Oakland Township High School - Oak Leaves Yearbook (Oakland, IL)

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DIARY or MARY BROCKS-Concluded December 8-The O'Malley's down the street from us, have so many little ones and they're all so poor, that I felt guilty buying me a dress, when maybe some of those baf bies were cold, so I just took the money I was going to spend on my dress, and gave it to them, and a basket of groceries. Arty said I'd give the shirt off my back to anyone that needed it. But of course, I wouldn't do that. Arty wanted to buy me a new dress, but I wouldn't let him, because I want him to save all his money for when he gets married in twoiweeks, and then I'll be alone. But I mustn't think about that. January 17-Leo came over for me this morning in their new car, to have me stay all day with her. Arty and her have such a pretty home-deep, soft rugs, and lamps, and a radio, and just everything. They want me to come and live with them, but I think just like my mother did-no two families can get along together. I know Pa wouldn't want me to do such a thing, so I'm not afgoin' to. January 21--Baby Janice can walk a little now, and she calls me Gwamma. I guess we're pretty good gals. She cries now, when' ever she has to go home. It's just too cute when she curls up with Jeff before the fire' place and goes to sleep. Jeff's getting to be a mighty old dog, now, but he doesn't seem to mind how much Baby Janice pulls his tail or pinches him. Don is such a wonderful Daddy to Baby. I have a lot to be thankful for. All the children have made such success' ful marriages. Ralph's so good to Melba, Don is still as much in love with Janie as he ever was, and Leo is as sweet to me as if I was her own mother. I think sometimes God is being pretty hard on me, but that's just when l feel ungrateful, I guess. January 28--Janie, is so sick with the flu. I'm so worried about her. Poor Don! He's almost sick himself, from worrying. But God will surely pull her through. Why, He's just got to! Whatever would become of Baby Janice without her? I'm staying at Janie's now, while she's sick. Baby sleeps with me, and every night when she sees me get down on my knees to pray, 'she does too. Bless her little heart! She's so tiny and innocent-+God surely will watch over her in this sorrow. February 27-I went up in the attic today to pack up the things I wanted to take with me. I pulled out the old trunk in the cor' ner to look through the things in it. There was Janie's doll-it was such a pretty doll, once. But now the paint's scratched off, 'one of her eyes has fallen out, and her hair is all mussed and dirty. But I saved it for Baby Janice-so when she gets older, I can tell her all about the happy times her mother had with that old doll. And then I picked up a little coat of Joey's. A little gray coat with the elbows out. I can see him yet as he'd stand over by the table, taking out all,his trinkets. I reached down in the pocket and found a bit of an old blue glass bottle that he had had to look at the sun with. So I saved the coat, because I want to remember him just like that. And there was Artyls knife that he used to cut sassafrass with, so I saved that, too. I found a little old fairy taleabook of Melba's, so I .saved that. When I go to live with Baby Janice and Don, I'll get all these things out on rainy days, and tell Baby about them. I'm taking Pa's old 'pipe and a bunch of love letters hegwrote me years ago. When Janice gets older, she can have them, too, just to remember Gwamma by. ' February 28-Don and Baby Janice will be here in a little while. There is a light snow on today, and everything looks bleak and cold. Maybe it's just as well that it does, be' cause if the flower garden was in bloom, and the grass was so green and pretty, and old Bobby Redbird was singing in yonder cherry tree, it would be-Oh! so much harder to leave the old place. Oh, Dear God, forgive me if I feel a little bitter, but it is so hard- Joey drowned, and then 'Janie gone, and now I'm leaving the oldl lace-the place where Pa brought me the allay we wasi mar' ried, the place where all my babies was born, all those happy Christmases were spent, and where every happy memory I- have is stored away. Foolish old woman! Here I am-cry' ing like a baby! I guessil better get my hat on-Don'll be here any minute now. -Alice Maud Cooper '31. Page IFifty-nine i

