Interview of Matilda Papenhausen on her service in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps during WWI Dorothy W. Early: Um, let’s see. This is August the 23, 1984 and I’m in Lakeside, California visiting Matilda Papenhausen. Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: I was in WWII and Matilda was in WWI. [00:19] Now, what were you saying about your family? Matilda Papenhausen: Um, I had, uh, two brothers in, uh, in – over there and I wanted to, uh, go and I promised my mother that I would, uh, sign up for one duty. Um, and then I got orders and where do you suppose my orders were? Camp Pike, Arkansas. Dorothy W. Early: Uh-oh. [laughter] Matilda Papenhausen: And it, it was a lot of fun. Really, it was a great deal of fun. Dorothy W. Early: Uh-huh. Matilda Papenhausen: Because, um, – and, and it wasn’t [inaudible 01:08] completed a week, uh, – my room wasn’t even finished where I slept and we had to go downstairs [inaudible 01:17] toilet [inaudible 01:18]. [laughter] [Inaudible 01:23] that was all so new. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yes. Matilda Papenhausen: And then, uh, finally [inaudible 01:34] and I think they put me in every difficult ward that was to be had. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: I was – I took care of, uh, of, uh, – I had a colored [ward 01:49]... Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: …black [ward 01:50]. I had, uh, uh, scarlet fevers and smallpox and, and what is – what kind of a – what is that… Dorothy W. Early: [02:07] Isolations? Oh yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: …isolation. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: And, uh, pneumonia and just, just every [inaudible 02:24]. They, they moved me from the, the, uh, [inaudible 02:29], the, uh, [inaudible 02:32] seemed to like my work. Dorothy W. Early: [laughter] Matilda Papenhausen: [Inaudible 02:37]. Dorothy W. Early: [02:39] Were you with a Kansas City hospital or you were on your own? Matilda Papenhausen: Just, uh, – yeah. We picked up, um, uh, ten, ten, uh, nurses from our unit and they picked, uh, other units – nurses from other units and, uh, by the time they got, um, – they picked a unit of 100. Well, one day – and, and I was in the Pneumonia Ward and, and that was a first [inaudible 3:14] the, uh, the, uh, Assistant Director came out and said, uh, you are to give your orders to your, your senior, your, uh, senior nurse, your, your… Dorothy W. Early: [03:36] Chief nurse? Matilda Papenhausen: Chief nurse… Dorothy W. Early: Uh-huh. Matilda Papenhausen: …that was, uh, uh, going to take my place and, uh, get ready to go to New York tonight… Dorothy W. Early: Oh great. Matilda Papenhausen: Uh, for service overseas. Dorothy W. Early: [Inaudible 03:53]. Matilda Papenhausen: That’s – and we were in New York Ci-, a month. Dorothy W. Early: [03:59] Oh you were? Matilda Papenhausen: Uh-huh. The, uh, [inaudible 04:01] waiting for, uh, and transportation and everything. And I, I was assigned to a third gen-, general hospital. Dorothy W. Early: Third general. Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: I loved it. It was a – and, uh, they were all [inaudible 04:29]. They were all British. Dorothy W. Early: [04:33] They were? Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. And, uh, they were just fascinated with my conversation. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yes. Matilda Papenhausen: [laughter] Dorothy W. Early: And you were fascinated with them. Matilda Papenhausen: I – that’s… Dorothy W. Early: [laughter] Matilda Papenhausen: [laughter] Dorothy W. Early: Oh now. [04:46] Now were they on board ship or you met them overseas? Matilda Papenhausen: No. We met them in the hospital. Dorothy W. Early: [04:51] Overseas? Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. Dorothy W. Early: [04:52] In France? Matilda Papenhausen: In – no, no. In, in London. Dorothy W. Early: Oh you went to London. Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. We were at Third London General Hospital. Dorothy W. Early: Oh, I see. Matilda Papenhausen: And then after a month, [inaudible 05:05], we were being indoctrinated there to… Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: Meth-, their methods and all. Dorothy W. Early: Sure. Matilda Papenhausen: And then we had to cross the English Channel finally. Dorothy W. Early: [05:17] What year would this have been likely? Matilda Papenhausen: As, uh, the first year, uh, I was… Dorothy W. Early: [05:24] Seventeen, you think? Matilda Papenhausen: I don’t remember. Dorothy W. Early: [05:23] Nineteen seventeen maybe? