Root Jumper (8 page)

Muttie was a seamstress. She made their clothes and braided rugs for the floor. She also loved flowers. Her yard was a mass of blooms. She didn’t have any grass in her yard. She had every weed and grass clipped out with her hoe. She spent hours in her flowers. Everyone brought flowers for Muttie’s yard.

Muttie has been gone for many years, but the home place still stands. What a heritage she has left for her grandchildren!

The Kingerys

I was involved in taking the 1960 census. Checking on my schedule the night before, I noticed that Nine Mile Road was in my district. Thinking to myself, I decided that when I finished on Route 2, I would be able to get Nine Mile into my day’s schedule.

The next day was a lovely day. I was walking along doing a little visiting on the side. I finished with my latest call, took my leave, and was getting into my car when this lady said to me, “You ain’t going up Dummy Holler, are you?” I told her I was planning on going up that road. She exclaimed, “Oh, the dogs will eat you up.” I told her I was pretty tough and that I would be fine. However, I was a little apprehensive.

As I worked my way up the road, I began to get a hunger pain. I wished I had brought some food with me. I stopped at the next house where a man was standing in the yard. I got out of the car, introduced myself, and explained what I was doing. He said, “Go on in. My wife is inside.” She invited me into the kitchen where she was fixing dinner. At this time people had three meals a day—breakfast, dinner, and supper. I was at the home of Woodrow and Velvia Kingery. We had a delightful conversation, and as I worked, the smell of food was heavenly. The rest of the family came in. She introduced them to me. She said, “Why don’t you stay and have dinner with us?” as she placed a plate of brown biscuits on the table. Eyeing the biscuits, I said I would love to stay. It has been fifty or more years since then, but I can still taste those biscuits. After thanking them for the hospitality, I was on my way again. I had to drive to the very top of the hill to make my next call. I was almost to the top of the hill when I came to a large slip in the road. I debated with myself whether to back down the hill or go through the slip. I saw some dry dirt on the lower side. I believed I could go through all right. I gave my old car a down shift and drove on through.

When I drove up and into the yard, a man and woman had been watching me come up the hill. The man said, “Sister, you did something I wouldn’t do. There hasn’t been anybody through that slip.” I said, “Oh, it wasn’t that bad. It was beginning to dry up.” We shook hands. That was my first meeting with Talbert Mount and his wife Sarah. It was beautiful on top of the hill, and they showed me around the farm.

He said he was a blacksmith. I knew several of the neighbors who came to him for work they needed done. He began to show me some of his things he made from his blacksmith shop. He was an artist, but people just thought he repaired things. Besides making things from the shop, he made the cutter blade for the root jumper plow. He also repaired harness, made wagon wheels, and made horseshoes. I asked his son Harvey what he remembers most about his father. He said, “I think it was shoeing horses. He said that on Saturday his dad got up early, but people would already be lined up to get their horses shod. He said that his dad would shoe horses all day long continuing until seven or eight o’clock at night. Harvey said that his dad got twenty-five cents a hoof. If he had to repair a shoe, he would charge a little more.

I considered this man another remarkable pioneer. I thanked these folks for an enjoyable visit and told them goodbye. I slid back through the slip and headed for home. I don’t think I made much money that day, but I made some good friends. By the way, the only dogs I saw that day were some old, lazy foxhounds that wouldn’t bite a biscuit!

The Rock Lady

“Man’s mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimension.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes

We had these friends, Calvin and Lou Ella Jeffers, who loved to hunt rocks. Any day that was warm and clear you would find them along the Ohio River or on the plowed fields along the Ohio River looking for rocks. Everyone gave them permission to look in their fields for rocks. Any rocks that were different, pretty, or maybe occasionally an arrow head would go into a three-pound Bliss coffee can with hand-made handles which they carried on most days.

My husband Doyle and I would occasionally go with them. You could always count on an enjoyable day with them. We would meet them and go down the river bank together. We took our food and water with us. Sometimes we would have a sandwich and a jug of water, or we would find a special place, build a little fire or as hill folks would say a little “gnat smoke,” and cook hotdogs after they were cooked. We would sit on our large, comfortable rocks, not gossiping, but just talking about everything and eating our hotdogs.

