Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857

The Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857 and the Trials of John D. Lee: An Accountby Douglas O. Linder (2006)
Called "the darkest deed of the nineteenth century," the brutal 1857 murder of 120 men, women, and children at a place in southern Utah called Mountain Meadows remains one of the most controversial events in the history of the American West. Although only one man, John D. Lee, ever faced prosecution (for what was the largest mass killing of civilians in the United States until Timothy McVeigh's Ryder truck blew up near a federal office building in Oklahoma City in 1995), many other Mormons ordered, planned, or participated in the massacre of wagon loads of Arkansas emigrants as they headed through southwestern Utah on their way to California. Special controversy surrounds the role in the 1857 events of one man, Brigham Young, the fiery prophet of the Church of Latter-day Saints who led his embattled people to the "promised land" in the valley of the Great Salt Lake. What exactly Brigham Young knew, and when he knew it, are questions that historians still debate.The tragedy in Mountain Meadows on September 11--a date that would later come to stand for another senseless loss of life--can only be understood in the context of the colorful history of the most important American-grown religion, Mormonism. Today, Mormonism has gone mainstream and Mormons seem to be just one more strand among many in the nation's religious fabric. Mormonism, however, as it existed in the mid-nineteenth century, was an altogether different matter. Brigham Young's provocative communalist religion endorsed polygamy, supported a theocracy, and advocated the violent doctrine of "blood atonement"--the killing of persons committing certain sins as the only way of saving their otherwise damned souls. It is not surprising that practicioners of such a religion might grow suspicious of persons outside of their religious community, nor should it be surprising that non-Mormons living in, or traveling through, the very Mormon territory of Utah might feel like "strangers in a strange land."In July 1847, seventeen years after Joseph Smith and a group of five other men founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New York and three years after an Illinois lynch mob killed Smith, Brigham Young and his band of followers entered Salt Lake valley. When a territorial government was formed in Utah in 1850, Young, the second head of the Church of Latter-day Saints, became the territory's first governor. The principle of "separation of church and state" carried little weight in the new territory. The laws of the territory reflected the views of Young. In a speech before Congress, federal judge and outspoken Mormon critic John Cradlebaugh said, "The mind of one man permeates the whole mass of the people, and subjects to its unrelenting tyranny the souls and bodies of all. It reigns supreme in Church and State, in morals, and even in the minutest domestic and social arrangements. Brigham's house is at once tabernacle, capital, and harem; and Brigham himself is king, priest, lawgiver, and chief polygamist."
Rising Tensions
Tensions between federal officials and Mormons in the new territory escalated over time. Historian Will Bagley, author of Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows, wrote that "the struggle often resembled comic opera more than a political battle." According to Bagley, "As both sides talked past each other, hostile rhetoric fanned the Mormons resentment of government. From their standpoint, they had patiently endured two decades of bitter persecution with great forbearance, but their patience with their long list of enemies had worn thin." As early as 1851, Governor Young said in a speech, "Any President of the United States who lifts his finger against these people shall die an untimely death and go to hell!" When drought and grasshopper infestations produced desperate economic conditions in Utah (or Deseret, as the Mormons called the territory), Brigham Young concluded that the problem stemmed from a loss of righteousness among his people. In early 1856, Young launched the Reformation, a campaign to arouse religious consciousness. Mormon leadership urged spiritual repentance and rebaptisms. All those unwilling to make the necessary religious sacrifices were invited to leave Utah. The most troubling aspect of the Reformation was its obsession with the doctrine of blood atonement. Young asked his followers to kill Mormons who committed unpardonable sins: "If our neighbor...wishes salvation, and it is necessary to spill his blood upon the ground in order that he be saved, spill it." While Young aimed his fiery words about blood atonement at Mormons who committed serious sins, his speeches undoubtedly contributed to a growing culture of violence. The Reformation might have had a spiritual goal, but it fueled a fanaticism that led to the tragedy at Mountain Meadows.In 1857, conflict between the Mormon leadership and Utah and the federal government reached the boiling point. Worried that a federal army might be sent to the territory, the Mormon-dominated Utah legislature enacted legislation in January reactivating the territorial militia, called the Nauvoo Legion. Federal officials in Utah complained of harassment and destruction of records by Mormon citizens. On April 15, 1857, a federal judge, the territorial surveyor and the U. S. marshal (all the federal officials in Utah except one Indian agent) fled the state, convinced that they were about to be killed. President James Buchanan responding by ordering an army to Utah to quell what he called a "rebellion." Buchanan's order alarmed Utah's Mormon population, who saw it as nothing less than a threat to the existence of their religion. Past persecution experienced by Mormons in the Midwest made the danger seem especially real. Church officials referred to Federal officials and the U. S. army as "enemies," and Utahans readied for what many saw as a life-or-death struggle for their faith. Young embarked on an effort to rally Indian support for the Mormon cause--support that he saw as potentially critical in the battle to come.Meanwhile, several extended families left Arkansas by wagon train on what they planned to be their long emigration to southern California. Unfortunately for the groups of families (which came to be called "the Fancher party"), a revered Mormon apostle, Parley Pratt, was murdered in western Arkansas within two weeks of their departure. News of the Pratt murder, committed by a non-Mormon angered over Pratt's taking of his wife, soon reached Utah, and greatly inflamed local hostility toward non-Mormons. When further word reached Salt Lake in July 1857 that the army was headed its way, Utah became a place hungry for retribution.On September 1, 1857, Brigham Young met in Salt Lake City with southern Indian chiefs. According to an entry in the diary of Dimick Huntington, Young's brother-in-law who was present at the meeting, Young encouraged the Indians to seize "all the cattle" of emigrants that traveled on the "south route" (through southern Utah) to California. (The journal entry actually says Young "gave" the Paiute chiefs the emigrant's cattle.) The meeting increased the likelihood of a violent encounter between Indians and emigrants, something Young apparently saw as a useful shot across the federal government's bow. In fact, Young had been working on such a plan even before his September 1 meeting, having sent apostle George A. Smith south with instructions to let the Indians know that Young considered emigration through Utah a threat to the well-being of both Mormon and Indian residents of the territory.The same day that Young talked with Paiute leaders, the Fancher Party, consisting of about 140 Arkansans, camped about seventy miles north of Mountain Meadows. On the Fancher party's way through Utah, rumors spread that some of its members participated in the killing of Parley Pratt and the lynching of Joseph Smith in Illinois. John D. Lee, a Mormon living in southern Utah, believed the stories to be true: "This lot of people had men amongst them that were supposed to have held kill the prophets in the Carthage jail." (Later, in attempts to rationalize the slaughter, Utahans would accuse the Fancher party of committing all sorts of manufactured sins and depredations: "tormenting women," swearing, insulting the Mormon Church, brandishing pistols, and even poisoning cattle. There is virtually no evidence to support any of these charges. Undoubtedly, the Fancher party understood it was not welcome in the territory and simply wanted to get out as fast as possible.)On September 4, Cedar City was gripped in the white heat of fanaticism as the Fancher train rolled into the southwestern Utah town. The wagon train's imminent arrival had prompted Isaac Haight, second in command of the Iron Brigade (the Nauvoo Legion's force in southern Utah) and President of the Cedar City Stake of Zion (the highest Mormon ecclesiastical official in southern Utah), to call a meeting to discuss the course of action to be taken against the emigrants. According to Lee's later account of the meeting, Haight said it was "the will of all in authority" to arm Paiute and incite them to "kill part or all" of the party. Haight sent Indian interpreter Nelphi Johnson off on a mission to "stir up" the Indians so that they might "give the emigrants a good hush." Haight shed no tears for the party's fate, telling Lee, "There will not be one drop of innocent blood shed, if every one in the damned pack are killed, for they are the worse lot of outlaws and ruffians that I ever saw in my life." Sunday, September 6 was a day for dramatic speech making at Mormon services around Utah. In Salt Lake City, Brigham Young took the occasion to declare that the Almighty recognized Utah as a free and independent people, no longer bound by the laws of the United States. In Cedar City, meanwhile, Isaac Haight told those gathered at the morning service that "I am prepared to fee to the Gentiles the same bread they fed to us. God being my helper, I will give the last ounce of strength and if need be my last drop of blood in defense of Zion." That Sunday evening, the Fancher party crossed over the rim of the Great Basin and encamped at a place called Mountain Meadows.The next morning's calm at the meadows was interrupted by gunfire. A child who survived the attack wrote later, "Our party was just sitting down to a breakfast of quail and cottontail rabbits when a shot rang out from a nearby gully, and one of the children toppled over, hit by a bullet." The shots came from forty to fifty Indians and Mormons disguised as Indians. The well-armed emigrants returned fire. Soon the gun battle turned into a siege. Meanwhile, in Cedar City, Isaac Haight, responding to pressure from Mormons lacking enthusiasm for the attack on the emigrants, sends a courier on a 600-mile trip (that will take six days, round trip, to inform Brigham Young of the situation at Mountain Meadows and asking his guidance about what to do next. Over the next three days, Mormon reinforcements, totally about 100 men, continued to arrive at the battle scene. Men on horseback carried messages back to Haight, and his immediate superior in the Nauvoo Legion and head of southern Utah forces, William Dame. Dame reportedly reiterated his determination to not less the emigrants pass: "My orders are that all the emigrants [except the youngest children] must be done away with." On September 10, the messenger send to Salt Lake City arrived and handed Haight's letter to Young. Young, according to published Mormon reports, sent the messenger back to Haight with a note telling him to let the Indians "do as they please," but--as for Mormon participation in the siege--if the emigrants will leave Utah, "let them go in peace." The message will be too late.
The Massacre
By September 11, Legion officers had devised a plan for ending the stand-off. Most of the Paiutes had left after growing weary of the siege and could play no role in the bloody conclusion. The plan was devious, but effective. Major John Higbee, in command of the forces at Mountain Meadows, persuaded John Lee and William Bateman to act as decoys to draw them out from the protection of their wagons. Lee and Bateman, carrying a white flag, marched across the field to the emigrants camp. The desperate emigrants agreed to the terms promised by Lee: They would give up their arms, wagons, and cattle, in return for promise that they would not be harmed as they embarked on a 35-mile hike back to Cedar City. Samuel McMurdy, a member of the Nauvoo Legion, took the reigns of one of the wagons into which were loaded some of the youngest children. A woman and a few seriously injured emigrant men were loaded into a second wagon. John Lee positioned himself between the two wagons as they pulled out. Following the two wagons, the women and the older children of the Fancher party walked behind. After the wagons had moved on, Higbee ordered the emigrant men to begin walking in single file. An armed Mormon "guard" escorted each emigrant man.When the escorted men had fallen a quarter mile or so behind the women and children, who had just crested a small hill, Higbee yelled, "Halt! Do your duty!" Each of the Mormon men shot and killed the emigrant at his side. Meanwhile, on the other side of the hill, Nelphi Johnson shouted the order to begin the slaughter of the women and older children. Men rushed at the defenseless emigrants from both sides, and the killing went on amidst "hideous, demon-like yells." Nancy Huff, four years old at the time of the massacre, later remembered the horror: "I saw my mother shot in the forehead and fall dead. The women and children screamed and clung together. Some of the young women begged the assassins after they run out on us not to kill them, but they had no mercy on them, clubbing their guns and beating out their brains." It was over in just a few minutes. 120 members of the Fancher party were dead. The youngest children, seventeen or eighteen in all, were gathered up, to later be placed in Mormon homes. None of the survivors was over seven years old.The next day, Colonel Dame and Lt. Colonel Haight visited the site of the massacre with John Lee and Philip Klingensmith. Lee, in his confession, described the field on that day: "The bodies of men, women and children had been stripped entirely naked, making the scene one of the most loathsome and ghastly that can be imagined." Dame appeared shocked by what he found. "I did not think there were so many of them [women and children], or I would not have had anything to do with, Dame reportedly said. Haight, angered by Dame's remark, expressed concern that Dame might try to blame him for an action that Dame had ordered. The men agreed on one thing, however: Mormon participation in the massacre had to be kept secret. Within twenty-fours hours, Haight had another reason for concern. Brigham Young's reply to his inquiry arrived in Cedar City. "Too late, too late," Haight said as he read Young's letter and began to cry.Brigham Young declared martial law on September 15. In his proclamation (of dubious legality), Young prohibited "all armed forces...from entering this territory" and ordered the Nauvoo Legion to prepare for an expected invasion by federal forces. The proclamation also prohibited any person from passing through the territory without a permit from "the proper officer."Shortly after his proclamation, Young learned of the tragic events at Mountain Meadows, first from Indian chiefs and then from John Lee, who traveled to Salt Lake City to provide a detailed account of the massacre. According to Lee, Young at first expressed dismay about the Mormon participation in the massacre. He seemed especially concerned that news of the massacre would damage the national reputation of the Latter-day Saints The next day, however, Young said he was at peace with what happened. According to Lee, Young said, "I asked the Lord if it was all right for the deed to be done, to take away the vision of the deed from my mind, and the Lord did so, and I feel first rate. It is all right. The only fear I have is from traitors."
Response to the Massacre
The first published reports of the massacre begin appearing in California newspapers in October. One came from John Aiken, who with mail carrier John Hunt, passed by Mountain Meadows in late September with a pass signed by William Dame. Aiken wrote, "I saw about twenty wolves feasting upon the carcasses of the murdered. Mr. Hunt shot at a wolf, and they ran a few yards and halted. I noticed that the women and children were more generally eaten by the wild beasts than were the men." The Los Angeles Star called it the "foulest massacre ever perpetrated," and added that responsibility for the attack "will not be known until the Government makes a full investigation of the affair." The San Francisco Bulletin was far less restrained, calling for "a crusade against Utah which will crush out this beast of heresy forever." Public outrage grew. Americans from California to Washington, D. C. begin calling for military action against those responsible for the crime.Aware of the sensitivity of the events at Mountain Meadows, Mormon officials from Young on down worked to shift the blame for the massacre either to Indians or the emigrants themselves. By November, John Lee completed a fictionalized account of the massacre, attributing all the killing to Indians, and sent the report on to Young. Young, as Superintendent of Indians in addition to his other titles, prepared a report blaming the massacre on the mistreatment of Indians by non-Mormons, and sent it on to the Indian Commissioner. "Capt. Fancher & Co. fell victim to the Indians' wrath near Mountain Meadows," Young wrote. "Lamentable as the case truly is, it is only the natural consequences of that fatal policy which treats Indians like wolves, or other ferocious beasts."None of the Mormon-drafted reports, however, prevented Congress from debating the massacre. On March 18, 1858, Congress ordered an official inquiry into the cause of the tragedy of September 11. The next month, one fourth of the United States army reached Fort Bridger, in present-day Wyoming. Rather than fight the Nauvoo Legion forces guarding the canyons leading to Salt Lake, General Albert Alston decided to overwinter at the Fort. President Buchanan expressed his determination to put down the "rebellion" in Utah, with force if necessary: "Humanity itself requires that we should put it down in a manner that it shall be the last."In this dark moment of Mormon history, Brigham Young had the good fortune in April 1858 of being replaced as Governor of Utah by Alfred Cumming, a gullible man who believed Young's promise to get to the bottom of the Mountain Meadows matter, and who established, as his principal goal, preserving peace in the Utah territory. Governor Cumming planned a trip south to Mountain Meadows almost as soon as he took office to investigate "that damned atrocity," as he put it. Young, in a visit to Cumming's office, succeeded in convincing the governor of his genuine desire to identify the perpetrators. Cummings decided to put "the whole matter" in Young's hands, trusting him "to put the finger upon the miscreants." He also recognized, as he later told Young, "I can do nothing here without your influence." Pushing to open again free emigration on the south route, Cummings took pleasure in announcing on May 11, "the Road is now open." Over time, Cummings became convinced that the threats to the territory's peace of an aggressive inquiry into the Mountain Meadows massacre, in his mind, outweighed the benefits. He also lacked the will to challenge Young and was, in the words of one observer, "mere putty" in the Mormon leader's hands.In the latter half of 1858, the federal government began to reassert some measure of federal control in the Utah territory. On June 26, federal troops marched through Salt Lake City, on their way to a fort forty miles from the city under the terms of a deal brokered with Young. (The deal included a pardon for those acts considered part of "the rebellion.") In November, U. S. District Judge John Cradlebaugh arrived in Utah and, unlike the governor, saw no reason not to aggressively pursue justice for the victims of the Mountain Meadows massacre. After several months of investigation, Judge Cradlebaugh issued arrest warrants for John Lee, Isaac Haight, and John Higbee for the murders. Angered by his discovery that the massacre was committed "by order of council," the judge wrote a letter to President Buchanan seeking his commitment to secure convictions for the guilty. Cradlebaugh's efforts, however, were frustrated when the federal case is essentially dropped after the U. S. marshal declared his unwillingness to execute arrest warrants without federal troops to protect him from local citizens--and that help was not provided. By 1860, with the Union ready to split apart, interest in prosecuting the Mountain Meadows case waned. Governor Cumming saw little reason to press for prosecution, especially in a territory where the law put jury selection entirely in the hands of Mormon officials. "God Almighty couldn't convict the butchers unless Brigham Young was willing," Cumming said.
The Trials of John D. Lee
Renewed interest in the Mountain Meadows case developed in the early 1870s, thanks largely to a series of stories in the Utah Reporter by Charles W. Wandell, writing under the pen name "Argus," that challenged Brigham Young's response to the massacre. Wandell's articles produced the first confession in the case when, on April 10, 1871, Philip Klingensmith, a former LDS bishop who subsequently left the Church, appeared in a Nevada court and swore out an account of the massacre, including a detailed description of his own role in the crime. Still, however, Mormon control of the Utah justice system stymied any prosecution in Utah.The key to a possible successful prosecution finally came in 1874. Congress passed the Poland Act, which redefined the jurisdiction of the courts in Utah. The law restricted the authority of Mormon-controlled probate courts and opened all Utah juries to non-Mormons. Within months of passage of the Poland Act, arrest warrants for nine men: Lee, Higbee, Haight, Dame, Klingensmith, Stewart, Wilden, and Jukes. Federal authorities arrested John Lee, long considered Mormon officials' most likely candidate for scapegoat for the massacre, after finding him hiding in a chicken coop near Panguitch, Utah, on November 7, 1874. Shortly thereafter, Dame was also arrested.
The First Trial
The trial of John D. Lee opened on July 23, 1875 before U. S. District Judge Jacob Boreman in Beaver, Utah. Talk of possible mob action against witnesses filled the crowded streets of Beaver. Marshal Maxwell sought to preserve order by threatening potential instigators: "We will hang any god damned Bishop to a telegraph pole and turn their houses over their heads." The crowd, the bailiff reported to Judge Boreman, got the message that the government meant business.U. S. attorneys William C. Carey and Robert Baskin managed the prosecution, while four attorneys--bankrolled by Brigham Young--comprised Lee's defense team. Marshal Maxwell sought to preserve order by threatening potential instigators: "We will hang any god damned Bishop to a telegraph pole and turn their houses over their heads." Throughout the trial, conflicts arose among Lee's lawyers, with two members of the defense team (including Wells Spicer who, six years later as a magistrate in Tombstone, ruled--after a several week hearing--that the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday should face a criminal trial for the famous "shoot-out at the O.K. Corral") determined to provide Lee with his strongest possible defense even if it meant implicating higher Mormon officials, while two other members of the team seemed equally focused on protecting those same higher officials. The jury, gathered in the improvised courtroom on the second floor of the Beaver City Cooperative, consisted of eight Mormons, one former Mormon, and three non-Mormons.After Carey opened the case for the prosecution with a compelling description of the massacre, a parade of witnesses took the stand to describe various aspects of a concerted plan by Mormon officials to make life for emigrants traveling through Utah in 1857 as difficult as possible. Several witnesses testified that they had received orders not to sell grain or provisions to the Fancher party. One witness said he was hit over the head by fence paling because he sold onions to one member of the party who was a friend of his from years back. Another witness testified Church officials excommunicated him after he traded one emigrant cheese for a bed quilt. Still other witnesses recalled the fiery sermons of George A. Smith and other Church leaders, all warning of the threats posed by emigration through the state, in that 1857 summer of high passions and fanaticism.The prosecution's star witness was Philip Klingensmith, the former bishop of Cedar City and the apostate Mormon whose affidavit given in a Nevada courtroom had first renewed hopes of achieving long-delayed justice in the Mountain Meadows case. The heavyset Klingensmith began his account slowly, but his emotions showed as the events he described moved toward their tragic climax. He recounted how the Mormon men responded to the militia call by traveling to the emigrant's camp by wagon and horseback. He told of the men watching in formation as John Lee conducted his "negotiations" with the emigrants. Finally, he described the killing. From his vantage point, he could see only the shooting of the men; Lee was over the crest of the hill with the wagons and the women and children. About fifty of the emigrant men, Klingensmith testified, died with the first volleys from their "guards." A few started to run away, but none got very far. Lee appeared downcast as the prosecution's chief witness told his story of death. Klingensmith said Lee and the other men acted on orders from Higbee, which had come from Isaac Haight, and--in turn, he thought--from Dame. The former bishop testified that a few weeks after the massacre he was among a group of Mormons that met with Brigham Young. Young, he said, discussed how the emigrant's property should be divided and counseled them against discussing the massacre: "What you know about this affair do not tell to anybody; do not even talk about it among yourselves."
For the defense, Wells Spicer presented Lee as a reluctant participant. He said the emigrant's own bad behavior was largely responsible for the massacre, and that Lee had cried and "tried to protect the emigrants" when their killing had first been proposed by Haight and Higbee. Lee only did what he did, Spicer said, after having John Higbee aim a loaded rifle at his head. According to the defense attorney's version of events, hundreds of Indians at Mountain Meadows forced the few dozen white men into helping in the killing: "if they didn't, the Indians would kill them and sweep off their homes, and families and settlements." In the trial's oddest turn of events, Spicer came back after a courtroom recess to withdraw all his remarks concerning Lee's having acted under orders. Spicer's 180-degree turn, according to a report of the trial, "left the gentlemen of the jury in a hapless state of mystification." Clearly, some people were not at all happy that Spicer had adopted a strategy of pointing fingers at higher officials.The defense never presented a cohesive story of the massacre itself. Instead, it presented witnesses that testified that members of the Fancher party had done things to earn the enmity of local Indians. One witness claimed to have seen members of the wagon train leave bags of poison by a spring at Corn Creek. The defense witness testified that Indians told him that members of their tribe had died after drinking poisoned water from the spring. On cross-examination, however, the defense's poison story fell apart. In his summation, defense attorney Jabez Sutherland said the massacre was all the doing of the righteously angered Paiutes: "[The Indians] were implacable in their wrath, and even threatened the Mormons for their efforts to pacify them."The prosecution, in Brigham's Young's Utah with a jury that included eight Mormons, never expected a guilty verdict--and they didn't get one. The jury hung, with the eight Mormons and the one former Mormon voting to acquit Lee, and the three non-Mormons voting to convict. A newspaper in Idaho presented a typically cynical view of the trial's outcome: "It would be as unreasonable to expect a jury of highwaymen to convict a stage robber as it would be to get Mormons to find one of their own peculiar faith guilty of a crime."
The Second Trial

