PLAIN VIEW FARM IN RURAL BRYANT, SD, PRESENTS:
GOD'S THIRD LITTLE ACRE
A LITTLE ABOUT PAPA
Waterless Grooming
Papa was a man of medium stature, a merry
twinkle in his eyes, dark wavy hair definitely
parted in the center and cut by daughter Bernice
because no way could he afford to go to the barber
in town. Later, Mama took over as barber. Papa was
a firm believer in combing and brushing his chair
clean--no water! He was a handsome man even to
the age of 78 when he died. He paid little
attention to styles--vanity was for fools.
Undaunted by the Coldest
Temperatures
He had a staunch spirit, that Kurico
and barnyard could not daunt. When it was cold,
there was Papa with a twine tied around his waist
and ankles to keep his overalls and jacket snug
against the northern breezes. He wore huge overshoes
that whoofed when he walked even though he had two
pairs of heavy (not necessarily pairs) socks for
warmth. Often extra pairs went over the shoes!
Time Was Not Important on the
Farm
When guests would drop in, he would just
let the horses stand and he would visit until
they would leave. If peddlers would come, he
seemed to be able to size them up and keep working.
They would have to go to the field to talk to him
or settle their wares with Mama.
The Stone Boat
The good black soil produced many stones
which were a problem we solved by loading them
on the "stone boat" and hauling them to
the stone-pile which was later used for foundations
and our farm gate entrance. Many a toenail
went off while working barefoot on the stone
boat--especially when hauling slough water
for Mama's flowers.
A Man of All Trades
Papa was a well digger, auctioneer, carpenter,
cementationer, shoe cobbler, animal trainer,
painter, welder, mechanic, butcher, shearer of sheep's
wool, besides being a farmer. He owned a gas engined
threshing machine and used that old "Gubben" each time
the shocks of grain had been stacked and it was time
to thresh.
His Overalls Saved Precious
Water
Few were the times too those new bib overalls
touched the lye soap water. Can't go to town
with a washed-out overall! The colors were not fast
nor were they impervious to shrinking. High-gloss
were the britches before he surendered them to the
lye soap treatment. Those britches also furnished an
abrasive surface when needed We listened for the
loud report we knew we would hear when Papa struck
the long sulphur matches on his pant's leg as he lit
the kerosene lantern.
FOR MORE ABOUT PAPA PLEASE READ
ALSO:
THE TRIBUTE TO
PEARL
MAMA'S OWN
STORY
TALES FOR A
LILLE TUPIN
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