Texas Family Secrets Page: 73 of 212
[4], 206 p. : ill. ; 22 cm.View a full description of this book.
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With some care but with no apprehension, I agreed to their
proposed expedition and helped with preparations. Each young
fellow had his own sleeping bag, and we had learned how to
pack food according to methods recommended by the Boy
Scouts. I watched the group as they meandered down our street,
all of them excited, joyful with anticipation.
At noon the next day, as was my custom in the little town, I
left my public realm, where I was our Uncle Sam's little helper,
and drove home for a delectable meal prepared by the dependable
housekeeper. Upon leaving the house this time, I headed
the Packard north instead of south. With the instinct of a mother,
I wanted to see the faces of my little offspring, to be sure their
bodies were intact, to reassure myself that all their little arms
and legs were still able to grab the apples and continue to stamp
through the living room with their big, heavy feet.
In less than five minutes, I turned off the paved street and
onto the lane leading to the lake. The big Packard purred softly
as it eased slowly across the narrow, earthen dam.
Nearing my destination and viewing the boys who had gathered,
I noticed, barely beyond the end of the dam, a shallow
mudhole filled with water. I stopped the car while still on the
dam. The youngsters, full of enthusiasm, bounded to the car to
meet me. With excitement, they answered my questions. They
had swept the loft of the barn and had slept there with fresh,
summer air blowing upon them. Their food had been sufficient.
My boys were wearing their galoshes to protect their feet. All
seemed well. I was satisfied.
"You can't get across that mud puddle, Mama," my older one
advised. Then, all the boys speculated, but none could determine
a method for my reaching the expanse of ground where I
could turn the car around and return across the dam in forward
gear. The only logical solution seemed to be that I should put
the big Packard in reverse and back it across the dam. I was not
especially daunted.
"I'm a good backer-upper," I liked to say to myself.
The surface of the dam was little more than the width of the
wheels on the car, however, barely two little tracks in the sand
68
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Texas Family Secrets (Book)
Collection of stories by forty local writers describing family histories and anecdotes in the Grayson County, Texas area. Each story is preceded by a brief biographical sketch of the author.
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Lincecum, Jerry Bryan & Redshaw, Peggy A. Texas Family Secrets, book, 1997; Sherman, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth20209/m1/73/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin College.