What a difference a trial makes: the second trial of John D. Lee bore almost no resemblance to the first. Mormon witnesses against Lee suddenly materialized in the second trial, many with enhanced memories that put Lee in the middle of the killing. The prosecutors, in a rejection of the strategy in the first case which placed shared blame well up the Mormon command chain, suddenly seemed only too willing to present Lee as the driving force behind the massacre. What happened?What happened, apparently, is that a deal--or at least an understanding--was reached. In April 1876 Sumner Howard replaced William Carey as the U. S. Attorney for Utah. Under pressure from Washington and the public to convict someone for the massacre, Howard pondered how a unanimous jury verdict could ever be achieved in the case without Brigham Young giving the prosecution his blessing. It couldn't, he concluded. An agreement with Young had to be struck. Howard and Young met in Salt Lake. Young was anxious to put the Mountain Meadows matter behind and accepted that someone had to be sacrificed. The excommunicated Lee was the obvious candidate. The terms of the agreement between Howard and Young were never disclosed, but former U. S. attorney Robert Baskin outlined his speculation as to the key understandings. Baskin believed that Howard agreed to impanel an all-Mormon jury, place Brigham Young's 1875 affidavit in evidence, present testimony that would tend to exonerate higher Mormon officials, and--after trying Lee--promised to prosecute no one else for what happened at Mountain Meadows. In return, Young would help round up witnesses who would incriminate Lee and see to it that the jury returned a conviction. (Not everyone is willing, however, to accept Baskin's speculation as truth. Howard denied that a deal had been struck in a letter he sent to Attorney General Taft. Howard instead suggested that Lee's attorney manufactured the deal theory in a last-ditch attempt to gain sympathy for his client. Critics of the deal theory also note that the government made some efforts--although rather half-hearted--to pursue other massacre perpetrators until 1888, when the case was finally dropped.)The second trial began on September 14, 1876, soon after the prosecution dropped all charges against William Dame. Jury selection went quickly, as a report sent to Brigham Young noted: "Howard made no effort to get Gentiles on the Jury--In fact the word Mormon was scarcely mentioned in court all day." The surprising turn of events--the Church aiding the prosecution--left Lee's defense attorney, William Bishop, angry and confused. Before the trial began, Bishop assumed that the Mormon leadership would protect his client. Writing a few months after trial, Bishop's anger poured out: "I claim that Brigham Young is the real criminal, and that John D. Lee was an instrument in his hands. That Brigham Young used John Lee, as the assassin uses the dagger to strike down his unsuspecting victim; as as the assassin throws away the dagger, to avoid the bloody blade leading to his detection, so brigham Young used John Lee to do his horrid work; and when the discovery becomes unavoidable, he hurls Lee from him...and casts him far out into the whirlpool of destruction."From its opening statement on, the prosecution made clear that its goal was to convict John Lee, not try the entire Mormon hierarchy. The prosecution case made Lee to appear even more guilty than he was. Lee incited the Indians to attack the wagon train. Through deception, Lee lured other Mormons into the battle. Lee hatched the plan that led to the massacre. Lee himself killed a number of emigrants, then helped divide the plunder. Out of the Utah woodwork came a whole host of loyal Mormons ready to testify as to Lee's bad deeds. Samuel Knight testified that he watched Lee club a woman to death. Samuel McMurdy said he saw Lee shoot a woman, as well as two or three of the wounded emigrants. Jacob Hamblin told the court he witnessed Lee throw down a girl "and cut her throat." Nelphi Johnson testified that Lee and Klingensmith seemed to be "engineering the whole thing."Lee could do little against the onslaught but complain. Pacing his cell floor during a break in the trial, Lee bitterly complained that witnesses were charging him with "awful deeds...that they did with their own wicked hands." Everyone could see the game plan: the buck stops with Lee. The memories of witnesses memories suddenly faded when asked to name other Mormons present at the battle see. No one could remember who else might have participated in the killing.Resigned to his fate, Lee asked his attorneys to present no defense after the prosecution closed its case. With little evidence from which to draw, William Bishop in his summation could only note the obvious: "The Mormon Church had resolved to sacrifice Lee, discarding him as of no further use." On September 20, 1876, at 3:30 in the afternoon in Beaver, the all-Mormon jury returned its verdict. John Lee was guilty of murder in the first degree.
The Execution
When asked by Judge Boreman if he wished to say anything prior to sentencing, Lee remained silent. Boreman sentenced Lee to be executed in three weeks. Lee told the judge, "I prefer to be shot."Appeals delayed Lee's scheduled execution over five months. Lee used much of the time to write his autobiography. On a March afternoon in 1877 in Beaver, Utah, U. S. Marshal William Nelson led John Lee to a closed carriage that would take him south over the emigrant trail to Mountain Meadows. On March 23, Lee, dressed in a red flannel shirt, enjoyed breakfast and a cup of coffee near the site of the 1857 massacre. A minister walked the condemned man to his own coffin. Lee sat down on the coffin while the Marshal read his death warrant. When the reading ended, he rose to address the federal officers, firing squad, and seventy or so spectators. "I feel as calm as the summer morn," Lee told the gathering, "and I have done nothing intentionally wrong. My conscience is clear before God and man....Not a particle of mercy have I asked of the court, the world, or officials to spare my life. I do not fear death, I shall never go to a worse place that I am now in...I am a true believer int he gospel of Jesus Christ. I do not believe everything that is now being taught and practiced by Brigham Young. I do not care who hears it. It is my last word--it is so. I believe he is leading the people astray, downward to destruction. But I believe in the gospel that was taught in its purity by Joseph Smith...I have been sacrificed in a cowardly, dastardly manner....Having said this, I feel resigned. I ask the Lord, my God, if my labors are done, to receive my spirit."Lee shook hands with those around them and resumed his seat on his coffin. He shouted to the firing squad, hidden in three wagons forming a semi-circle around him: "Center my heart, boys! Don't mangle my body!" When the shots came, he fell back without a cry.
Epilogue

Five months after Lee's execution Brigham Young died. The cause of death was uncertain, but appendicitis was suspected. William Bishop, Lee's attorney in his second trial, sent the manuscript Lee had completed in prison to a publishing company in St. Louis. In 1877, Mormonism Unveiled or the Life and Confession of John D. Lee became an immediate bestseller. The book provided an important history of early Mormonism as well as offering Lee's somewhat self-serving account of the events leading to the Mountain Meadows massacre. As historian Will Bagley noted, Lee "reconstructed his chronology to distance himself from the initial attack" and provided blistering attacks on the men who testified against him. Lee's list of murderers, aside from those who admitted killing emigrants, included only his enemies.In 1998, Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church of Latter-day Saints, visited Mountain Meadows. He found himself embarrassed at the dilapidated condition of monument at the site and committed the Church to building a proper memorial. "We owe [the dead] respect," Hinckley declared, "that land is sacred ground." On September 11, 1999, a new monument was dedicated at Mountain Meadows. President Hinckley, in the afternoon sunshine, told the assembled crowd: "[The past] cannot be recalled. It cannot be changed. It is time to leave the entire matter in the hands of God."
The best source for more information about the Mountain Meadows Massacre and the subsequent investigations and trials is: Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Mountain Meadows Massacre by Will Bagley (Univ. of Oklahoma Press 2002).


ChronologyMountain Meadows Monument (circa 1900)
April 6, 1830
A group of six men including Joseph Smith organize "The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints" (later often called the Mormon Church) in Fayette, New York

July 1847
Leading a band of Mormons fleeing persecution in the East, Brigham Young (successor to the martyred Joseph Smith) arrives in the valley of the Great Salt Lake (in present day Utah) and declares it the permanent home of his people.

1850
A territorial government is established in Utah, with Brigham Young its first governor.

1856
Brigham Young announces the Reformation, a plan to arouse religious consciousness among Mormons that also had the effect of encouraging fanaticism and suspicion of outsiders.

January 14, 1857
The Utah legislature reorganizes the territorial militia by reactivating what was called the Nauvoo Legion. Daniel Wells is named commander-in-chief of the Legion.

Spring 1857
Reports of harassment of federal officials and destruction of court records by Mormons convince President Buchanan to send an army to Utah to quell the "rebellion." (A federal judge, a territorial surveyor, and the U.S. marshal--all the federal officials in Utah except for one Indian agent--fled the territory on April 15, convinced that they were about to be killed.)

April and May 1857
Several extended families leave Arkansas on what is planned to be a long emigration via wagon train to California. The route for the Fancher party, consisting of about 140 men, women, and children, will eventually take them through Utah. In May, Parley Pratt, one of the original apostles of the LDS Church, is murdered in western Arkansas by an aggrieved husband whose wife Pratt had taken.

June 1857
News of Parley Pratt's killing reaches Utah in late June and inflames Mormon hostility against non-Mormons.

July 1857
Word reaches Mormon officials in Utah that a federal army is on its way to the Territory to quiet what federal officials call "a rebellion."

September 1, 1857
As the Fancher party camps 70 miles north of Mountain Meadows, Brigham Young meets in Salt Lake City with southern Indian chiefs to devise a strategy to stop overland emigration through southern Utah. In the meeting, according to an entry in the diary of Dimick Huntington, Young's brother-in-law, Young encouraged the Indians to seize "all the cattle" on the "south route" to California.

September 4, 1857
The Fancher party arrives in Cedar City, Utah. About this time, Isaac Haight, second in command of the Nauvoo Legion's southern brigade, tells John Lee that he planned to arm the Paiute Indians and "send them after the emigrants." Two chiefs meet with Haight and John Higbee and receive orders to kill the Fancher party members and take their property as spoil.

September 5, 1857
John Lee heads south and camps with his Paiute war party. Men ordered by Haight and Higbee to participate in the action against the emigrants are told to report to a place in the hills near the ranch of Jacob Hamblin. The Fancher party heads south toward Mountain Meadows.

September 6, 1857
Brigham Young, in a sermon, declares that the Almighty recognizes Mormon Utah as a free and independent people, no longer bound by the laws of the United States.

September 7, 1857
The Fancher party, encamped near Mountain Meadows, wakes to gunfire coming from about 40 to 50 (some accounts give a much higher number) Indians and Mormons disguised as Indians. The well-armed Fancher party puts up strong resistance and the battle turns into a siege. Haight, responding to pressure from some Mormons, sends a courier to Brigham Young (a 600-mile round trip that would take at least four days) informing him of the situation at Mountain Meadows and asking him what to do next.

September 8-10, 1857
Mormon reinforcements, totally about 100 men, arrive at Mountain Meadows and join the fight. Haight and Colonel William Dame, the head of southern Utah's militia, are kept informed of developments. A meeting is held at Dame's house at which he says, "My orders are that the emigrants [except the youngest children] must be done away with." On September 10, militia commanders ring the town bell in Cedar City, calling out trusted members of the Nauvoo Legion. The same day, the messenger carrying news to Salt Lake gives Haight's letter to Brigham Young. Young, according to published Mormon reports, sends a message back to let the Indians "do as they please," but--as for Mormon participation in the siege--if they will leave Utah, "let them go in peace."

September 11, 1857
Mormon leaders devise a plan to end the stand-off. Carrying a white flag, Mormons meet with members of the Fancher party and pledge the emigrants safe passage back to Cedar City as a way of getting them to give up their arms. The Fancher party is divided into two wagons, carrying the wounded and the youngest children ("the innocent blood"), with the older children and women marching behind, followed by the men, marching in single file. The men are led off to a place near the side of the road where Higbee orders a group of Mormons guards to begin the killing: "Do your duty!" A quarter of a mile away, John Lee leads the wagons until they reach a point where Nelphi Johnson orders the slaughter of the women and older children. Men rush at the party from both sides, and the killing continues amidst "hideous, demon-like yells." It is over in just a few minutes. 120 members of the Fancher party are dead. The youngest children, those under about age seven, are taken away.

September 12, 1857
Col. Dame and Lt. Col. Haight visit the massacre site with John Lee. Dame seemed appalled at what he saw and said, "I did not think there were so many of them [women and children], or I would not have had anything to do with it." Dame's comment angered Haight, who expressed concern that Dame might try to throw the blame on him for an action that he ordered. (Lee's account) The men pledge to keep Mormon participation in the massacre secret.

September 13, 1857
The messenger sent to ask of Brigham Young what to do with the emigrants at Mountain Meadows returns to Cedar City and presents a letter from Young to Isaac Haight. "Too late, too late," Haight says as he reads the letter and begins to cry.

September 15, 1857
Brigham Young issues a proclamation (of questionable legality) declaring martial law in the Utah Territory. The proclamation prohibits "all armed forces...from entering this Territory," orders the Nauvoo Legion to prepare for an invasion, and prohibits any person from passing through the Territory without a permit from "the proper officer."

September 16 or 17, 1857
Brigham Young hears his first reports concerning Mormon participation in the massacre at Mountain Meadows.

September 20, 1857
John Lee leaves for Salt Lake, where he will provide Young with a detailed account of the massacre. According to Lee, Young first expresses dismay and concern that the massacre will damage the LDS reputation. The next day, however, Young tells Lee, "I asked the Lord if it was all right for the deed to be done, to take away the vision of the deed from my mind, and the Lord did so, and I feel first rate. It is all right. The only fear I have is from traitors."

September 27, 1857
Garland Hurt, the federal Indian agent for the Territory, hears reports that he will be assassinated by Mormons who fear that he knows too much about the massacre and, with the help of Utes, flees to safety.

October 1857
Federal forces, under General Albert Johnston, sent to suppress the Utah rebellion decide to overwinter at Fort Bridger, rather than fight the men of the Nauvoo Legion guarding the canyons leading to Salt Lake. Meanwhile, the first published reports of the massacre begin to appear in the press. The reports place much of the blame on Mormon fanatics, and many people call for military action against those responsible. The San Francisco Bulletin, for example, calls for "a crusade against Utah which will crush out this beast of heresy forever."

November 20, 1857
Lee writes a fictionalized report of the massacre, attributing all the killing to the Indians, and sends it do Young.

January 6, 1858
Brigham Young submits a report to the Indian Commissioner laying the blame for the massacre on mistreatment of Indians by non-Mormons.

February 25, 1858
Thomas Kane, sent to Utah by President Buchanan to attempt to work out a peaceful solution to the Utah problem, arrives in Salt Lake City.

March 18, 1858
Congress debates the massacre at Mountain Meadows. It orders an inquiry.

April 1858
Alfred Cumming, the newly appointed governor of Utah sent from Washington, arrives in Salt Lake to assume office. Cumming announces that he will head south to begin an investigation of the massacre. Young assures Cumming that he is also determined to get to the truth of the matter, and Cumming seems to believe him.

May 11, 1858
Gov. Cumming declares the California trail open and says emigrants can once again "pass through Utah territory without hindrance or molestation."

June 26, 1858
Federal troops (one-fourth of the United States Army) march through Salt Lake City toward their headquarters at Camp Floyd, forty miles away. They do so after Young, recognizing the overwhelming size of the federal force, accepted federal terms--including a pardon for acts of rebellion.

August 6, 1858
George A. Smith, one of the twelve apostles in the LDS Church, begins drafting an apostolic report on the massacre. The report blames the emigrants for inciting Indians. It also places John Lee at the scene, thus identifying him as the best possible Mormon scapegoat for the crime. (Historian Juanita Brooks believes to be the person ultimately responsible for the massacre, having told Dame to issue the order that all the emigrants be killed.)

November 1858
U. S. District Judge John Cradlebaugh arrives in Utah and begins to take an immediate interest in prosecuting those responsible for the massacre. Prosecution will be frustrated by a Utah law that places jury selection in the hands of Mormon officials.

March 1859
Indian Superintendent Jacob Forney travels through southern Utah, rounding up children orphaned by the massacre. He eventually retrieves 17 children.

April 1859
Judge Cradlebaugh issues arrest warrants for John D. Lee, Isaac Haight, and John Higbee. The men, all accused in connection with the Mountain Meadows murders, flee.

May 5-6, 1859
The army and Judge Cradlebaugh inspect the massacre scene. Skulls, bones, masses of women's hair, and bits of clothing still litter the scene. Remains of the victims are buried by troops. Cradlebaugh follows up his visit with a letter to President Buchanan outlining his conclusion that the murders were committed "by order of council."

May 12, 1859
An arrest warrant is issued for Brigham Young. He appears voluntarily before Judge Joseph Smith (in a Mormon probate court) to give a statement about the massacre, in which he accused of being an accessory after the fact. The case is apparently dismissed for lack of evidence.

June 3, 1859
The federal case against 38 Mormons for the massacre is essentially dropped when the U. S. Marshal declares his unwillingness to make arrests without federal troops to protect him from local citizens, and that help is not provided.

August 13, 1859
A report from the scene of the massacre, accompanied by a grisly cover sketch, appears in Harper's Weekly.

December 12, 1859
Indian Superintendent Forney arrives in Washington, D.C. with the two oldest surviving boys from the massacre. Forney hopes the boys will be allowed to testify before Congress.

1860
With the Union ready to split apart, interest in prosecuting the Mountain Meadows massacre begins to wane. In Utah, Governor Cumming is unwilling to press prosecution, which he sees as futile: "God Almighty couldn't convict the butchers unless Brigham Young was willing."

1861
With the onset of the Civil War, federal troops leave Utah.

1862
Abraham Lincoln appoints non-Mormons to fill all federal offices in Utah and signs a law outlawing polygamy, although the law is largely ignored in Utah.

March 1864
John D. Lee, a man with a domineering personality who repeatedly boasted of his role in the massacre, is relieved of his position as elder of the Harmony, Utah branch of the LDS.

1868
Gov. J. Wilson Schaffer, appointed by President Grant, abolishes the Nauvoo Legion. The Mormon political condition generally begins to deteriorate.

1870-71
Charles W. Wandell, under the pen name "Argus," writes a series of stories in the Utah Reporter challenging Brigham Young's response to the Mountain Meadows massacre. Wandell's articles eventually produce the first confession by a massacre participant. About this time, Young meets with Lee, Haight, Dame, and others involved in the massacre. Historians suggest that Young singles out Lee to take the blame, confident in the belief that Lee will do as he is told at any trial. Lee is excommunicated.

April 10, 1871
Philip Klingensmith, a former LDS bishop who subsequently left the Church, appears in a Nevada court and swears out an account of the massacre, including his own role in it.

1874
Congress passes the Poland Act, which redefines the jurisdiction of courts in Utah. The law restricted the authority of Mormon-controlled probate courts and opened Utah juries to non-Mormons. The Poland Act finally makes prosecution for the murders at Mountain Meadows a real possibility.

October 1874
Arrests warrants are issued for Lee, Higbee, Haight, Stewart, Wilden, Adair, Klingensmith, Jukes, and Dame.

November 7, 1874
John Lee, a fugitive for fifteen years, is captured in a chicken coop near Panguitch, Utah. Soon thereafter, federal authorities arrest William Dame.

July 23, 1875
The trial of John Lee opens in the courtroom of Judge Jacob Boreman. Payment for Lee's defense is arranged by Brigham Young. The prosecution's star witness is Philip Klingensmith.

August 5, 1875
The trial of John Lee ends in a hung jury, with the nine Mormon jurors voting to acquit and the three non-Mormon jurors voting to convict. The trial, however, severely tarnishes the reputation of the LDS Church in the eyes of most Americans.

September 1, 1875
George A. Smith dies.

Summer 1876
Prosecutor Sumner Howard, the new U. S. attorney for Utah, makes a deal with Brigham Young. Young agrees to find witnesses to convict John Lee in return for his affidavit being placed in evidence (largely exonerating him) and charges are dropped against William Dame and other Mormon officials.

September 14, 1876
The second trial of John Lee opens in Beaver, Utah. Numerous Mormons testify against Lee, but the testimony does not implicate other Mormons. Lee asks that no witnesses testify in his behalf.

September 20, 1876
After only a few hours of deliberation, an all-Mormon jury convicts John Lee.

Winter 1876-77
While his appeals play out, John Lee writes his autobiography and confession, which he gives to his attorney, William Bishop, and which is later published under the title, Mormonism Unveiled.

March 23, 1877
John Lee is executed by firing squad while sitting on his coffin in Mountain Meadows.

August 29, 1877
Brigham Young dies, possibly of appendicitis.

August 3. 1999
A back hoe's claw exposes the skeletal remains of men, women, and children massacred in 1857.

September 11, 1999
Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the LDS Church, dedicates a new monument to the victims of the 1857 massacre. He says, "[The past] cannot be changed. It is time to leave the entire matter to God."
Mountain Meadows Massacre Trial Homepage

The silver crash of 1893

The effects of repealing the "Sherman Silver Purchase Act" in 1893 left deep scars in the economy of Colorado for many years to come.
Silver was King in Colorado in the 1880's. Men where making fortunes in mining, railroading and banking industries. Over-extended investments and sometimes sheer extravagance ruled the day.
To shed some light on what led to Colorado's severe Depression in the 1890's the currency system of the United States must be examined.
The US, since the days of George Washington, had based it's system on "bimetallism"...use of both gold and silver in legal coinage.
The Gold Rush to California in 1849 resulted in such large quantities of gold found that the value of gold became less. Previous to this, gold was 16 times more valuable (16x more silver in a silver dollar than gold in a gold dollar).
People began melting down silver dollars and using the silver for other purpose, such as jewelry. In 1873 Congress terminated the making of silver coins and placed the country on a "gold standard".
The great silver strikes of the 80's in the San Juan mountains and in places like Leadville made silver prices fall even further, but the mining of silver continued to be a profitable venture.
In 1890, President Benjamin Harrison agreed to purchase $4.5 million ounces of silver a month. The "Sherman Silver Purchase Act" was passed by Congress and the price of silver shot up from .84 cents to $1.50 an ounce, but it's market value would drop from this high.
This created fear among eastern republican business men and foreign investors that the gold dollar would be replaced by a less valuable silver dollar. Stores and banks began to go out of business and gold became a commodity to be hoarded.
The pay for mine workers continued to decrease and the hours of work became longer. The unrest of miners resulted in strikes that impacted the economy of the state as well as the mining industry.
1893 spelled the end of an era of silver by the repeal of the "Sherman Silver Act". Almost immediately mines and smelters began to shut down in Colorado. Silver prices dropped from .83 cents to .62 cents an ounce in one 4 day period. Banks closed their doors and real estate values plummeted.
The repel of the silver act was felt around the country but not as severely as it was in Colorado. Colorado was producing almost 60% of the nations silver. Thousands of out-of-work miners flooded into Denver swelling its ranks of the unemployed.
Denver was in an economic crisis, and could not continue taking care of the jobless. Railroad offered reduced, and in some cases free, fares out of Denver. Denver's population in 1890 dropped from 106,000 to 90,000 in 1895.
State expenses were soaring with hard winters, agricultural distress in the grasslands and the over expansion of industry.
One bright spot in the economy was the large gold strike in 1891 at Cripple Creek, later called the "world's greatest gold camp".
The passage of the Gold Standard Act in 1900 resulted in a further price drop of silver and the few remaining silver camps in Colorado were given a death blow.
So ended an era, and one that the state would be long in recovering from. But recover it did to become one of the most prosperous states in the union.
...in case you are interested, here are the current gold and silver prices

How to tell if he is interested

How to Date : Does He/She Like Me?
One of the most difficult parts of any relationship is getting it started. You worry about making the right impression, and about being turned down when you finally start getting serious.

Are they Nice in Public?
Anybody can flirt in private. But how does this person treat you in public? Sure, they might be shy. But they should be NICE. If your partner makes jokes about you, or meanly ignores you, that's not good. If someone likes you, they would care about your feelings - *especially* in public.

Ask Questions with Complex Answers
A person who likes you will enjoy talking to you. But some people are shy and not sure how to hold a conversation. Consider it your mission to help them learn! Instead of asking questions that have yes/no answers, ask questions that require a better answer. There are tons of suggestions on this site, thinks like 'if you could have any pet, what would it be? Why?'

Do They Remember your Information?
We all remember things that are important to us. So tell your person about your family, your friends, your favorite bands and TV shows. Then a few days later, bring up one of these things and see if they remember. If they do - that's a sure sign they were paying attention and like you!Note that some people have awful memories naturally and can't help forgetting. So don't test them on the name of your gerbil you had 8 years ago. Go with something a bit easier.

Does He / She Like Me?
Many people are naturally insecure and doubt that they are liked even when it's pretty obvious. If she says hi to you all the time and enjoys talking to you, she likes you. People don't deliberately spend time talking to someone they dislike :) If he waits for you after school to talk to you, he likes you. People often wonder, "does he like me ENOUGH" or "does she like me THAT way?" You have to take a step back and stop thinking in ultimate terms. Accept that he LIKES you. He talks to you, he likes you. She waits for you, she likes you. Relationships always start with friendships. If you're talking, you're friends. If you talk, you are liked. Build on that, build your friendship. Build the time you spend with each other. The more you talk together, the more you spend time together, the closer you'll get.

