Bell

When Father's children became twelve years old, he gave each of us a heifer calf for our own. I called my calf Bell. I made such a pet of her she would follow me all over. As I went through the field where she pastured to the school she would follow me to the fence and cry at me as I went on to school.

When she calved no one could milk her but me. I started to school at the Gila Academy at Thatcher which was about fourteen miles away. I was home only on week-ends. She was such a burden to my folks to milk her that Father pursuaded me to sell her for money for my education. It was during the war time and the government was needing cattle.

I was standing in front of the Big Six store in Thatcher when a herd of cattle came by along the street. I espied Bell among them and called "Bell". She saw me and came over to the curb where I was standing and I petted her a last time.