Celebrating Begins & Gems from Gladys' Memories

The Birthday Cards, Calls and Callers are showing up in earnest now.

This afternoon, Mike Caspers, the Schwans Man, showed up on the doorstep
wishing Gladys a big Happy Birthday. He had a box of her favorite, Strawberry
Sundae, ice cream cups. Gladys was just delighted. Mike had been out the last time
he's been out.

GEMS from GLADYS' MEMORIES

When living at Lambert near Sydney, Montana, as small children, often Emily, Elma, Hi, Alice and Gladys were sent out to gather dried cow chips. Their father, Edward, ran a sand pit, was a carpenter, did cattle work, machinery repair and sharpened tools for neighbors. The cow chips were used for fuel in the cooking stove since there was no other fuel in the area. Gladys
remembers the hills being covered with agates.

Edward and his friend, Bill Burling had read about there being free land for homesteading and made a trip out to Indian Creek to look at the land. They filed on Homestead land with Mr Britton, Land Commissioner

The family moved to Indian Creek with three wagons in 1917. They were headed out to their homestead. Emily drove the wagon with the furniture and household goods. Jenny Mae drove the covered wagon with the bedding, where she and the girls slept. There was a white mare with a blue roan shoulder, foal at heel, that was tied to Jenny's wagon. Gladys remembers her pulling back in the night and rocking the wagon back and forth. Ed and his son, slept under that wagon too. Ed drove an open wagon loaded with farm equipment, the forge and charcoal. During the trip from Sydney to Miles City in 1917, Gladys' brother Hi, decided that he would chop the firewood for the evening's campfire. He nearly chopped off a toe. Due to his wound, he rode on the reech at the back of the wagon. For entertainment, Alice and Gladys would gather bottles found alongside the road. When they saw a car coming in their direction they would alert Hi. He would throw a bottle underneath the wagon wheel breaking it. Shortly after that the car would come to a screeching halt; passengers would jump out to look at the flat tire, swearing, shouting and arm waving would commence.

Soon After their arrival in Miles City, the sheriff showed up and took her father and brother
down to the police station. Gladys' father was fined for the flat tires and his children's
deeds. The Undersheriff was one of the victims, it turns out.

When Hi and his father returned to camp, Alice and Gladys were ready to tease their
brother, until they recieved a stern warning from their father.


JENNIE ORT DIARY ENTRY

Arrived at the Indian Creek Homestead on November 13, 1917.

Amount of improvements 1st year there.
Put in 2 milesof fence.
Broke and put into corn and beans - 6 acres.
Broke and put into garden and potatoes - 3 acres.
Built a cave (cellar) 18 ft. x 30ft
Built a log house.
Built a barn.

Gladys' Young Friends

Gladys
enjoys
visits
from
her young
friends.











Here's Gladys visiting with her young friend Duke.

Duke is telling Gladys about the lift kit on his 4X4.
He says he'll take her for a ride when he gets his
liscence.

Whenever children come by, Gladys is sure to point out the cookie jar.

Dick has put together a toy box full of balls, trucks, dolls, blocks and all things
interesting to little ones.

The Good News

FIRST 100th BIRTHDAY CARD

Gladys recieved her first 100 Birthday Card yesterday from Hunters in Mossinee, Wisconsin.

She was just tickled when she opened the card and a 100 dollar bill fell out.

"Oh, goodie I wasn't expecting this", she grinned broadly.

The Bad News

Not so bad...

The Powder River Examiner from Broadus, MT published
the Invitation for the Celebration of Gladys' 100th Birthday
in todays edition.

However, they published the wrong date!

The gathering will be on Saturday October 18th from 12 to 5pm
in the Multipurpose Room at Ashland Public School. Gladys will be
there ready to see all her friends and family.

Woe, Oh Woe, Gladys Quotes Edgar Allan Poe

Quothe the Raven, "Nevermore"


Today is a cold day in Otter. The thermometer read 22 degrees when Dick came
over to the house at 5 am to get things rolling and to turn the heaters on to warm things up before Gladys wakes..
9 inches of snow is forecast for the next 24 hours. The water in the rain barrel outside
the house is frozen.

Gladys is optimistic.
"Ain't that a fine prospect having it snow, a fellow could get cold if
it keeps going like this," she says.

Gladys loves to say her pieces and she just adores Edgar Allan Poe.

"He's a bit of a depressing fellow but he sure can write good stuff,"
she says launching into the reciting of "The Raven". Her face gets
very animated and her voice deepens. The room gets quiet as we
listen to her recite the lines...

Gladys Is Looking Forwards to Her Party

Gladys said this morning that she's looking forwards to her party.

"I don't want people to make a big deal about me being 100, I just want them
to come and visit and have a good time visiting with me. I just want to see my
friends, tell some stories and remember the good times. They don't have to
always be right on me, they can visit among themselves," said Gladys.

"I'm doing pretty good these days. I exercise every day, eat good and get
around with my walker"

She was sitting at the kitchen table when she remembered the lines from
The Village Blacksmith by Henry Wadsorth Longfellow.

THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH

Under the spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he.
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er ha can,
And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn til night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat and slow,
Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.

And children coming home from school
Look in the open door;
They love to see the flaming forge,
And hear the bellows roar,
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from the threashing-floor.

He goes to church on sunday to the church,
And sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach,
He hears his daughter's voice,
Singing in the church choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.

It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise!
He thinks of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his heard , rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.

Toiling, - rejoicing, - sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close;
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought.

Rattle Your Hocks and Pull Up Your Socks...

"Rattle your Hocks and Pull Up Your Socks and all join hands and circle around" was
one of Merle's square dance calls.
"Sayle Hall used to really jump", says Gladys with her eyes sparkling.
Oh how Gladys loved to dance. She won The Charleston Contest in Broadus Montana
when she was 15 or 16.
The family used to go to dances all over the area. Merle would call the square dances,
Joyce, Dick and Jane would play the piano and accordian along with the band
and Gladys would dance.
Jack and Ted couldn't carry a tune so they'd kick up their heels with the rest of the crowd.

Yesterday Jane called and reminded Gladys of a song that she used to play on the
piano called "Whispering, Shifting Sands".
Heres the link: http//www.deetunes.homestead.com/shifting.html