Does he / she love me?
Love is different to every person, and every person shows it differently. Some people "love" a cute bird on a branch or a cute puppy in a window. Other people only feel ready to say they "love" someone that they are ready to propose to - everyone else is just "seriously like". Some people are clingy and slobbery, while others are quiet and laid back. The easiest way to know if someone loves you is to sit down and talk with the person, and really find out how they feel. Maybe what they call "like" is really what you call "love" and it's just a matter of what you name it.Most people would say love is when the person is ready to make a commitment to you and to have you be an important part of his or her life.

Don’t see your girlfriend everyday
If you’re with a chick and you love her, you want to see her everyday, right? Well sometimes it’s not a good idea. Sometimes if you see her everyday she will get bored of you and lose interest.This also depends on how your chick is. If she’s out going, these apply. If she’s more of a traditional girl that loves her boyfriend then he needs to be there for her for any little thing, then it doesn’t. You usually can tell if she’s traditional by noticing if she’s innocent acting.

Every Person is Different
Every person is different. Some flirt only with people they like. Some flirt with everybody. Some are shy and don't talk a lot with people they like. Others talk their fool heads off. Some twirl their hair because they're bored. Others twirl their hair to flirt.So the answer is there is no secret code. Every person is unique. You need to get to know this person, to know what THEY do when they're happy, when they're sad, when they're interested, when they're bored. The more time you spend with your person, the more you'll understand his or her INDIVIDUAL reactions. Also, the more time you spend with your person, the more you can be sure this person obviously likes you, because the person is choosing to spend time with you and not elsewhere!

How do I tell him I like him?
You don’t want to just walk up to him and say that you like him, because that puts him in a really awkward position, and now he has to say something, even if he’s shy too. You want to *show* him that you like him, by spending time with him, complimenting him, saying he looks nice, wanting to go to a movie with him or out to get something to eat or whatever. Find out what he likes to do and offer to do it with him. He’ll realize that you *do* like him because you’re proving it to him, and he’ll appreciate that much much more than you just saying you do! Have you ever spent time with him before? Start now!

Humor can win her heart
if u need the little extra to get the girl to like u humor is the best way. every1 loves 2 laugh, so if u kno how to make her smile, she's urs. But dont try to hard, if ur clearly not a funny person dont try it, find something else ur good at and use that to help her like u. If that fails accept defeat and move on, it was obviously never meant to be.

Is she really interested?
This is probably one of the oldest questions in the world :) That´s why there are so many love-o-meters and horoscopes out there, to try to figure it out.Really, you have to sit down and be open and honest with your partner. Talk about what you both feel about the relationship. A lot of it depends on how long you´ve been together. If it’s only been a few weeks or months your partner may still be sorting out how he/she feels. After a year or two, though, it should be pretty clear if this is what you both want or not.It all comes down to openness and honesty, and communicating well. Choose a quiet time that you both feel comfortable and able to talk for a while. Be a good listener.

Making Her Like Me
A lot of people ask, "How do I make her (or him) like me?" The answer is, you can´t. You can never make someone else like you, and really, if someone is only with you because they´re forced to, that´s not a relationship that will last. If someone's tricked into being with you, they'll bolt as soon as they can, and you'll be left alone. It's not worth it.If someone *wants* to be with you, it´s because you´re fun to be with. People like to be happy, to have fun, to feel good about themselves. Find out what your loved one enjoys, and learn more about it. Offer to do the things he or she likes doing. Go to a movie. Go walking on the beach. Listen to music.You´ll find that if you have fun together, and your time together is always enjoyable, that the rest will happen naturally.

Talking Together = They Like You
People do NOT talk with people they hate. They don't usually talk with people that they care nothing about! So the only option left is that if you talk to this person, and they talk back to you, that they like you, at least a little! If your question is if they like you ENOUGH, that is quite different. It is up to you to keep working on the connection, to slide them along that scale of like, to get closer to them. Talking is one sure way to get them liking you more and more!

The only way to know for sure is to ask!
Don't just blurt out the question, though. Flirt with them and no one else for a while. (Not just a few hours, a few days or even weeks.) This will make them think that you're interested in them. Once you feel comfortable, go somewhere quiet with them, and talk how you are feeling about them. Be open minded, and don't put your whole self worth into what they say. It may feel awkward around them for a bit if they don't feel the same way, but just act like nothing ever happened. They will probably do the same.

Watch for Signs of Boredom
If someone likes you, they will enjoy being with you. So if the person you're with shows signs of being bored, that's a warning sign. Be sure you don't confuse sleepiness with boredom! Lots of people get too little sleep and end up sleepy when they're in public. Maybe make a joke about the person being sleepy, and see how they respond, if they start having their attention drift.

Why is she interested?
Some of you nice guys out there may be wondering "Why is she interested?". For the most part this applies to the guys out there who are really good listeners but not so good in the relationship/romance department. If she talks to you mostly about her problems—relationship issues, congrats you are actually just a friend she just hasn’t realized it. Yes there could something more. One test would be to hang out and not talk about yourself or your past; but keep her entertained. This will test her to see if she is curious about you.

A drunk Tom Berenger?

Take Care
Posted by Tv Hot Spot Host at 5:04 PM
Without a Trace. I'm so much more into it than L&O now. I had known Anthony LaPaglia was on the show, but other than that, I didn't watch. WAT follows Cold Case, another of my favorite crime drama shows, on Sunday nights, and once I stayed up late and watched it. I'm hooked now. A friend of ours who has worked with Poppy Montgomery, the hot, sassy blonde FBI agent (above), said, "She is one crazy bitch. The craziest actor I've ever worked with, besides a drunk Tom Berenger." I love her even more for that!

What toy does Tom Berenger want for Christmas?

What would Tom Berenger use as a kid?
Sniper BB GunYeah. . .that's what your kid needs! One pump, one shot, one kill. Swift, silent, annoying.
posted by McDick @ 11:38 AM 1 comments

to do miscellaneous

insert your favorite movies at
http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?pending&add=0385400

My new email address is: phowarth@comcast.net Jan Howarth, Editor, Berenger Newsletter


Bearshare:
Survival guide
End times
A distant thunder
A thief in the night
Image of the beast
The prodigal planet
Adrian Rogers
Tim Lahaye
David Jeremiah
John MacArthur
Newsong The Christmas Shoes
The Fourth Wise Man
Christmas Child
Max Lucado
Firedog
Seven Alone
Phillip Yancy

Google:
Control freaks
Strongholds
Approval addiction
Count Pavel Stroganov, 19th century Russian nobleman


Check out new search engine Blinkx
www.christmaslettertips.com has a letter generator


Use blog for backup

www.shawneevalley.org
AD web
See what Babes are saying

http://www.tv.com/nightmares-&-dreamscapes-from-the-stories-of-stephen-king/the-road-virus-heads-north/episode/587071/summary.html A nice long video for those of you, like me, who missed it.Catherine


Start address: South Shore, KY 41175
End address: Flagler Beach, FL
Distance: 812 mi (about 16 hours 21 mins)


Start address: South Shore, KY 41175
End address: Fort Myers, FL
Distance: 1,102 mi (about 20 hours 52 mins)

Story idea - The Christmas Chaperone

If you listen to people’s hurts, you get their attention.

Inaction can be as morally wrong as doing evil.

Only one thing will heal a broken heart. What is it?

Happiness depends upon circumstances. Contentment depends upon . . . what?
Happiness is a feeling, but joy is an attitude.

Secrets better left buried may be blurted out in moments of intimacy.

It takes a major catastrophe to bring about a drastic character personality change, not just a stop-feeling-sorry-for-yourself speech.

Given the Western macho aura, the more difficult, the more love is hindered, the more grand the love is!

Talk doesn’t . . . cook rice. (What else doesn’t talk do?)
. . . clean house . . . do the laundry . . . fix supper

powerful emotions, emotionally moved

a strong emotional impact

struggled with feelings

manufactured feelings

At Christmastime, we generate feelings we feel ought to be there
Create a feeling

Nostalgia
Sentimental
Powerful and pleasant memories

Barn (stable) smells of leather of saddles and buggies, manure and hay, the sound of animals (horses snorting, hooves pawing, striking wooden planks or straw-covered hard packed dirt)
Having to be born in a stable demonstrated poverty and humiliation. It is absurd and nonsense for God to be born in a stable. Disgraced, lying helpless in a feeding trough.
He came from heaven and gave up glory.
Examine in minute detail: the rough and binding swaddling clothes (binding strips holding baby’s arms and legs straight so they cannot move)
Sight dim, low visibility, dark with only a lantern for light
No fireplace or place to get warm except from the heat of the animals’ bodies
Look a little closer
Linger a moment
Stop to picture the scenes: the sights, the sounds, the smells
Outside, people milled everywhere, people long gone returned to their hometown for the census. Shouts of recognition and friendship. Slaps on the back.
Imagine the dark night sky, bright with thousands of stars and the shepherds in the field suddenly and miraculously lit up with the presence of angels, hundreds or thousands of otherworldly beings, praising God.
Now, a fresh start with a new wife and child, Joseph thought. I cannot give Him earthly treasures of gold and silver or a life in the lap of luxury, but I can provide for Him and meet His needs, protect Him, and keep Him safe, and profess my love for Him. My new son.

I have discovered that many religious arguments are caused by a difference in the definition of “church” words – words or phrases, like a slang all their own, used in religious rhetoric. Once even simple, common terms are defined and the definition is mutually agreed upon, differences of opinion often disappear.

If we could only turn back the hands of time . . .

The dichotomy that is December: death and life, rich and poor, the haves and the have-nots, crowded streets and lonely nights, enjoyment and exhaustion, generosity and greediness, being built up only to be let down.

I am not in need of a man to save me. I am strong and I am beautiful from the inside out.

I give you this day. What do you want to do?

More than just a coincidence

He winked at me!

Western man and woman passionately court as their older and romantically cynical friends chaperone. A Christmas miracle of love occurs involving all four.
The world is cynical.

Actions are louder than words.

A key requirement for obedience is trust.
Rebellion comes from a lack of faith – in God, government or one’s spouse.

When you don’t know what to do, do nothing. Even doing nothing is doing something.

Men are expected to figure out life on their own.

Prayer is a priceless point of contact with God.

A man is reluctant to ask for the support he wants and needs.

What do you suppose Jesus would want for His birthday?

A whirlwind of hurry
Singing carolers
Church bells chiming
A flurry of snow
Cinnamon smells
A miraculous birth
Jingling sleigh bells
Lavishly bestow presents

The threat of a scandalous relationship

Everyone needs a miracle
God put a miracle inside every one of us.

A most marvelous gift
The pulsing beat of a human heart

Hopeless is helpless

A precocious six year old

If you can’t alter your circumstances, then control your reaction.

Friendly beasts (born on Christmas – once a year you can talk to the animals)

No sorrow is so great that God’s healing light cannot penetrate even the darkest places of the human heart.

Happy holiday memories? Hah!
Heartbreak

Have you ever felt that no matter how hard you try, it is never enough?

Tongue tied

Bitterness had made her hard
Intimacy issues
Pride
Unbelief
Insecurity
Guilt
Despair
Anger
Bitterness
Unforgiveness
Confusion

A polished appearance can hide a tarnished self-image.

“I am tired of being held captive to a thousand ‘what-if’s’.”

You must choose to forgive.

Honest, humility, grace, submission, obedience.

A rejected lover is confused, overwhelmed and fearful to ever reach out again.

Church is full of hypocrites . . . boring . . . greedy.

Your attitude makes all the difference in your life. A positive outlook can revolutionize your ability to overcome and grow from common challenges such as discouragement, change, problems, fear and failures.

What you believe about yourself today can determine who you become tomorrow.

We crave community and meaning in our lives.

Everybody’s normal until you get to know them.

True enduring love must be cultivated with care.

Why is love so often unattainable?

Words for the Seasons

Words for Spring
Promise
New life
Resurrection
Infant
New growth
Delicate
Fresh
Pink and green
Ham
Warm
Dogwood tree
Rabbit or bunny

Words for Summer
Enjoyment
Youthfulness
Salty sweat
Watermelon
Sleek water
Hot and musky
Red and green
Picnics
Fried chicken
Hot
Weeping willow
Water sports
Sun bathing
baseball

Words for Winter
Death
Old age
Snow ice cream
Snowball barrage
Crisp
Bluish white
Cold
Pine
Bear
Snow sports
Ice skating
skiing

Words for Fall
Fulfillment
Harvest
Maturity
Falling leaves
Wet and musty
Red and gold
Pumpkin
Turkey
Cooler temperatures
Oak tree
Squirrels
hunting
Hoedown
Horse-drawn wagon
Court day
Courtin’ days
Church bazaar, fall or autumn bazaar
Folkstories
Laughter
Ghost stories or tales
Skeleton’s lair
Creepy
Haunted woods
Tall takes
Hayride
Halloween
All hallows’ eve
Haunted trail or mine
Spook (s) (y) (ed)
Ghost walk
Pennyrile or pennyroyal
Autumn
Harvest
Fantasy forest or woods
Horrors
Pig roast
Pumpkin patch
Murder mystery
Masquerade ball
Apples
Solace
Hankering
Dollmaker
Carved wooden chain
Heritage days
Trick or treat
Howl o ween
Aging gracefully
Host
Dungeon
Haunted
Goblins
Friendly and forgiving

story idea - TREASURES

Protag in search of a treasure, keeps meeting people with the attributes listed below only to discover they were the treasures he was seeking.

Treasures: purity, courage, humility, sincerety, devotion, integrity, selflessness, resiliency, generosity

story titles

The Last Resort
Milestones and Millstones
Shattered Dreams
Ransomed Heart
Shattered Vision
Drawing Near
An Unlikely Angel
The Hidden Smile

Story Ideas

Subtlety is lost on a man. They do not understand subtle hints. Be direct and get him in the mood, and above all, be honest. A man may seem impervious to what you want but most men can remember what you don’t want. Ask him what he’s thinking about getting you so you have a chance to kill really bad ideas.

Gossip
A tale of derring do (daring do?)
Building an empire is a dirty job but somebody has to do it.

When we leave this world, will our life resemble the imprinted impression of a hand or foot in sand or in cement?

“hold my sign” comedy routine
fads
saving lives can be terribly inconvenient.
One man’s anger feeds another’s.

The six stages of manhood and male development are beloved son, cowboy, warrior, lover, king, and sage.

He fell short as often as he stood tall
There is a universal longing for a “plot” in all of life.
Dare to be the man God created you to be – passionate, adventurous and free.
Actively pursue your dreams.
Dare to walk the road less traveled.
When you were a little girl, did you dream of being swept away into a great adventure? Rescued by a dashing hero? Or perhaps rescuing him?

Gabriel’s Message – bedridden after a fall, a curmudgeon “old” woman recalls her youthful forbidden romance and learns to see Christmas in a different light.
You spend a third of your life in bed.
Perhaps reminiscing while trapped somewhere? Snowbound in home? Vehicle? Cell phone? Gas? Fell down basement stairs?

What do you suppose God would want for Christmas?
In 1908, Gerhard Lang printed the first Advent calendar. His mother had helped him count the days using cookies.

A web of betrayal
A Judas kiss
Sherlock Holmes – “Sheerluck”
A painful secret
Charity begins at home. That means love, not just giving.
That’s not simply good stewardship but a loving attitude, unconditional.
Bedroom intimacies

5 love languages: words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, acts of service, physical touching.
Enhance the emotional climate of a long-standing marriage relationship

What secrets does your man keep? How does he feel about work, commitment, control, failure, sex, intimacy and communication? What are his private needs, motivations, frustrations?

Today’s media bombards men with sexual images and temptations, so it’s no wonder that “sexual addiction” is on the rise and every man’s battle.

Prayer, humility, self-control, sacrifice, submission, solitude, silence, hope
Sacred Romance – a prayer changed everything
Impeccable timing
Intense moments
Intimate moments
Same kind of different as me
The unvarnished truth may be hard to believe.
anxious for nothing
Has doing good just about done you in?

Each of us is born with an inconsolable longing. Some try to fill this empty space inside with pleasure, worldly accomplishments or material goods. The only lasting fulfillment of our desire is God.

Tell about money you wish you hadn’t spent.
Tell about a relationship you should have avoided.
Tell about a job you’d like to forget.

Guilt, anger, greed and jealousy are chronic problems that can cause you to miss out on the best in life.
Reason and emotion affect your will.
Habits and personal discipline play an important part in successful living.

We’ve all been hurt by someone who matters to us. You need to uncover your grievance story, eliminate unresolved anger and forgive – for good.

Timeline

The greatest inventions disappear from view because they become an integral part of the environment. Because we adapt to our environment, the greatest inventions end up inventing us.

On June 27, 1844, Joseph Smith, the founder and leader of the Mormon religion, is murdered along with his brother Hyrum when an anti-Mormon mob breaks into a jail where they are being held in Carthage, IL.

Brunswick Corp. began life in 1845 as one of America’s first manufacturers of high-quality tables for playing pocket billiards, then an entertainment enjoyed exclusively by the upper class.

On June 30, 1859, Jean-Francois Gravelet, a Frenchman known as “The Great Blondin,” becomes the first dare-devil to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope. He later did tightrope walks across the falls blindfolded, with his manager on his back, sitting down midway to cook an omelet, and pushing a wheelbarrow across while dressed as an ape.

On July 2, 1881, just months into his administration, President James Garfield is shot and mortally wounded by a disgruntled office-seeker as he walks through a railroad waiting room in Washington, DC. Garfield died 80 days later of blood poisoning.

Alphonse Bertillon (1853-1914) was the French inventor of the complicated system of measurement then used for identification of criminals and is often also credited with the invention of fingerprinting. NOT SO! Sir Francis Galton, the English physiologist, anthropologist, and psychologist, invented – or discovered – modern fingerprinting techniques about 1880. Bertillon, as a matter of fact, did not think much of fingerprinting as a positive means of identification; after Galton’s discovery, he adopted it only reluctantly, and even limited it to certain classes of individuals, notably women and children.

The 985-foot Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 for the International Exposition. It symbolizes Paris. Made almost entirely of open-lattice wrought iron and erected in only two years with a small labor force, the tower – Paris’ tallest structure – demonstrated advances in construction techniques but some initially criticized it as unaesthetic. When the Eiffel tower was built, sixteen 800-ton hydraulic jacks were used to position its base. Once it was in place, the jacks were removed as the solid masonry foundation was established. And this was in 1889.

story idea

Castle History > The Ghost
On the 25th September 1570 it was recorded that the Lady Marion Carruthers "did willfully take her own life by leaping from the lookout tower of Comlongon Castle" where she was being held captive and did "break her head and bones". Subsequently it was noticed that no grass would grow on the spot where she fell and an apparition of a young lady was often seen in and around the castle usually crying.
The events which lead up to her death began when her father, Sir Simon Carruthers, Baron of Mouswald Castle some four miles away from here, was persuaded to leave his estate to his two daughters Marion and Janet since he had no son. The powerful Douglas family of Drumlanrig had designs on the estate and Sir James Douglas obtained consent to marry Marion and thus get her part of it. However another local Baron, Lord Maxwell of nearby Caerlaverock Castle, took and occupied Mouswald Castle hoping to thwart the Douglas claim. They however contested his right to occupy the Castle stating that they had prior rights by way of a marriage contract.
The case was settled by Privy Council in 1563 when Marion was ordered into the wardenship of Borthwick Castle and told not to try to return home until the marriage was settled. However she did escape and sought sanctuary in Comlongon Castle, owned by her uncle, Sir William Murray, and shortly after gave over half of her dowry to him, hoping this would persuade James Douglas not to enforce the marriage contract. However he was not to be dissuaded and instead sued through the courts for his 'just inheritance' i.e. Marion's estate, and he won the case. Marion was ordered to surrender herself to James.
Possibly distressed to the point of madness after such a long battle to avoid marriage she threw herself from the battlements or so it was said. However, long after her death rumours began which suggested that some of Douglas's men gained access to her chamber and tossed her from the battlements. Thus James Douglas was able to obtain her half of the Mouswald Estate without having to marry her.
Because suicide was suspected at the time poor Marion was not given a proper Christian burial and so it is believed that she haunts the castle forever looking for a proper resting place.
Castle History > Castle Life
The practice of kidnapping individuals and demanding ransom, 'the black meal' (blackmail) was a widespread activity in the Border region, generating a vast amount of wealth for the families individually engaged in such activity.
Most strongholds in the region employed groups of mercenaries known as reivers (or Raiders). These highly motivated soldiers would organise bloody Border raids to loot and kidnap, indeed to be visited by such a raiding party coined the phrase, to be bereaved. Once an individual was taken, he was dragged back to the castle, shackled and lowered through the hatch to the pit below and sealed (the shackles can still be seen on the wall of the guard room today).
This left the unfortunate soul trapped in a foul smelling, soundproof, pitch black dungeon, confined until a ransom was agreed to be paid. Starved if necessary, the prisoner was eventually dragged from the pit and placed in the next room, the pledge chamber. The exact terms of the pledge, or ransom, was carefully negotiated and written in the form of a contract, witnessed and signed. From then on the treatment greatly improved, achieving the status of an honoured guest under arrest, evidenced by the en-suite facilities provided (the Garderobe).
Ransoms at this time were usually paid in the form of sheep or cattle, resulting in certain families amassing considerable fortunes and creating some of the most powerful and influential families in the borders. Once the ransom arrived at the castle, the prisoner was released to return home to his family.
Continuing up the main staircase gains access to the upper floors, above the Great Hall is a large open plan room, a solar, where the lairds family would sleep in a dormitory style room, hence the need for curtains around four poster beds. This room in the 16th century was subdivided into segregated sleeping arrangements. Above the solar chamber was the servants quarters known as the "windy hall", presumably this level was unglazed. The staircase then terminates at the battlements which run completely around the castle, encompassing parapets, murder holes, garrets, watch towers and guard house. It is believed that the barracks could contain up to 20 mercenaries. This level has been greatly altered over the centuries, originally being constructed from wood.
It is clear that preconceptions about life in a castle often cloud perceptions. Far from the bare draughty structures imagined, these buildings were warm pleasant, often luxurious places. When one remembers the owners of such castles were by modern day standards multi-millionaires, it is quite conceivable every comfort available at the time would be utilised to increase living standards, and as such, for those within the castle the surroundings would have been most pleasant.

story idea

Simon Phillips
Married
Affair
Desires
seduction
Lusty passion
Breaks it off (too serious)
7 years later
he is complex and sophisticated, and sometimes emboldened.
He has an innate sense of personal style.
dark path
near-miss car wreck
headlights blinded
hanging on a tree
fainted
compassion
hand holding
pine away
divorced
nightmares
traumatic stress syndrome
shadows, shadowing, shadowy
dimly lit room
under the shadows
his ruin, ruination
delivered up to death
go down to the grave
the river
torrential downpour
troubles
strange house at night
clock ticking
creaks and groans
wood walls and ceiling, siding popping, roof
strangers mourning a shroud
foul reddish brown water (blood)
stars and moon cloud covered and dark
darkened room
terrible destruction
horribly afraid
tremble
graves
fear for your life
desolate
lament
wail
cast down
nether parts of the earth and the pit
terror
bear your shame
weapons
the land of the living
iniquities
you shall be broken and ashamed
wicked, evil
blood required at judgment
a warning from your wicked ways
the hand of God fell upon me
great abominations
provoked to jealousy
ill-fated love
betrayal
his demise
weeping
loathsome
detestable sexual practices done in the dark
violence
provike to anger and fury
shall neither spare nor have pity
loud crying
slaughter of the guilty
weapon of slaughter
smitten
slay and destroy
full of blood
perverseness
God will recompense

Grace and Bliss

True grace is shocking and scandalous. It shakes our conventions with its insistence on reaching out to sinners with mercy and hope. It forgives the unfaithful spouse, the racist, the child abuser. It loves today’s AIDS patient as much as the tax collector of Jesus’ day. Only grace can bring hope and transformation to a jaded world that understands cruelty and unforgiveness but knows nothing about mercy.

