Much of the care of me fell on my sister Sadie for another baby came very soon. There was only twenty months between my sister Virgie and me.
My second summer I came near dying with what was then called “Summer Complaint”. I have heard my father tell of how a mixture of castor oil, turpentine, egg white and paragoric cured me, but as I have never tried this on any of my children or grandchildren I am not giving this as a prescription.
One time when I was about three years old, I remember getting very badly frightened at my shadow. I screamed and all the family ran to see what was wrong. My father picked me up and I pointed to the shadow on the wall. I remember how heartily they laughed but it seemed a real “Boggie Man” to me.
Another very early memory is that of my maternal grandmother’s death. I do not remember any of my grandparents except her, as they had passed on before I was born. My sister Ruth said I was so young when grandmother died she hardly thinks I could remember but I’m sure I do, as the long black coffin with snow white lace inside made a distinct impression and seeing my mama cry and grieve was a terrible thing to me.
