My Family: Chapter 9

Shirley and I still had to go to school the day we found out our baby brother died. Our neighbor, Mrs. Childers, was there and she told Dad it would better if we went to school. She sent us over to her house to walk with her children - she had twenty in all.  We had to pass the graveyard on the way to school and we could see the pile of dirt as they were were digging his grave.  We passed his grave every day on our way school. Later I learned that Doctor Vaughn had given Dad a terrible choice; Mom or the baby (the doctor always gave the husband the choice). When a baby is born at home and the doctor can only save one he would used forceps to deliver the baby and most times break the baby's neck.  I guess that if Dad took the baby’s life over Mom's then the doctor would have cut the baby out. I can tell you it was tough on Dad, he wanted a boy in the worse way and he took that baby’s death very hard. He's whole family knew it. As tough as it was on Dad it almost killed Mom.

Aunt Wanda

I want to talk a little about my Aunt Eloise, Dad's sister. She married a man who didn't want to work and make a living for his family.  He didn't live with her, so she had to live off Welfare.  He would come home stay, for awhile, but when she got pregnant he would leave again until she had the baby then he would come back and do the same thing all over again.  My Aunt Wanda, Dad's other sister, also lived off Welfare.  Her husband had just left her with two small sons.  She lived with Aunt Eloise and they put their money together to feed nine children.   Aunt Eloise had a hard time raising her children on Welfare and she wouldn't consider adopting her children out, unlike my Aunt Alice.  However, she was desperate so she lent her children to her siblings (for one reason or another) and in return they would help her to feed, cloth, and give them the love. Before she died, she had all her children back with her. She died at the age of 43 from cancer.

Abby age 1

One day not long after our baby brother died, Dad came home with a little boy about two and half years old. We were all so excited and asked if we could keep him. Dad said he was ours and his name was Abby. He was actually Aunt Eloise's son.  Mom even told Dad that Aunt Eloise wasn't going to let him keep the child, but Dad was sure she would. Aunt Eloise had five sons and she had trouble feeding them all that's why she didn't say anything when he stole one of her boys. She let him keep Abby for awhile. I remember Mom went to the store and brought boy baby clothes because Dad didn't bring any clothes with the baby.  Eventually, when Aunt Eloise came to get Abby, Dad didn't want to give him back, but she told Dad that she missed Abby.  However, she felt sorry for Dad and told him could have the baby that she was carrying - if it was a boy.  Dad kept a close eye on her to make sure he would know when the baby came and he made sure the family knew that this baby was his - if it was a boy.  Aunt Eloise delivered a little girl and Aunt Hannah took her to live with her because she didn't have any children after twenty years of marriage. So Dad had to wait another year.

Aunt Eloise

Sure enough Aunt Eloise delivered a boy and named him Ronald Darrell (Ronald after our baby brother).  Mom picked him up and went to Logan to register him at the court house.  I have to tell you that there was no child on earth more loved and wanted than Ronnie.  So that is how Ronnie came to live with us when he was a few days old. He was spoiled too. I remember how he like to bang on the coal bucket with the poker to make music. How he sometimes bang on us but we were not allowed to hit him. Once, I snuck him outside and rubbed dirt all over him just to see what he look like dirty. Mom was so made and hollered who did this to her poor little baby.  Of course, I wasn't about to say me and Ronnie probably told her anyway.