Three Score and Ten, What Then?

by Peggy Mary E. Smith

  Once the land was stripped of the huge pine trees, it was more suitable for farming. Not that it had been totally stripped and clear-cut, but it was less forested. The government had each district surveyed into townships which were severed into one-hundred acre parcels. Then they enticed people to immigrate north by implementing the Free Land Grant Act, and north they did come. Some walked or rode their horses for days before they got to their plot of land. There were no roads much to speak of back then. Mostly they were just wagon trails. Most came north via the Old Ferguson Road that connected Lake Rosseau and Lake Nipissing. It was a great opportunity for all who dared.

  Pa came up here with his brother Seth in 1880. They worked together to clear enough land to build a cabin on both their properties. The next spring Pa went back and married Ma, and they both came north to their new home. That year they built a barn and cleared land for fields.

  A few years later Pa built the farm house. We all grew up there in that big old brick house, and it was home to Ma and Pa until the end. My oldest brother Colton took over the farm after he was married. He raised a passel of children of his own there. It still remains in the family. His grandson farms it now.

  Anyways, Ma wasn’t one to be lying around too long, so she got herself back on her feet after a few days of my birth. She says I was a pretty contented little one. Of course, I had lots of sisters and brothers to entertain me. That’s how it was. The older ones kept an eye on the younger ones. There are no real stories to speak of during my baby days. I’m guessing that there was just the normal bumps and bruises from trips and falls when I was learning to walk. Mostly, I was trying to keep up with the older ones. Eva, in particular, was the one I trailed after most. She wasn’t always too thrilled about my company. Once I got to walking, I tended to get into her things.

  When I was about two and a half, my life took a drastic change. Ma gave birth to twins. She always said that I showed up on the worst day of January, and the twins were born on the hottest day of summer. It was right in the midst of haying season. Pa, like all the other men folk of the area, was trying his hardest to get the crop in. It had been a wet spring, so everyone was pleased when the weather was cooperating in order to do the haying.

  The babies were early, so when Ma’s water broke in the middle of the night, she and Pa panicked. She had no idea she was having twins. Back then, there were no ultrasound machines or any of the other fancy equipment that doctors use today. They just assumed something was wrong with Ma or the baby. Pa woke Colt. He was sent to fetch the neighbour woman. Rose and Jen were woken to get things prepared for the birthing. Pa took off in a hurry to fetch the doctor. Ma was sure something was very wrong. By her figuring, the baby wasn’t due till September. By the time Pa returned with the doctor, the situation had become detrimental. Ma was wore out from pushing. The baby just wasn’t coming. After a brief examination, the doctor realized the baby was breech. He had to do some quick actions to bring that baby into this world, or both lives would have been lost.

  Malcolm Wade was born a short time later. He was small, but seemed healthy. Ma was exhausted. Five minutes later, to everyone’s astonishment, little brother Milton Lane appeared. He, too, was small, but healthy. Well, that was the end to my baby days. It took months for Ma to recover fully. She was kept busy nursing two small babies. Double of everything to do. That was a lot of diapers to scrub on a washboard. Apparently it sent the entire household into a tailspin, but time soon passed, and everyone settled into the new routine.

  Anyways, those twins eventually grew up to be strapping young men. I have lots of fond memories of our childhood years together. Malcy and Milty is what I called them. We got into all kinds of shenanigans together. Ma used to say that she was thankful that there were lots of eyes to watch us. She said the three of us were busier than the other seven put together. All I can say is Ma and Pa had quite a brood, and I’m grateful to have been part of it.”

  early memories

  My earliest memories go back to my fourth summer. I would have been three going on four about that time. I don’t recollect a whole lot from back then, Beth, but a few incidents have stuck with me. I often chuckle when I get thinking about it.

  I can still recall the nice summer day when Ma asked Dalt and Eva to take some eggs over to Uncle Seth’s and Aunt Sara’s. Their chickens were in molt and they were in the need for some eggs. We had more than enough for us at the time. Ma gave Dalt and Eva each a wire egg basket full of eggs. She said that Newt and I were to go along with them so we’d stay out of mischief, so off we all went.