Jenkins Lloyd Jones said, “Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he’s been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are most often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey . . . . delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas, and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”

Since Eve ate the apple first does that mean from now on she’s in charge of cooking?

Do your material possessions own you? Spend your time caring for them? Have you made idols of your earthly treasures? Are you so attached to your belongings (your “stuff”) that you will not accept the offer of true riches – your treasure is where your heart is – heavenly wealth?
Peace that is rooted in good situations or relationships is not really peace at all. It is a brittle kind of harmony between yourself and the world. It crumbles easily when situations or relationships turn bad.

Time dragging? Slower rotation lengthens days.

Researchers who studied ancient Chinese chronicles of solar eclipses found that a day is now seven hundredths of a second longer than it was nearly 4,000 years ago because the Earth is spinning more slowly. The length of a day “just keeps getting longer and longer,” said Kevin Pang, who conducted the study as an astronomer at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Just as a spinning ice skater slows down by extending her arms, Earth’s rotation on its axis slows as tidal interactions make the moon orbit Earth more quickly and become more distant from it, he said Wednesday. “Four billion years ago, the moon was only one-third as far away as it is now, and the day was only eight hours long at the time,” said Pang, whose study will be published soon in the British journal Vistas in Astronomy. A day was seven hundredths of a second shorter in 1876 B.C.

(Note: this article was probably from prior to 1995.)

Writing Techniques

Secrets better left buried may be blurted out in moments of intimacy. The full revelation of a secret in “male” film usually begins or proclaims the restoration of order. The patient agrees to treatment. The innocent are exonerated and the guilty are punished. The necessity of confession, the means through which we gladly submit to power, is wholeheartedly endorsed.

It takes a major catastrophe to bring about a drastic character personality change, not just a stop-feeling-sorry-for-yourself speech.

If you use a Foreword you probably should use an Afterword.

Sacred cows make great hamburger.

A brutal, murderous man will never be transformed into a gentle lover. You must write realizing the reality of male hostility towards women. Patriarchy detests and fears matriarchy.

The need of women to find meaning and pleasure in activities not wholly male-centered such as work or artistic creation is generally scoffed at.

The classic male film narrative has maximum action and minimum, always pertinent, dialogue, speeding its way to the restoration of order. The climax functions to resolve difficulties.
In soap operas, there is always time for a person to consider a remark’s ramifications, time to speak and listen lavishly. Actions and climaxes are of secondary importance. The mini-climaxes introduce difficulties and complicate character’s lives.

Soap themes include blackmail, major surgery, dying, kidnappings, going mad, extramarital affairs, losing their memory, or unwanted pregnancies.

If you’re ever at a loss for how to get two people together in your story, remember that it takes a wedding or a funeral to reunite scattered families. Also, catastrophes provide convenient occasions for people to come together, confront one another, and explore intense emotions. Immobilization, for example hospitals and waiting rooms, force people to take time to talk to others and to listen.

Given the Western macho aura, the more difficult, the more love is hindered, the more grand the love is! Create characters people can identify and sympathize with.

Criminology and ways to die

What is the maximum height from which an average adult could fall into a body of water and still have a reasonable chance of surviving the accident? At the pinnacle may be the La Quebrada cliff-divers near Acapulco, who dive about 135 feet into the sea (actually, an inlet only 12 feet deep and 21 feet wide) every day. However, they are anything but average! Evan a much lower fall could easily cause a fatal injury, depending on how one hits the water (as well as what the water hides, for example, rocks). People have broken their necks and died from falls onto concrete of 3 feet or less.

If you see a twinkle in their eye, you can trust but verify.

First witness, first suspect.

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

personality attributes

confident
elegant
no-fuss
natural
approachable
progressive
playful
flirtatious
romantic
expressive
sensual
dramatic
creative
attention-getting
tasteful
understated
practical
chic
sexy
poised
seductive
dynamic
statement-making
spontaneous
experimental
easy-going
classic
tailored
polished
innovative
unconventional
unique
contemporary
individualistic
eclectic

genealogy research

www.ancestry.com requires membership for more information
www.rootsweb.com
www.ohiohistory.org
www.ogs.org (Ohio Genealogical Society) requires membership
www.sciotocountyohio.com (history, not genealogy)
www.portsmouth.lib.oh.us/lclhist.html Portsmouth Public Library historical department
www.politicalgraveyard.com/geo/OH/SC.html politicians

Meth Addiction

Methamphetamine is an overwhelming epidemic and is linked to child neglect and abuse, including violent behavior and sexual violence. Users are from white, working class families in rural or suburban communities.

Only after addiction is out of control are symptoms often recognized. With early intervention, meth addiction is highly treatable although it requires months, not weeks.

A single hit of meth produces a powerful euphoria – as intense as cocaine but longer lasting. It makes you feel invincible, powerful, energetic, happy. It soon becomes all you want and you’ll do anything (sex acts, stealing) to get it. You’ll give up your morals. You will lie and sneak around, and lose all your friends. Many die before they can ask for help.

Some symptoms that show up first and should be seen as red flags are:
changes in sleeping patterns, such as staying up very late and displaying atypical energy.
Unreliability, such as skipping school or work, and breaking promises.
Abrupt changes in relationships, such as old friends are often replaced with a new group who are into drugs.
Motor mouth, rapid obsessive speech, agitation and fidgeting.
Irritability
Weight loss

Meth causes an increase in domestic violence against children and spouses.

You may smoke meth first, then towards the end ingest it. You will probably become paranoid, violent and threaten anyone and everyone. You lose weight and babble incoherently, although you think you’re a brilliant intellectual. You don’t know what is real and what isn’t.

You need help to get into treatment and transitional housing.

The principal ingredient in illicit meth is pseudoephedrine, found in Sudafed and other OTC cold medicines, and antihistamines. It used to be cooked by mom and pop labs but today 80% is smuggled into the US by Mexican drug gangs. The potency of imported crystal meth is twice that of home-cooked meth.

Meth-related crime breeds a new class of criminal – ID theft, prostitution and violent felonies (robberies, etc.), stealing stuff (cars) to take to chop shops.

You will end up in prison or dead if you don’t stop.

story starters

Turn the tables. Write about a male character who is unbelievably naïve, passive and confused versus a woman’s strength and intelligence

Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder, but most people will agree that certain women are beautiful. What facial features constitute female beauty? Studies indicate that a somewhat high forehead, large eyes, a smallish nose and chin, prominent cheekbones and full lips are close to the ideal for women, as judged by men.

Salt tastes good, creates thirst, and heals uniquely.

Evil is marketed by radicals, elitists, and pseudo-experts by selling us corruption disguised as freedom.

“A gift-giving virtue is the highest virtue.” Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra

They are so busy singing “I am so happy with Jesus” that they don’t know is Jesus is happy with them.

The biggest insult

Spitting in someone's face is not trash-talking. There's no bigger insult.

That's why Hollywood shows it as the ultimate act of hostility and contempt.

Think Gerald McRaney's villainous mining magnate spitting into the mug of William Sanderson on HBO's Deadwood— then forbidding him to wipe the spittle from his face.

Or Tom Berenger spitting on Charlie Sheen in Platoon.

Or the aptly named revenge film I Spit on Your Grave.

good looks or good acting?

Thursday, December 14, 2006
Leo sports serious stubbleJim Keogh Film Clipshttp://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061214/COLUMN16/612140430/1102
I was chatting with a friend the other day about “Blood Diamond,” and remarked about how good Leonardo DiCaprio is in just about everything he does these days. “Yeah,” she said, “and he’s got the three-day growth on his face to prove it.” True enough. Actors like DiCaprio who are known first for their face and then for their thespianism do seem to enjoy grunging things up a bit. A little facial hair, a well-placed scar or two, can be a wonderful tool for bestowing instant credibility on the cosmetically endowed.
Think about it: No Major League pitcher ever throws a pristine baseball during the course of a game. The balls are scuffed with dirt even before the hurler gets them, because a beautiful ball doesn’t necessarily translate into a successful pitch. Same with an actor or an actress’ face. Early in their careers they can be so stunning, so flawless, that their appearance is almost a distraction. The performers play on their looks for awhile, until that gets boring, and then they decide to go slumming in the land of, well, us. DiCaprio wants to play a ruthless mercenary-turned-diamond smuggler in “Blood Diamond”? There is no template for what one of these guys looks like, but it’s a safe bet the chances of one looking like fresh-faced Leonardo DiCaprio are slimmer than Kevin Federline’s record sales. So he goes with the beard. Yes, he’s still Leo under the hair, but at least with the whiskers he’s a little older, a little wiser, a little tougher Leo. The same goes for his hirsute undercover cop in “The Departed.” From the goatee springs gravitas. Never discount the aura of the altered appearance. Tom Cruise made his name with his smile and jaunty attitude in movies like “Top Gun” and “Risky Business,” and earned attention for his performances in “The Color of Money” and “Rainman,” which were heavier lifting acting-wise yet still required a dose of Cruise flash. Casting Cruise in the role of paraplegic Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic in “Born on the Fourth of July” took guts. He’d be acting from a wheelchair, which restrained his famous physicality, and would spend most of the film with straggly hair and beard. The role was sheer anti-glamour, and despite pre-release doubts from the Hollywood buzzmeisters Cruise nailed the part, earning an Academy Award nomination and establishing himself as a “serious” actor, thanks largely to his departure from the very elements that had made him successful. Brad Pitt rebelled against his looks shortly after staking his claim to stardom in “Thelma & Louise” in 1991. By 1993 he was playing a lank-haired serial killer in “Kalifornia” and grungy doper in “True Lies.” Pitt has swung back and forth ever since, going practically unrecognizable as the mental patient in “Twelve Monkeys” then brandishing his six-pack abs in movies like “Fight Club” and “Troy”. (It’s rumored Pitt’s stomach muscles not only are an enviable attribute but actually have healing powers.) There’s an unspoken rule that if people are coming to a movie to see a famous actor acting famous, you’d better not rob them of that gift. When John Travolta insisted on starring in his vanity project, L. Ron Hubbard’s “Battlefield Earth,” he covered himself in dreadlocks, and sported a mouthful of mossy teeth and a forehead the size of an IMAX movie screen. Jim Carrey, whose facial manipulations are his stock in trade, was entirely obscured beneath a green fuzz and yellow contact lenses in “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.” Cruise spent much of “Vanilla Sky” with his face either disfigured or hidden behind a ghoulish mask. While none of the above is technically fan-friendly behavior, actors know that taking risks with their appearance is, ironically, the best way to get recognized for awards. It worked for Charlize Theron, who completely transformed her supermodel good looks to play serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Freed from the expectations of her appearance, Theron delivered a raw, uninhibited performance that brought her an Academy Award, and, just as important, made her a legitimate candidate for other earthy roles, like the whistle-blowing miner in “North Country.” Tom Berenger was once relegated to pretty boy status (remember him as the Tom Selleck-like TV actor in “The Big Chill”) before Oliver Stone in 1986 gave him a face of crisscrossing scars to play eternal warrior Sgt. Barnes in “Platoon.” Berenger was great in the role and was nominated for best supporting actor. We will accept our stars’ straying off the ranch now and then to prove their mettle on the big stage, but with limitations. Let’s be honest: Movie tickets get bought, entertainment programs are watched and tabloids are pored over in supermarket checkout lines because actors typically look different from us; they represent a fantasy life. If we want to see real life, we’d look in the mirror.

Old Medical Terms

Ablepsia - Blindness
African Consumption - Tuberculosis
Ansasrca - Generalized Dropsy
Ague -Recurring fever & chills of Malaria
Angina Pectoris - Paroxysms with severe pain in lower chest, feeling of suffocation
Apoplexy - Stroke
Bad Blood - Syphilis
Bethlehemite - Mentally ill person
Bilious fever - Fever, liver disorder the cause
Black Death - typhus
Black Lung - From breathing coal dust
Black Plague - Bubonic Plague
Black Pox - Smallpox
Bloody Flux - Dysentery
Brain Fever - Meningitis
Bright's Disease - Kidney Inflammation
Bronze John - Yellow Fever
Camp Fever - Typhus
Canine Madness - Hydrophobia (Rabies)
Catarrh - (1) Inflammation of Mucous Membrane or (2) Cerebral Hemorrhage (Apoplexy)
Cerebritis - Inflammation of the Brain
Childbed Fever- Infection following Childbirth
Chin Cough - Whooping cough
Cholera - Acute severe contagious diarrhea with bleeding
Chorea - St. Vitus Dance
Commotion - Concussion
Congestive Chill - Accumulation of the blood in the blood vessels
Congestive Fever - Malaria
Consuption - Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Corruption - Infection
Coryza - Cold
Cramp Colic - Appendicitis
Day Fever - sweating sickness
Debilitas - Weakness of the Body
Devonshire Colic - Exposure to lead
Dropsy - Edema caused by kidney or heart disease
Dysentery - Inflammation of intestinal mucous membrane
Dyspepsia - Acid Indigestion
Enteric Fever - Typhoid Fever
Enteritis - Intestinal inflammation
Extravasated blood - Ruptured blood vessel
Falling Sickness - Epilepsy
Fits - Convulsions
Flus of Humour - Circulation
Flux - Fluid discharge; diarrhea or hemorrhage
French Disease - Syphilis
French Pox - Venereal Disease
Galloping Consumption - Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Glandular Fever - Mononucleosis
Great Pox - Syphilis
Green Sickness - Anemia
Grippe - Influenza
Hallucination - Delirium
Hematuria - Bloody urine
Hemiplegy - Paralysis of the body
Hip Gout - Osteomyelitis
Hydrophobia - Rabies
Hydrothroax - Dropsy in the chest
Ictus Solis - Sunstroke
Impedigo - Contagious skin disease
Infantile Paralysis - Polio
Jail Fever - Typhus
Jaundice - (Yellow skin) condition caused by intestinal blockage
King's Evil - Scrofula; Tuberculosis characterized by a swelling of the neck glands
La Grippe - Flu
Lockjaw - Tetanus affecting the muscles of the neck and jaw
Lues Venera - Venereal Disease
Lumbago - Pain in lower back, hip, or thigh: Sciatica
Lung fever - Pneumonia
Lung Sickness - Tuberculosis
Mania - Insanity
Mirasmus - Emaciation
Milk Leg - Inflammation of leg
Morbus - Disease
Morfew - Scurvy Blisters on the body
Mormal - Gangrene
Mortification - Infection
Necrosis - Motification of bones or tissue
Nephrosis - Kidney degeneration
Nostalgia - Homesickness
Painter's Colic - Exposure to lead
Paroxysm - Convulsion
Petechial Fever - Fever with skin spotting
Phthisis - Pulmonary Consumption
Pleurisy - Inflammation of Lung
Pox - Syphilis
Puerperal Exhaustion - Death due to child birth
Puerperal Fever - Infection following childbirth
Putrid Fever - Diphtheria
Quinsey - Tonsillitis
Remitting Fever - Malaria
Sanguinous Crust - Scab
Scirrhus - Cancerous Tumors
Scorbutus - Lack of Vitamin C
Screws - Rheumatism
Scrofula - (see King's Evil)
Scrumpox - Impetigo
Senile Gangrene - Hardening of the Arteries
Ship's Fever - Typhus
Sloes - Milk Sickness
Sore Throat Distemper - Quinsey
St. Anthony's Fire - Skin Infection
St. Vitus' Dance - Nervous Twitches
Tetanus - Lockjaw
Thrombosis - Blood clot in a blood vessel
Thrush - Childhood disease with spots on the mouth, lips and throat
Tick Fever - Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Trench mouth - Ulcers along the gumline from poor nutrition or hygiene
Tussis Convulsiva - Whooping Cough
Typhus - Infectious Fever
Ulcus - Ulcer
Variola - Smallpox
Venesection - Bleeding
Water on the Brain - Hydrocephalus, Elarged head or maybe Downs Syndrome
White Swelling - Tuberculosis of the Bone
Whitlow - Boil
Winter Fever - Pneumonia
Womb Fever - Infection of the Uterus
Yellow Jacket - Yellow Fever
Yellow Landers - Jaundice

Old Genealogy Terms

AB INITIO - (Latin) A reference to the beginning of like a deed, estate or marriage
AB INTESTATE - (Latin) Receiving an inheritance from someone who died without a will
ABUTTAL - a common boundary (the meeting of two properties)
ACCOMODATION – An allotment of land to a family
AD HOC - (Latin) For a special purpose or reason
ADMEASURE – The division of ones inherited shares of a dower, estate, property, money or other
ADMEASUREMENT of DOWER – The adjusting of a dower (Giving the full share back to the child heir rather than what was set aside for a guardian)
ADMINISTRATION – The settling of an estate (This can be with or without a will)
ADMINISTRATOR – Person appointed to oversee the settlement of the estate by will or appointment by a judge.
AD VERBATIM – (Latin) As written or in full
ADVERSE POSSESION – The actual possession of a property by a person not having title
AFFIDAVIT - A sworn statement while under oath
AGE of CONSENT - Age at which you can marry without parental consent, it varied by state
AGE of MAJORITY – More a sign of maturity rather than age, when one could handle their own affairs
ANCESTORS – Who you are descended from in a direct line
ANNO DOMINI - (Latin) The year of our Lord, the start of many legal documents showing an honor or respect for God
APPRAISAL – The valuation of the goods owned by a deceased person normally ordered by a court regardless of the person leaving a will for the final sale of all property
ATTEST – The certification or affirmation of something
BAILIWICK – The authority or district of a bailiff (The area of his jurisdiction
BASTARD – Illegitimate child one born out of wedlock
BECK – (Old English) – Small brook or creek
BEQUEST – A gift or inheritance given in a will
BINDING OUT – In Colonial America churchwardens, government officials and guardians were able to bind out or contract into servitude an individual. Many times it was a young person who worked in return for learning a trade.
BIRTHRIGHT – The practice of giving the first born male child a double share of the inheritance, a custom brought over from Europe and continued in America until the Civil War
BONA – (Latin) Meaning in good faith
BOND – An agreement or promise to which one is bound
BONDMAID – A female slave
BONDMAN – A male slave
BOND SERVANT – Simply an indentured servant
BONDSMAN – A person liable for payment to the court if a defendant does not appear for a hearing
BOUND OUT – (See BINDING OUT)
BURGESS – (Colonial America) The first governing body formed a Jamestown
CANNON LAW – Laws of the church
Carte de Visite - A type of photograph, normally an albumen print popular between 1860 -1880
CERTIFIED COPY – A true copy of an original certified or verified to be an exact duplicate
CHATTELS – A term for personal property slaves and livestock were considered chattels
CHILD of TENDER YEARS – usually a child less than 14 years of age
CHRISTIAN NAME – A given name, other than ones last name
CHRISTENING – The Baptism of an infant or small child
CHRISTYDE – The coming of the new year
CHURCH WARDEN – An unpaid member of the Vestry or assistant to a pastor much like a church elder of today
CIRCA – (Latin) An approximate date or year
CIVIL WAR – War of the rebellion 1861-1865
COAL OIL – Kerosene or lamp oil, previously distilled from mineral wax, often used for medicinal purposes such as swabbing inflamed tonsils
COAT of ARMS – A shield containing symbols and emblems, contrary to popular belief it was bestowed or granted to an individual not a family, it was passed to direct descendants and each generation would add or modify it slightly thereby identifying that generation of a family
CODICIL – An addition to a will, usually included at the end of the will when the maker of the will has changed his mind about his last wishes, many times a child or relative would have what was given in the main body of the will taken away
COLLATERAL LINES – Descent from the same common ancestor, but a different line like an aunt, uncle or cousin
COMMON LAW MARRIAGE – Two people presenting themselves as man and wife without a civil or religious ceremony
CONFEDERACY – Southern States that seceded from the Union 1861-1865
CONSORT – A term describing a spouse commonly referring to a female, it could be a male if the female had a higher title. Example: Prince Albert Consort of Queen Victoria
CONVEY – To give or transfer title of property to another
DAGUERREOTYPE – A photographic process invented by L.M. Daguerre
DE ANNO IN ANNUM (Latin) – From Year to Year
DECEASED – Someone who has died
DEED POLE – A deed made only by one person
DE FACTO (Latin) – Meaning in fact
DEGREE OF CONSANGUINITY – The degree of blood relationship used to determine a right of inheritance in a court
DE JURE (Latin) – By right …the legal accomplishment of something
DESCENDANT- Anyone to whom you are an ancestor…children, grandchildren etc.
DEVISE – A gift of real property via a will
DEVISEE – A person receiving property
DEVISOR – A person giving property
DIRECT LINE – A line of decent through individuals who are related
DIRK – A straight knife with a handle
DIVINATION – The act of foretelling the future by divine powers
DOUBLE TREE - Equalizing bar for horses
DOWER – Provision made by right of law or by will for the wife to receive one third of an estate
DOWER RIGHT – The right of a wife to one third of all assets…A deed often required the wife to give up or relinquish freely any claim or title she might have
DOWRY – Any type of property real, or personal brought by a bride to her husband by their marriage
ESTATE – The whole of ones property all assets
EXECUTOR – A person appointed by the maker of a will to carry out his wishes when he dies
EXECUTRIX – A female executor of a will
EX FACTO (Latin) given by deed
EXTANT – A state of existence not missing or destroyed
FAILURE OF ISSUE – In a will or deed in the event there are no children born or that survive the deceased the property or assets are conveyed to another party
FAN – Drive the chaff from a crop by a current of air
FEE SIMPLE – A non conditional inheritance, a complete inheritance with no stipulations
FLAIL OR FLAILED – Hand thresh with a wooden handle with a shorter stick attached
FREE MAN OF COLOR – A black man who was born free or became free later in life
FULL AGE – The age of majority when one reached legal age, it varied by state and by circumstance
GLEBE LANDS – (COLONIAL AMERICA) Lands set aside by the English Crown strictly for the use and benefit of a church
GOODS and CHATTELS – Personal property before the Civil War both slaves and livestock were personal property
GOODY – Housewife or old woman
GRANGE – A small farm community or even a farmhouse
GRASS WIDOW – Unmarried woman usually with children who lived with one or more men
GUARDIAN – A person appointed by the court to care for someone who was not capable of caring for themselves
HEADRIGHT – (COLONIAL AMERICA) The right to a certain number of acres (usually 50) guaranteed in advance to the male head of a family for settling a new territory
HEAD TAX – A Poll tax or tax on the person
HEIR – A person who inherits by the conditions of a will or by the right of law
HIGH SHERRIFF – The highest ranking sheriff in an area such as a county sheriff
HIDE – (OLD ENGLISH) A measure of land from 60 to 120 acres
HOLOGRAPHIC WILL – One written by hand in the persons own writing and bearing the signature of the maker
HUNDRED – (COLONIAL AMERICA/ OLD ENGLISH) A term referring to and administrative or military district Smythe’s Hundred was an area rather than a hundred people
INDENTURE – A contract where a person is bound over for service (often young men were indentured to learn a trade)
INDENTURED SERVANT – The person bound over for service, it also was used to mean a person who sold their self into labor for passage to another country
INDIDEM (Latin) – meaning to come from the same place or thing
INATION – Death by starvation
INTESTATE – Dying without leaving a will
INTERMARRIED – To be related or connected to another by marriage
ILLEGITIMATE – A child born out of wedlock
INVENTORY – A list of goods belonging to the estate of a deceased person
ISSUE – Descendants of a common ancestor (offspring or children)
ITEM – A term meaning the start of a new paragraph or wish of the maker (many times numbered Item 1)
JOIN TOGETHER – Common term for a marriage
JUDGEMENT – The final decision or ruling of a judge or court
KEELER – A small wooden vessel to hold milk
KINDRED – A group that are blood relatives
KITH and KIN (OLD ENGLISH) Meaning friends and neighbors
LATE or OF LATE – Reference to a person who had recently died
LEGACY – Typically a gift of money left by a deceased to someone
LETTERS of TESTAMENT – A document issued by a court in a probate proceeding giving authority of the executor to perform his duties outlined in the will
LEVY – A poll or capitalization tax
LIEN – A claim for the property or goods belonging to another to secure the payment of a debt or obligation
LIFE ESTATE – Besides a dower many times a widow was given a life estate or commonly referenced as lending to the wife certain property for her natural life many times with the clause or stipulation that she would not remarry
LINE of CONSANGUINITY – Direct line descended from one another, grandfather, father, son
LOOSE PAPERS – Original papers supporting a court record
LOYALIST – (COLONIAL AMERICA) A Tory one loyal to England
MAJORITY – Age at which one is no longer a minor
MARRIAGE BOND – A document to secure the performance of an intended marriage
MARK – (ENGLISH CURRENCY) Three marks equaled two pounds
MATERNAL LINE – Line traced thru the mothers ancestry
MILITIA – Citizen soldiers an army formed by common people
MINISTERS RETURN - The written record of marriages performed by a minister normally given to the court clerk to make a permanent record
MORTALITY SCHEDULES – A list of deaths that occurred in the year prior to the Census kept from 1850-1880. It also contained foot notes describing the various diseases or epidemics for a county in that year
MULATTO – The offspring of a white person and a black although it could mean any mix of races even Indians
MUSTER OUT – A legitimate discharge from military service
NECROLOGY – List of obituaries or records of deaths
NEE – Normally refers to a woman’s maiden name, born as
NUNCUPATIVE WILL – An oral will given in the hours before their death, with at least two witnesses and written on paper soon after
NOW WIFE – A will related term meaning there was a former wife
OLD DOMINION – A term for Virginia
ORAL WILL – See Nuncupative Will
ORPHAN – Child who has lost at least one parent
“OF COLOR” – Reference to a black person
OBITUARY – Newspaper or other notice of death often with some biography of the deceased
PASSENGER LIST – A ships list showing passengers it may contain occupation, age, sex and country of origin
PARISH – Site of a church often including religious lands
PER ANNUM (LATIN) – Yearly
POLECAT – A skunk
POLL – Early term denoting a taxable person
POSTHUMOUS – After death, often referred to a child born after the death of the father
PRIMARY RECORD – One created at the time the event occurred
PROBATE - Court approval of a will and settlement of an estate
PROVED – Establishment of the validity of a will, deed etc. by a court proceeding
QUARDROON – Refers to a child of mixed parents or having a grandparent of a different race
QUIT RENT ROLLS – (COLONIAL AMERICA) A list of persons who paid an annual fee to the Crown for the right to farm or live on a property
REEVE – (COLONIAL AMERICA) A churchwarden or sheriff
RELICT – Widow or surviving spouse
RESIDUARY or RESIDUE – Normally in reference to a will that part left over after the division set forth by the will
REVENUE STAMP – A mark or stamp on an item indicating a tax had been collected
RUN – A small creek, branch or stream also called a kill run
SECONDARY RECORD – A record created some time after an event has occurred
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS – Term for Quakers
SPOUSE – A husband or wife
SPONSOR – One other than a parent who takes responsibility for a Childs religious education, often at Baptism or church membership, may also be a Godparent
SURNAME – Family name or last name
TENANT FARMER – A farmer who rents land to farm for money or a share of the crops
TERCE – An agreement (lending or renting) by law, giving a widow a dower of one third of a mans property if the marriage was one year and a day
TESTABLE – Any item which can be transferred by way of a will
TESTAMENT- (Also last will and testament) The transfer of ones property in a will
TESTATE – Having died with a legitimate will
TESTE – The end of a legal document usually showing the date and signed by a judge or other person of authority
TITHE – A Church offering usually 10 per cent of ones income
TITHABLE – A person obligated by law to pay tax, sometimes refers to a person reaching an age to pay taxes
TOWNSHIP – A government survey of a tract of land six by six miles square
TRADITION or FAMILY TRADITION – Stories, legends or customs about the family (usually oral) passed from generation to generation
TRANSCRIBE – To make a written copy, in more traditional terms to covert an old document to a newer more understandable version using current words or terms
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD – A route by which slaves could get safe passage to a Northern State
UNPROBATED WILL – One which was not sent to a court for probate
UNREGISTERED WILL – One not recorded for one of several reasons such as non payment of a recording fee
UNSOLEM WILL – One where an executor was not named
VERBATIM (LATIN) – Exactly as written
VESTRY – The ruling body of a church
VICAR (OLD ENGLISH) – A church minister who served under another.
VITAL RECORDS – Records kept of births, marriages and deaths
WAINWRIGHT – A person whose craft was building wagons
WAGONMASTER (CIVIL WAR) – One who tended the horses
WAIVER – The voluntary giving up of a persons rights
WHEELWRIGHT – A person whose craft was the manufacture or repair of a wheel
WILL – A legal document explaining how a person wants their property divided upon their death
WRIT of SUMMONS – A notice to appear in court
YEARS PROVISIONS – A set aside from a husbands estate of goods or money, exempt from creditors
YEOMAN – A dependable or diligent worker
YOBBO (OLD ENGLISH) – Cruel or brutal fellow, a ruffian or hooligan
ZAMBO – A person having one native American parent and one African American parent

