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Eleanor Cordova
Contributed by: Arleen Aguirre Huerfano County History Project Oral History Data Sheet Eleanora Cordova
Interviewee: Eleanor Cordova Date of Interview 8-79 Location of interview: Redwing CO Length of Interview: 75 Minutes Transcribed: Yes Language Spoken : Spanish Translator : Lorraine Vargas
Personal Data Name: Eleanor Cordova D O B July 1910 Husband - Solomon Cordova Name of Parents - Juanita Rodriquez and Eliseo Martinez Maternal grandparents - Magdalena Chacon and Tomas Rodriguez Paternal grandparents - Antonia Quintana and Jose Ignacio Martinez Ethnic Group - Spanish American Family Origin - Only know that families on both sides moved from
Conejos. Location of First Family Settlement: Mother's family first moved to
North Veta Professional: Wife (mother of 13, beet fields / Ranchers)
********************************
My father's name was Elisio Martinez, my mother's name was Juanita
Rodriguez. I was born in Red wing, in July of 1910. My grandparents on my
mother's side were
Tomas Rodriguez and Magdalena Chacon. on my father's side they were
Jose Ignacio
(Ynacio) Martinez and Antonia Quintana.
Q: Where were you grandparents from? A: Both grandparents came from Conejos.
Q: In what year? A: I don't know.
Q: Do you know why they left Conejos to come here? A: Well, their parents moved here with the whole family, and they just
never went
back. My maternal, grandparents lived in North La Veta and my paternal
grandparents
lived here in Redwing, in that house that's located below the church,
where my mother
also lived for many years.
Q: How did your father meet your mother? A: I don't know how they met. Well I know that they always lived there
in that
house, unless they had to work in the mountains. When my father used to
cut the timber,
that's the only time they stayed up in the mountains. The rest of the
time they lived here.
We were all born and raised here, there were nine of us in the family.
We all attended
school here also.
Q: Was it in the same building? A: No, it was a different building, than I went to. I attended school
until I graduated
from the eight grade there.
Q: Can you remember your teacher's name? A: I can remember of Ben Archuleta which is a relative of Virginia
Rodriguez. The
other one I can remember came from New Mexico, his name was Iblor. (I
can't
remember his last name)
Q: Being that the teacher's were Spanish, how did they treat the
children? A: They were very strict, especially this man Iblor. He objected that
the children
speak Spanish. He always had somebody watching, and if they were caught
speaking
Spanish he would keep them in for the rest of the day and not let
them go out at all.
Q: What about the woman teacher? A: I really can't remember, I was very small. The last teacher I had
was Deda
Springer.
Q: At that later date was Spanish allowed? A: No, she was also very strict. She was a very cruel woman she used to
mistreat the
kids all the time.
Q: Do you remember some of the students that you went to school with? A: I remember some of the students names were : Well Abila's George
Abila, Jacob
Abila, my brother-in-law Alvin, the Valdez' , Suzy, Vickie, Andreatta. I
remember some
students that came from New Mexico. they lived in Turkey Creek. I
can't remember
their names but they lived where the Sanchez' used to live. Other
students were Martha
Archuleta Demasio Archuleta's wife, Fred Archuleta, Dolores Casias,
Adeline, Manuel
Valdez; daughters, and also his sons , Joe and Andy Valdez.
Q: Were there any Angalos in the school? A: Yes, there was one, his name was Martin. Alvin Martin's brother.
Q: Did he get along well with the rest of the students? A: Yes, he got along very well with the rest of the students? He spoke
Spanish just
as well as they did.
Q: Do you remember your mother or father ever talking about the ancient
times? A: Yes well I can remember my grandfather speaking of hauling freight
from
Conejos all the way to Denver, in a wagon pulled by oxen. I can't
remember too many
things that they used to talk about.
Q: Can you remember how people got along as neighbors in those times? A: Yes people got along very well. They used to help each other during
harvest time.