  I remember the four of us skipping along the road in our bare feet. We were singing a little song, not paying much attention. Dalt and Eva were each holding one of my hands. Every so often they’d both lift my feet off the ground and swing me forward. I’d giggle and laugh. We were all enjoying the warm summer day and having fun.

  Now in those days, roads were just wagon trails. They weren’t graveled well, nor hard topped. There was grass in the middle in spots, and potholes that would fill up with water after a rain. We were just walking along when a big old snake wiggled out of the grass and across the road. It scared the heck out of Eva, Newt, and me. Eva tripped. Some of the eggs in her basket broke. Then she started to cry. Dalt was laughing. He called us all sissies. Eva was worried she’d be in big trouble for breaking those eggs. That took the fun out of things. We all just continued on in silence. We were almost there anyways.

  It was only about half a mile from home to Uncle Seth’s. When we got there, Aunt Sara greeted us at the door. When Dalt explained about the snake scaring us, and how Eva had tripped and broke the eggs, Aunt Sara just chuckled. She said that there was no use crying over spilt milk. Young Newt informed her that it wasn’t spilt milk; it was scrambled eggs. We all laughed.

  Aunt Sara invited us in to play with some of our cousins for a while. She had homemade cookies and milk to reward us for our efforts. After about an hour we headed off for home. My cousin John, who was the oldest and twelve at the time, told us to be on the lookout for more snakes, or something really scary, a bear perhaps. Aunt Sara told him to hush-up and not be adding more coal to the fire. I wasn’t real sure what she had meant by that, as it was too hot for a fire.

  I seem to remember my fourth birthday quite vividly, too. It was kinda special. Since there wasn’t much extra money to be had in those days, birthday presents were pretty much unheard of for most folks. A big birthday cake was the usual ritual in our house.

  My older sisters, Rose and Dawn, got busy after the breakfast dishes were done that day, and baked my cake. They let me lick the spoon off since it was my cake. They decorated it with icing and some dried berries.

  Well, I had a hard time waiting for dessert that night at supper. That cake sure looked good. After the birthday song was sung, Ma cut into the cake and gave me the first piece. All us children sure did enjoy that cake. Chocolate cake was quite the treat.

  After everyone had finished, Ma went into the parlour and came back with a rag doll. She handed it to me. She said she hadn’t had time to finish it for me for Christmas. She told me I’d better not be taking Eva’s doll anymore, now that I had my own.

  I hugged my new doll. It was the prettiest dolly I’d ever seen. Ma had made it out of scrap fabric and wool left over from other sewing projects. She had made its dress to match my Sunday dress. It had a bonnet, and booties, and pantaloons. My word, I thought it was just beautiful.

  I jumped off my chair with a squeal, and ran over and gave Ma a big hug. Pa asked me what I was thinking on naming her. I had to think for a minute before I came up with “Bertha”. Ma and Pa looked at each other and started to laugh. Colt asked me where the heck I ever heard tell of that name. “Well it’s traditional,” I said. At that everyone started to laugh. “Well, out of the mouths of babes,” said Pa.

  That doll and I became inseparable. Eva and I would play dolls together for hours. Newt and the twins got their noses out of joint
for a while. Bertha was like my new friend. We didn’t get many toys back then, so to have a new doll was pretty special.”

  Beth stopped what she was doing and enquired, “Where is Bertha, Gran? What happened to her when you moved here?”

  “She’s in that box on the top of the closet. Why do you ask?”

  “I remember how excited you were to see her at your one hundredth birthday party. We should get her down and put a Christmas bow on her. I think I’ll do that. What other special things do you remember from your childhood?”

  “Well, another time that always comes back to me when I’m recollecting my young days was just after Thanksgiving of that same year. We had all gone over to Uncle Seth and Aunt Sara’s for dinner on Thanksgiving Day. It was quite a houseful with Ma and Pa and the ten of us youngsters, along with Uncle Seth, Aunt Sara, their six children, and Sara’s mother, Kate.

