Dear hearts and gentle people

Both of my parents were like the old song "Dear Hearts And Gentle People".  I never heard them quarrel, although I'm sure they did sometimes, but not in front of the kids! Once I heard mom say "Ah, dad: You won't let me stay mad at you!" Dad kept up on news and politics. As far back as I can remember we took the "St. Joseph News Press". Mom liked the “Capper’s Weekly”. In fact she kept a stack of them because she didn't have time to read them as they came. She liked the continued stories.

They expected we kids to come to the table when meals were ready. Had to wash hands AND face first. Each of us had our own place at the table. Mine was to the left of my dad. Once I was sent away from the table for accidentally (I think…) passing wind! All he did was quietly and sternly say "Leave the table". I can't remember the rest of that story.  

Dad was soft spoken--usually. Both of them had a great sense of humor. They sang together some of the old popular songs of their time and even put on skits at school programs as did other parents.

My mom was always there to fix a cut, pick out a splinter, or sooth a broken heart. She was as calm as a cucumber if some kid thought the world was coming to an end.

Once my friend Tike seemed to be coming over to play more often than she should. Mom was in the kitchen, and Tike and I were just outside within hearing distance and we heard mom say " I wish that kid would stay home." Tike told her mom and between them the case was settled without any hullaballoo. The reason for the remark was the fact that I was supposed to be practicing my music lesson. Usually when that happened, mom would tell Tike that she would have to wait 15 minutes or half an hour or whatever or come back later.

Janice had saved a letter Tike wrote about our folks; Tike praised them highly. Tike's dad was a cripple as far back as I could remember him, and her mom had one crippled foot which was caused by an infection from an injury that had happened in childhood, leaving one leg much shorter than the other.  We'd invite them over to have ice cream, especially on the 4th of July. Any time mom had made something special she'd share with them. One of her specialties was canned grape juice.  It was sure good later when the snow was flying.

Both of my parents were born in Nodaway County. The county court house is a beautiful structure and in the last year or two has had many improvements outside and on the building itself. There are records of my great and great-great ancestors there. I was always proud of the fact that it was bigger than the one Worth County!

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