Thanksgiving at Korner Drug

It was a time of preparation, the week before Thanksgiving in the 1970's when I was a kid. The moms were home, polishing silver, washing and waxing the windows and soaking the good dishes for the big day - Turkey Day! Now a lot of women hold in their hearts memories of helping their mothers with these tasks, but for me, I was at Korner Drug helping dad gear up for the Christmas shopping season. Early in the fall saleswomen from Revlon, Max Factor, and Canon Cameras would start to appear to take our Christmas gift giving order. I believe it was a mix of bravery and insight, so much was at stake! If you by too much cologne that turns out to be stinky, then you're going to have some expensive alcohol. Or if you choose stuffed animals that the kids don't connect with, then you've got dirty, dusty teddy bears come spring. I always helped Ethel unpack the perfume shipments, the gift sets of Jovan Musk and Love's Baby Soft. The expensive bottles of Chanel No. 5 or No. 2, I wasn't allow to touch those. Windsong, Charlie, Jean Nate', Cachet were all so popular. For men I remember Hi Karate, English Leather, Old Spice and Brut. It was a tedious job, counting to make sure the shipment was correct, then using the price gun to affix the price on each bottle. One of my favorite jobs was to wrap all the Russell Stover candy that First Commonwealth Bank would buy for their very best customers. I remember cases stacked upon cases that were just waiting for me to wrap after school in that dusty store room behind the pharmacy. Scissors were always in high demand, and always getting lost. One day after a long search for scissors dad got a piece of twine and tied them to a post in the pharmacy. Satisfied, he walked away firm in the knowledge that his prized scissors would never been taken! Imagine his horror when later he went to look for them and lo and behold; someone had used the scissors to cut the twine. Laughter filled the store as we watched him storm up to Arrowoods to buy a chain! Soon the Ambassador Cards shipment would come in. That was a task! Each different Christmas card type would have it's pre-destined home in the rack, the kid's cards together, the cards for lovers and friends and neighbors, all decorated in reds and greens and vivid blues. All the racks had to be cleaned and dusted before unpacking the boxes in the week before Thanksgiving. It was also time to decorate the windows with tinsel and paper. Dad would give me like 10 bucks and allow me to go "uptown" to purchase tinsel ropes, garland and holly to decorate the tree that we would have in the window. We always had trouble with the sun pulling the color out of the boxes, so we had to be creative to showcase our items for sale. We always used Fostoria for the windows and we would rotate the boxes of perfume and cameras in and out of the window to protect the boxes. The camera department was Hern's domain. He made all the camera decisions and had to keep all the film, batteries and flash bulbs well stocked for Christmas Eve shoppers. Eventually Dad and our pharmacist, Burl Whitt, got involved in the camera purchases, especially for the more expensive Canon cameras. Oh how I wish I had paid attention to all the great photography tips they shared around giant cups of coffee! Everything you wanted and needed, could be had on Court Street, Prestonsburg Kentucky. I imagine that some people have fond memories of shopping trips to bigger cities, but not me. I chose the toys that I wanted from Arrowood's or Ben Franklin's. If dad was getting mom clothes, naturally they came from Francis Stores or BF Casual, jewelry from Wright Brothers or Clyde Burchett's. Our world existed on the two blocks, that was our shopping district. Thanksgiving sure takes me back!

Homecoming; The Story of Dixie and Bob, Installment #2 Dixie

Homecoming: The Story of Dixie and Bob

Part 2: Dixie

In the summer of 1942, Glenn Miller’s “Chattanooga Choo Choo” was one of Bob and Dixie’s favorite songs to dance to after their senior year at Martin High School. That summer after graduation, Bob asked his high school sweetheart to marry him and she happily said yes. But trouble was on the horizon; the war to end all wars, World War II, was heating up. America had been brought into the battle when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. World events even touched the tiny mountain town of Martin as local boys who had just finished high school, had really just started shaving, felt the calling to join the ranks. Robert Marshall was one of those local boys. His dream always had been to become an aeronautical engineer and Dixie wanted to become a nurse. They spent many nights at sock hops at Martin High School, dancing to Glenn Miller and The Andrews Sisters and planning their future. Bob played on the Purple Flash’s baseball team and he played a mean saxophone and Dixie was a cheerleader and played basketball.