There was only one thrashing machine so they harvested one farm, then go
t the next they
were finished. This machine ran on steam/
Q: Who owned the trashing machine? A: I can't remember their name, but I do know that they were Angalos.
Q: Going to church was of much importance with the people around here, is
that
correct? A: Yes, the Catholic Church was very important part of our lives. Many
people from
all around used to attend this church here. Of course the customs were
different then they
are now. For instance: During the month of May one certain family
would volunteer to
pray the rosary. people would gather at the church for this and this
would go on during
the whole month of May. They had different girls or they would pick
girls to throw
flowers and they would use perfume on the flowers. The last day of the
month the virgin
would be crowned and after that mass would continue every Sunday as
usual. People
would come from miles around to attend mass. They would come in buggies
wagons and
the like.
Q: How far would people travel to attend mass on Sunday? A: Some would come from Malachite also from the place called "Colonias."
People
would come from Pass Creek. Since it was closer to come here then to
travel all the way
to Gardner. The church was always packed with people would care that
the church to be
cleaned before the Sunday mass.
Q: Was the alter society only women or were there men involved? A: No. there were just women. They were in charge o keeping up the
church. Two
or Three of them would work on one month, then they would switch, and
another two or
three would work the next month, until everyone was involved. Also in
those days mass
was scheduled for only two Sundays out of the month. For the priest
lived in Gardner and
it was too far for him to travel all the way to Chama or Redwing every
Sunday.
Q: When the virgin was crowned who did the crowning? A: Well, there were two girls that were picked, they were picked in a
similar was a
the way Rodeo Queens are picked now-a-days. There was the queen and the
attendant.
Q: Were there other types of events held at the church? A: There was another special day that was called Corpus Christi's day.
During this
time two people would volunteer to fix dinner for all the people that
attended mass that
day. For this occasion they used to build six little rooms, which
consisted of four poles
and a tarp over head.. Each room contained an alter where the priest
would pray at. The
people would come out of the church in procession and go into each room
with the priest,
pray in each room and go back into the church. After they back in
church the Priest
would give mass as usual. After mass the people proceeded to go tot he
home of the two
volunteers that had dinner prepared.
Q: How long has this celebration of Corpus Christi been non-existent? A: It hasn't been celebrated for many tears mow. At this same period of
time men
would gather at this place of dwelling (morada) From there they would
go on to the
church and pray what you call "the stations". This was done on Thursday
and Fridays.
Q: Where was this place of dwelling? (Morada) A: Oh, it was a short distance from the church not too far.
Q: Can you remember who participated in this? A: Some of the elder men were Juan Cardenas, Alfonso Atencio, Phillip
Archuleta,
Pinono Archuleta, Manuel Valdez. These were the older men that were
there. There
were others that lived at "the colonias". (Colonius) At a later date
there were Mariano
Otiviz, Valdez, Andy Valdez, Rock Atencio, my husband Solomon Cordova,
my brother
Genaro Martinez. My father also participated in this.
Q: Were women able to participate in this? A: Yes, my grandmother used to go there to the morada. John Rodriguez
Grandmother's sister used to go there. They wouldn't stay there the
whole time with the
men, but they would go to visit.
Q: What was some of the things that they used to do while they were
there? A: Well, she used to go and pray. In order to get to the morada she
would stop at the
gates, take off her shoes, raise her skirt as far as her knees , and go
on her knees all the
way to the morada. There she would remain for thirty to forty-five
minutes and the men
would accompany her back as far as the gate.
Q: I didn't think women were allowed to go in there at all. A: Yes, but the men did have their private place where no women or any of
the
strangers were not allowed to go in. There was a certain room of this
morada or dwelling.
They would sneak up on them and try to find out what was going on. what
they were
doing and they felt like they were getting bothered too much, so they
just quit meeting
there altogether. I am pretty sure they still have stations in Turkey
Creek.
