly supply of bread.  Everything went great.  It was lunch time and we went to the kettle on the stove and dished up the beans.  There was some fried rabbit meat left over from breakfast that we ate.  Milk was dipped out of the big crock in the pantry.  Our dessert was an oatmeal cookie. 

After I got Gertrude to sleep, I went out to check on the boys and they were harnessing the old burro, Jenny and her colt to the little stripped down buggy we had used only in emergencies.  So I asked them what they thought they were doing.

Henry replied, “We’re going to break this colt.  He has to learn to pull a wagon.”  So I said, “I don’t think you should”, but Will agreed with Henry it was what should be done.

I went to gather the eggs but before I could get my thoughts about how the boys might get hurt, it happened.  Henry took over the lines as the burros circled and ever going with gaining speed.  Then William fell in a patch of cactus and Henry brought the burros around to pick William up but he couldn’t jump on because of the cactus stickers hurting him so.  So Henry circled again but this time he jumped off to see if Will was hurt and away went the burros over the patch and finally stopped to graze.

Knowing Gertrude couldn’t get out of her box, I ran to help the boys and they were really scared, what would Ma say, all those beans ruined by the hooves and buggy wheels running over the plants.  

Then Henry noticed a big black cloud almost directly over us and said, “I’m going to pray for a big rain so the flood will come and then Ma won’t know about the beans.”

I don’t remember just when the first thunder and lightning came, but soon the lightning was very brilliant and sudden thunder frightened the dog and he came in the house.  We shut the windows and doors and then it flooded. 

Now I think of the bread.  I opened the oven door and there was the bread raised to the top of the oven and I couldn’t get it out.  By that time Henry was frightened and said, “The house is moving.  I’m getting out of here.”  So I grabbed him and told him he’d drown out there and we took a look out of the window and saw a big piece of lumber go by the house like it was straw.  As suddenly as the storm started, it passed by.  So I carried Gertrude, and Henry took William’s hand and we went out to explore the damage.  We found the garden was either washed away or covered with mud.  We went to the bean patch and the hail had battered all the leaves from the bean plants.

Henry said, “Gee Liz, that storm did some good.”  For a minute I couldn’t get his meaning, and then I realized he was let off the hook, but he looked up at me and said now I won’t lie because she couldn’t know how bad the beans had been ruined by the breaking of the burro. 

Next week – The Sisters-Gertrude

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.