We had wonderful grandparents. Grandpa was a jolly man, wore a mustache and lived well. He was a Civil War veteran and had a pension from that. He raised White Rock chickens and Duroc hogs and had a big sign in the front proclaiming that fact. I have heard my brothers say they can never remember him doing a day of really hard work. He had a horse named Frank and quite often would come driving in to pick up the twins and go for a ride. He always brought candy and soon learned that there must be two sacks instead of one for each twin demanded the same treatment.

My grandmother was an invalid, had a crippling rheumatic condition and sat in a wheel chair as long as I could remember in 20 some years. Saw her stand on her feet just once and then only for a short time. The picture I have of that is quite vivid. They had a large kitchen, no dining room. The table was left all the time with a table spread over it. She stood by the table for a few minutes and held onto the table. Since she could not dress or undress herself (her hands were so crippled) see to read, or do any handwork she just sat. Surely her days were long but she was such a sweet patient person and I can never remember hearing her complain. My father seldom went by the house that he didn't stop one way or the other to run in and see her. It was a Sunday morning "must" that we all stop as we went or came from church and visit a few minutes. Sometimes we children thought that quite unnecessary but as we look back can see how much it meant to grandma.

Since grandmother was unable to care for herself or the house they had a house keeper most of the time and some of my earliest memories are of women who stayed there. Grandma Keppler a tall, big boned woman was a grand person and spoiled all of us. After she left "Aunt Jane" as others called her always welcome to come back for a visit and the twins were delighted to see her. Addie Plummer, an old maid whose home is where the Sweet Heart Gift Shop is now in Castleton [Alan: this was back in 1959. I can find no record of its location in old directories], was another favorite. I remember her especially for the cookies she baked. Ralph Flanders, a bachelor, lived in the house of Grandpa's (The Kincaid Place) and courted Addie. They were both past the "marrying age" but were married and had three sons and a daughter. Kathyrn Mullen a white haired small wiry Irish Catholic woman was found through an add in the paper. She was an old maid with a firey temper but good as gold. Her brother was a floor walker at the old Lowery's Dept Store (now Wassons) [Alan: Wasson's was a department store on the southwest quadrant of Monument circle] in Indianapolis and she gave the twins their nicest and prettiest hair bows. She presumed that I named Edith Catherine after her and sent her a lovely pink satin dress, She stayed with Grandpa and Grandma for a long time and finally here health failed and she left but came back occasionally for a brief time or for a visit.

          end of part two

A list of all of Edna's columns