Sarah Monson Whitehead Childhood Sugar Tooth and Celebrations Part 2

Any candy we had between the 4th of July and Xmas, we took an egg to the store to buy it and we got as much as we do for 39 cents now.  You see our money had more value then, even our egg.

Speaking of the 4th of July and Xmas also Thanksgiving.  The 4th of July was our summer vacation.   We really had an honest to goodness nickel.  I would go to the refreshment stands to see where I could get the most for my nickel, had to hurry and spend it before I lost it or it burned a hole in the corner of my handkerchief where it was tied.  I usually settled for  candy (sugar dobs as we called them) so I could take some home at night for tomorrow and would carry the sack twisted tightly at the top. In those days the would place the old benches from the “meeting house” out under the beautiful trees and all the mothers, father or who wanted to could sit and visit and watch the children’s races and tug-o-war etc.  I usually joined the foot races.  Rachel couldn’t run. She was too fat and not such a fun lover as I.  I won many prizes which would usually be a bar of popcorn with a fan attached.  Oh the joy of that.  Mother also held that.  One race I won a nickel.  I was really a millionaire then.  Oh no I didn’t spend it that day-it would go for a new hair ribbon later.

This is just a photo that I found that shows how Sarah and Her sisters would have been dressed like when she was a girl.

This is a random picture of a group of people in the 1880's having a picnic.

One day I was more than usual candy hungry, I teased my mother for an egg. (I think at that time she was beginning to hide some away for Easter, so we could all have plenty on that eventful day, so she was a little reluctant to give it to me.  She by nature was very gentle and kind-it was hard to say “no” when she knew we were so eager) so she finally said “Oh run out and chase a hen up a greasy board and maybe she will lay you an egg”, so I went out thinking I was licked, but I finally saw an old black hen singing away as she picked away in the grass, I tho’t it wouldn’t hurt to try just chasing her “around” so I started my chase.  She finally ran for the “coop” and as she hopped up on the step, my chase was rewarded with success and I'd go and get my candy.  

We always went bare footed in the summer to save our yearly pr of shoes which were of a coarse leather and firmly riveted as well as sewn to ensure their life. (quite a difference to the ones of today, which seem to be just glued).

We had an artition well on our lot, a pipe which continually flows a stream of very cold water.  The waste water formed a slough at the back.  I can hear the frogs yet singing or croaking at night each in its own pitch, high, low and medium.  It was music to sleep by and I missed it very much when we left the old home where so many happy days had been spent.  It is needless to say there were “pollywogs” also many of them and now you have guessed, we waded in the water and caught them  by the can full.  We would take them to the large sawdust pile, empty the can and watch them crawl around and get covered with sawdust.  They looked so funny.  Oh no, we did not kill them we loaded them back and put them back in the water where they would wiggle happily away-(I could not touch one of the slimy creatures today if I were paid).