I was never tired going over to see Uncle and Auntie Loaney, as they
taught us children to call them. They were a dear old couple and loved
us the same as if we were their own. I remember the pretty large cat
with the little white kittens. When she gave me bread and milk I would
sit on her clean white floor, and it was hard to know which ate most of
that bread and milk, myself or the cats. I used to take my dolls over
and stay days at a time with Auntie, and when mother came after me she
would say, "Oh don't take her away home. Sure you have four and I have
none at all, at all. Now you must leave me one." Then little brother
Charley would go and stay a while with them until he got lonely for the
rest of us. In that way we took turns being with our kind, good
neighbors all the time we lived near them. Some of us were always with
them. They had a son married and doing business in Toronto. The next
year he came to visit them for a month. Then how pleased she was to tell
Michael how good we little children were to her. We children all loved
them dearly.
Winter was advancing. There was much sickness among the Mormon people.
Food was scarce with no means to buy, and clothing thin for a northern
winter. Mother was called away from home to care for them, and we
children were often left at home with grandpa and father. Auntie and
Uncle Loaney were always coming to see how we were. I staid with them
most of the time, getting lonesome often for Charley and Bob. Poor old
Bob was more feeble than ever now, the cold winter bringing on
rheumatism.