Legal and Land Terms

Abstract – The important or main parts of a document.
Administrator – A person appointed to manage the assets of a deceased person.
Administratix – A female appointed to manage the assets of a deceased person.
Affidavit – A written statement sworn to before a person of authority.
Affinity – A non-blood or marital type relationship.
Ancestor – A person that you are descended from such as a grandfather.
Anno Domini – Latin for “ In the year of our Lord “.
Apprentice – Often a minor, bound by law or indentures to learn a trade.
Appurtenance – Real property belonging to another such as a building, or garden.
Appurtenant – An access agreement such as rights to enter a cemetery.
Assigns – To give or transfer property on a voluntary basis.
Attest – To witness or affirm by oath or signature.
Banns – A public announcement often in a church of intent to marry.
Beneficiary – The recipient of a trust or property.
Bequeath – A gift of personal property by a last will.
Bequest – The gift of personal property by will.
Bond – An agreement, requiring a performance or payment by a given date.
Bounty Land Warrant – A right to a specific number of acres for military service.
Census – An official counting or enumeration of a population.
Certified Copy – A copy of an original document certified as original.
Chain – A unit of measure equaling 100 links or 66 feet to measure a property.
Chattel – The personal property belonging to an individual.
Child of Tender Years – A minor child under age 14.
Christen – The Baptism or naming of an infant as dedicated to Christ.
Circa – An approximation of a date.
Codicil – A change or modification to a will after the initial writing.
Collateral Ancestor – From the same family line but not of the direct line of decent.
Common Ancestor - The sharing of an ancestor by two or more individuals.
Consanguinity – Relationship as a Blood Relative.
Consort - The wife of a living husband.
Conveyance – The transfer normally by deed.
Croft – A small piece or parcel of land.
Curtsey – The lifetime estate of a widower living on the lands of a deceased spouse.
Deceased – A person that has died.
Decedent – A person no longer living a deceased person.
Deed – A document transferring interest in a property from one person to another.
Deed Poll – A deed signed by an individual, sometimes for the interest of others.
Deposition – The testimony of an individual taken under oath.
Devise – A gift of property by will.
Devisee or Devisor – The giver of property. The recipient of property.
Direct Deed – A grantor deed.
Dissenter – A person not belonging to an established church.
Dower – One-third share acquired by marriage of a husbands estate for natural life.
Enumeration – The listing or counting as in a Census.
Epitaph – An inscription on a tomb or headstone for the memory of the deceased.
Escheat – The reverting of property, when there are no heirs, to the state.
Estate – Property and debts belonging to an individual.
Executor – A male appointed to carry out the will or bequest of a deceased person.
Executrix - A female appointed to carry out the will or bequest of a deceased person.
Family Burying Ground – A family cemetery.
Fee Simple – Ownership of property with no restrictions.
Fee Tail – Land or inheritance limited by lineal decent of the heirs.
Free Hold – A fee simple estate that could be Fee Tail or for life.
Friend – Reference to a member of any number of religious societies.
Furlong – 1000 links of chain or 660 feet.
Genealogy – A history of the family lines of decent.
Gazetteer – A Dictionary of Geography.
Given Name – The first or middle name of the person not the Surname.
Glebe or Parish Land – Land belonging to a church.
Heir – A person or persons entitled by law or last will to inherit an estate.
Holographic Will – A hand written will by the testator.
Indenture – A deed involving two or more persons with obligations to each other.
Indentured Servant – A person that was bound for a specific time of service.
Infant – Any person not of majority or full legal age.
Intestate – A person dying without the benefit of leaving a will.
Inventory – An accounting by an executor of the estate of a deceased person.
Issue – Offspring, legitimate children of a descendant or ancestor.
Legacy – A gift of money or property given by last will and testament.
Lineage – Direct descent or ancestry from an individual.
Link – A measurement of 7.92 inches of a chain. Used as a measure of land.
Letters of Administration – A court administration of an intestate person.
Loyalist – An American Colonist who supported the British. (A Tory)
Marriage Bond – A license for marriage with a financial obligation of the groom.
Maternal – Related thru the line of one’s mother.
Militia – Private citizens available for military service in an emergency.
Mortality Schedules – Schedule of persons that died in the year prior to the Census.
Namesake – A person named after another person.
Nuncupative Will – A will based on the oral declared will of the deceased.
Orphan – A child that has lost one or more parents.
Orphan’s Court – Special courts to oversee the needs of wards of the state.
Patent – A land grant from the government to an individual.
Paternal – A relation thru the line of ones father.
Pension – Money paid to an individual as a reward for military service.
Pole – A unit of measure of 16.5 feet for measuring land.
Posterity – Descendants or those who come after.
Power of Attorney – A person appointed to act in the interest of others. Probate – The proving or administration of a last will and testament.
Progenitor – A direct line ancestor.
Proved Will – A will certified as legitimate by a court.
Provost – A person appointed to supervise others.
Quitclaim Deed – A deed releasing all claims and interests to real property.
Right of First Born – A custom where the father’s estate went to the first born male.
Rector – A clergyman.
Relict – The widow or surviving spouse this could be male or female.
Rod – A unit of measure for surveying land equaling 5 ½ Yards.
Rood – A unit of measure around 6-8 yards for the surveying of land.
Surety – A bond posted to ensure a specific performance of a duty or obligation.
Surname – Family name or last name.
Tenant – Refers to a person holding land by any right or title.
Testate – A person that dies leaving a valid will.
Testator – A person that leaves a valid will.
Tithable – Usually refers to a male attaining the age of sixteen that pays taxes.
Tithe – Money collected for the support of clergy or the church.
Tory – A Loyalist that supported the British.
TO WIT – Naming a specific item.
Tract – A portion of land.
Tract Book – Entries of property by range or township.
Tradition – Passing down beliefs, legends, customs etc. usually to each generation.
Transcribe – To make a written copy.
Trust Deed – A type of mortgage.
Vital Records – A record of births, deaths, marriages and divorce.
Vital Statistics – The data pertaining to births, deaths, marriages and divorce.
Ward – City divisions for voting purposes.
Warranty Deed – A deed where the grantor guarantee’s the title.
Will – A written expression of a persons last intentions or wishes.
Witness – A person called to testify about an event or transaction.

Peace with God

November 5, 2006 Peace with God Romans 5:1-2
Author and Bible teacher Kay Arthur says, "Sin will take you further than you ever want to go." She is right. The enemy entices us to sin. When we do, we suddenly find we have drifted further from God than we would have thought possible.
A lack of peace often indicates that there is something wrong within a person’s life. It could be that he believes Satan’s lie by thinking that God has abandoned him. Nothing could be further from the truth. God’s love for us is eternal.
Another reason we lose our sense of peace is because of sin. The way to reclaim the joy and peace that sin has stolen is to humble ourselves before the Lord in prayer and ask Him to forgive our transgressions.
The psalmist wrote: "Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. . . . Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit" (Psalm 51:1,12).
King David wrote these words to the Lord after his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. Anguish over his sin motivated David to pray for forgiveness and for the restoration of the joy of his salvation.
God heard David’s prayer and restored him. The Lord will do the same for you. His peace and joy awaits those who turn to Him.

Write out your problems

In the preface of "The Man Who Wanted Seven Wives," the author reiterates something I have always found to be true when she says, ". . . the best way to learn about something is to write about it."

I've run into this truism countless times. When you write something out, you find yourself really checking facts and choosing words that correctly convey a situation, and in doing so, find holes in your thinking that need to be filled and additional research that needs to be done.

Try it with one of your brick wall stories. Whether it's a biographical sketch or a story outline, try to incorporate as much as you know and fill in gaps wherever possible with more research. As you work on the sketch, you'll find pieces falling into place and new avenues of research opening up.

Remembering to Forget

Remembering to Forget
By Aimee DuPré
Copyright December 6, 2006

CHORUS:
I have to remember to forget you.
With every beat of my heart.
I have to remember I don’t love you.
Now that we have grown apart.
I’d like to ask you how you do it.
How you say you never loved me.
I have to remember to forget you,
And that our love was never meant to be.

Verse 1
People tell me to forgive and forget
And one’s not hard to do.
It’s easy for me to forgive, but
I have to remember to forget you.

Chorus

Verse 2
People keep telling me to go out and
Try to find somebody new
It’s easy for them because they
Don’t have to remember to forget you.

Chorus

Story Idea

Show normal life of protag. (hero)
Cloudy skies
Hero has a character flaw or fault
Protag meets antag (villain)
Challenge (antag has treasure)
Meets challenge (protag gets treasure)
Problem – jealousy – character flaw aggravates problem
Protag loses treasure because he/she won’t change
Protag seeks help (mentor and/or guide)
Protag finds solution (“Now for step two. What do you suggest?” “How do I know? I thought we were going to die after step 1.”)
Problem recurs or new problem
Fight
Solution (protag gets treasure, but only temporarily)
Sacrifice
Final blow of failure
Loses treasure
Protag must lose character flaw
Sympathy and/or/guilt
Solution and big fight
Rescue
Death
Good guys win in end
Protag gets treasure
Antag gets just desserts
Resurrection
Show life anew and protag changed
No more of that character flaw (but maybe still some others)
Jump for joy
Fair blue skies

Story Idea

Storyline: show world as “normal” – show family life
Protag. As rebel meets shunned comedy relief
Team up reluctantly after protag saves his life
Into antag.
Meanwhile a problem causes a child to be separated from his/her family and protag rescues child
Comic relief wants to return child to his family (community)
Protag reluctantly agrees
The world changes – journey adventures and problems
Meanwhile the antag pretends to be a help while actually planning evil and teams up
The three are entrance by the child’s antics
Problems where protag saves antag’s life
Antag leads them into an ambush but decides at last minute to come clean
Antag helps others overcome the enemy, distancing himself from his former life in the process
Antag risks his life for protag
Protag and comic relief return child
Antag lives and is changed
Joins team as they ride off into the sunset

Protag issues: his family was murdered
Comic relief issues: his family deserted him
Antag issues: he betrayed his wicked family

Dream Interpretation

There are numerous interpretations of dreams.
Most dreams are the product of cortical activity which acts to organize the day's cognitive events, which are factual. When they can't be explained as such, the following may be the answer you are looking for.
Precognitive: Dreams which usually foretell events or happenings.
Factual: Dreams which simply confirms or emphasizes a situation that the dreamer is already aware of.
Warning: Dreams which suggest and warn against impending danger.
Inspirational: Dreams which are the lucky dreamers dream. These dreams almost always suggest a solution, or course of action in regard to personal or business problems.
Common: Dreams that occur to almost everyone at some time or another, and which are more easily recalled than any other dreams; some of most common dreams are flying, falling, being naked or being unable to cry out for help when in danger.
A short but useful list in the general rule for dream interpretation might be as follows: Clean or shiny objects usually are good omens. Dull or dirty objects or conditions forecast obstacles or difficulties.
Going up, as in an elevator, steps or escalator indicates success or improvement over existing conditions.
Going down would signify reverses in either personal or business matters.
The vividness and clarity of your dreams is an indication of the importance of the events or warning forecasted by the dreams. Dreams which are vague or hazy are unlikely to have any important significance.

I’ll Get You

My nine years of marriage was filled with hugs and kisses one day, and the back of a strong, mean hand the next day. Living with Tom was no bed of roses. After each black eye, a dozen roses would be delivered with a tender note attached which read in bold letters HUGS AND KISSES. Your loving husband Tom. They would usually die on the table where I threw them, without vase or water. I was usually too bruised and sick at heart to care about any token of apology from him.
Tom had a terrible temper, which was inflated to raw fury when combined with his drinking. The major problem was, he was always drinking. Then I would be both his reason and solution. The reason was, I had annoyed or aggravated him in some way. The solution was, see how many licks he could get in before I ran into the street terrified for my life. returning only because I had nowhere else to go. This last time would be the very last time.
Tom vowed he would never let me go, he would get me no matter where I went, and no matter how long it took. I was his and I better make no mistake about that.
That last night when I returned to the house, Tom was as dead as his roses on the table. He ran to the door with a knife in his hand when he tripped over his own stumbling feet and fell onto the knife. He lay with the knife sticking out of his throat, amid the petals of his latest peace offering. The bouquet on the table had one single bud clinging to life.
Both the roses and Tom were forever out of my life that night. I lost no tears over losing him.
The next month I had my first job in more than nine years. I sold the house and rented a beautiful, sunny apartment which I was in the process of moving into.
Each night I would get to my apartment just after dark. I would then relax over a soup and salad while listening to the soft mellow rhythm from the CD sound system. I looked forward to these precious moments of solitude, no walking on eggs for fear of a slap or punch. Afterwards I would unpack a few more boxes of my belongings. I had lined the boxes against the one wall, which had a quaint window seat running under the wide window. The smaller boxes were placed on the window seat. I had earmarked each box with both its contents and the assigned room they would be unpacked in.
The small boxes on the window seat had been sitting undisturbed for almost a week. I hoped to be able to get to them on a week-end.
One night I came home and found a couple of the boxes had been upside down on the floor a few feet away from the wall. "I must have moved them myself" was my first reaction. I don't remember doing so, but that seemed to be the logical explanation.
Going to bed with a hot cup of cocoa would lull me into a much needed sleep. Unpacking would just have to wait another day. I was awakened with a loud bang or crash. "Did I dream it?" or did the sound come from the apartment. I got out of bed to do a search. Going from room to room I found nothing out of order, nothing that might have fallen from the wall because of a loose nail. "Well I must have dreamed it"I told myself. I returned to bed, by now I was wide awake. As I laid there thinking of the chores that had to be finished, I heard a distinct heavy breathing sound coming from over my left shoulder. There was nothing but the wall behind the bed. The breathing was deep and heavy. If there was a face to it, it did not show itself. I jumped from the bed and looked all around and under the bed. Absolutely Nothing. Somehow the night turned into day, the night's are especially long when one is full of fright.
The next day I again went home to find the boxes from the window seat all helter skelter on the living room floor. My first thought was that the manager of the building was coming in with his pass key. Why nothing else was touched except the boxes was a puzzle. Maybe a previous tenant still had a key. There just had to be an explanation as to what was going on in this beautiful sunny apartment.
Soon after I began to hear the heavy breathing in the living room. One Sunday afternoon I decided this would be a good day to finish unpacking and get things into place. After putting up the living room drapes, I started working on the new slip covers I had just purchased, when it started again.
At first it was barely audible. It sounded like a sound coming from the speakers,though the sound system was off. The breathing became louder, as I stood in horror, the side of the couch acually began to respire. I watched in both horror and fascination as the covering on the side of the couch moved in and out with every inhale and exhale.
As frightening as this was it did not compare with the life of fright I endured living with Tom. That was until the night I again woke up to the sound of heavy breathing, accompanied by the rotting odor of decaying roses.
I have since moved and changed jobs more times than I can count. With each move the breathing, and rotting odor follows me. I almost wish he would get it over with. I'd gladly take his punishment to put an end to this terror. "HERE I AM TOM."
Submitted by: Name Withheld
Background by: Nancy

Somebody’s mother

The woman was old and ragged and gray And bent with the chill of the Winters day.
The street was wet with a recent snow And the woman's feet were aged and slow.
She stood at the crossing and waited long, Alone, uncared for, amid the throng
Of human beings who passed her by Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eye.
Down the street, with laughter and shout, Glad in the freedom of "school let out,"
Came the boys like a flock of sheep. Hailing the snow piled white and deep.
Past the woman so old and gray Hastened the children on their way.
Nor offered a helping hand to her... So meek, so timid, afraid to stir
Lest the carriage wheels or the horses' feet Should crowd her down in the slippery street.
At last came one of the merry troop, The gayest laddie of all the group;
He paused beside her and whispered low, "I'll help you cross, if you wish to go."
Her aged hand on his strong young arm She placed, and so, without hurt or harm,
He guided the trembling feet along. Proud that his own were firm and strong,
Then back again to his friends he went, His young heart happy and well content.
"She's somebody's mother, boys, you know, For all she's aged and poor and slow.
"and I hope some fellow will lend a hand To help my mother, you understand,
"If ever she's poor, and old and gray, When her own dear boy is far away."
And "somebody's mother" bowed low her head In her home that night, and the prayer she said
Was "God be kind to the noble boy, Who is somebody's son, and pride and joy!"
Author: Mary Dow Brine

The Hell-Bound Train

A Texas cowboy lay down on a barroom floor, Having drunk so much he could drink no more; So he fell asleep with a troubled brain To dream that he rode on a hell-bound train.
The engine with murderous blood was damp And was brilliantly lit with a brimstone lamp; An imp, for fuel, was shoveling bones, While the furnace rang with a thousand groans.
The boiler was filled with lager beer And the devil himself was the engineer; The passengers were a most motley crew- Church member, atheist, Gentile, and Jew.
Rich men in broadcloth, beggers in rags, Handsome young ladies, and withered old hags, Yellow and black men, red, brown and white, All chained together-O God, what a sight!
While the train rushed on at an awful pace- The sulphurous fumes scorched their hands and face; Wider and wider the country grew, As faster and faster the engine flew.
Louder and louder the thunder crashed And brighter and brighter the lightning flashed; Hotter and hotter the air became Till the clothes were burned from each quivering frame.
And out of the distance there arose a yell, "Ha, ha," said the devil, "we're nearing hell!" Then oh, how the passengers all shrieked with pain And begged the devil to stop the train.
But he capered about and danced for glee, And laughed and joked at their misery. "My faithful friends, you have done the work And the devil never can a payday shirk.
"You've bullied the weak, you've robbed the poor, The starving brother you've turned from the door; You've laid up gold where the canker rust, And have given free vent to your beastly lust.
"You've justice scorned, and corruption sown, And trampled the laws of nature down. You have drunk, rioted, cheated, plundered, and lied, And mocked at God in your hell-born pride.
"You have paid full fair, so I'll carry you through, For it's only right you should have your due. Why, the laborer always expects his hire, So I'll land you safe in the lake of fire,
"Where your flesh will waste in the flames that roar, And my imps torment you forevermore." Then the cowboy awoke with an anguished cry, His clothes wet with sweat and his hair standing high
Then he prayed as he never had prayed till that hour To be saved from his sin and the demon's power; And his prayers and his vows were not in vain, For he never rode the hell-bound train.
Author: Unknown

Two Pictures

Two pictures hung on the dingy wall Of a grand old Florentine hall-
One of a child of beauty rare, With a cherub face and golden hair; The lovely look of whose radiant eyes Filled the soul with thoughts of Paradise.
The other was a visage vile Marked with the lines of lust and guile, A loathsome being, whose features fell Brought to the soul weird thoughts of hell.
Side by side in their frames of gold, Dingy and dusty and cracked and old, This is the solemn tale they told;
A youthful painter found one day, In the streets of Rome, a child at play, And, moved by the beauty it bore, The heavenly look that its features wore, On a canvas, radiant and grand, He painted its face with a master hand.
Year after year on his wall it hung; 'Twas ever joyful and always young- Driving away all thoughts of gloom While the painter toiled in his dingy room.
Like an angel of light it met his gaze, Bringing him dreams of his boyhood days, Filling his soul with a sense of praise.
His raven ringlets grew thin and gray, His young ambition all passed away; Yet he looked for years in many a place, To find a contrast to that sweet face.
Through haunts of vice in the night he stayed To find some ruin that crime had made. At last in a prison cell he caught A glimpse of the hideous fiend he sought.
On a canvas weird and wild but grand, He painted the face with a master hand.
His task was done;'twas a work sublime- An angel of joy and a fiend of crime- A lesson of life from the wrecks of time.
O crime: with ruin thy road is strewn; The brightest beauty the world has known Thy power has wasted, till in the mind No trace of its prescence is left behind.
The loathsome wretch in the dungeon low, With a face of a fiend and a look of woe, Ruined by revels of crime and sin, A pitiful wreck of what might have been, Hated and shunned, and without a home, Was the child that played in the streets of Rome.
Author: Unknown

Windows of Gold

The Windows of Gold
Author: Helen Steiner Rice

There is a legend that has often been told Of the boy who searched for the Windows of Gold. The beautiful windows he saw far away When he looked in the valley at sunrise each day.

