I was born on March 31, 1910, in a three-room house on a farm in Wilbarger County that my father bought when he moved from Colorado County, Texas. I was the third child in the family and before long my mother was expecting again. Papa built the home that we all grew up in 1911.

Our parents worked hard farming and struggling to raise eight children. We were a close family. We worked, played, shared, and loved each other. We saw good days and bad, but always with God's help we were ble to master our problems.

Our daily routine began before sunup. Mary, Clara, and Tillie milked the cows. Walter fed the horses. Otto fed the chickens. My job was to feed the hogs. All of this was done under Papa's watchful eye. After the chores, we gathered for Mama's good breakfasts. Then the jobs for the day were assigned. Whatever there was to do--working in the house, the yard, the barn, or perhaps in the fields--we all did our share. When night came, we enjoyed a good meal and then gathered for our family devotion.

We walked two miles to school. We crosses the pasture and met the Streit kids, the the Scotts, and the Walsies. By the time we got to school, there were 20 kids in the group. Our school had one room and one teacher. There were 45 to 50 kids in seven grades. Papa worked hard to get a parochial school started at our church. Then Walter, Clara, Tillie, and I would drive the five miles in a buggy. On really cold days, Mama would heat rocks to keep our feet warm.

In 1922 a terrible thing happened that I shall never forget. The day began in its usual way. Papa left on his way to town with a wagon load of wheat. Mama was busy in the house. Mary, Walter, Tillie, and I went to a field about half a mile from the house in the buggy to chop cotton. In the next field, the wheat was almost ready to cut. We went over to look at it. Suddenly Sister Mary screamed. A rattlesnake had bitten her. Walter ran to get the buggy. We ran toward the house, and he caught up with us about halfway to the house. By the time we got to the house, Mary could not walk. Walter drove up to Karl Guggisberg's to call Dr. Hix. He came and lanced the wound, but it did not seem to help. Later Dr. Standefere came (also in a buggy). He injected strychnine around Mary's heart to counteract the venom. We all prayed that she might be spared, and by nightfall she began to speak again. Neighbors came from everywhere. We all realized how much our sister meant to us.

Another exciting time was when Aunt Mary Huyo Bader came and spent a week with us. I was about 12 years old. She went with us to the pasture to gather stove wood. She helped me feed the pigs. Uncle Billie Obenhaus and his children Ava and Derwood also came. They took me to my first picture show. I was scared, but had a ball.

My confirmation was very real for me. Then came Walther League, outings, picnics, and "Kodaking." We had a great life!

Then my two-and-one-half year romance with Clarence Green led to my marriage. Mama and Papa had misgivings because he was not a Lutheran. Nevertheless, we had a beautiful life together until his untimely death in 1947. Our marriage was blessed with two children, David and Audrey. After Clarence's death, the three of us worked together to make a new life for ourselves.

As I look back over my early life, I am most grateful for the blessing of good Christian parents. They gave all of us kids love and instilled in us true Christian values. For this we are most grateful.

Reprinted from The Otto and Alvene Obenhaus Family History compiled by their children April, 1977 pages 30 and 31.

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