Q: What other celebrations were held there? A: We used to celebrate St. James Day, St. Anna's Day, two days in a
row. We used
to have big dances that would last till around midnight. The next
afternoon people would
gather again to continue the celebration. These celebrations weren't
always held at he
same place. A place where it was held was this place in Pass Creek.
They had an old
school and they celebrated there. Another place of celebration was here
in Redwing a big
hall that was located where Sergio Abila lives now. The owner of this
big hall was
Ramona Salazar
Q: Was this just a hall? A: No, she lived there. It was a house but she had a big hall connected
to her house.
She held dances here.
Q: Who used to play for these dances? A: His name was Porfie Vigil. His son, they used to play the violin and
the guitar.
They were very good musicians.
Q: Did you have any certain games or popular sports that they used to
have? A: Yes, we used to have Rodeos that were held in Gardner. They used to
have
Rodeos every year till people started getting killed and they had to
quit the Rodeo
business. Baseball games were held in Redwing across the road from
where Vernon
Martin lives now.
Q: When were these held? A: During the summer months, I was still very young.
Q: How were the enter months spent? A: Winter time was a very difficult time. It snowed a lot more that what
it does now.
People would have to take their sled and go for groceries at he store.
Fences would be
covered with snow and people would have to go over fences to get tot her
store. The
grocery store located in Redwing. It was a very large store.
Q: Who owned the store? A: At that time it was Charlie Adamson. Then he sold it and the people
that I
remember owning it after that was Homer Benson. Then he sold it to Jay
Nelson, and
then he sold it to Porfie Valdez/
Q: What was the job situation in those times? A: People worked for little money. They earned two dollars a day. I
remember when
Solomon was working for Overfelts. He was taking care of cattle in the
mountains and
was making fifty dollars day. When he was younger he was working for
Dietz. He
would contract the hay and get someone to help him put it up. Putting
up loose hay was
very hard work.
Q: Was that mostly your husband's occupation caring for cattle? A: Yes he took care of cattle in the mountains for the Overfelts and
then when they
sold to Whites he continued working for them until they started running
into difficulties,
so he quit. He went to work for them until they started running into
difficulties so he
quit. He went to work at Trincheras and he worked there for about eight
years.
Q: Was your husband originally from here. A: Yes, he was born in this house.
Q: Were his parents from here? A: No, his father was from Walsenburg and his mother was from here. His
grandparents lived near here.
Q: Can you remember their names? A: Yes his maternal granparents were named, Manuel and Rachel.
Q: Was your husband always employed by others? A: Yes, when he was younger before we were married he worked for this man
nmaed
Julius Fodge. This man lived on the other side of the mountain, near
what is called the
"Sand Dunes".
Q: You mentioned some difficulties that Whites hat at this time, can you
explain
what you mean by that? A: Yes, he and his brother were having difficulty. They couldn't get
along.. It was
family problems.
Q: Why do you think it was that the Anglos always seemed to won the big
ranches
and the Spanish speaking people worked for them? Why wasn't it the
other way around? A: I think it was that Spanish people always let them take advantage of
them,
because Spanish people owned all this land here, and little by little
they started selling it
to the angelos and before they knew it they didn't own anything. One
family that owned
a lot of land and owned it for a long period of time, were the
Archuleta's. They owned
many acres and suddenly they were broke and they owned absolutely
nothing. That's
how the angalos ended up here and well , the Texans.
Q: How is it that the Angalos came about owning this land, or how did
they get it? A: Well, you'd think that would be a very important part of their lives.
Well. I think
what happened was that they have poor reasoning, I think they felt like
it would be easier
or work for someone else then to own their own property. All the
mountain country
around here belonged to Spanish people and the Angalos ended up with
it. For some
reason or another the Spanish people thought that they couldn't make a
living off their
own place, so they let it go for practically nothing.
Q: Did people fight over the water in Chama? A: Yes the same as anywhere, I guess. Because they used to do the same
thing in
Pass Creek. You know what happened in Pass Creek due to this water
rights?