  Thanksgiving was a big celebration back then. It was a time to give thanks for another fruitful summer and autumn harvest. People worked real hard to ready themselves for a long winter. They had hayed, harvested the grain, canned, preserved, and pickled everything they could pick and grow. Just about everything was grown on your land or came from nature around you. Not very much was bought at the store. People were very self-sufficient in those days.

  I remember that I had a fun time that day. Everyone was in gay spirits. It was a time for the elders to talk and reminisce and a time for us children to romp and play. I especially enjoyed visiting with Grandma Kate, Aunt Sara’s mother. That’s what she told us to call her anyways, even though she wasn’t our real grandma. We never had grandparents up here in the north. Ma and Pa’s parents were all in the south where they’d come from. The only kin we had around here was Uncle Seth and Aunt Sara.

  Grandma Kate was a kind old lady, and I think that she particularly took a shine to me. She always called me Savannah. Everyone else just called me Anna. She remarked one time that my real name was much too pretty not to use.

  Grandma Kate lived at Uncle Seth’s. She had moved there after her husband died the previous year. Aunt Sara was her only daughter so it was the natural thing for her to do. There were no nursing homes back then. When you got old, your family took you in and looked after you until the end. That was just the way of it.

  Anyway, about a week after Thanksgiving, Uncle Seth came over just after supper. He was in a hurry. He told Ma and Pa that Kate had passed on that afternoon. She had laid down after lunch for a nap and never woke. She just went peacefully in her sleep.

  Uncle Seth wanted Pa to go with him to the undertaker’s to get a casket. Then he had to stop around at Sara’s brother’s place, and tell the other family members the bad news. It was going to be a shock to everyone so Seth didn’t want to be alone. No one was expecting Kate to pass so soon. Even though she was in her late sixties, she seemed to be in good health.

  Pa headed off with Uncle Seth. Ma didn’t say too much to us children, only to tell us that Kate had passed. Now being as I was not yet five, I didn’t really get the gist of what dead was. Ma tried to explain it by saying that Grandma Kate had gone to sleep and had woken up with God. She was in Heaven now. That surely was a puzzle for me. I don’t recall crying about it, but I know I didn’t comprehend.

  The next day Ma, Rose, Dawn, and even Eva got busy early. They roasted a chicken, made biscuits, and a couple of pies. They packed this, along with homemade bread and butter, into a big basket. Then Ma and us four girls, with Newt and the twins in tow, all walked to Aunt Sara’s and Uncle Seth’s. I had no idea what was going on or what to expect, but I did as I was told.

  It was a very quiet, sober atmosphere at Uncle Seth’s. Cousin Katherine, the oldest girl, met us at the door and invited us in. Ma took all the food into their kitchen. Then we all proceeded into the parlour. Aunt Sara was sitting there next to the casket. Her other daughter, Mary, was with her. She welcomed us in and stood as Ma gave her a reassuring hug. Sara had been very close to her mother, and this was a difficult time for her.

  I remember looking at Grandma Kate. She lay very still in that wood box. I thought she was still sleeping. Ma had said she had woken up and gone to see God. I was a little dumbfounded to see her lying there sleeping. I walked over and touched her, hoping she’d wake. She felt cold and didn’t stir. The room itself was very frigid and gave me a chill. All this frightened me, and I started into the crying.

  Ma knew how much I loved Grandma Kate. She and Aunt Sara tried to comfort me. Their explanations only confused me more. Dead was a tough concept for a four year old to understand. They encouraged me to talk to her and tell her I loved her and would miss her. I wasn’t sure how Grandma Kate would hear me if she was sleeping or dead.

  After a time I stopped crying. It was then that my cousin Mary came over to me. She was wearing a gold brooch. It looked like a flower and had red and white stones in it. Mary unpinned the brooch from her dress and pinned it to mine. She said the stones were garnets and diamonds. It had been Grandma Kate’s. Mary wanted for me to have it so I would always have something special to remember her by. She said garnets were my birthstone since my birthday was in January. I looked at Ma to see if I had her approval. She nodded her head. I thanked Mary. It was a pretty brooch, and I really liked it.