About 3 weeks before Bob had to ship off, the two got married. And they started a family. Bob and Dixie spent the evenings before his deployment in long deep talks about how they would get through the upcoming days and years. On the night before his departure, they walked hand in hand along Main Street in Martin and they went into the little jewelry store, Wright’s Brothers. Once inside Bob picked out a little ID bracelet, often called a “sweetheart bracelet”. The custom of the day was to engrave you and your sweetheart’s name on the bracelet. He also had his social security number etched on the back. He told Dixie that he would leave it on until he returned, at which time he would give it to her.

The months of war dragged on for the folks back home. News, in the form of newsreels, told of the horrors of war on a broad scale. But news from your soldier was scant. Sometimes Dixie would get a little postcard the army provided the soldiers on which Bob could write a few lines. Dixie was able to mail a photo of baby Robert taken when he was about 6 months old. She knows he received it because it was returned to her with his personal items. Dixie did her best to make sure that the homefires would remain burning. She worked at the local utility office and cared for the baby and prayed for her husband’s safe return.

That dream went unfulfilled. On a hot summer day, Dixie was sitting at her desk at the utility office when she noticed two men from the military walk by the front window. Instantly nervous, she knew what that signaled, and the men confirmed that Bob Marshall’s plane had been shot down. The officers expressed their condolences and said that they could not confirm where exactly the plane had disappeared. Family and friends gathered around the young family in the weeks and months to give love and support to Dixie and Robert. The military listed Bob and the other 8 souls aboard as “missing in action”. Eventually Bob’s status was changed to “killed in action” and Dixie was awarded a sum of $107 dollars. Personal items of Bob’s were returned to Dixie by the US army. One item was a book that was called a “buddy book” in which Bob had written the names of friends he had made in his platoon and other facts of his life that Bob had recorded in his own personal hand. There were also a few photographs in Bob’s memory book, including that photo of baby Robert. The war raged on for another year and Germany surrendered in May of 1945. Slowly our soldiers began to return home and eventually prisoners of war returned to America. One day the navigator of the plane came to Martin to visit Dixie. He and 5 others had been held as prisoners of war in Germany for 3 years. He confirmed that Sergeant Marshall had died during the flight as had Sergeant Jerome Kiger. And so it was.

Eventually Dixie met and fell in love with Joe Taylor Hyden, who loved Robert as his own son. The couple went on to have 4 other children, each of them understanding Robert’s story and understanding why his last name was different. Joe Taylor always said, “His dad gave his life in service to our country, his son should carry on his name.”

In 2007 a German citizen, Markus Mooser, discovered the remains of a downed American plane in a forest near Starnberg Germany. During the years of excavation, a piece of a bracelet was found. Etched in the bracelet was the name “Dixie” and on the back was a portion of a social security number. In a video that Mr. Mooser forwarded to me, he says, “Dixie, we have your ‘ring”. And so a bracelet purchased in a small jewelry store in Martin Kentucky in 1942, came home in 2013. Dixie and Robert received a great blessing in the knowledge that Bob was home at last. The bracelet, at least a portion of it, returned full circle back to Martin Kentucky. The final installment of the story will center on the investigation of the crash and Sergeant Robert Marshall’s homecoming.

Homecoming: The Story of Dixie and Bob, Installment 3 - Doc Marshall

Homecoming; The Story of Dixie and Bob

Installment #3:  Doc Marshall

“What chances would this happen after 69 years?” My conversation with Dr. Robert Marshall started in this manner. I met with Dr. Marshall in his home office in New Allen and he was so pleased to show me the artifacts that he has collected and to tell me his story. It’s an amazing story!