Q: Would you like to tell me about it? A: Well, my husband's father had a brother that lived in Pass Creek and
his mother
had a brother that lived there also. Well. they got into a fight over
the water and one of
them hit the other with a shovel and killed him. Of course, they used
to fight with each
other and argue about the water, but it was never as serious as what
happened there.
Q: Did the people around here think that there was always going to be
plenty of
water? A: Yes, I guess so, because if you look now the best water rights are
down in Badito.
The only way we get water to irrigate up here is if the river water
table is high. But as
soon as the water level drops, the water is taken down below again.
Q: Why is it that it happened this way? A: I have no idea why the best water rights started down below instead of
up here.
Q: Was there any law enforcement in Chama? A: Well. during the first years no, there was none , but later on they
tried to establish
some kind of law. My husband was considered, kind of, not the sheriff
but if there was
some kind of a fight, he would, he had the authority to arrest them and
to take them to
jail. Of course, this happened at a later date, and not many years
before he died.
Q: In what year did he die? A: He died in 1969.
Q: Do you feel that the child bringing up is different now a days then it
was then? A: Yes definitely, long ago children seemed to have more respect. I
feel that we
raised our children sort of the old fashioned and not wild like some
children are today.
For instance like here you are asking me questions, well, some kids
would just interrupt
and try to answer questions, themselves not caring. Another examples,
if you go visiting
and the people have children they're the first ones out there asking
questions or receiving
the visitors. The children were always in the background letting the
adults converse with
each other, and today we see the children are always trying to know
better then their
parents or know more than the parents, or older people. If we received
company my
children would leave the room and not return until our company had
left, or if the
company stayed for a meal the children would not come to eat until the
company left,
then they would come in to eat.
Q: Where would they stay? A: Well, they would go and play on the hill or play in the corrales, just
stay outside
playing.
Q: How many children did you have? A: I had thirteen.
Q: Were they all born here? A: Well, Rudy was born in the hospital.
Q: Who was your midwife or who assisted you? A: Well, for the first one my maternal grandmother did, and for the other
ones my
mother did. My grandmother helped deliver babies for most of the people
around here.
She was a very good midwife. She was also good at curing other
sicknesses. People
would come and get her from quite a distance so she could help them and
assist them if
someone was ill. She used to have many old remedies to cure people. I
think she assisted
most of the people around here at one time or another
Q: Where did she live? A: She lived where John Rodriquez lives now. Later on she moved here
where Tina
Martinez lives now.
Q: Was your mother also a mid wife? A: Well, after my grandmother died she helped deliver my children.
Really she
wasn't a midwife she just helped me.
Q: Did I ask you where you met your husband? A: We.., we went to school together.
Q: Did you marry very young? A: I was nineteen.
Q: What was the procedure in getting married? Did they just meet each
other and
decide to get married and that was it. A: No. it's not like it is now. They meet each other and if they decide
to get married,
they just go and get married. The man's parents would go to the girl's
parents and both
sides would determine the date of the wedding.
Q: What if the girl didn't want to marry him? A: Well, they wouldn't let him know right away, they would go to the boys
parents
and let them know right away, they would have to wait eight days and
after the eight days
the girls parents would go to the boy's parents and let them know either
way.
Q: So the Solomon Cordova's parents went to visit your parents to ask for
your hand
in marriage? A: Yes. they went/
Q: Did you do any certain jobs while you were young and in school? A: Yes. we used to work on the sugar beets. My dad used to take us to
Brighton.
During the summer months we went to Wyoming one time to work on sugar
beet farms.
Later, on we got tired of the sugar beets and we switched to potatoes.
Q: How did you get to your destination? A: We.., by that time my father had a car and a truck.
Q: Did he own a ranch? A: Well, we had a small place. Before we got old enough to be able to
work he used
to go to Wyoming and work shearing sheep. Then he would return and
plant his crops.