  Aunt Sara gave me a hug and told me that her mother would be so pleased to have me wear the brooch. She said that she and her two girls were left with lots of jewelry of Grandma Kate’s. She was very pleased that Mary had given the brooch to me. I almost felt Grandma Kate’s hands on my shoulders, as she had always done, saying, “Savannah, you look beautiful wearing that brooch.”

  Anyway, Grandma Kate was waked right there in Uncle Seth’s and Aunt Sara’s parlour. Their family and neighbours all stopped by and gave their condolences. Some stayed till late in the night. The next day Grandma Kate’s grave-side service was performed, and she was buried next to her husband.

  That was the way things were dealt with in those days. There was no money for fancy funerals or funeral homes to help provide that service. There weren’t any flower shops, so unless you died in the summer when flowers were out in bloom, there were none. There wasn’t such a thing as a vault either. If you died in the winter, snow had to be scraped away, and then a fire was set on the burial site and manned until the frost was broken through enough to dig the grave for you to be buried. Family looked after everything.

  My first experience with death was a trying time, but as the years passed, I encountered death many times. It never got easier, but you have to learn to accept the things you can’t change. Lots of people died of things that are simple to cure today. Very few people ever went to the hospital. They were too far away, and people just didn’t have the money. You had to pay for all your doctoring back then. That was the way of it. You just had to learn at a young age the harsh realities that life sometimes brought.

  I still have Grandma Kate’s brooch. I’ve always cherished it. It has been a wonderful reminder of her all these years. She was a fine lady and a very kind person. Someday I’ll leave it to Jackie. She is my only living daughter, and she got to know my Aunt Sara when she was little. Hopefully she’ll treasure it as I have.”

  “I’m sure she will, Gran. Mom is sentimental just like you,” said Beth.

  school days

  “How old were you when you started school, Gran? What was it like,” asked Beth?

  I thought for a minute, then continued. “In January 1904, I celebrated my seventh birthday. Ma told me I that I was old enough that I could go to school in September. I could hardly wait. I missed my older brothers and sisters as they trudged off to school every day. I was filled with excitement knowing that I would finally be able to go with them. Learning to do reading, writing, and arithmetic sounded so alluring.

  By this time Colt, Rose, and Linc were finished school. They had all completed their grade eight studies. Rose was nineteen. She had gotten married the previous spring. She lived with her husband o
n his parents’ homestead six miles away. They were sure a happy young couple. A good match, so Ma and Pa said.

  Colt was twenty-one, and Linc was seventeen. They still lived at home and helped Pa on the farm. Sometimes they picked up work off the farm when the opportunity arose. Lumbering was in its prime back then. Colt had taken his team into a lumber camp that winter. It was his third season. He went in after freeze up and stayed till the spring thaw.

  Dawn, Dalt, Eva, and Newt were still in school, though, and I missed them terribly. That was Dawn’s final year. She was in grade eight. The twins were home with me, but they had a pretty tight bond and sometimes three was a crowd, as Ma often mentioned.

  By the time September rolled around, Dawn and Eva had taught me to write my name and recognize a few numbers and letters. I was ready and raring to go off to school that first day. I could hardly sit still long enough to eat breakfast. As I grabbed my lunch pail and headed out with the others, I recall feeling like I was off on the adventure of a lifetime.

  I remember it used to take us about half an hour to walk to school. As we walked along, some of the neighbourhood children would join us. The school was about two miles from home. It was an old one-room school house with one teacher who taught grades one through eight. There were four other children in my grade one class that first year. I knew all of them. They lived fairly close to us, and we had played together on different occasions. Of course, I knew just about all the children in the school. Most of the older children were friends with my sisters and brothers. There were probably only twenty-five children in the whole school.

  Only three of us who started school together on that first day finished grade eight. One of the boys quit school after grade five. His Pa took real sick and he had to stay home to help run the farm. One of the girls didn’t return for seventh grade after her Ma died in child birth. She was the oldest daughter in the family and had to take over all of her Ma’s chores to help keep their family together. That was just the way things were done back then. Family came first, and school was fitted in after that.