Memories of a Visit to my Grandparents
by Gaylord Beck
         
Maynard, my twin brother and I, being the first grandchildren born in to 
the George and Louisa Crom family; were often invited to take turns staying 
at their home for a week at a time.
         
I think they enjoyed having Maynard and I around, as they had so wanted boys, 
and instead were blessed with four daughters.
         
A certain incident that occured on one of these visits, I will always remember 
quite vividly.
         
It happened one morning early in July, about the year of 1917 or 1918 when I was 
about 9 or 10 years old.  My Grandfather arose very early informing Louisa he was
going to the other place for a horse that would handle good on his single 
cultivator, and then he could finish a needed cultivation of his large potato 
patch west of their garage, before Grandma had me down for their breakfast.  
He was in the habit of growing a good big acre of potatoes every year, most for 
their own use and to provide well towards the big dinners held at their home 
nearly every Sunday for their daughters and their families.
         
Also I well remember that Grandma Nelson's cousins and their mother, "Aunt Ellen"
were often Sunday guests, as well as many of her sisters and brothers and 
cousins from Ohio.  This took lots of "spuds" as he called them.  Also I remember
Grandfather always was trying Ohio Tublers so he could give his son in-laws 
seed potatoes from Ohio.
         
Just after he finished the cultivation, the horse was snapped to a ring 
to the corner of the garage, put there for that purpose, I was sure.
         
At breakfast that morning, Grandpa mentioned he noticed a few Japanese potato 
beetles on the top leaves of the potatoes.  Being early in the growing season,
he reasoned with Grandma that they would stop a later infestation by having me 
gather them off the plants, or bumping them into a little kerosene in a salmon 
can, soon as possible after finishing our breakfast that morning.
         
Grandpa said "Louisa don't you think we should give Gaylord five cents per dozen 
for all he can find out there, and would you count them.  He should have them 
all in a hour or so, then we will know just how much he has earned because
I want to pay up at noon".
         
As Grandma prepared my equipment for the beetle job, Grandpa was on his way 
with the horse to the other place to hook up another horse to the double riding 
cultivator to help his tenant farmer cultivate one of his large corn fields.
         
I soon surprised Grandma with a can of beetles.  She said "Have you covered that 
patch already?"  "No, I just got a good start on that job, boy, is it sure 
getting hot out there, but I am making a lot of money so must keep going as fast 
as I can because Grandpa said any I missed would soon make a lot more bugs."
         
Grandma replied, "yes Gaylord, you must look closely for them, just come to the 
screened porch every time you have another can and I will come out to count up 
as you dump them out on the board walk".
         
After I had brought in several more cans Grandma said "I don't think Grandpa 
knew he had so many bugs out there".  The last six or eight rows were really 
covered with more bugs so I felt I really had a gold mine.  Upon finishing 
I noticed I needed to cover the rows first gathered when it was cooler,
as the heat probably brought the remaining beetles to life.
         
As I recall it was almost noon when I couldn't find any more.  Going to the 
screened porch for my last call to Grandma, I sure could smell her good cooking 
for dinner.
         
"You sure are going to have a big surprise for your Grandpa" exclaimed Grandma.  
At that time Grandpa's voice came from the field just across the north of the 
house, saying he would be right in for dinner.  I knew he would be right on time
for dinner as he always was.  Right away he said "Did you find many tater bugs?"
"You bet I did, come here and look in Grandma's mop pail", I replied.  "Gosh 
all Friday Gaylord, that's ten times more than I thought was in this whole 
township.  How many did you and Grandma put in that pail?", he asked.  
"One hundred and sixty five dozen, Grandma counted.  She said you would never 
have that many nickles", was my reply.  "OK", said Grandpa. "we will have to 
figure that up and pay you in folding money."  He asked me what I would do with 
so much money.  I had already thought up the answer to that question: "I'm going 
to put it in my home bank, like Maynard's, then my savings will be more than his.
Now I can buy a Ingersoll Yankee watch just like my Dad's, which will be my first 
real watch that runs."
         
When I returned home the following week-end, my twin brother, Maynard, was a bit
jealous, right away reminding me it was his turn to go to our Grandparents.
         
I remembered Grandma had said to Grandpa, "George, now you will find a big job 
for Maynard when he comes over".  All our family always tried to keep us brothers 
on a "even steven" basis.
         
I am sure all my "Crom" cousins stayed with our Grandparents, remembering many 
things they taught us on these visits.  They both were always very congenial 
in and out of their home with all their own folks and others they met.