He'd plant beans, grain, and we had hogs, and chickens and a few
animals. When we
were very young he also used to haul freight tot he store, groceries,
whatever? A: He'd haul it form Walsenburg.
Q: Did everyone have a job to do? A: Yes, every one did something, not an outside job but everyone worked.
Hoeing
the corn or the beans, doing odd jobs, not like today they just run
around up and down the
road on their bikes or on their cars after pot or something.
By the way what did they do with those people caught with Marijuana? A: (CC) I think they let two of them go. I really don't know about the
rest.
Q: Where people into politics? A: Yes , very strongly. There were two very strong parties, the
democrats always
wanted more. My father was always a republican. It didn't matter to
him that the party
lost. He still remained a republican. and his family did also.
Q: Who were the most political people around here? A: I believe it was the Archuleta's. Juan Montez was also very strong.
Q: Was he a democrat? A: No I believe he was a republican.
Q: Was there any distinct difference from then and now? A: No, they were pretty much the same as it is now. Two parties would
compete for
office as commissioner or any other kind of office just as it is now. I
remember they used
to go house to house, talk to people and make dances in order to
communicate with other
people and gain their vote.
Q: Was it very difficult to be a republican since most of the people were
probably
democratics? A: Well no, as a matter of fact, back then it was pretty equal, the
republicans as much
as the democrats. Another thing, this Juan Montez had a lot of money
and you know how
it is, where there's money that's where the people go, and he happened
to be a republican.
Lupe Archuleta also had money, so like I said, it was pretty equal.
Both parties were
pretty equal. And another thing was one certain party didn't hold the
office for many
consecutive years. Now it seems like just one party is always id office
and not the other.
Q: What about outlaws, did you see or hear of anything about something
like that? A: Well, we used to hear about it. A certain party was the Espinoza's.
There was
talk about how many people they killed, and stuff like this, but I'm not
too familiar with
it.
Q: Do you remember the depression? A: Yes, I remember that.
Q: What effect did it have on you or your family? A: It was a very difficult time. Some people here in Chama went hungry
at times,
and they provided this, what they called 'relief' . And people were
getting this. Of
course even though we were a poor family my husband always worked out so
we never
did apply for this help, 'relief', even though we had such a large
family. Another thing
that was started at this time was project making mattresses. Many
people were doing this
at this period of time. We were not involved in that either. WE have
never been
involved in things like this, for instance, that relief or welfare that
they have today. We
never had to apply for anything like this.
Q: I suppose people around here always have their own garden, is that
right? A: Yes, everyone always had their garden, I remember my husband always
used to
leave, he had to go far to work sometimes, and would plant a large
garden, and I always
had many different kinds of vegetables, canned. I canned lots of food,
and people from
New Mexico would come to sell different kinds of fruits. I remember I
would always buy
their fruit and can that also. Se we never had to worry about buying
groceries or buying
canned goods during the winter time cause, we always had our own canned
goods. We
always planted plenty of beans, corn, just everything and we had our own
hogs, chickens.
We had a milk cow so we were we had our food provisions for our
family. The only
thing that we had to worry about sometimes was providing clothes for
them in order to go
to school. But Thanks to God, my husband had a job and was able to buy
them the
clothes that they needed.
Q: When your husband would leave for work who would manage the place? A: Well, I had to manage the place I used to irrigate the fields, plow
the fields and do
everything. We used to plant wheat. When it was ready to cut I would
find someone to
come and thrash it. As far as the hay was concerned, my husband's
father would cut the
alfalfa and do that part. Then the boys would help him put up the
hay. That was one
thing that I didn't do.
Q: We certainly don't see much of that going on today, do we? A: No as a matter of fact it's very difficult. Then with the rules and
regulations that
they have today for instance: Well, I'm getting Social Security from my
husband's
pension and I'm also getting a small amount of old age pension . But
they told me at the
Social Security office that I was not allowed to accept any charity from
anyone. My own
family was not allowed to help me in money situations or in any matters
of this kind. So I
really don't understand why, but that's the way it is. Another thing
was awhile back they
increased my social security check a few dollars because of the cost of
living, but then
they decreased my old age pension, so I don't see where that was of any
benefit to me. So
they really don't give you anything. They go up in one thing and down
in the he other, so
it's the same difference.