The days were so peaceful along the river. We enjoyed the beautiful river, the blue sky, and the driftwood that lined the river bank. I especially liked the driftwood. Doyle and I would get out all we could carry, clean it up, and decorate with it. Sometimes we would get out some of our rocks and admire our haul for the day. These were just marvelous days. If you had any worries or troubles, they were soon put aside. The outing cost nothing. It was just a great day with friends and rocks.

Lou Ella’s husband Calvin developed Alzheimer’s disease, and Lou Ella took care of him for years. This was no easy task, but she lovingly cared for him until his death.

After Calvin died, Lou Ella bought herself a computer, and she soon became efficient using it. She began to sell a few things on e-Bay. She said she needed to supplement her income. She looked at all those rocks she and Calvin had accumulated, and she wondered if she might sell a few on e-Bay. As she began to sell her rocks, she wrote little stories with them, and they really began to sell. I loved the little stories. I think that is what sells her rocks.

Lou Ella had a terrible fall which crushed her right shoulder. She had surgery, and her shoulder was reconstructed. She was in the hospital for weeks. She then went to her son’s house for a month. After she had come home, she called me and said. “I’m home,” and I said, “Oh, that’s wonderful!” I was so thrilled to know she was home. Lou Ella is about my age, but her mind is so clever. She said that she was depressed, but I told her I was very glad she had called because I wanted to put a story about the rock lady in my book if she didn’t mind. She said, “Oh, I don’t care.”

I asked Lou Ella if she could use her hand, and she said that she could use her fingers. She said I can print, but I can’t write. I told her that when she felt like it, I wanted some of her stories and for her to think about it. We continued to talk, and I told Lou Ella that I would like to read her some of my book that I am writing. I said, “I don’t know if it is any good or not.” I then began reading some of my book to her. She said, “Oh, Teen, I just loved it.” This just made my day. She said, “You know, I am not depressed anymore.” Isn’t it ironic how we helped each other?

I later went to see Lou Ella. We just sat on the porch since it was such a beautiful spring day. She told me that she had fixed some rocks to sell on e-Bay. She said that she had used her computer for the first time since her fall. We laid out the rocks she had fixed.

She had a small, flat rock with five smaller rocks on top and two long rocks. She called this arrangement “Potatoes on a Plate.” Her description or little story was:

Are you ready for Sunday dinner? Potatoes with jacket just waiting to be peeled and put on a plate with a lop of butter on top. These are a little hard and may have to be cooked a little more. These two eating utensils are also added straight from the kitchen rock pile.

On Sale!

She also had three rocks with holes in them. Her caption said:

Lovely rock jewelry. 3 stones of the same symmetry ready to be strung and worn. God’s holy stones. Made with the help of water, age, and wear. Some of Ashton’s finest. None alike—Be the only one stoned at the party. Don’t Delay! Buy today!

Lou Ella had a stone with a hump like a bird’s head. She called it “The Bird Rock.”

All you need is an eye and you will have a perfect bird head. Stone found on the bank of the Ohio River at Ashton, WV. If you cannot find this stone a day or two after you purchase it, I am sure it will have flown. P.S. I will add on package “Return to Sender.”

Buy Now!

She also had three oblong rocks which she called “Rock Singers.” Her description said:

Rock Singer! Yep, that’s what they are. Straight from the shores of the Ohio River. Well known for the depths of their singing can only reach high notes when the wind circles the length of their backs and the lightning and storms are flashing round about.

When the conditions are right they can sing any time day or night.

Might even do a little wind dancing.

Own Today!

Lou Ella had an oblong rock with a white spot on it, which she called “Listening Rock.”

This rock will listen to your troubles. Carry it in your pocket. Money troubles and sweetheart troubles just hold it in your hand. Be sincere, help will come within 24 hours. If not put it in a different place try again.

If that doesn’t work throw it in some water. It will think its back in the Ohio River, works better when it’s in familiar territory.