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Show By CAROL LEMONX y J) Our guest this week is Mrs. Laverna Thompson, of Milford. "I had wonderful parents," said Laverna. My father was a civil war veteran. vet-eran. He and his boys built the ditch from Pine Creek to Little Dog Valley. It's still there today. Mother bore 14 children, plus raised three grandchildren." I was born inCircleville in a four room log home. One of my early recollections was playing on the canal bank. I fell in. I can still hear my mother screaming for my brother, Frank, to catch me. He did, I'm glad to say." "We moved to Greenville when I was about six. Father hauled freight to Frisco. We later moved tq Spry. We girls worked the farm along with the boys. My sister Edna and I took little lunches to eat while we herded herd-ed cows all day. We took turns milking fifty cows. We were always busy. We moved to Dog Valley and it was a beautiful place. There was a large lake. Herds of deer would come and drink right along with the cattie. Our home was on a side hill. It's only drawback draw-back was the great number of rattlesnakes.' We were told about them but didn't seem to be afraid. They were everywhere. One day I was alone in the house. One had somehow come in and was between me and the door. I didn't know what to do. Finally spotting a pot of water boiling on the stove, I grabbed it and dashed.it on the snake. He jumped in the air and made a funny" noise and died. Guess I'd have made a funny noise too, if I was scalded with hot water!" "There were lots of mou-tain mou-tain lions in the area. One day my sister and I found a nest of tiny kittens. They were so cute we started to play with them. I heard the mother cat coming. Run, Effie, lets get out of here!" I cried. We didn't have any time to spare before that mother came backto her kittens." kit-tens." "As soon as we were old enough we took outside jobs to help with finances. I remember what a wonder the first washing machine I1 saw was. It had a handle we worked back and forth -but no more using the washboard. wash-board. What an invention!" "I learned to play the organ myself, also the-mandolin and accordian. I often played for parties and dances. dan-ces. How we loved to dance the Quadrilles, Two -step and Schottishe." "My sister and I dated and married brothers. Bill and I were married in 1913. We had five children and now have 7 grandchildren and 23 great -grandchildren." "We had our happy times and sad days along with them. We learned to take them as they came . I've always tried to make the best of it all. There's no use making anyone any-one miserable." "We first lived in Greenville Green-ville but came to Milford in 1924. Bill unloaded coal cars by hand, delivered it to the store, and later to the customers. A lot of shoveling!" "I loveMIlford. There are wonderful friends and neighbors neigh-bors here. My neice Gladys Whittaker is always here when I need her. Family and friends are a blessing." "I'm thankful to be able to live in my own home. Ten years ago the doctor told me I'd never walk again. I just couldn't give up, kept at it and now am able! to get around. I look forward to keeping going as best I can until I hear the call." Laverna shared this little poem with us. "It fits me to a T" she said. ... 'I made the jelly, canned the corn, spent hours at the churn; fed the hired hands, baked the pies and at weeding took my turn. I carried out the chamberpots, plucked feathers for my bed. Scrubbed all the clothes upon a board, stoked fires and made the bread. I fed the ducks and chickens. Picked berries in the bog. My only entertainment was the Sears -Roebuck catalog. I made the scrapple, kraut and soap and all the chil-drens chil-drens togs. Then if I had time to spare I helped at butchering hogs. I scraped and scoured from morn till night and to make my day complete, I hopped into an icy bed with bricks to warm my feet. I milked the old cow twice a day and often chopped the wood. If these were the good old days I'm glad they're gone for good. |