Q: What effect did the First World War have on people around here? A: Well, I know that many people from here went to that war and some of
them
didn't come back, but many did. Some that returned from that war were
Ben Vigil,
Adolph Archuleta, Manuel Garcia, another Garcia, but I can't remember
his name. He
was Augustine Garcia's uncle and some others. Of course, some did not
return.
Q: Did you know or hear of any history about Indians? A: No, I never did hear anything about Indians.
Q: About how much land or acreage did your family own? A: Well, they owned about twenty acres. Well, they still own them,
Martinez's own
them now. And I only have ten acres here.
Q: When you had to do the farming, was it just those then acres that
you farmed on? A: Yes, it was just ten acres.
Q: Can you remember any old saying or things such as this? A: No, I really can't.
Q: Do you know anything or can you remember stories about witches? A: Yes that I can remember. I still believe that there are witches
today.
Q: Why do you believe this. A: Well, many strange things happen and I believe that there are witches
today. Of
course a person can't say so and so is a witch. But I can remember when
strange things
used to happen around here. We would see lights or balls of fire.
****************************************** (Page 1) This is part three, Eleanor Cordova
They would tie the horses to the wagons and there they would stop and
eat. If
there were two or three families there, they would all eat together. On
these stops people
would normally rest their horses, eat and then but whatever they were
making the trip to
but. [exactly as written] On the following day they would all get
together and return.
The return trip would take a day. It was very far. Most of the time
we would get here
late at night.
Q: Did you go on these trips? A: Oh, yes, yes. Over there they had stables that they would rent to
keep horses over
night, and they would take hay for them.
Q: What were the things that people normally bought on those special
trips they
made? A: They would buy groceries, their clothing, and other things they would
use in the
kitchen. the man would buy implements that they needed to work the
land, the farms, and
the ranches, tools. Today it only takes an hour to go and to come. One
goes and comes
in just a little while.
And you were going to tell me a story that is told around here.
What story?
Oh, the story about the witches and about brujeria.
Oh yes, my father lived over there where the Maes love today. Where
Benito
Vigil lives, and they would travel to school. One day, one day when
they were going to
school they were passing by the old houses, do you know where the old
houses, do you
know where the old houses of your uncle Ezequiel Mestas is ?
Yes
Well, on this afternoon there was this old houses and there was an old
chair and a
barrel there and they took the old chair and my dad put the old chair on
top of the barrel
and the barrel started bucking like a horse and everyone got scared and
ran away. What
do you think that if had to be a witch. My uncle was very heavyweight
and he had a very
hard time running, and all the others were way ahead of him. And many
other similar
things they would talk about. One time Estefano Abila was going to get
married and they
left to where the Novia lived the novia the bridesmaid, they had a day
of Prendorio, this
was the day prior to the wedding day, when the relatives of the
bridegroom would have
to go receive the bridesmaid in her community and they would have a
banquet and they
would put out tables and all the people would get together. It was a
day of celebration,
and on the following day all the people would leave and go to the area
or the region of the
wedding where the bride lived, on the day of Casorio, the day of the
Novio, which was
the wedding day the bridegroom, they would go through the whole
celebration all over
again and this was the way weddings were. On this day Jacobo Abila was
going to marry
a women from Elrito and my brother went on that day to sleep with Gorge
Abila because
they were staying overnight and they were going to go to the wedding
together. When
they were returning from Gorge's house there was a stack of hay and
around this stack of
hay they say a great ball of fire. The ball of fire was lighting up
the hay stack and you
could see everything. And when they got home they were all tired and
scared. Around
that area there used to be alot of thing like that happening.
