August 17, 1986
One-day brother Joe Howard and myself were out to the east farm. We overheard a conversation between Father and the tenant farmer. It seems there was a sow that had a litter of ten pigs. One was a runt. We heard Father say to the tenant, “Just do away with the runt.” We asked why we couldn’t have it. Father said OK, but we would have to take it home and raise it. Neither he nor Mother had time. We brought it home in a burlap bag. Mother showed us what to do. It lived, and we had it around for a year and a half.
It was a pet for sure. It had several tricks. It could play dead, sit down, and show its teeth. We took it up to the North Park to perform. Anyone could play with him. His main drawing card was that he would eat chunks of coal and black walnuts. People would toss him a chunk of coal and he would catch it. People would stop by to see him perform. Mother wouldn’t let him run loose so we had him in a big pen. The jack mule that ran around loose was enough for one place, Mother always said. One evening we took him over to a neighborhood picnic to perform. He did great. He trotted home with us seeming as usual. Next morning, he seemed ill. Father called the veterinarian, Dr. Homer Stewart, to come see the hog. When we told him what we had been feeding him, he was appalled. It was a miracle he lived as long as he did. We had a funeral and buried Hog. That was his name. Father or Mother never scolded us as they realized we were heartbroken.
George Dunshee, Charles Prior and myself took off at 2 p.m. and arrived back at 5:30 p.m. Went mostly southeast. Went through Plano, Promise City, Corydon, Numa, Centerville and Iconium. Didn’t see the buffalo as they seemed to be elsewhere on the farm. All bodies of water we saw were smooth as glass, great for boating. Centerville’s business district is oddly arranged. Signs say don’t go here and don’t go there. That seems to be where people want to go if it says “No.” Topic as we traveled was thunderheads. I know very little about clouds, but George and Charles were in agreement, as there were many fleecy clouds to see. Flowers and birds are at a low ebb. We see lots of things, but not showy enough to bring to church.
Sara and Jack brought the flowers today. They were beautiful and from their garden. I heard George Dunshee tell Sara thanks for bringing them, as he got an hour extra sleep. It takes about an hour to arrange the flowers. She turned it back to George for next week. If anyone else has flowers, please tell us, or better yet, just bring them.
Another pig story. A farmer had a sow that wouldn’t have a litter. The farmer tried everything. Finally, one night the good fairy appeared and said she would find the trouble. Next day she told the farmer he had a smart sow. It seems out along the road was a sign saying “Don’t Litter.” The sow read this, and naturally didn’t litter.
Ask a question and sometimes you learn something, or find out something. A lady was in to the store recently. She was nicely dressed in a frilly white blouse with a tiny little pocket with a button on it. I jokingly asked what she carried in the pocket. She said, “I’ll show you,” and she promptly produced a $100 bill all folded up. Now we know what is in those tiny pockets. The lady lived in Woodburn and was coming to Chariton to shop. As she left home her husband gave her money just to be sure she had enough.
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