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: And, uh, we were assigned to, uh, – we got there the Fourth of, Fourth of July and we just laughed. We thought that was funny. Dorothy W. Early: [laughter] [05:41] The British didn’t know what to celebrate, did they? [laughter] Matilda Papenhausen: [laughter ] Well, we said, my they’re celebrating early. Dorothy W. Early: [laughter] Matilda Papenhausen: Well, anyway… Dorothy W. Early: That’s funny ‘cause when we got there the Thanksgiving day… Matilda Papenhausen: [laughter] Dorothy W. Early: And they didn’t know about that either. Matilda Papenhausen: I think we were assigned to a English hospital Ger-, uh, American staffed, English hospital. Dorothy W. Early: Oh I see. Matilda Papenhausen: When we first came over there. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. [06:14] What, what part were you in then? Matilda Papenhausen: Uh, Rouen. Dorothy W. Early: [06:19] In France? Matilda Papenhausen: In Rouen. Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: Okay. [06:25] Did you work about 12 hours a day or what were the hours like? Matilda Papenhausen: Well, I don’t know. I can’t remember that. Dorothy W. Early: [06:37] Isn’t that strange you can’t remember, uh, the hours or the food or the problems any more. I can’t. Matilda Papenhausen: Uh-huh. Dorothy W. Early: [06:46] Do you think you worked in buildings, not tents? Matilda Papenhausen: Well, some of them were buildings. I – all of ours were buildings. Dorothy W. Early: You were in the buildings. Matilda Papenhausen: And they were, um, sandbagged up halfway. Dorothy W. Early: Oh. Mm-hm. [07:05] For protection? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: I’m trying to think what part of France that is. Oh let’s see. [07:11] Would that have been near Verdun and all that area or is it down south? Matilda Papenhausen: That’s, uh, I [inaudible 07:21]. Dorothy W. Early: Well you said Rouen. Matilda Papenhausen: Rouen. Dorothy W. Early: Uh-huh. I can’t remember. I [inaudible 07:28]. [07:28] Well, um, how long did you serve overseas? Matilda Papenhausen: Just two months – two years. Dorothy W. Early: Two years. Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: [07:36] Did you go on leave during that time? Matilda Papenhausen: Oh yes. We went down to, uh, um, – we saw the, uh, where, where the, uh, princess lived. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yes. Matilda Papenhausen: And, uh, we went over to Switzerland… Dorothy W. Early: [07:56] Oh you did? Matilda Papenhausen: …one day. Dorothy W. Early: It was off limits when we were there. [laughter] Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: And Paris, of course, we were in Paris. Dorothy W. Early: Uh-huh. [08:08] Did you wear a special uniform? Matilda Papenhausen: Oh yes. Yes. We had… Dorothy W. Early: [08:12] Long skirts? Matilda Papenhausen: Oh sure. Dorothy W. Early: [08:15] High top shoes? Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. Dorothy W. Early: [08:19] And lots of petticoats I suppose? Matilda Papenhausen: Well, I, I can’t remember. Uh, see they were all [inaudible 08:27] and, uh, we had certain hats, caps, hats that we wore. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Yeah. [08:39] Did you think you were treated pretty well over there? Matilda Papenhausen: Oh yes. Dorothy W. Early: [08:42] They always thought the nurses were really – very nice, didn’t they? Matilda Papenhausen: And they – we always had nice quarters. Dorothy W. Early: [08:48] Did you? Matilda Papenhausen: And while we were in Rouen, uh, we lived in a mansion. Dorothy W. Early: [08:57] Oh, you did? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: Yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: Uh, I never seen so many mirrors. And all – with all that, there wasn’t – [laughter] we didn’t have a bathroom. Dorothy W. Early: [laughter] [09:18] In the whole building, huh? Matilda Papenhausen: In the whole building. Isn’t that funny? Dorothy W. Early: I’m trying to think of all the questions. Our Women’s Overseas has given us a list to prompt you and my questions are in Kansas City, how many miles and miles away. [laughter] Matilda Papenhausen: Uh, I, I don’t know whether there are any of the, uh, the, uh, WWI living in Kansas City any longer. Dorothy W. Early: I know, I know two ladies. Matilda Papenhausen: Oh? Dorothy W. Early: There’s a Mrs. Meyer that lives out at Olathe in a nursing home. And we went out to interview her and she said, well, no. I was really worn out. A lady came from the newspaper and I don’t, I don’t want to talk about it anymore. And here we drove all the way out with a gal and tried to record it and she would not discuss WWI. [laughter] It got to be kind of funny. Matilda Papenhausen: Isn’t that funny. Dorothy W. Early: But she was pleasant otherwise. She kept talking about modern – current things. Matilda Papenhausen: Uh, we came over on a ship, of course. Dorothy W. Early: Yes. Matilda Papenhausen: Uh, and, uh, we were in, in the, uh, the big, uh, um… Dorothy W. Early: [10:40] Was it a troop ship? Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. Dorothy W. Early: [10:43] Was it in a convoy? Matilda Papenhausen: Convoy. Dorothy W. Early: Uh, we had a convoy. Matilda Papenhausen: We had a convoy and ours was the biggest one. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yes. Matilda Papenhausen: And, uh, we didn’t know that, uh, there was a [inaudible 10:55], in uh, New York that it would never land because it was loaded with grain. Dorothy W. Early: Oh, oh. Matilda Papenhausen: And 5,000 troops. Dorothy W. Early: Yes. They probably knew it some place along the line. Matilda Papenhausen: And then it was the funniest thing these boats would sit in the same position [inaudible 11:15]. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yes. Matilda Papenhausen: You’d think we were just sit, uh, sitting ducks. Dorothy W. Early: [11:22] Did it get rough at all when you were on them? Matilda Papenhausen: Uh, we had an alarm. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: [Inaudible 11:26]. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yes. Matilda Papenhausen: And then the – everybody left us. Dorothy W. Early: Oh. Matilda Papenhausen: But we weren’t afraid. We had [inaudible 11:39] and… Dorothy W. Early: Boat drill. Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: [11:42] Well, it’s kind of different from being in Kansas to being out on the ocean, wasn’t it? Matilda Papenhausen: I really loved it. Dorothy W. Early: [11:49] Did you? Matilda Papenhausen: I loved it. I wasn’t the least bit seasick but my, uh, roommate – we had, uh, cabins. Dorothy W. Early: [12:01] Did you? Matilda Papenhausen: Uh, um, a girl from Arkansas was my best friend and we, um, we had a cabin. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. [12:13] Were there a lot of troops and were there other hospital groups there? Matilda Papenhausen: On… Dorothy W. Early: On broad ship? Matilda Papenhausen: On, on board the other ship? Dorothy W. Early: [12:22] On yours? Matilda Papenhausen: Oh yes. Yes. They, uh, there were quite a few. Dorothy W. Early: [12:30] What about doctors, did you go with a unit or just as an individual? Matilda Papenhausen: We went as a unit. They were doctors on board. Dorothy W. Early: [12:43] Did you have more than two meals a day, do you remember? Matilda Papenhausen: Can’t remember. Dorothy W. Early: I remember we only had two meals but, uh, it didn’t occur to me, you know, until someone mentioned it and there were so many things that happened that who would remember meals. Matilda Papenhausen: Well, I think you had more, much more activity… Dorothy W. Early: Yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: …in WWII. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: You got over there… Dorothy W. Early: Well… Matilda Papenhausen: One of my very closest friends, a young man, [inaudible 13:16], Harvard graduate, a doctor’s son, he – and I was working in Leavenworth, the hospital then, he came and had lunch with me. Dorothy W. Early: Yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: And, uh, and then soon after that he left and, uh, – on a – he was killed on the first – his first, uh… Dorothy W. Early: [13:46] First battle? Matilda Papenhausen: Battle. Dorothy W. Early: That’s too bad. Matilda Papenhausen: Oh he was a wonderful boy. Dorothy W. Early: [13:54] Was he from Leavenworth? Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. And his brother just visited me the other day. Dorothy W. Early: [13:59] He did? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: He was the youngest. Dorothy W. Early: Uh-huh. [14:03] What was his last name? Matilda Papenhausen: Uh, Williams. Dorothy W. Early: Oh. Matilda Papenhausen: Dr., uh, – and there was another one, Frank, and he was a very, very, uh, uh, you know where [inaudible 14:22] is? You have… Dorothy W. Early: Yes. I’ve seen the sign. Matilda Papenhausen: Yeah. He had, uh, – when he first went up there in charge of the group, they – he had three men. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: And when he, uh, – they had a [inaudible 14:39] party for him at his home and there were – he had 300. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: And, uh, then after the party, they went to their home down in Saint – Palm Springs and they got down there and he dropped dead. Dorothy W. Early: Oh my. How dreadful. Matilda Papenhausen: And Frank used to come – [inaudible 15:10], he’d call and say, can you have dinner with me? Dorothy W. Early: Oh. Matilda Papenhausen: [Inaudible 15:16]. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. [15:18] I was wondering, um, when you were in the service, did – you didn’t get any, um, insurance or, or did you get insurance… Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. I… Dorothy W. Early: With the service? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: [15:32] And did you get, um, very much money? Do you remember what your pay was? Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. Dorothy W. Early: [15:38] A little extra for overseas? Matilda Papenhausen: Uh, I think, we got – I think we got $50 first. Dorothy W. Early: Yes. Matilda Papenhausen: And then, uh, when we went to, um, uh, New York, I think we got 60 and [inaudible 15:57], we finally got up to 90... Dorothy W. Early: Oh. Matilda Papenhausen: When we were at, uh, um, uh, London General. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: But I can’t remember what… Dorothy W. Early: [16:11] Did you – do you remember if you got a Mustering-Out pay, did you get any special money when you got out or… Matilda Papenhausen: No. We didn’t. Dorothy W. Early: [16:18] Where did you, uh, – now you came back home, where do you think you – what, um, army base did you locate through, um? Matilda Papenhausen: I came out – I was dismissed, uh, in New York. Dorothy W. Early: [16:34] New York City? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. And, uh, then I, uh, – I was home then. I was dismissed. Dorothy W. Early: Uh-huh. Matilda Papenhausen: And, um, – so I had to go to work. I didn’t have any money. Dorothy W. Early: [16:52] That must’ve been about 1919 then? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: [16:55] Do you remember the Armistice or where you were? Matilda Papenhausen: Oh yes. It was the day before the – oh yes. We all got on, uh, trucks and we, we saw the [inaudible 17:09] that day. Dorothy W. Early: [17:11] Whereabouts were you? Matilda Papenhausen: Must’ve been, uh, – we were on… Dorothy W. Early: [17:23] Were you in France? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: November the 11. Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. I can’t, uh, remember just where we were. Dorothy W. Early: Uh-huh. But they were army vehicles and you went out celebrating and… Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. Yes. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Well, everybody was glad the war was over, I know that. Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: Yeah. [17:47] And then you, you stayed over after the war and worked in France? Matilda Papenhausen: No. After, uh, after, uh, – I came on home. Dorothy W. Early: [17:58] After the Armistice, shortly after, you came? Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. I came home, went to work. I worked at St. Luke’s for a while. Dorothy W. Early: [18:04] Oh did you? Matilda Papenhausen: I think I got $80 a month there. And, uh, I had a [inaudible 18:13]. Do you remember Dr. [Hertzler 18:14]? Dorothy W. Early: Oh yes. Halstead, Kansas. Matilda Papenhausen: What? Dorothy W. Early: Halstead, Kansas. Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. Dr. [Hertzler 18:23] asked me to come to see him and he said, would you be interested in going out to Halstead, Kansas as a assistant, uh, superintendent of nurses out there? Dorothy W. Early: Uh-huh. Matilda Papenhausen: And I said I hadn’t thought of it. He said, uh, uh, you, uh, got your room and board, laundry. I don’t know what else he’d [inaudible 18:55] and $200 a month. Dorothy W. Early: Oh my. [laughter] You could hardly resist that. Matilda Papenhausen: Well, I… Dorothy W. Early: [laughter] Matilda Papenhausen: I would love it. Dorothy W. Early: [laughter] Oh dear. I’m trying to think… Matilda Papenhausen: And the funny part of it is I met two of those women that I met out at Halstead. Dorothy W. Early: [19:23] Is that right? Matilda Papenhausen: And one of them is still living here. Dorothy W. Early: [19:14] In, in California? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: Well, this must be a good place to retire. Matilda Papenhausen: [laughter] Dorothy W. Early: [laughter] Oh man. Well, I guess you enjoyed being a army nurse and… Matilda Papenhausen: Oh yes. Dorothy W. Early: I had… Matilda Papenhausen: I wouldn’t have missed it – you know, I think I had one of the, the most fascinating – I think perhaps I had, uh, the most interesting nursing career of anyone I’ve known. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: Because I was a superintendent – well, in the hospital, you know. Dorothy W. Early: Yes. Matilda Papenhausen: I, uh, I was superintendent there and then I was superintendent in, in Leavenworth and then I went to, uh, Des Moines, Iowa. Dorothy W. Early: [20:24] Oh you did? Matilda Papenhausen: I was in their, um, clinic there for almost five years. Dorothy W. Early: Yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: And then, uh, they sent me out as sort of a, a inspector and, uh, a social service… Dorothy W. Early: Oh. Matilda Papenhausen: …person out from, from, uh, South Dakota – from Sou-, from the start of the city, what was the little town? Dorothy W. Early: [20:55] Was this [inaudible 20:55]? Matilda Papenhausen: [St. Paul’s 20:56] clear back to, uh, to Rapid City and I drove all along – all through the, uh, the, uh… Dorothy W. Early: [21:06] The boondocks, huh? Matilda Papenhausen: Hm. Dorothy W. Early: [21:09] Was this county or state nursing? Matilda Papenhausen: It was government. Dorothy W. Early: Government. U.S. Government. Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yes. [21:18] And you were an inspector? Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. They, uh, um, – some of them, uh, were, uh, older, you know, uh, belonged to another war. Dorothy W. Early: Oh like the Spanish-American War maybe? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: Well, the Civil War could’ve been – soldiers would’ve been alive then too. Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. Well, uh, really not many people had that and I saw them build their – those places out there and… Dorothy W. Early: [21:56] Oh you did? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: [21:57] [Inaudible 21:57] on the mountain? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: Yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: And I just loved Rapid City. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. I’ve never been there. I’ve been to Naples but I’ve never been to Rapid City. Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: [laughter] Well, you have had a long career. I’m trying to think of some army activities. [22:24] Did you have, um, [inaudible 22:27] or did you stand retreat or any sort of, um… Matilda Papenhausen: No. Dorothy W. Early: …activity in your army… Matilda Papenhausen: No. Dorothy W. Early: …days? Matilda Papenhausen: No. Dorothy W. Early: I think now they do more than they used to. Matilda Papenhausen: Oh yes. I think so too. Dorothy W. Early: [22:40] And you didn’t have to salute? Matilda Papenhausen: Oh no. Dorothy W. Early: We had to salute. We learned how. Matilda Papenhausen: And then, the next thing that happened to me was, um, I had my house built. Dorothy W. Early: Yes. Matilda Papenhausen: Well, first of all, - do you remember Florence [Tills 22:58]? Dorothy W. Early: Oh, she was my teacher in Leavenworth. Matilda Papenhausen: That’s right. And she and I came out here and had a, uh, a sort of a guest house for 12 women and, uh, – my brother fixed it up right for us – brother Jim and I [inaudible 23:22]. Dorothy W. Early: [23:23] It isn’t this house? Matilda Papenhausen: No, no, no, no, no. And, uh, this, uh, you’ve been in this house, haven’t you? Dorothy W. Early: No. This is the first time I’ve been here. Matilda Papenhausen: I want you to see the [inaudible 23:38]… Dorothy W. Early: Okay. Matilda Papenhausen: …there. I want to you to see the size of it. [laughter] Dorothy W. Early: I wanted you to tell me something about when you got your boy – you lived in Leavenworth then. Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. I got him when he was just a, an infant. Dorothy W. Early: Yes. Matilda Papenhausen: And, uh, I didn’t even know whether I was going to keep him. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: Uh, but he was found. Dorothy W. Early: Uh-huh. Matilda Papenhausen: And I couldn’t put him in the nursery so I put him in my quarters. I lived in the hospital. Dorothy W. Early: I remembered dusting your quarters. [laughter] Matilda Papenhausen: And, uh, he, he was a beautiful child. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. [24:8] Was he red-headed? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. And, uh, he was 3 years old when we came out here. Dorothy W. Early: [24:26] Is that right? Matilda Papenhausen: Mother and I. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: [Inaudible 24:32]. Dorothy W. Early: [24:33] You brought your mother? Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. Dorothy W. Early: I didn’t realize that. Matilda Papenhausen: Mother, mother [inaudible 24:39]… Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: …and my brother built us a, a little house… Dorothy W. Early: I see. Matilda Papenhausen: On that - we had about three acres of land. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: And – across from the, um, air, uh, airfield [inaudible 24:55]. Dorothy W. Early: [24:56] At Lakeside? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. Dorothy W. Early: I see. [24:59] Did your brother live out here in this area first? Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. Dorothy W. Early: Oh. Matilda Papenhausen: He had a, um, a – they came out here and they had a, a motel. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: And, uh, – oh he, he made such a decent place of it. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: And then Mary wasn’t too well so they got – they had an opportunity and they sold that for 80 thous – 8,000 – no 800, uh, acres of [inaudible 25:38]. Dorothy W. Early: [25:39] Where? Matilda Papenhausen: In Fallbrook. Dorothy W. Early: Uh-huh. Matilda Papenhausen: And he, he really, he really did very well financially. Dorothy W. Early: Yeah. [25:50] Is he still living? Matilda Papenhausen: No. Dorothy W. Early: No. Matilda Papenhausen: He had a stroke. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: And he was sick quite a while. Dorothy W. Early: [25:56] Was his daughter – did he have a daughter named Virginia or was that another brother? Matilda Papenhausen: She’s a nurse. Dorothy W. Early: [256:01] That’s his daughter? Matilda Papenhausen: That was his – and she, she married a doctor, uh, I don’t know what his name is [inaudible 6:11]. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: And then he had another daughter, a teacher… Dorothy W. Early: Oh. Matilda Papenhausen: …and she taught, uh, for 25 years out in, uh… Dorothy W. Early: [26:21] Where? Matilda Papenhausen: In Fallbrook. And she was supposed to be one of the best teachers in that part of the country. Dorothy W. Early: I remember your sister was my superintend-, uh, - supervisor in VNA. Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. Dorothy W. Early: Frieda. Matilda Papenhausen: Frieda. Dorothy W. Early: I thought she was the best supervisor I ever had. Matilda Papenhausen: Is that so? Dorothy W. Early: Yes. She was a dear. Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. She was [inaudible 26:46]. Dorothy W. Early: I didn’t have her very often, only on vacation. Matilda Papenhausen: Uh-huh. Dorothy W. Early: But, um, she worked with records usually. Matilda Papenhausen: Uh-huh. Dorothy W. Early: But, uh, I enjoyed her a lot so. Matilda Papenhausen: She had a good sense [inaudible 27:00]. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. Well, I think that’s about all we’re going to talk about unless you can think of some other thing to end out your army career. Matilda Papenhausen: Well, then after, after my house was built and I, I was all settled, I thought, my heavens, what am I going to do with my time? Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: I didn’t want to go back to nursing and, uh, after we had given up the, um, the guest house… Dorothy W. Early: Yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: …Florence came home and she got so - she went back to, uh, back to, uh, uh, her place in, uh, Kansas City. Dorothy W. Early: [27:54] Oh did she? Matilda Papenhausen: And was, um… Dorothy W. Early: [27:57] For KU? Matilda Papenhausen: Hm? Dorothy W. Early: [27:58] Did she go back to KU? Matilda Papenhausen: No. No, she didn’t go back to KU. She went back to, um, uh, [inaudible 28:10]. Dorothy W. Early: Oh. Matilda Papenhausen: Yeah. She was in the, uh, um, delivery – uh, not delivery room… Dorothy W. Early: Oh. Matilda Papenhausen: …but the, uh, in the nurs-, in the, uh, yeah, delivery room. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. [28:29] She was in OB? Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. OB, she was there for 25 years. Dorothy W. Early: [28:34] Out here? Is that right? Matilda Papenhausen: Mm-hm. She just loved it. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: And then she got sick and really went downhill. Dorothy W. Early: Oh yeah. Matilda Papenhausen: But I was, I was [inaudible 28:45] so one day I picked up the home paper and it said, uh, wanted, a nurse for [inaudible 28:53], uh, to relieve a sick nurse. So I went over and I thought well, I’ll just – might as well, uh, [inaudible 29:07]. Dorothy W. Early: [29:08] You could handle almost anything in one day. Matilda Papenhausen: Yes. Dorothy W. Early: [laughter] Hold your breath. Matilda Papenhausen: And I went over there and I [inaudible 29:16]. Dorothy W. Early: Oh my [inaudible 29:17]. That was a long day. Matilda Papenhausen: And then after that, my brothers got sick. I spent a lot of time… Dorothy W. Early: Yes. Matilda Papenhausen: …with him. Dorothy W. Early: Mm-hm. Matilda Papenhausen: And then I began to get puny. [laughter] Dorothy W. Early: Well, you’re looking well, looking well. I’d say. Matilda Papenhausen: You think I look well? Dorothy W. Early: Well, I certainly do. Your eyes are bright and shiny. Matilda Papenhausen: Well, I, I don’t feel bright and shiny most of the time. Dorothy W. Early: Well, I’m sure you have a lot of aches and pains but… Matilda Papenhausen: Oh. Dorothy W. Early: …it doesn’t show tonight. Matilda Papenhausen: I think that – see I had, um, I had, uh, a, a, an artificial knee and I had two gastric hemorrhages. Dorothy W. Early: Oh my. Well, I know you’ve had several things. Matilda Papenhausen: And I’ve had, uh, - I wasn’t satisfied with that. Dorothy W. Early: [laughter] Matilda Papenhausen: I, uh, wanted something out of the closet, [laughter] in fact, I got up on the ladder… Dorothy W. Early: Oh dear. Matilda Papenhausen: And I fell and broke my hip. Dorothy W. Early: Oh. Matilda Papenhausen: And my telephone was on the other side of the bed and I had to – couldn’t get to my telephone. Dorothy W. Early: Oh dear. Matilda Papenhausen: And I crawled around there [inaudible 30:43]. Dorothy W. Early: [30:44] With a broken hip? Matilda Papenhausen: Hm. Dorothy W. Early: [30:45] With a broken hip? There you go. Matilda Papenhausen: I knew it was broken. Dorothy W. Early: [30:47] Did you? Matilda Papenhausen: And, uh, the neighbor – I had fortunately [inaudible 30:53] locked the door. Dorothy W. Early: Oh dear. Matilda Papenhausen: And, uh, – so I called the neighbor and I said, I wonder if you could come up and help me a little? And she said, what’s the matter? And I said, uh, – and she said, yes, what’s wrong? And I said, well I think I have a broken hip. And, uh, about that time the telephone rang. It was my sister from Fresno. She said, good morning. How are you this morning? Dorothy W. Early: Oh dear. Matilda Papenhausen: I said, well, not so good. [laughter] I said, uh, I’m waiting for the ambulance. [laughter] Dorothy W. Early: [laughter] Oh my. /lj