The life and times of Melba Arthena Larson ans Oliver Lealand Laub or Wee Wobb's Kids and Mel's Brats by Cleo Laub Jackson 6/21/95

retyped and posted with added titles: by Kimberly Thurston a work still in progress

Aunt Kathryn

From 8/37 - 9-39 Dad worked various jobs from Las Vegas to St. George.

Mom was soon expecting again, this time twins! She wrote her mother lamenting her condition and worrying about what people would think, her having so man babies.

Grandma Emma wrote back that she shouldn't worry about what people thought. What ever the talk was today would be gone as they found someone else to talk about tomorrow.

I was just a baby when Mom discovered she was expecting again. She got so big so fast she could not lift me. She would put a pan upside down on the floor next to a chair, hold my hand while I climbed from the pan to the chair to the sink where she would give me a bath.

Mom's younger sister Jessie Katherine was sent to Las Vegas when it was time for Mom's delivery and confinement. The experience of seeing Mom in poverty with all those crying kids to manage caused Aunt Jessie to remain an old maid all her life.

Aunt Jessie became an independent woman, living alone in Salt Lake City, she despised being called Jessie and insisted everyone call her Katherine now that she had control of her own destiny.

She was a naturally gifted artist and took art classes in the evenings while living in Salt Lake City. La Verna and I were awed by her artistic talent. She was our inspiration to become artist too.

At one time Grandma Emma wrote Aunt Jessie and asked her to send Melba a few dollars to help out. The letter we have is from a sister who is very upset with her mother for insinuating she is a selfish person for not getting married or helping by sending money home.

As Aunt Katherine became older and realized she was alone in the world, she watched Mom's unruly flock mature into respectable adults. Aunt Katherine finally admitted to Mom that she had been wrong and was now envious of Mom's 13 close friends.

After I was married and gone form home. Aunt Katherine realized Mom had more children that she needed to claim on her income tax return. She wrote and got permission to claim one of the children as a dependent. Of course she was willing to send money to help out with that child. She chose her namesake, little Kathryn. For the short time Dad allowed this experiment, Kathryn enjoyed the special attention and gifts from her Aunt in Salt Lake City.

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