And he yearned to go down to the valley below But he lived on a mountain covered with snow,
And he knew it would be a difficult trek, But that was a journey he wanted to make.

So he planned by day and he dreamed by night Of how he could reach The Great Shining Light.
And one golden morning when dawn broke through And the valley sparkled with diamonds of dew.

He started to climb down the mountainside With the Windows of Gold as his goal and his guide.
He traveled all day and, weary and worn, With bleeding feet and clothes that were torn.

He entered the peaceful valley town Just as the Golden Sun went down.
But he seemed to have lost his Guiding Light, The windows were dark that had once been bright.

And hungry and tired and lonely and cold He cried, "Won't you show me the Windows of Gold?"
And a kind hand touched him and said, "Behold! High on the mountain are the Windows of Gold."

For the sun going down in a great golden ball Had burnished the windows of his cabin so small,
And the Kingdom of God with its great shining light, Like the golden windows that shone so bright.

Is not a far distant place, somewhere, It's as close to you as a silent prayer,
And your search for God will end and begin When you look for Him and find Him within.


Windows of Gold
My mother's favorite story was called "Windows of Gold." She told it to me many times while I was a child. But there is another side of the story, as told by a man in the valley.

It begins in a small village, nestled in a valley, where a young man is dissatisfied with his mundane existence in the sleepy town. But every evening, after his work in the fields is done, he looks up to the mountain where another town clung to the cliffs. He was always transfixed, for every window in that magical, far-off berg had windows of gold.
All of his life, he had yearned to make the arduous journey up from the valley to that wonderful place, and to see the windows of gold for himself. One morning, he could stand his ordinary life no more, dropped his plow, and set off to climb the mountain.
It took him all day to make the ascent. At times he was tempted to give up and return to the safety of his home. But as the afternoon wore on, his eye caught reflections of those windows of gold, and he found the strength to continue.
The lad finally reached his destination just as the last rays of the sun were fading below the horizon behind him. And there were the windows of gold! But what was this? No sooner had he finally seen his tantalizing goal up close but their spectacular color was ebbing away.
And as the sun finally set, he realized: these were just ordinary windows, the same as those in his own village. They were simply reflecting the afternoon sun when seen from down in the valley.
Dejected, he fell into a troubled sleep.
The following morning, he awoke, and turned to make the long journey back. But he stopped in his track in disbelief. There, down in the valley, in his own town, every home had windows of gold - reflections from the rising sun. With renewed strength and a smile born of understanding and peace of heart, he cheerfully set about his descent down to his home and its windows of gold.
I always liked this story because it has a happy ending. The similar concepts of "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence," or the story of the dog who drops his bone to grab at the one reflecting in the pond, both end in personal loss. Whereas "Windows of Gold" is more like the Wizard of Oz in which Dorothy comes to realize that she had actually always possessed that which she had left home to find, and happily returns home to embrace it.

Cyberspace Secrets

Is Your Home a Danger Zone for Your Marriage?
Nancy C. Anderson
If there are lust lures in your home, go on a search and destroy mission.
Cyber Secrets
Donna would often sneak out of bed to "chat" with a man she met through a singles' web site. The fact that she wasn't single didn't seem to be relevant. When her husband, Larry, caught her typing in the dark at 3:00 A.M., he confronted her. But she quickly logged-off and denied any wrongdoing.
After Donna left for work the next morning, he accessed the messages that she and her cyber-hunk had been sending. He read page after page of sexually explicit suggestions. Larry had no idea his wife even knew such words! When he confronted her with the evidence, she came "clean" and said she'd stop -- but she didn't. She just became more secretive and better at hiding the evidence. Donna risked her marriage for a man she never met, and when Larry caught her again, he divorced her.
Internet pornography is one of the fastest growing web-industries in the world, and it's been the cause of countless affairs and divorces. If Internet access is a problem for anyone in your family, apply the verse in Matthew 5:29: "If your . . . eye causes you to sin, pluck it out." And if your Internet access causes you to sin, plug it out! Keep the computer, but get a filter that blocks all questionable sites and unwanted pop-up ads.
TV Temptations
Cable television and movie channels are another problem area in many homes. Men are visual creatures, and they are naturally attracted to beautiful women wearing . . . nothing. If a man has easy access to adult movies, he'll be tempted to watch them. Even strong Christian men can get caught in the "just one more" trap that ends in divorce. If a husband is comparing his wife to eighteen-year-old hotties in porno movies she will not, literally, measure up. Their marriage will suffer.
X-rated movie channels called out to Jerry, a married Christian man, who watched them in the middle of the night. The more he saw, the more he wanted to see. Eventually, the thoughts of his late-night "dates" with these beautiful willing-to-do-anything women consumed his life.
He lost interest in his middle-aged wife, and when she caught him in his secret sin, he convinced her that it was her fault. She was ashamed to tell any of her friends or talk to their pastor, so she suffered in silence. He persuaded her to watch the movies with him, but it didn't solve their problems because she felt used, unloved, and dirty. He gave her his lust, but not his love.
The fatal venom of pornography poisoned their marriage.
Babysitter Blues
Jayne and Dennis hired a lovely sixteen-year-old babysitter named Linda. But because they didn't have clearly defined boundaries in place, the babysitter is now married to Dennis!
Jayne didn't see the signs because it never occurred to her that her husband could ever be more than a fatherly mentor to "little Linda." After all, he was almost forty and she was just a child; so it must be completely innocent. Wrong.
When I invited Jayne, Dennis, and their kids over for dinner, I thought it was odd that they brought their babysitter. Then, when Linda sat next to Dennis, I was a little more concerned. But when I saw him take several bites of food off the babysitter's plate, my "Home-Invasion-Alarm-System" signaled a code red.
I told Jayne about my suspicions, and she said, " Dennis is just being extra nice to Linda because she's depressed about her parents' divorce. We both love her. We think of her as our daughter."
A few months later, Dennis moved out. He married Linda when she turned eighteen, and they now have two children of their own. I bet Linda won't let him drive their babysitter home.
Even if he's innocent, it's his word against hers. My friend Renee always makes sure that she picks up and drops off the babysitter. When she is unable to go, she'll send one of the kids along. Having a third-party ride along is protection for the babysitter and for the husband, because he could be accused of something inappropriate and just the accusations are very damaging.
If you're in a financial position to have a nanny, I recommend an older Mrs. Doubtfire type. But even the actor who played her, Robin Williams, didn't follow that suggestion. He was married to Valerie for ten years, then he divorced his wife and married Marsha, his son's nanny.
A foreign exchange student came to live with a woman I met at Bible study The underprivileged girl came with nothing and left with the woman's husband. When you let other people into your home, be very aware that problems like these are distinct possibilities.
We've considered the idea of renting a room to a student, because we have an extra bedroom and we live within walking distance of a college. But we can never agree on a renter. Ron would like a twenty-something/ female/Swedish blonde/massage-therapy student, however I envision a male sun-kissed surfer/weightlifter/police academy cadet who'd help me vacuum. Since we can't agree, I guess we'll keep our safeguards in place.
Just as we are on guard to protect our home from robberies, we want protect our homes from dangerous mental, sexual, and spiritual intrusion too. Your home can be a refuge and a safe haven if you are willing to make this verse your "Power Statement": "But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Josh. 24:15).
Adapted from Avoiding The Greener Grass Syndrome: How to Grow Affair Proof Hedges Around Your Marriage (Kregel 12/1/04) by Nancy C. Anderson.

Totally miscellaneous thoughts

“May we all be faithful in what God has called us to do.” – Billy Graham

“One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives.” -- Mark Twain

Folk myths and fantasies share certain characteristics. They are often repeated, but never documented; they are believed without proof. They are always attributed to someone else; never can be found anyone who is personally, directly involved. Many – perhaps most, perhaps all – of these tales illuminate certain subliminal areas of the human psyche, some darker, some lighter: a wish to see the high and mighty cut down to size; an instinct for revenge; a delight in the discomfiture of others because, perhaps, it seems to make our own discomfitures easier to bear; a deep distrust of those who have chosen ways unlike our own.

An airplane does not stall because it loses power. If this were so, obviously sailplanes or gliders could not stay aloft. It stalls when the “angle of attack” – that is, the angle at which the wing meets the (apparently) onrushing air – becomes so great that the smooth flow of air over the wing, essential to lift, is destroyed by turbulence. Loss of power leads to (it does not “cause”) a stall only if the pilot tries too hard to maintain altitude.

The story that General Lee turned over his sword to General Grant after the surrender at Appomattox, and that Grant then returned the sword to Lee, is apparently without foundation. Grant denied it, anyway. In fact, Grant had specified that all rebel officers be allowed to retain their sidearms.

Is a true choice possible when it is impossible to assess its results? For example, Adam and Eve could not know what sin meant until it was too late.

It is a myth that Colorado is a mountain state. Only a little more than half of Colorado is mountainous. The rest is prairie. Nor are Colorado’s mountains, beautiful as they certainly are, really very high except in absolute terms: that is, elevation above sea level. The vast central plains of the US rise slowly as they extend westward; by the time one reaches the foothills of the Rockies in Colorado, the plain is about 5,000 feet high (Greeley, CO, 50 miles from the mountains, is at about 4,500 feet; Denver is about 5,200 feet high. Both are built on flat ground.) Thus, a 14,000-foot mountain in Colorado, and there are many, is in effect some 9,000 feet above the observer’s point of view at best. By contrast, Mr. Rainier in Washington State, itself a 14,0000-foot mountain, rises from near sea level. Thus, visitors from Washington State who see Colorado’s mountains for the first time often express some disappointment; they just don’t seem very high. Brochures about Denver that are produced in Denver frequently refer to her as Queen City of the Plains.

It is impossible to tell the exact time of death from the examination of a corpse. Unless the death is observed, physicians, pathologists, or medical examiners can only give a range of a probable post-mortem interval.

Falling asleep and freezing to death is a myth. Many years ago, the famous artic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson (1879-1962) warned against a dangerous myth: that persons in danger of freezing should press on, not stopping to rest. If they did stop, they might fall asleep; if so, they would never wake up.
The myth persists. It encourages those who are lost in the cold to flounder along until they are completely exhausted; at which point, it is truly possible to go to sleep forever.
Body temperature does drop during sleep. But, as Stefansson also pointed out, there is no danger that one WHO IS NOT EXHAUSTED will die of cold during a nap. Cold is a reliable alarm clock, as anyone whose bedcovers slip to the floor on a winter night can certify. The answer, according to Dr. Cameron Bangs, the Oregon physician nationally known for his treatment of cold-weather casualties, is to keep active, yes – but not to the point of exhaustion. The best course is fifteen- to thirty-minutes rests, followed by periods of activity to increase body-heat production.
Few people who die of exposure, it might be added, actually “freeze to death.” They die of hypothermia, or subnormal body temperature. And it can happen at temperatures well above freezing, especially if one is wet. Many had “frozen to death” in a 40 degree rainstorm, or rainstorm and windstorm, especially if they have driven themselves until they (quite literally) drop. Dr. Bangs further emphasizes the necessity of preparing some kind of adequate shelter BEFORE one reaches the point of exhaustion.

Hens will lay eggs without a rooster. They are infertile but quite edible.

An example of "Functional Fixation": Take a dime – one thin dime. What is it? Most people will see it as part of the monetary system. That is, you use it to buy things. But it can also be a screwdriver, a very slender shim or a decision-making tool (heads or tails?). Seeing it only as one-tenth of a dollar is an example of functional fixation: the inability to see a use for something other than its intended use.

Smart alecky putdown: Do they have schools where you come from?

On the street, a man dressed like a mystic handed me a crumpled ball of paper and asked me to hold it, which I did. He then asked my favorite color besides black or white. I answered “blue.” Then he asked me to choose a number: 2, 3, or 4. I picked “3.” Finally, he asked me to unwed the paper. On it were written “blue” and “3.” Then he asked me for a donation, of course. How did he guess right? I figured 3 was easy because it was the middle number. But why blue? My clothes weren’t blue.
Blue is easily the most popular color in the country. Blue is even the clear favorite fro kids. According to Crayola, blue or bluish colors (cerulean, denim, etc.) take seven of the top 10 spots.

Company is coming! What silverware represents when dropped on the floor: If you drop a fork, it means a man is coming; a spoon symbolizes a woman; a teaspoon, a child; a tablespoon means the entire family; and a carving knife signifies either the arrival of the in-laws or the preacher. The direction in which the silverware falls shows the direction from which the person is coming.

When an animal eats wild cherry leaves, it can be deadly. This only occurs with wilted leaves, not green leaves. When a limb breaks off of a wild cherry tree in or around the pastures, the leaves will wilt and a toxin in the form of hydrocyanic acid develops that causes the problem. It develops very rapidly in wilted leaves. A storm can blow and break limbs off a tree or blow leaves off into the pasture. After a storm, be sure to check possible problem areas and remove any felled wild cherry limbs that may have fallen.
Death can occur very rapidly. There have been cases where the animal still had leaves in its mouth when found. In most cases the animal will be dead before a vet can be called but if a small amount is ingested, there are potential remedies to try to save the animal.

Story Idea for Forensics

The four areas of forensic analysis are:
1. DNA isolation and fingerprinting
2. blood components – centrifuge separation and tissue analysis
3. chromatography – liquid and paper
4. mechanical separation – solvent extraction and filtration

You have arrived at a murder scene and found the following evidence: blood splatters on the victim and door handles, a bullet lodged into a desk, and fingerprints on wine glasses. Describe the methods you would use along with the reasons why you chose to use these methods of analysis in your presentation. Describe how these methods would be used to convict the murderer.

You have arrived at the scene of a burglary and have found the following: a mixture of a unique oil in water, paint chips found mixed with dirt and soil in a foot print, and a fluid sample that looks like saliva (with cells). First describe the methods used to separate and isolate each piece of evidence, then describe how you would use this evidence to convict the burglar.

You have arrived at the scene of an arson attack at a department store and find the following evidence: an accelerant (i.e. gas) mixed with oil, water, and dirt (a suspension), fibers torn from a jacket at the building exit, and ink spots on a pipe. Describe how to isolate and identify the accelerant from the other parts of the suspension. Include a brief outline of the steps used in separating each part and how you would use this evidence.

Remember to include diagrams or other images in your report and presentation to the court. In addition, include a glossary of new terms used with an explanation of how they relate to the methods used and the evidence gathered.

Free guidance to the lovelorn

A young lady asked how she could get herself a husband, and the reply was that she should stay away from the husbands and get herself a single man!

Even the purest heart can become tangled in the web of love, and oh, the possibilities for ensnarement There are many ways to be misconstrued and misunderstood and a feller might finally decide to leave the single ladies alone.

With the soft scent of magnolia blossoms wafting gently on a southern breeze, the tart plunk of the banjo and one of Stephen Foster's favorite melodies "Hard Times Come Again No More,” and you are transported back to America in the mid-1800's. You might hear the sentimental side of life during America's most turbulent trial through the songs they sang when solider and civilian wished to leave the strife behind: "O' Susannah," "Some Folks Do," "Rose of Alabama," and "When You and I were Young Maggie." These were songs telling of the deeply felt but lighter side when the boys marched off.

In the simple yet elegant times of a Victorian Christmas, the giver was more important than the gift, the sentiment more important than the card, and the closeness of family more important than materialism.

Allow yourself to grieve over any pain from discomforting experiences. Though I urge you to keep an optimistic outlook when confronted with a negative experience, it's still important to allow yourself to figure out what took place, analyze how it makes you feel, and sense the pain associated with the event. If you don't take this step, you can fall into denial and stuff the feelings so deep that you think you've solved the problem. - From "It Takes Two to Tango" by Gary and Norma Smalley

Self Defense Tactics for Women

What is the difference between revenge and justice? Revenge feels right only to those directly involved. Justice feels right even to outsiders.

The best self defense tactic for a woman is to PAY ATTENTION to what is going on around you!

The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do so.
If a robber asks for your wallet or purse, do not hand it to him. Toss it away from you. Chances are that he is more interested in it than in you and he will go for the wallet or purse. Then run like h. . . in the other direction.
If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you, but someone else might.
As soon as you get into your car, lock the doors and leave. Be aware. Look around you, look inside your car, at the passenger side floor and in the back seat.
Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
It’s always better to be paranoid than dead.
If a male is sitting alone in the seat of his car nearest your car, you may want to wait to enter your car.
Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot, so always take the elevator instead of the stairs.
If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, always run. The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times. And even then it most likely will not be a vital organ. (Personally, I’m not so sure about this little tidbit of advice and therefore do not recommend it myself. A.D.)
Remember that Ted Bundy, serial killer, was a good-looking, well-educated man who always played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane or a limp and often asked for help into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his victims.
If you want a woman to open her door, the old trick was to sound like a kitten. The modern trick is to sound like a crying baby or have a recording of one.

A poem by actor Duncan Regehr

The Stone Prince
By Duncan Regehr

Like the laughing wind that cast you,
You have found what you wanted
By losing your way.

So,
You are the stone prince again,
Gloating under camouflage,
Bearing feathers in your cap,
Stolen flowers from the tomb.
Decorated like an ancient vampire,
Leaking at the seams.
You tread upon hourglass shards
While draining the poet’s urn.

Yes,
You are stone again.
A rising pyramid,
Made from the great and small
Of other stones, that were
Grains and glass, and then stone
Again.

Yes,
You are the shrine.
Dead before your death,
For the hyena wind devours the standing
And regurgitates in the barrens
Where fallow dunes inter each other.

Spice Rack Remedies

Cayenne – got a toothache? Capsaicin, an ingredient in cayenne interferes with pain transmission. Make a paste with a few drops of water and a spoonful of cayenne. Dip a cotton swab into the paste and dab on your tooth (not gum).
Cinnamon – helps ease diarrhea and dries up the sniffles. Make a tea with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 cup boiling water. Steep 15 minutes, strain out the cinnamon, and drink.
Ginger – relieves morning sickness and effective for motion sickness or any upset stomach. Make tea with 1 teaspoon of powder and 1 cup boiling water. Steep 10 minutes, strain and drink.
Sage – reduce menopausal hot flashes and night sweats by drinking a cup of sage tea three times a day. Add ¾ teaspoon sage to 1 cup boiling water. Steep 10 minutes, strain and drink.
Thyme – rich in germ-killing compounds, thyme has a long history as an expectorant and antiseptic. For an effective cough remedy, add 1 teaspoon dried thyme to 1 cup boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes, strain and drink. For sore throats: brew 2 teaspoons thyme in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes. Gargle, then spit.

Self Defense and Gunfight Survival

Survival (positive) mindset, attitude - win not lose:
More than bullet placement, more than marksmanship, more than caliber. The thought process required to win, comes from Attitude and Realistic practice under stress! Successful practice will allow you to "feel and act" correctly under similar circumstances and relates to a winning attitude in real life encounters. Practicing in a range, shooting at paper targets, limits your ability to face a true life-threatening situation. Furthermore, bad habits learned on the firing line can cost you your life! With shooting skills, it takes thousands of holster draws to form muscle memory that can, and will, save your life. Hitting the target, under stress conditions, has to be learned. It requires conditioned reflexes. Split-seconds do make a difference.
Fighting Stance: ( Psychological Preparation )
If you find yourself in a real altercation, you'll quickly find yourself crouching… the same as if you were facing someone in a fist fight, or wrestling match. It's just human nature. We instinctively bend our knees and crouch to reduce our size (think as a target), and it's also a natural stance where we are able to spring forward into battle to defend ourselves. So, why not practice shooting from a crouched position ?
Rate of Fire: ( One Shot Drops )
For many years the FBI has taught their agents, and advised police departments, to use the strategy of two shot taps. That is until just recently. At the end of 2004 the FBI finally began to advocate the "three tap" sequence that most military special teams and private protection companies have been using for some time.
The "Mozambique" style of two taps to the body and a third to the head may be a good strategy if you expect your enemy to be drug-crazed or wearing body armor. For most civilians facing a carjacker or an armed robber, our best bet is to try placing all three rounds in the attackers body (think triangle - nipple to nipple to Adam's apple). The hope is that at least two of the three will make serious contact with a major organ or the spine.
A gunshot will cause trauma in about a five inch circle, depending on the caliber and grain of the bullet, and of course placement. Once we have placed a round on target, the next bullet needs to be a few inches away from the first so as to create another separate wound with it's own muscle and organ damage, as well as a new loss of blood.
To be realistic - we cannot expect our assailant to stand still like a paper target. So our second or third bullet cannot be expected to impact the same spot as the first, regardless of our marksmanship abilities. The point being made is to help you understand that target practice at flat paper targets is necessary, but at the same time has limited benefits. Three dimensional targets are utilized in our tactical course.
Shooting Distance: ( Reality )
Don't waste your time and bullets practicing shooting targets at the back of the range. If you're that far away from your assailant, you'd better be running in the opposite direction instead of shooting. At least you'll wish you had once you get in court and the prosecutor is pressing charges against you for murder.
Self-defense with a deadly weapon (in most cases) is permissible only when you have absolutely no chance of escape.
Practice at a realistic distance, seven yards (21 feet) at the maximum. The truth is, about two-thirds of your practice time should be at a range of no more than three yards (9 feet), in other words, up close and personal!
Recent FBI statistics relate that over 80 % of all gunfights are at a distance of no more than 21 feet, over half of those are at less than five feet!
SNS: ( Physical Reactions )
Much touted today by many instructors are the words Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS). What this adds up to in laymen's terms, is how tension (adrenalin/nerves) affects our ability to perform simple tasks under stress. It's a physical change brought about by the "autonomic nervous system" and it produces fear! Some men are able to overcome the natural tendency to flee easier than others, this doesn't mean that they don't feel fear in it's many forms, it's just that some are better able to control it than others. This almost always comes from hard won experience.
When faced with danger, as in the case where someone points a gun at us, nature has given us the natural ability to respond, and we immediately make the choice to stay and "fight", or "flee". There is a third "F" option, and it usually gets you hurt or killed since it is represented by non-action, it's "freeze", as in too scared to do anything.
The adrenaline that comes with (actually what causes) the fight or flight response triggers a faster heartbeat, higher blood pressure, tunnel vision, even trembling of the hands and a loss of fine motor skills (motor function). All this starts with the nerve endings along our spinal cord. Is it any wonder then that man refers to someone having "backbone" when we discuss bravery?
There's also the "parasympathetic" condition, but that is used to relax and save energy. This is what's known as the digestive mode or "rest and digest" response, when we relax and let our body concentrate on breaking down consumed foodstuffs. But, we can alter our breathing pattern…(more on this in the shooting range).
Actually, there's a third part here and it's called the "enteric nervous system". It is of even less importance to us because it deals with how our system of nerve fibers relate to the function of our lungs, pancreas, gall bladder, etc.
Obviously, what we should be concerned with is how we function under stress when faced with a life or death situation. Adrenalin is good for us, it helps us focus on the threat at hand but it can also cause problems. This is where we have to realize that little things, like the safety on our pistol, are just that, small things we have to be able to put into play to save our butts. Adrenaline may be the good stuff when it gives us increased strength, speed and even the ability to not notice pain until the action is over. But, it also wrecks havoc with our ability to settle down and function as we normally do. (Here again is where training can help).
Our conscious thought process is much too restricted during such confrontations. Having to spend even a split-second releasing a safety on your firearm, or a holster retention strap on a concealed holster, is time that could end your life. Concerning holster retention straps…they are needed when the holster and the gun it cradles are in plain sight where anyone who chooses to do so might try to relieve you of your weapon.
The point is, we are creatures of habit, make sure when you have to reach for your pistola it's where you expect it to be, ready to do what you need it to do! Training is great, but (correct) continued practice is even more important! Repetition is how we turn lessons into habits.
Safety: ( Lethal Consequences )
Not the one on your gun…just as important, maybe more so, is the safety and well being of others. To carry a gun for self-defense brings with it an obligation for the concern of others. Throwing lead downstream in a confined area such as a gun range is relatively safe if we follow the rules and wear the required safety equipment. Outside, in the real world, where a bullet can travel much further than our assailant is, that's where we have to really be vigilant.
Surviving a gunfight is a high priority, but killing or seriously wounding an innocent bystander would be unforgivable. Each of us must realize the responsibility that comes with gun ownership and their use.