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DIARY OF MARY, BROGKS May 8, 1920-Well, it's been nigh onto two months since I wrote in here. It's just that long since Bill's been gone, too. Seems like I can't get used to not havin' Pa around. Why, it just seems like my old heart's goin' to break when Ilook over there and see his pipe aflayin' on the mantel piece, right where he. always laid it, and his comfy old house slippers afsettin' by his old arm chair. I nevf er used to feel so lonesome'like, but I guess I'll have to get used to it. I looked for a letter from Joey today, but I didn't get any. I guess maybe he is pretty busy workin' up in,,that.big city. May 10-+I kept Janie's baby today. She's the best little critter. I wish Pa was here to see her. We're settin' out under the grape arbor, and the sun's afshinin' down on Ba' by's curls, andgmakes them look all gold and shiny. She keeps lookin' round here at me with them'big blue-eyes of hers with long 'black lashes, I know now what 'tis they re- mind- me of-them blue gentian flowers. Pa'd be proud of 'his little grandfdaughter, all right-said she was the prettiest baby God ever made,'and he said it just right, too. May 11-I'm making rice custard today. That's Arty's favorite dish. My sakes! I'Ie's liked it ever since he was a little tad. I like to do all I cannfor Arty. He's such a good boy-such a comfort to me since Pa's gone. I guess makin' rice custard's about the least I can do for him to try.to pay back all he does ,for me. June-'12-I've been so busy helpin' Melba get ready for the wedding. It's so foolish for an old 'woman like' me to cry-but it's hard to see your baby taken away from you. Of course Ralph loves her. He told me he did a few nights ago. Said she cou1dn't help but be lovable-a 'girl with such a wonderful mo- ther as me. Of course he just said that for fun-but I' guess I did feel sort of flattered. June 13-Joey came home from the today. Said he didn't like his job. Arty awful mad at him. Said he was just lazy no count, or he wouldn't come home sponge off me. But I,can't think Joey's city was and and like that. I guess people don't understand Joey, only me. Melba thinks it's awful, him comin' back here, just like Arty does. But Janie doesn't say anything. She's quiet and good like her Pa was. June 28--I met Ralph's mother today. She's a mighty fine lady, and I'm just a lit- tle afraid of her, but she seems to like Melba, so of course she's all right. My! She was dressed so pretty with all her fine furs and jewelry. I must have looked a sight in my old gingham dress, with mud on my hands from weedingithe Flowers. Maybe I can have a pretty new dress sometime, though. July 30-I guess Joey thought he'd celef brate the Fourth right-he got married that day. I guess Sadie must be all right, since Joey loved her enough to marry her, but somehow she doesn't seem to take to me very much-maybe I'm too old to understand a young girl-but still, Melba loves me, and she's as young as Sadie. Sadie says such fun' ny things, sometimes, like only yesterday when she was smoking cigarettes for her asthma, I told her maybe she was smoking too many of them and that made herrhave asthma so bad. She gave a funny laugh and says, Aw, so's your Aunt Emmy . I told her Aunt Emmy died years ago, and she just laughed and laughed. I guess I don't under' stand Sadie. ' September 2-Arty got a raise. Bless his heart! He was so happy. He said it wouldn't be much longer until he could marry the loveliest girl in the world. Well-Leo is a pretty girl all right. She's so tall and slender, and fair, and -Arty's so dark 'and tall, that they do make a right likely looking pair. It won't be long until all my children have gone. That's why I miss Pa so much these days. It wouldn't be so hardif we had each other. Oh well! There's Baby Janice. She gets to looking more like Janie every day of the world. November 1-Life seems mighty hard. I wonder why I keep writing parts of my life down in this little book? I guess I feel bet' ter after I tell my troubles to someone, though. Poor little Joey! I've thought and thought why he should want to die. Maybe Sadie meant more to him than I thought she did. Maybe she's happier back with folks who understand her. Arty and Melba said it was a good riddance of bad rubbish, when she left. They said. Sadie was a bad girl and for me not to worry over her any more. Oh, I wish Joey had never seen her! I'll always hate the water now. So cold and black and heartless! Little Joey's grave! But I know God must be caring for him up there some place. I've prayed so hard, God surely must have heard me. ' December 2--I saw some awfully pretty percale up at the storetoday. I think I'll get me some next week, after I sell the eggs, and make me one. It's so much cheaper than buying one. v Page Fifty-eight

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