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Show Fioi'i An Old Timer, Louisville, Kentucky; I remember when the "trader" boats were a familiar sight on the river. The Trader built his boat upriver, loaded it with miscellaneous merchandise and then floated downstream. All along the way, he would swap and trade with settlers and other river boats. When he arrived at his last port of call, his merchandise mer-chandise might be entirely different dif-ferent from what he started with; but he sold everything, including his boat. I remember, too, when the river would freeze during Winter so solidly that you could drive a team nr horses (in later years, an auto) from one shore to the other, with no fear of going through the heavy ice. I remember that few folks had much in the old days, yet you seldom heard anyone complain. Folks didn't seem to mind hearing the word "work" then and a normal nor-mal working day was from sunup .0 sundown. Nowadays, youngsters think it is a crime to ask them to work more than seven or eight hours, five days a week; and if the job is likely to stir up a bit of perspiration, most of them don't want it. They'd rather find one where all they have to do is push a pencil. You heard a lot about the "self-made "self-made man" in the old days. Lots of successful men started for a few pennies a day and went on to 1 make something of themselves. And, many of them backed up a lack of formal education with self determination and hard work. Nowadays, it seems, youngsters go to school longer and, maybe because of this, they all seem to think they should start out at "the top." The good old days were just that as most old timers will agree. (If you would like to sfe your "I rf-mrmbtr" rf-mrmbtr" In print, arnd it to The Old Timer, Community rrrss Service, ISox Si), Frankfort, Kentucky.) |