In the summers of 1954,55 and 56 I had the oppertunity to become gainfully employed! Mr Rogers needed somebody to get his mail and carry it to him from the mailbox 1/4 mile away from his house. He was an elderly gentleman, retired from the railroad and on crutches because of severe arthritis. I would walk 3/4 mile to his house and then another 1/4 mile to his mailbox-then back to his house and then home. While there he would usually have me to do something for him that he had difficulty doing. He lived alone as his wife had died several year earlier of cancer. They raised a large family and they had all left and gone back to the cities scattered all over the U.S. He appeared to be a gruff old fellow at first but as you got to know him he was actually a fine old gentleman. For my efforts back then he would pay me $2 per week. Man! I was rich!!! Of course, I'd have done it for nothing and even offered it but he wouldn't have anything to do with that notion at all. He had moved his young family to the country from Chicago years earlier just to get them out of the city and to somewhere safe. In the wintertime he would go spend it with his kids. When he got too crippled to live alone he sold his 80acre farm to pappy and went to live with his kids. It was a very sad day when we went over to tell him goodbye. He had already left with a son of his-just left a note on a large piece of cardboard and set it upon top of his coal fired heating stove. We decided that the old fellow just couldn't face leaving us and having to say goodbye in person. He is long since dead, having died in the early 60's. We never saw him after he left. The farm was sold by pappy when he quit farming--sold to a neighbor who absolutely destroyed every trace of the old homestead. House and all the outbuilding were burned down, trees cut, lane graded in and no evidence of a homeplace exist today. In fact, it's hard for me to actually know for certain where the house once stood. I was past there today enroute to a service call on and a/c. This farm bordored the Maysville to Mt. Carmel stagecoach trail. More about that later. Lye soap, donuts and ironware curing--this weekend. If you have elderly nighbors-check in on them every day or so in this hot weather. They just might need your help. We're here to help one another. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), July 13, 2000

Answers

Hoot -- you inspire me. Thank you. We had a particularly trying day today -- one of those that you just feel like sitting down and bawling like a baby -- but you don't because the kids might see you and not understand that it isn't any ONE thing that is making Mommy cry. The memories you share with all of us here make me put everything back into perspective. Thanks.

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), July 13, 2000.

Thanks again Hoot, your writings are such a joy to read. God bless you.

-- barbara (barbaraj@mis.net), July 14, 2000.

Your stories are wonderful. Reminds me of my dad. He is 83 now and still in pretty good shape. I should be living closer, I am really torn up about this. He is in Ca, by plane it's not really that far, but expensive. I plan to make my visits more frequent. My dad only now will let me help him out a little, he is very independant. I think he is the greatest man who ever lived. Thank you for the stories, and the tears.

-- tina shrout (clia88@newmexico.com), July 14, 2000.