May 18 - 1927 was the year the tornado struck in Indianapolis and Edith and A.J.'s home [251 N. Temple Avenue] was hard hit, Earl and Floy were home when the tornado struck as Edith and A.J. were at church for a prayer meeting. They had crawled under the bed and were really scared when the folks reached home. Dad called us early the next morning. We had heard the roar of the tornado the night before. We went in immediately to see for ourselves. Such a mess! Houses standing with one side blown away - furniture intact, other completely demolished, Edith and A.J.'s house had been blown from the foundation, the windows blown out, the porch roof on the ground, everything soaked and dirty. They found a house up on Oxford and everyone pitched in and helped salvage what could be salvaged and moved them over on Oxford. It looked hopeless when we started.

June 28th [actually the 18th] - 1927 Girstle [Hague] and Helen [Dawson] were married at the parsonage on Oxford St. by A.J. I always felt a little hurt that one twin was in on that and the other one left out. Of course there was a reason for Edith being there although she didn't want to be present when Russell and I were married. She and Helen had been chums for a long time and being the minister's wife had a great deal to do with that. I think the folks and Helen's mother were there, too. They spent their honeymoon in Wisconsin, So our family grew.

In the fall of 1928 Cac (Russie had given her that nickname) started to school, not to be 6 until January. I wasn't as wide as I should have been to see the advantage of waiting until after she was 6, and since children could start at that age with a smaller class and since all her playmates were starting then, we started her. She had mumps and pneumonia that year and missed several weeks of school but had a good start in spite of it all. Russell was driving the school bus, accompanied by Russie most of the time and continued as the children rode with their dad all 8 years in grade school. Russie really gave Edith Catherine the name "Cac" whish has stuck to her all these years. A few times when Russell was busy for some reason I drove the bus.

          end of part thirty

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