Our Basic Needs (Charles Stanley)

In Touch Daily Devotional by Dr. Charles Stanley
November 8, 2006
Our Basic Needs
Psalm 107:9

Every individual is a beautiful and unique creation, complete with needs and desires specific to his or her own life. Some needs, however, are “universal.” That is, all people experience them their lives.
The first is a sense of belonging. Everyone feels the need to “fit in” somewhere. The joy you feel when surrounded by intimate friends and family is powerful evidence of this truth. The discomfort associated with moving to a job or home where no one knows you also reveals how powerful this need is in our lives.
Another universal need is a sense of worth. It’s important for all of us to be able to say, “I matter.” Yet, many people are not convinced this is true. They’re overcome by a horribly disfigured self-image that’s stealing the joy of the Lord from their lives.
A third universal need is a sense of competence. We need to know for certain that we can accomplish what God puts before us. A lack of confidence in His power and provision in our lives can be devastating.
God responded to every one of these universal needs at the cross. We belong because our heavenly Father called us into His holy family. We have worth because Jesus paid such a great price for our salvation. And, we are competent because God has sent His Holy Spirit to indwell and empower us. A breakdown in any one of these areas will have a tremendous impact on your spiritual growth.
Are you struggling with any of these universal needs? If so, lay them before the Lord today. Then, trust Him to make you the complete person He created you to be.

Three Poems (Songs) on Courtin'

A poem by James Russell Lowell
The Courtin'
God makes sech nights, all white an' still Fur 'z you can look or listen, Moonshine an' snow on field an' hill, All silence an' all glisten.
Zekle crep' up quite unbeknown An' peeked in thru' the winder, An' there sot Huldy all alone, 'Ith no one nigh to hender.
A fireplace filled the room's one side With half a cord o' wood in--There warn't no stoves (tell comfort died) To bake ye to a puddin'.
The wa'nut logs shot sparkles out Towards the pootiest, bless her, An' leetle flames danced all about The chiny on the dresser.
Agin the chimbley crook-necks hung, An' in amongst 'em rusted The ole queen's arm thet gran'ther Young Fetched back from Concord busted.
The very room, coz she was in, Seemed warm from floor to ceilin', An' she looked full ez rosy agin Ez the apples she was peelin'.
'Twas kin' o' kingdom-come to look On seek a blessed cretur, A dogrose blushin' to a brook Ain't modester nor sweeter.
He was six foot o' man, A 1, Clean grit an' human natur'; None couldn't quicker pitch a ton Nor dror a furrer straighter. He'd sparked it with full twenty gals, He'd squired 'em, danced 'em, druv 'em, Fust this one, an' then thet, by spells--All is, he couldn't love 'em.
But long o' her his veins 'ould runA ll crinkly like curled maple, The side she breshed felt full o' sun Ez a south slope in Ap'il.
She thought no v'ice hed sech a swing Ez hisn in the choir; My! when he made Ole Hunderd ring, She knowed the Lord was nigher.
An' she'd blush scarlit, right in prayer, When her new meetin'-bunnet Felt somehow thru' its crown a pair O' blue eyes sot upun it.
Thet night, I tell ye, she looked some! She seemed to 've gut a new soul, For she felt sartin-sure he'd come, Down to her very shoe-sole.
She heered a foot, an' knowed it tu; A-raspin' on the scraper,--All ways to once her feelin's flewL ike sparks in burnt-up paper.
He kin' o' l'itered on the mat, Some doubtfle o' the sekle, His heart kep' goin' pity-pat, But hern went pity Zekle.
An' yit she gin her cheer a jerk Ez though she wished him furder, An' on her apples kep' to work, Parin' away like murder.
"you want to see my Pa, I s'pose?" "Wal...no...I come dasignin'"--"To see my Ma? She's sprinklin' clo'es Agin to-morrer's i'nin'."
To say why gals acts so or so, Or don't, 'ould be presumin'; Mebby to mean yes an' say no Comes nateral to women.
He stood a spell on one foot fust, Then stood a spell on t'other, An' on which one he felt the wust He couldn't ha' told ye nuther.
Says he, "I'd better call agin;" Says she, "Think likely, Mister;" Thet last word pricked him like a pin, An'... Wal, he up an' kist her.
When Ma bimeby upon 'em slips, Huldy sot pale ez ashes, All kin' o' smily roun' the lips An' teary roun' the lashes.
For she was jes' the quiet kind Whose naturs never vary, Like streams that keep a summer mind Snowhid in Jenooary.
The blood clost roun' her heart felt glued Too tight for all expressin', Tell mother see how metters stood, And gin 'em both her blessin'. Then her red come back like the tide Down to the Bay o' Fundy, An' all I know is they was cried In meetin' come nex' Sunday.
-THE END-


1. Frog went a-courtin', and he did ride, Uh-huh,Frog went a-courtin', and he did ride, Uh-huh,Frog went a-courtin', and he did ride.With a sword and a pistol by his side, Uh-huh.
2. Well he rode up to Miss Mousey's door, Uh-huh,Well he rode up to Miss Mousey's door, Uh-huh,Well he rode up to Miss Mousey's door.Gave three loud raps and a very big roar, Uh-huh.
3. Said, "Miss Mouse, are you within?" Uh-huh,Said he, "Miss Mouse, are you within?" Uh-huh,Said, "Miss Mouse, are you within?""Yes, kind sir, I sit and spin," Uh-huh.
4. He took Miss Mousey on his knee, Uh-huh,Took Miss Mousey on his knee, Uh-huh,Took Miss Mousey on his knee.Said, "Miss Mousey, will you marry me?" Uh-huh.
5. "Without my uncle Rat's consent, Uh-huh"Without my uncle Rat's consent, Uh-huh"Without my uncle Rat's consent.I wouldn't marry the president, Uh-huh
6. Uncle Rat laughed and he shook his fat sides, Uh-huh,Uncle Rat laughed and he shook his fat sides, Uh-huh,Uncle Rat laughed and he shook his fat sides,.To think his niece would be a bride, Uh-huh.
7. Uncle Rat went runnin' downtown, Uh-huh,Uncle Rat went runnin' downtown, Uh-huh,Uncle Rat went runnin' downtown.To buy his niece a wedding gown, Uh-huh
8. Where shall the wedding supper be? Uh-huh,Where shall the wedding supper be? Uh-huh,Where shall the wedding supper be?Way down yonder in a hollow tree, Uh-huh
9. What should the wedding supper be? Uh-huh,What should the wedding supper be? Uh-huh,What should the wedding supper be?Fried mosquito in a black-eye pea, Uh-huh.
10. Well, first to come in was a flyin' moth, Uh-huh,First to come in was a flyin' moth, Uh-huh,First to come in was a flyin' moth.She laid out the table cloth, Uh-huh.
11. Next to come in was a juney bug, Uh-huh,Next to come in was a juney bug, Uh-huh,Next to come in was a juney bug.She brought the water jug, Uh-huh.
12. Next to come in was a bumbley bee, Uh-huhNext to come in was a bumbley bee, Uh-huhNext to come in was a bumbley bee.Sat mosquito on his knee, Uh-huh.
13. Next to come in was a broken black flea, Uh-huh,Next to come in was a broken black flea, Uh-huh,Next to come in was a broken black flea.Danced a jig with the bumbley bee, Uh-huh.
14. Next to come in was Mrs. Cow, Uh-huh,Next to come in was Mrs. Cow, Uh-huh,Next to come in was Mrs. Cow.She tried to dance but she didn't know how, Uh-huh.
15. Next to come in was a little black tick, Uh-huh,Next to come in was a little black tick, Uh-huh,Next to come in was a little black tick.She ate so much she made us sick, Uh-huh.
16. Next to come in was a big black snake, Uh-huh,Next to come in was a big black snake, Uh-huh,Next to come in was a big black snake.Ate up all of the wedding cake, Uh-huh.
17. Next to come was the old gray cat, Uh-huh,Next to come was the old gray cat, Uh-huh,Next to come was the old gray cat.Swallowed the mouse and ate up the rat, Uh-huh.
18. Mr. Frog went a-hoppin' up over the brook, Uh-huh,Mr. Frog went a-hoppin' up over the brook, Uh-huh,Mr. Frog went a-hoppin' up over the brook.A lily-white duck come and swallowed him up, Uh-huh.
19. A little piece of cornbread layin' on a shelf, Uh-huh,A little piece of cornbread layin' on a shelf, Uh-huh,A little piece of cornbread layin' on a shelf.If you want anymore, you can sing it yourself, Uh-huh.
Copyright © 1992 Special Rider Music


Courtin' in the Kitchen
Ireland.

Come single belle and beau, unto me pay attention.
Don't ever fall in love, it's the devil's own invention.
Once I fell in love with a maiden so bewitchin',
Miss Henrietta Bell out of Captain Kelly's kitchen.

Chorus:
With my too-ral-oo-ral-I and my too-ral-oo-ral-ad-dy
Too-ral-oo-ral-I and my too-ral-oo-ral-ad-dy.

At the age of seventeen, I was 'prenticed to a grocer,
Not far from Stephen's Green, where Miss Henry used to go, sir.
Her manners were sublime and she set my heart a-twitchin'
And she invited me to a hooley in the kitchen.

Chorus:
With my too-ral-oo-ral-I and my too-ral-oo-ral-ad-dy
Too-ral-oo-ral-I and my too-ral-oo-ral-ad-dy.

Next Sunday being the day that we were to have the "flare up"
I dressed myself quite gay, and I frizzed and oiled my hair up.
The Captain had no wife, faith he had gone out fishin'
And we kicked up high life, down below stairs in the kitchen.

Chorus:
With my too-ral-oo-ral-I and my too-ral-oo-ral-ad-dy
Too-ral-oo-ral-I and my too-ral-oo-ral-ad-dy.

With her arms around my waist, she slyly hinted marriage,
To the door in dreadful haste, came Captain Kelly's carriage.
Her eyes soon filled with hate and poison she was spittin'
When the Captain at the door walked right into the kitchen.

Chorus:
With my too-ral-oo-ral-I and my too-ral-oo-ral-ad-dy
Too-ral-oo-ral-I and my too-ral-oo-ral-ad-dy.

When the Captain came downstairs though he saw my situation,
In spite of all my prayers I was marched off to the station.
For me they'd take no bail, but to get home I was itchin'
And I had to tell the tale, how I came into the kitchen.

Chorus:
With my too-ral-oo-ral-I and my too-ral-oo-ral-ad-dy
Too-ral-oo-ral-I and my too-ral-oo-ral-ad-dy.

I said she did invite me, but she gave a flat denial.
For assault she did indict me, and I was sent for trial.
She swore I robbed the house, in spite of all her screechin'
And I got six months "hard" for my courtin' in the kitchen.

Chorus:
With my too-ral-oo-ral-I and my too-ral-oo-ral-ad-dy
Too-ral-oo-ral-I and my too-ral-oo-ral-ad-dy.

