The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 60, July 1956 - April, 1957 Page: 101
616 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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it to mother for $5.00. Fortunately, mother had the money.
Father hitched the oxen-I think he liked oxen, he had good
teams of horses-to the wagon, and said sister Jo and I could go
along to get the stove. We started early and did not loiter on
the round trip-we arrived home late in the evening. My folks
at once installed the stove, built a fire of wood, as you would
know there were fire coals under wood, no matches at that time,
and waited. Nothing happened but smoke billowing from every
seam in stove. Just as they were about to kick the stove out we
heard a hallow at the gate. The old gentleman walked in, took
in the happenings, walked to the stove and turned down the
damper. Presto! What a fire and what a good stove.
A small log house, a short distance from our place, served for
both church and school. Usually school lasted about three
months in Summer after crops were "laid by." Some farmer who
could boast he could do all the "sums" as far as fractions, in
Ray's arithmetic would lay aside his coat, take up books, and
teach (?) the school. I, at that time, was too young for school,
but older ones of our family attended.
The spelling class was the most interesting class. A long line
of boys and girls stood across the middle of room and spelled
-or missed-according to ability. If one missed a word and next
below spelled it, they changed places, the winner going toward
the head of class. Whoever was head at night had to go to the
foot of class and start all over next day. We had milk, butter,
chickens, eggs and a garden-On Sundays, oftener than other-
wise, we had the preacher. All denominations used the school
house. No wire screens in those days and houses were open to
bugs, flies or anything flying. If one was prosperous he had a
fly scarer of peacock feathers; if not, he used a peach tree limb
with a bunch of leaves at the end. I was about six years old, so
they put me to scare flies, one Sunday when the minister, wear-
ing a long, red beard was eating Sunday dinner with us. I was
tired and worried about the choice pieces of fried chicken dis-
appearing so rapidly, I suppose I forgot and sagged a little for
all at once my fly brush dipped in the rich brown gravy-and,
swish right across that long red beard! My eyes turned at once
to my mother who never missed anything. Her brows slightly
lifted. I faded away; an older sister took over. I do not remember
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 60, July 1956 - April, 1957, periodical, 1957; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101163/m1/114/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.