Q: And the women in those days , what kind of work did they do in the
home? A: People in those days were not like they are today. There was not so
much gossip.
The women had to wash their clothes by hand, and they had to iron with
those irons they
would heat on the fire. They had to scrub floors on their knees. And
there was alot of
darning because people economized alot. When the children wore a hole
or tore their
pants, their mothers wouldn't throw them away, they would mend them and
mend them,
and mend them. They would try to make them last as long as they
could. Normally
families were very big and the people spent alot of time in their
homes. There wasn't
much time for going around and doing alot of different things that
people do now-a-days,
families were very big, and they had alot of work and alot of things to
take care of. The
children would play at home they would spend alot of time playing with
their brothers
and sisters and you would never see them running all over the
neighborhood. The women
would do alot of sewing. Back in those days, they didn't buy all the
dresses and things
that they buy today. They would do alot of sewing. Back in those
days, they would buy all the dresses and things that
they buy today. They
would do alot of sewing. Back in those days, they would buy the
material and make the
clothes for the children. The little girls would not wear pants in
those days so the women
spent alot of time darning and knitting and sewing. Today there are no
women of that
kind anymore. The girls are always looking to go spend some time with
their girlfriends
or go to the movies or go somewhere. The young women today says there
is not enough
to do at home, but at home there is always something to do.
Q: Is there something that you would like to tell us about the old days
or about today? A: Well, only that , what I was telling you. People were very different
in those old
days. They had alot of things to do. In the summer time they would
spend alot of time in
their orchards. They would wash their bedding to have it ready for the
winter, cleaning
their houses. They would repair their houses. In those days they
didn't have all the
material they have today. Houses were made out of mud and adobe. I
myself, I used to
fix my house every year, the same house I live in. I would have to
plaster it all over with
mud. They didn't have the cement plaster. I would smear my house
inside and out every
year and when my children they grew up, they would begin to help me.
When the family
grew, one of the girls was the first to plaster this house with cement.
And then one of the
boys bought me all of the material for my cabinets, and the other one
fixed my walls. He
bought sheet rock and fixed the inside of my house. Little by little
every year the hardest
work that I would have to do year after year became less and less.
Now-a-days I have a
little more flexibility. I have a machine for this or that, but all the
things that I have were
given to me by my children, either during Christmas or Mother's Day.
But, oh, how I had
a hard time raising them, because there was so many and they were all so
small. In age
they were very close, one to another. The two oldest girls were eleven
months, one from
another. But today they are all paying me back what I did for them.
They help me alot.
Only today one of my rooms was leaking and Bessie came over from Monte
Vista and
they fixed my room. Whenever I have any problems, either with my lights
or my well, I
let them know and they come and help me. I consider within myself that
today they are
paying me for all the problems that I had raising them. But there are
many people around
here, and I know, that do not have half as much help as I have. If
they have problems
with this or that it seems their children do not pay attention to them.
They do not care.
Q: Do you think this has something to do with the way you raised your
children? A: Yes, it has everything to do with the way you raise your children.
How you talk to
them, the things that you talk about. They come to the realization of
how difficult it was
and they feel obligated in one way or anther to look out after their
parents and the old
folks. Do you know that sometimes when I tell my children "Thank you,
very much"
when They do this or that things for me, they say " You do not owe us
anything, do not
say thank you It is the contrary, it is we who owe you" My children
and I we relate to
each other on a "You" basis, we do not say "Usted", we treat each other
as friends. But
people talk alot. Do you know when I go to Salida to get my checkup,
every time I go
over there my daughters fill my tank with gas so that I can return and
the same thing when
I go to Alamosa. When I go to Alamosa, Ruby lives over there and she
never lets me put
gas in the car. And do you know that people talk about all those
things. Just the other
day a nephew got married in Buena Vista, a son of Johnny and I and a
wardrobe but
Ruby did not let me wear it she bought me another one.
Eleanor Cordova
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