Notes on Victorian Courtship

Courtship
Following are some rules of conduct a proper female must adhere to:
She never approached people of higher rank, unless being introduced by a mutual friend.
People of lesser rank were always introduced to people of higher rank, and then only if the higher-ranking person had given his/her permission.
Even after being introduced, the person of higher rank did not have to maintain the acquaintance. They could ignore, or 'cut' the person of lower rank.
A single woman never addressed a gentleman without an introduction.
A single woman never walked out alone. Her chaperone had to be older and preferably married.
If she had progressed to the stage of courtship in which she walked out with a gentleman, they always walked apart. A gentleman could offer his hand over rough spots, the only contact he was allowed with a woman who was not his fiancée.
Proper women never rode alone in a closed carriage with a man who wasn't a relative.
She would never call upon an unmarried gentleman at his place of residence.
She couldn't receive a man at home if she was alone. Another family member had to be present in the room.
A gentlewoman never looked back after anyone in the street, or turned to stare at others at church, the opera, etc.
No impure conversations were held in front of single women.
No sexual contact was allowed before marriage. Innocence was demanded by men from girls in his class, and most especially from his future wife.
Intelligence was not encouraged, nor was any interest in politics.
Suitors (always a man back in those days) and ladies were to observe strict etiquette if they were to be perceived as properly bred and suitable.
For the ladies:
No mixed messages
“A young lady who is not engaged may receive calls and attention from such unmarried gentlemen as she desires, and may accept invitation to ride, to concerts, to theatres, etc. She should use due discretion, however, as to whom she favors by the acceptance of such invitations. A young lady should not allow special attention from anyone to whom she is not specially attracted, because, first, she may do injury to the gentleman in seeming to give his suit encouragement; and, secondly, she may keep away from her those whom she likes better, but will not approach her under the mistaken idea that her feelings are already interested.”
Play hard to get, sort of
“No well bred lady will too eagerly receive the attentions of a gentlemen, no matter how much she admires him; nor, on the other hand, will she be so reserved as to altogether discourage him.”
No flirting!
“It is only the contemptible flirt that keeps an honorable man in suspense for the purpose of glorifying herself by his attentions in the eyes of friends. Nor would any but a frivolous or vicious girl boast of the offer she has received and rejected.”
For the Gentlemen:
Play fair
“Gentlemen are at liberty to accept invitations and give them ad libitum. As soon, however, as a young gentleman neglects all others, to devote himself to a single lady, he gives that lady reason to suppose that he is particularly attracted to her, and may give her cause to believe she is to become engaged to him, without telling her so. A gentleman who does not contemplate matrimony should not pay too exclusive attention to any one lady.”
Slow down!
“It is very injudicious, not to say presumptuous, for a gentleman to make a proposal to a young lady on too brief acquaintance. A lady who would accept a gentleman at first sight can hardly possess the discretion needed to make a good wife.”
American society during the late Victorian period provided young men and women with many opportunities to meet. One method was the system of calling. A proper call, or visit, lasted no more than ten or fifteen minutes. If the young lady called upon was absent or unavailable, the gentleman caller left a personal calling card. The lady responded with a return call or card if she desired to continue the social relationship. If she didn't, the polite gentleman went looking elsewhere.
Gentlemen Callers
According to etiquette, men were expected to "retain gloves upon the hand during the call" in honor of the fifteen-minute time limit. Also, a well-bred man would never put his hat down on a chair, but would hold it in his hands at all times. This was an indication of control and responsibility. After all, if a man could not tend to his own hat for fifteen minutes, how would he ever manage a wife for an entire lifetime?
Once a lady chose to receive a young man (and she could receive more than one at a time), he could present her with a gift of flowers, candy or a book. Anything more expensive or of a more personal nature was deemed inappropriate and could be rejected -- along with the suitor. A proper young woman could not offer a man a gift until he had given one to her. She could, however, send birthday or holiday greetings in the form of written correspondence, commercial greeting card or postal card. A photographic portrait, sometimes taken by a traveling photographer who set up shop at a local hotel or county fair, was also a popular memento for one sweetheart to give another.
Physical contact was considered the height of Victorian intimacy, therefore closely monitored by society. A young lady, for example, was never to take a gentleman's arm unless he offered; and, unless they were engaged, it was improper for a gentleman to offer a lady his arm during daylight hours. Many courting couples, however, found ways to get around this: roller skating and ice skating gave young couples the chance to hold hands in public. Piano duets were also popular because the couple could not only share the piano bench, but could occasionally touch hands while reaching for the keys.
Pleasures of the Ballroom
One of the most popular forms of contact among courting couples in all economic classes was dancing. This was in spite of complaints by those who thought that such amusements would distract young women from meeting their family responsibilities. Critics who worried about the "fleeting and unsubstantial pleasures of the ballroom" did not find a sympathetic audience with young men and women who wanted the physical closeness and private conversation which dancing so easily allowed. But, in the early years of this century, dancing was as controlled by etiquette as every other activity, and certain traditions had to be followed.
When she arrived at a dance, for example, each young woman received a dance card on which young men signed up for the various dances. Some of these might include the two-step, the one-step or the waltz. The successful social strategist filled her dance card at the start of the evening with the names of men she liked. An unanticipated opening on her program was considered embarrassing, especially for a popular young lady. Sometimes even the most fastidious girl danced with fellows she didn't favor, just to avoid being thought a "wallflower."
Cutting -- refusing to dance with someone once his name was on the program -- was not considered proper unless the man had behaved badly or had paid too much attention to another woman during the evening. To avoid being the object of such gossip, a proper young lady never danced more than two dances with any one man unless they were seriously courting.
Long after many Victorian customs disappeared, the use of dance cards remained. While this system was not perfect, it at least allowed young ladies to have private time with the men they favored and to politely limit the unwanted attentions of men for whom they did not care.
As important as it is to us today, many couples in years past married for reasons other than love. Social status, political connections, money, companionship or security were considered much more important. Instead of being madly in love, most brides went into marriage hoping that love would "come later."
The Search For a Mate
For the bride who was not of the privileged classes, marriage often meant something other than white lace and promises. Just finding a husband in the first place could be difficult, particularly after the Civil War when thousands of young men died in battle and thousands more moved West to make new lives for themselves.
To make ends meet, many American women (and men for that matter) went into domestic service or nursing at an early age, and were unable to take part in the courtship rituals allowed middle and upper class Americans. Ingenuity and perseverance were needed to find a worthy mate if the most enticing qualifications -- money and social standing -- were not in abundance.
Many single women lived in Eastern cities while thousands of single men lived in the West. The problem was getting the two groups together. The Matrimonial News, a San Francisco matchmaking newspaper of the late 1800s, desired to "promote honorable matrimonial engagements and true conjugal felicities" for "amiable" men and women through the publication of personal advertisements:
A bachelor of 40, good appearance and substantial means, wants a wife. She must be under 30, amiable and musical.
A lady, 23, tall, fair and good looking, without means, would like to hear from a gentleman of position wanting a wife. She is well educated, accomplished, amiable, and affectionate.
Aged 27, height 5 feet 9 inches, dark hair and eyes, considered handsome by all, his friends unite in saying he is amiable and will make a model husband. The lady must be one in the most extended acceptation of the word since the advertiser moves in the most polished and refined society. It is also desirable that she should have considerable money.
I am 33 years of age, and as regards looks can average with most men. I am looking for a lady to make her my wife, as I am heartily tired of bachelor life. I desire a lady not over 28 or 30 years of age, not ugly, well educated and musical. Nationality makes no difference, only I prefer not to have a lady of Irish birth. She must have at least $20,000.
Young lady of good family and education, considered handsome, would like to correspond with some gentleman of means, one who would be willing to take her without a dollar, as she has nothing to offer but herself.
Although much more direct concerning finances, these ads are remarkably similar to those found in today's singles columns. Such advertising wasn't cheap, however: rates were $1.50 per word and, if a wedding occurred, both parties agreed to pay the magazine an additional fee within one month.
Matrimonial Ventures
That such ads paid off is not in question. In her acclaimed book Letters From a Woman Homesteader, Elinor Pruitt Stewart, a widow who came West seeking a better life for herself and her young daughter, described a couple she encountered on the road one day in 1914:
In a wobbly old buckboard sat a young couple completely engrossed by each other. That he was a Westerner we knew by his cowboy hat and boots; that she was an Easterner, by her not knowing how to dress for the ride across the desert. … It came out that our young couple were bride and groom. They had never seen each other until the night before, having met through a matrimonial paper. They had met in Green River and were married that morning …
Elinor Pruitt Stewart was herself involved in a matrimonial venture. She moved to Burnt Fork, Wyoming, in 1909 to take a job as housekeeper to a Scottish farmer whom she later married. They had only known each other a short time, but as she later noted, "The trend of events and ranch work seemed to require that we be married first and do our "sparking" afterward. … Although I married in haste, I have no cause to repent."
In farming, ranching and mining communities, where many men were recent immigrants from Europe and Asia, contracting for brides from "the old country" was not unusual. While part of this had to do with language and custom, some immigrants felt that young American women were too modern and outspoken. The American system of courtship was also thought to be a bit too undignified. As noted in 1914 by Hu Shi, future ambassador to the United States from Nationalist China,
Our women do not need to offer themselves in social intercourse for the sake of marriage; nor need they labor to find a spouse for themselves. This gives weight to the dignity of women. But in the West it is not like this. As soon as an [American] woman grows up she devotes herself to looking for a spouse. … Those who are plain and dull or who do not want to lower themselves to charm men end up as old spinsters. Thus, lowering women's dignity and making them offer themselves as bait for men is the flaw in Western freedom of marriage.
Rather than take a chance on American women, many an Irish wheat farmer, Czech coal miner and Chinese merchant wrote home requesting "maidens of good moral character." Basque sheep ranchers in Johnson County, for example, had brides sent over from their home villages in the Pyrenees, while Japanese miners had their brides sent sight-unseen across the Pacific.
Think of the difference between a promise of marriage and an actual marriage itself. There must be no rough freedom, no romping caresses, no behavior that you would be ashamed of if the engagement should be broken. (Grace H. Dodge, A Bundle of Letters, 1887)
While women had the pleasure of receiving callers and deciding which ones they might marry, men had the responsibility of actually proposing marriage. This could be a daunting task, one with no guaranteed results.
Proposal and Acceptance
The most proper way to propose was in person, but a proposal by letter was also acceptable. If the right man proposed marriage, a lady was to state her response immediately and not keep the gentleman in suspense. If she turned him down, each was to return all of the other's letters and gifts, and speak of the rejection only to their parents.
If the young lady accepted his proposal, the prospective groom was then to speak to his fiancée's father and request consent to marry. If permission was not granted, the unhappy couple had but two choices: separation or elopement. The first resulted in broken hearts; the second often resulted in disinheritance. A young lady's father might reject a potential suitor for any number of reasons: poor health, legal entanglements, unpromising financial condition, poor social standing, suspected alcoholism, prior marriages or other "unfortunate liaisons."
The engagements of prominent people were usually announced in the local newspapers. Sometimes engagements came as a surprise, despite the knowledge that the young lady and gentleman in question had been known to keep company. When Rosa-Maye Kendrick became engaged to Hubert Harmon in 1926, for example, the newspaper gossip columnists indicated surprise even though the couple had been courting for nearly five years:
The engagement of Miss Rosa-Maye Kendrick, only daughter of U. S. Senator and Mrs. John B. Kendrick of Wyoming, to Major Hubert Harmon of Washington, D.C., was announced today … Word of the engagement came as a surprise to Washington society, where Miss Kendrick is a great favorite … Miss Kendrick and Major Harmon had been friends for years and for the past three years the major has been a summer guest of the Kendricks, but rumors of an engagement have been denied.
Post-Engagement, Pre-Wedding
After an engagement was formally announced, a young lady's social circumstances were drastically reduced, and her young man's responsibilities were greatly increased. She could no longer receive evening visits or private correspondence from her former admirers and she had to spend considerable time preparing for the upcoming wedding. The groom, meanwhile, was expected to pay her a social call every evening, if he lived in the same town.
Traditionally, a young man presented his intended bride with an engagement gift, usually a ring made of gold set with a diamond, sapphire or other precious stone. She wore the ring as a visible symbol that she was "spoken for" and no longer in the market for a husband. Men rarely wore either engagement rings or wedding rings.
Throughout the engagement and on the day of the wedding, the bride was the center of attention. The groom's main responsibility was to show up and say his vows. He was also responsible for obtaining a worthy gift for his bride, one that represented the value he placed on her. John B. Kendrick's gift to Eula Wulfjen, a very expensive pair of diamond earrings from Chicago, showed everyone that she was worth a great deal to him.
Wedding Belles & Beaux
The Wedding Day
Even a tiny little home wedding, if the lady does not have "six of everything" from facecloths to stockings, as the good book says she should, takes some time. (Ethel P. Waxham, Correspondence to John Love, 1910)
As Ethel Waxham noted in 1910, even the smallest wedding took time to organize. For larger weddings, preparations could take months. There were church banns to be posted, reservations to be made, invitations to be sent out, announcements to be engraved, bridesmaids to be picked, dresses to be sewn, musicians to be hired, etc., etc., etc.
Planning the Wedding
The first thing that had to be done was to pick a date for the event. At one time, most couples chose to get married on a weekday or a Sunday rather than a Saturday. According to one bit of Victorian verse, the seventh day of the week was considered an unlucky choice for a wedding day:
Monday for Wealth,
Tuesday for Health,
Wednesday the Best Day of All;
Thursday for Losses,
Friday for Crosses,
And Saturday No Luck at All
Regardless of the day, weddings could be held either in a church or at the home of the bride's parents. The manner in which the home was decorated emphasized the special nature of the day: out of the ordinary and special. Familiar household furnishings were dressed up with flowers and greenery. Ferns and palms were popular, as were all manner of flowers, from daisies and poppies to roses and lilies. A bit of ivy was almost always in evidence as a symbol of the lasting bond of matrimony. When John Kendrick and Eula Wulfjen were married in 1891, their church was decorated with another symbol of longevity, evergreens:
An arch of evergreens and flowers [was] illuminated with colored electric lights. In the center hung a large bell of evergreens and flowers with an electric light suspended from the center. The alter was a scene of artistically arranged flowers, paintings and banners.
Wedding Gifts
The giving of expensive wedding gifts such as silver or crystal by anyone other than close family members -- or those who could truly afford them -- was once met with harsh disapproval. Even so, the practice of displaying the gifts at the wedding reception prompted many people to give beyond their means in order to "keep up." Expensive didn't mean best, however. Brides and grooms throughout the ages have enjoyed homemade gifts such as paintings, quilts and needlework pieces. The offer of a family heirloom was a symbol of trust and provided a sense of continuity from one generation to another.
John and Eula Kendrick's wedding gifts included china, silver, linens, books, paintings, pillows and a carpet sweeper. Thirty-six years later, Rosa-Maye Kendrick and her husband Hubert Harmon received nearly 400 gifts from friends, relatives, and her father's political acquaintances. These gifts ranged from a pair of antique Bristol glass sweetmeat jars and assorted silver bonbon dishes to a fancy feather duster and sets of monogrammed linens. They even received what is arguably the twentieth century's most popular wedding gift: an electric toaster.
One of the more unusual gifts received by Manville Kendrick and Diana Cumming on the occasion of their 1929 wedding was a pail of honey from Cecilia Hennel Hendricks of Honeyhill Farm in Powell, Wyoming. Though she had never met the bridal pair, Hendricks nevertheless wished them well:
Under separate cover we are sending you a pail of honey to express our good wishes for you at this time. The honey, made by our Wyoming bees, contains the sweetness, the fragrance, the warmth of Wyoming, and will prove, we hope, a little foretaste of the joy that will be yours as you come to make Wyoming your home.
Wedding Foods
Like births, deaths and other major life events, weddings were opportunities for people to gather together and eat good food. For weeks prior to the event, the home cook (or the professional chef if the meal was to be catered) spent hours preparing special foods and delicacies for the wedding feast. In the days before refrigeration, many of these foods had to be preserved in some way. Smoked ham or turkey, corned beef, pickled vegetables, plus dried fruits and grains were all popular foods, along with soups, fish, lamb, chicken, aspics, cakes and pies.
At a formal wedding banquet, many courses were prepared, offering -- quite literally -- everything from soup to nuts. If the food itself wasn't particularly fancy, the names of the dishes were sometimes changed to make them appear more special. It was particularly popular to give a simple food a French name: celery en branche, for example, was just a fancified name for plain old celery sticks.
In order to celebrate such a special event as a wedding, a special dessert was offered: the wedding cake. Until after the Civil War, when finely-ground white flour, baking soda and baking powder were more readily available, the white wedding cake was not common outside the upper classes. Instead, coarse stone-ground wheat flour, oat flour and even cornmeal were used, along with plenty of butter, eggs, dried fruit and spirits. In fact, early wedding cakes more closely resembled the fruitcake we make today at Christmas. After the 1860s, when the white Lady's Cake became the standard for brides, this heavier cake became known as the Groom's Cake. One 1880s groom's cake recipe called for:
Nine cupfuls of butter
Five pints of sugar
Four quarts of flour
Five dozen eggs
Seven pounds of currants
Three and a half pounds of citron
Four pounds of shelled almonds
Seven pounds of raisins
One and a half pints of brandy
Two ounces of mace
The cook was advised to mix all the ingredients and "bake in a moderate oven for two hours or more. This will make eight loaves, which will keep for years."
Not all wedding dinners offered elaborate feasts, toothsome desserts or fancy decorations. Jessie Hill Rowland, who witnessed several weddings as the daughter of a justice of the peace, described a home wedding in a dugout on the Kansas prairie:
Soon after [the ceremony] we all sat down to the wedding supper. The sheet that hung across the corner of the room was taken down and spread over the table for a cloth. Mrs. Brown's efforts at the coffee mill had turned out some delicious coffee, made of dried carrots, seven different kinds of sauce, all made out of wild plums put up in seven different ways. The rest of the menu was quite simple and consisted of plain bread and butter, and fried pork.
Wedding Dresses
A new and pretty notion for bridal gowns is a trail of orange blossoms carried down each seam and forming a tasseled end. This looks charming if allowed to drop at the hem over a full lace flounce. Chiffon is employed for the vest of the bodice. A trail of orange blossoms bordering each side starts from a large bow at the neck. (Ladies Standard Magazine, 1894)
White, symbolizing purity and virginity, has become the accepted color for the American wedding dress. This trend began around the mid 1800s, but even as late as the turn of the twentieth century, many women still chose colored dresses in which to be married. It seemed, however, to be a matter of personal choice:
Sheridan resident Annie Loucks, who wed Cameron Garbutt in 1889, was married in a rust brown silk suit with matching hat and purse;
Virginia resident Lucy Booth, married to Hugh Smith Cumming in 1896, wore an elaborate white gown;
Ida Stevens, who married rancher George Nottingham in 1911, followed the popular fashion and was married in white;
Five years later, young Ethel Snively was married in a pale blue silk dress with a white shawl and cameo.
Kendrick Family Wedding Clothes
When she married John B. Kendrick in Greeley, Colorado, in 1891, Eula Wulfjen wore a dress that later served as a traveling outfit on her honeymoon. The Greeley Tribune described it as follows: "The bride's costume was of mauve Henrietta, combined with velvet, trimmings of silver otter fur, hat and gloves to match, diamond ornaments."
When the Kendrick children got married, their nuptials were well-covered by the press in both Washington and Sheridan. At her 1927 wedding to Hubert Reilly Harmon, Rosa-Maye's dress was described in great detail:
The bride wore a gown of white bride's satin, simply made and draped at the front, where the drapery was held with a rhinestone ornament, and the ends of the drapery falling below the bottom of the skirt, lined with pale flesh color. A deep V in the front of the bodice, reaching to the waist, was filled in with Venetian rose point lace over pale flesh, making a round neckline. A coronet of rose point lace was held at either side with orange blossoms. The lace, falling down each side from the coronet to the waist, was set into a tulle veil, which fell over the court train, and was finished at the bottom with a deep flounce of the same lace.
Two years later, when Clara Diana Cumming married Manville Kendrick, her dress was described in the papers as well:
The bride is wearing just the type of dress that is most becoming to her slender figure. It is ivory satin made with a fitted bodice and a straight, full skirt that is long on the sides. The V-neck has an ornament of seed pearls worn by Mrs. Cumming at her wedding. There is a court train of the satin and Brussels point-lace. And over this falls a veil of tulle arranged in soft folds about the head.
Recycled Wedding Garb
Unlike today, when most wedding dresses are packed away in the attic never to be worn again, brides used to wear their dresses over and over again for special -- or even everyday -- occasions. Eula Wulfjen Kendrick and Annie Loucks Garbutt, for example, were able to wear their dark-colored traveling suits on future train trips. Another bride, Big Horn Basin resident Cecilia Hennel Hendricks, wore her 1914 wedding dress to dinner on each of her wedding anniversaries -- and congratulated herself every year that it still fit.
Rosa-Maye Kendrick was able to reuse her ivory satin wedding gown when she was presented to the King and Queen of England in a 1927 ceremony for "Embassy Ladies." In her book Intimate Letters From London, she described the reworking of the dress:
I took the court train of my wedding gown to a dressmaker, patronized by the American ladies of the Embassy, to have it shortened … then with dress, feathers and veil to the cleaners, I was ready. … I felt quite the bride again with the plain white satin dress, white feathers and wisp of veil.
Honeymoon Trips
Ocean voyages are the plans of many [honeymooners] while others are choosing motor trips from coast to coast with leisurely visits to points of interest along the way, or in other words, "seeing America first." (Unidentified Washington Newspaper, 1928)
For upper-middle class newlyweds, the wedding trip or honeymoon was an opportunity to get to know one another without the pressures of family and friends. Catering to these lucky newlywed couples were honeymoon resorts. Most were associated with famous natural features such as geysers, mountains or waterfalls. Hotels at Niagara Falls, the California Coast and Yellowstone National Park were extremely popular among honeymooners both before and after the turn of the century. Just an hour or two after their Greeley, Colorado, wedding in January 1891, the newly joined Mr. and Mrs. John B. Kendrick left on their two-month wedding trip, one which included a stop at the famous falls:
We stopped 1st at Brown Palace Hotel, Denver, Colorado, then Paxton Hotel (the old one of that name), Omaha, Neb., then to the famous old Cattleman's hotel in Chicago, the Palmer House (bought furniture for ranch home in Chicago), then to Niagara Falls, then to Albany, N. Y., and down to New York City by boat, then to Philadelphia, then to Washington, D.C., and back to Greeley.
At nearly all these stops, Eula and John had certain social obligations. They had letters of introduction to friends of their friends, business contacts and merchants. Eula, as a newly-married Victorian society matron, had to pack for every social occasion that might present itself during her wedding trip: morning dresses in which to make morning calls, luncheon dresses for lunch, afternoon dresses for afternoon calls, tea dresses for tea, dinner dresses for dinner, ball gowns for dancing, and nightgowns for sleeping ... if she had any time left over! She also needed hats, coats, boots, slippers, gloves, parasols, jewelry, collars, cuffs, cosmetics and perfumes, plus a wide variety of feminine articles such as stockings, garters, chemises, camisoles, petticoats, bustles, corsets, and in the winter, a wool union suit for warmth.
A Victorian bride was advised to camouflage her newlywed status while on her honeymoon. When one couple arrived at their hotel in Niagara Falls, fresh from the wedding reception, they very carefully spread newspapers over the floor of their room before changing from their traveling clothes. The paper served to catch any stray grains of rice which might have betrayed their newly married status to the hotel staff.
While rail trips were common, cruises were also popular, especially after the turn of the century. After they were married in 1929, Manville and Diana Kendrick took a honeymoon cruise from Baltimore to San Francisco via the Panama Canal, then back East by rail. Two years earlier, Rosa-Maye Kendrick and Hubert Harmon had combined a temporary move with their honeymoon: they took a cruise to London, England, where Hubert had a new job.
Homesick Blues
Of course I needn't tell you that occasionally my voice doesn't work right and I have to survey the distant horizon instead of looking at the person near me. [Indiana] does seem pretty far away from here, but we'll soon get used to that. And most of all, there is John. So I am not repining, though I may weep occasionally. (Cecilia Hennel Hendricks, Correspondence to Indiana Relatives, 1914)
Sometimes a girl married the boy next door and stayed close within the circle of family and friends she'd known all her life. Other times, however, a bride's new home was far away from familiar surroundings. Homesickness was not unusual and many a bride longed for the familiar comforts of her childhood home. Comfort had to be taken where it was found, however, as Rosa-Maye Kendrick discovered when she moved to London right after her wedding:
Speaking of the meadowlark, I thought I heard one the other day and a wave of longing for home engulfed me. I couldn't get rid of it, or the imagined smell of sage, and finally resorting to [driving] out into the country aimlessly. … England isn't Wyoming, but I found that the countryside, the world over, steals into the senses with a "mild and healing sympathy."
Such separation was hard on the families as well. When Eula Wulfjen married John Kendrick in 1891, she moved from the bright lights of Greeley, Colorado, to the blue skies of southern Montana -- a move her father found particularly difficult to accept. Although they knew she was happy in her marriage, Charles and Ida Peeler Wulfjen truly missed their daughter, as expressed by Ida in 1891:
I hope you will stay east as long as John feels he can spare the time, on account of the change. I know you need it. You have been a good little girl to write so often. Pop says tell you he misses you awfully. His throat fills up when we speak of his little snooks.
Author and family friend Frances Parkinson Keyes brought the tale of Kendrick brides full circle when John and Eula's son Manville married and moved his bride from Washington to Wyoming:
[The bouquets] are as fresh and as fragrant as spring -- the spring which this bride will find blooming about her when, her wedding trip to Panama and the West Indies over, she and her husband, Manville Kendrick, reach the ranch in Wyoming where years ago his father … also took his bride.

Mental Health

BEEN THINKING ABOUT: MENTAL HEALTH
Soon after our marriage, my wife and I were faced with the needs of a family member whose inner world was deeply troubled.
Sometimes this loved one heard voices no one else could hear. Sometimes there were fears that the government was spying on her through her television set. Sometimes she accused us of trying to kill her.
For a while she lived in our home. On other occasions she was able to care for herself in government-subsidized housing. More than once she ran away in an attempt to avoid a world that frightened her.
With the help of local mental health services, we did everything we knew how to do. Through it all, we loved and laughed and prayed. Sometimes she went to church with us. One Sunday evening, she expressed a desire to accept Christ as her Savior. For a while, her state of mind improved. But within a few months the voices and hallucinations returned.
Over time, we developed a deep appreciation for the doctors, mental health community, and social workers who helped us. On occasion, we needed the help of law enforcement officers and judges to help us obtain involuntary admission to a mental health facility, or we needed the oversight of a financial conservator. Her troubled life ended in a state hospital.
In the middle of our experience, we became aware of other church and neighborhood families who were also dealing with similar heartbreak. They too were praying for spiritual help, while reading mental health literature for medical answers.
Along the way, we saw why doctors often refer their patients to counselors and why counselors refer their patients to doctors. The human body and mind are so interwoven that physical symptoms can mask spiritual roots, just as emotional and mental confusion can obscure organic causes.
Like the body, the mind sometimes heals itself. Sometimes it doesn’t. Often there is a place for medication to provide relief while wise counselors offer perspective and new ways of dealing with confused thoughts. There’s time for both doctors and counselors. Persons struggling with mental health issues may respond to either, to both, or to neither. Sometimes the pain is softened only by sedation.
Such complexity calls for wisdom so that we can offer spiritual answers with gentleness rather than presumption. Jesus’ offer of forgiveness, love, and truth provides a foundation for good mental health. Many have found their inner world of anxiety and hopelessness calmed and strengthened by personal faith through reading the Bible. Some have a story that is similar to those who have found deliverance from spiritual oppression in the presence of Jesus. Prayer in Jesus’ name should not be ruled out. But our humility needs to be as real as our faith. There are countless people who suffer from depressive and compulsive thinking that does not respond to prayer, Bible reading, or spiritual correction.
On more than a few occasions, I’ve been deeply troubled by the apparent unwillingness of God to answer prayers for those who live in such inner confusion and anguish. I see families who are barely surviving in their effort to care for loved ones tormented by autism, Alzheimer’s, or other conditions that affect not only the body but the mind and emotions as well. But then, in the face of such brokenness, I’m reminded that the Bible doesn’t ask us to believe in a God who fixes everything in this life.
Those of us who believe that the Bible is all we need to treat mental and emotional problems usually allow for exceptions rooted in organic causes. We recognize that we must leave room for thoughts and emotions altered by the real effects of brain cancer, thyroid disease, or chemotherapy. What we sometimes forget, though, is that bodies and minds that are fearfully and wonderfully made can be tearfully and woefully broken.
Mental and emotional health and illness are a matter of degree. No one but God fully understands the complex interplay between body and mind.
We might wish that life were simple enough to say, “Think right, do right, and you’ll feel right.” While such advice works for some people some of the time, it can add even more pain to those who are already hurting the most. The apostle Paul gives us a more thoughtful approach when he writes, “Warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14).
Note the varied responses. Warn some. Comfort some. Hold up some. Be patient toward all.
The need for such patience is easy to see in a child or adult struggling with profound mental or emotional impairment. In such cases, we are inspired by the gentleness and patience of a caregiver who loves in ways that are not returned. We wonder at the compassion that tenderly makes room for limitation while always looking for undeveloped potential.
But it’s important to see that Paul’s words are not just addressed to those with obvious impairment, or even with the kind of diagnosed schizophrenia that my wife and I saw in our loved one. Paul urges, “Be patient with all.”
All of us live with a complexity that is not easily understood by others or ourselves. This is one of many reasons the Bible encourages us to relate to others with a spirit of thoughtful patience and firm gentleness rather than with a spirit of judgment and condemnation. If we are followers of Jesus, filled with His Spirit, we will be more than moral drill sergeants. Guided by His Spirit, we will give others the consideration we want for ourselves.
If troubled people need our help, we don’t do them a favor by ignoring or indulging unhealthy thinking when there is reason to believe they could be making better choices. Love needs to be strong, and sometimes even tough, in dealing with those who are profoundly impaired. But this is where we need to use wisdom and patience rather than the presumption of ignorance.
Father in heaven, there is so much we don’t understand about others and ourselves. Please help us to know when to warn, when to comfort, when to hold up, while being patient toward all. —Mart De Haan
-- Mart De Haan
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© 2006 RBC Ministries

Words to Remember

BEEN THINKING ABOUT: WORDS TO REMEMBER
A few years ago, I began collecting memorable thoughts and quotes. My regret is that I didn’t start earlier. I’d be willing to trade my stashes of WD-40 and duct tape for those message outlines, good jokes, and countless facts I’ve heard and forgotten along the way.
Recently, while looking over the few hundred I have saved, I pulled out a few thoughts that “jumped out” at me for a variety of reasons. See if you agree that they are worth far more than the boxes of baseball cards I also should have kept (smile).
What we have at the center of our attention is what has us. • King David is both a positive and negative example of this principle. Whatever he gave his attention to would either “make him” or “break him.”
God loves us enough to accept us as we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way. • Could anything be better? (Philippians 1:6).
Nothing is so relevant as the eternal. • A Jewish man named Asaph learned this thousands of years ago while struggling with feelings of envy, disappointment, and doubt (Psalm 73).
We see things not only as they are, but as we are. • Uh-oh (Titus 1:15).
To change, we must want something else more than what we now have. • Maybe this is why the Scriptures say we will find the Lord (and the heart-changing help of His Spirit) only when we look for Him with all our heart (Jeremiah 29:13).
Live for what you will not regret when you die. • “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
The secret of abundance is found not in what we have, but in what we enjoy (or are thankful for). • Paul expressed this in his letter to the Philippians (ch. 4). Nothing produces wealth more quickly or certainly than a heart of gratefulness.
The poorest of all are those who don’t know the one to thank for the sunshine or to trust in the dark. • Isaiah said it with an edge. Even the ox knows its master, and the donkey knows where to find its food (Isaiah 1:3). Those who don’t know their God are poorer than both of them.
We can learn more from our critics than our admirers. • One group tells us how wonderful we are. The other tells us the truth (Proverbs 27:6; Psalm 141:5).
When I am in the presence of God, it seems profoundly unbecoming to demand anything. —Francis Schaeffer • No one understood this better than our Lord, who said, “Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).
Attack problems, not people. • I get the two confused until I remember the words and spirit of Christ (Matthew 5:43-44).
For some troubles, God has not given us answers—He’s given us His Son. • That was His gift to the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43) and to us.
What God thinks of us is more important than what we think of ourselves. • Paul seemed to have this down pretty well. He showed that he not only took the opinions of others, but also his own, with a grain of salt (1 Corinthians 4:3-4; Romans 14).
Fear God—not to run from Him, but to Him. • This might be even more basic than loving Him (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10).
Get knowledge—but don’t depend on your knowledge. Seek to be wise—but don’t rely on your wisdom. Work hard—but don’t trust in your hard work. Work smart—but don’t stake everything on your own cleverness and efficiency. Be ethical—but don’t lean on your morality. Make plans—but don’t hope in your plans. Save money—but don’t trust your savings. Add up your numbers—but don’t count on them. Value people—but don’t depend on people. • I’m intrigued with that lengthy New Testament letter that doesn’t ever mention the subject of idols by name—yet abruptly ends with the words, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).
We are saved by God’s mercy, not by our merit; by Christ’s dying, not by our doing; by trusting, not by trying. • If it came down to having one or the other, we’d probably do well to trade all of our assets and education for this one thought (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Worse than blindness is sight without vision. —Helen Keller • This reminds me of Jesus, who said, “Take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness” (Luke 11:35).
Wise are those who look at others with the same generosity they offer themselves, and who look at themselves with the same critical eye they have for others. • Yet look what we do! We blame others to get the attention off ourselves (Matthew 7:3).
It’s better to deserve honors and not to have them, than to have them and not deserve them. —Mark Twain • Jesus gave an example of someone who takes a seat of honor at a banquet, but then is told to give it to someone else (Luke 14:7-11).
I have found that the desire to have is soon replaced by the fear of losing. • Solomon wrote a whole essay about this (Ecclesiastes).
Use things and love people. Don’t use people and love things. • Why, after so many complex and profound things are considered, do the most important things in life seem so simple?
____________
What I enjoy most about this collection is understanding how all good principles are rooted in the wisdom of Scripture—while pointing us to the Person of Christ.
The best ideas are like the star of Bethlehem. Their purpose is not to celebrate themselves, but to lead us to the One who offers us the forgiveness, patience, grace, and wisdom we need.
— Mart De Haan

Click here to share your thoughts on Mart's article or visit us online. We value your feedback.Feel free to pass along this newsletter to your family and friends.
© 2006 RBC Ministries