Reclaimed Memories

his section of my memoirs is getting quite long. My sisters keep reminding me of funny little incidents that have been discussed at the family reunions. In an amusing letter I got from Ruth today. (9-26-91) She told of three or four that involved her and Beulah. Ruth has stated those incidents in an amusing way so I will just quote what she has written.

"When we lived in Creston she and I both bought a nickel's worth of candy at Hilton's store. In those days a nickel's worth was quite a bit of candy. I suggested that we see which of us could keep it the longest and she agreed. I hid mine in that coffee grinder we kept on the side porch, and every once in a while, I'd go and get a piece, dust off the ants and eat it. But afterwards I'd ask her how many pieces she had left, and she would tell me. Well, there was so much candy and the game went on so long, that I believe she forgot that she forgot it was a game. Finally she said she had eaten her last piece. I went and got my last piece and ate it. Then told her that I had won the game. Then she said, "No, you didn’t win, for I still have some in my hollow tooth:"

Quite a rivalry between two little sisters!

Another quote from Ruth's letter.

"When we lived in Elizabeth I got the idea that I would learn the words to all the songs in the hymn book, so that when I was in church, I could hold the book and gaze off into space, as I'd seen the adults do, and still keep singing. So I got the hymn book and I sat in the swing on our front porch and systematically sang every hymn I knew in the book. I practiced for days, but every day when I came to, "Sweet Beulah Land" I'd hear Beulah say, "Mother, make Ruth stop singing that song."

Another quote:

"When we lived in Parkersburg, Beulah and I were sitting in the swing, with one of the young boarders. He was keeping us entertained by telling us tales of his adventures. I don't remember much of what he said but I do remember that I was impressed and fascinated, and believing every word. I remember that he said "Would you kids like to hear how I meet girls?" Of course we wanted to hear it, so he said "I just go out in the park and I find a bunch of girls talking together, and I just go up to them and say, “Hey, Mary, come here a minute. I want to tell you something, and one of them will come and talk to me." That was just too much for Beulah! She got up, looked him straight in the eye and asked "You don't know any of those girls?" He said, "No, I don't know any of them." She said "I don't believe a word you've been saying."

Another quote:

"I think Beulah was about twelve when we were at a church function. A boy walked up to her and said "May I see you home tonight7' She replied, "Sure, just stand here and watch me." I really don’t think she meant to be smart or funny. She had probably not heard that expression before and did not know what he meant.

I knew all about the next incident, but had forgotten it. It happened on the farm and both Beulah and Ruth were quite small. Our big sister, Ruby, was going with the man she later married. Ruth was the youngest and Ruby wanted to show her off. So she painstakingly taught Ruth to play on the organ, "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater," and to sing it. But while she was teaching Ruth, Beulah, not to be outdone by her younger sister, learned it also. Ruth played it slowly and deliberately and Beulah could play it faster. As soon as Ross Belt was seated in the parlor, Beulah ran in, plopped herself on the organ stool and played and sang real fast the song they both had learned. Ruth wrote, "She put a damper on Ruby's idea, but probably Ross was just as happy that the show was soon over.'

The Brady Trilogy  I  Reclaimed Memories - (1991)  I  Pop Troy's Anthology - ( 1992)  I  Kinfolk - (1994)