Bob grew up knowing that his dad, Charles Marshall, had been killed in World War II and that his body had never been found. One day while at work in his office as Floyd County Judge Executive Bob received a puzzling phone call. The year was 2007. His secretary said, “Doc, there’s a man on the phone who wants to talk to you, from Germany!” It was a call that Bob is glad he accepted. The man identified himself as Markus Mooser and he started to ask direct questions to Bob. “Is your mom Dixie Ratliff Marshall? Is your father’s name Charles R. Marshall? Was your father killed during WWII?” The natural instinct, and Bob’s instinct as well, was to believe that someone was trying to pull a scam on him. So he was leery to answer any questions. The man went on to say, “I was climbing the hillside looking for ginseng and mushrooms and I stumbled upon a clearing and I believed something important happened there. I dug around and I found some pieces of metal and some bone fragments. I’ve talked to local villagers and I’ve done my research and I am sure that I have found the wreckage of your dad’s downed airplane. I am calling because I feel that your mother Dixie never got closure. I gave him my email address and he said he would be back in touch. I told my wife that you’re not going to believe this, but a man from Germany has called me and he believes he has found the wreckage of dad’s plane. Soon I started getting some emails from Markus and after about 3 months went by he emailed me to tell me that he was going to send me some of the plane parts. He wanted to prove that he was not trying to scam my family. So a few days later I get the box with 8 plane parts inside. One piece of metal with rivets was very valuable for identification. Markus explained that these rivets were very specific and only used on a B-24 Liberator. Found among the pieces of metal was a 20mm bullet. This bullet could very well be the bullet that injured my dad so he couldn’t put his parachute on. At this point, it’s been several months since this all began and I was starting to almost believe that it was true, I guess I was about 60% sure that there may be something to this. But at this point I had not told my mother, not until I was 100% sure.”

So 5 years pass with infrequent emails from Germany and Bob Marshall was still in doubt that anything would ever become from this man’s findings in a German forest. Markus had told him that the next step was convincing the American JPAC group that he had enough evidence to substantiate a formal investigation. Bob explained, “One day I get a letter, and I then I got a phone call from a General who told me that he wanted me to come to Indianapolis to the convention for missing soldiers. At this point I was becoming sure that there was something to this and that maybe we could bring him home. So we went to the convention and we spent two days there discussing our case along with five hundred other families who were looking for the remains of their fallen soldiers. At the final meeting of all the families the General announced that the only excavation that they were going to approve for the year, the only one that had enough evidence to warrant a geological dig was for my dad. The JPAC (Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command) had approved to send personnel to Germany to formally search for remains. On the ride home that day I knew that it was time to tell mom.”

Dixie was gently told one evening and she was shocked and amazed that this was even possible. In 2012 a group of former military members were sent to Starnberg Germany to begin the excavation of the suspected crash site. Working tirelessly, the group found remains that needed to be identified. The family was asked to provide DNA from a member of the family who was from the maternal side of Bob’s family. Luckily, Ray Woody was still alive. At the time he was 97 years old and was Robert’s grandmother’s brother. In the fall of 2012 members of the US military came to the home of Dr. Marshall to formerly inform the family that Sergeant Charles Robert Marshall would be coming home after almost 70 years. The final chapter of this amazing story will be next week when we hear about the homecoming of Sergeant Marshall.

Homecoming; The Story of Dixie and Bob, Rest in Peace

Homecoming; The Story of Dixie and Bob

Installment #4:  Rest In Peace

In July 2012 a detachment from JPAC (Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command) assembled in a German forest to begin excavation work toward identification of remains of Sergeant Charles Marshall and Sergeant Jerome Kiger. The crash site, identified by German citizen Markus Mooser, was located southwest of Munich. During their excavation the team recovered human remains and those remains were sent to Hawaii for identification. Relatives from the families supplied DNA samples which aided in the identification process. A few months later, the families were notified that their loved ones would be returning home.

On a bright, beautiful Wednesday, June 5, 2013, the Marshall family traveled to the Cincinnati airport to participate in a ceremony to receive Bob’s remains and take him home to Martin Kentucky after 69 years. Representatives of the US Army arrived early that morning at Dr. Robert Marshall’s home to escort the family, along with a representative from Hall Funeral Home, to the Northern Kentucky International Airport. The remains were brought from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware with a full military escort aboard on a commercial Delta flight. The passengers in the plane were notified and in a show of respect stayed aboard the plane as the ceremony commenced. After the Bob’s family had assembled on the tarmac, a sharp detail of soldiers in full dress approached the plane to bear the remains of their fallen hero. The flag draped coffin was carried to the hearse for the trip home. As the motorcade neared Prestonsburg members of the Prestonsburg Police Department and Fire Department as well as the Patriot Guard Riders joined in the motorcade and ushered Bob’s remains safely back home in Martin Kentucky. Bob was home at last on June 5, 2013.

The funeral was conducted on June, 8 2013 at Hall Funeral Home in Martin Kentucky with burial that followed at Davidson Memorial Gardens. Fire departments from Betsy Layne and Prestonsburg formed an arch with their ladder trucks and suspended a large American flag over the entrance to the cemetery. Hundreds of cars, trucks and motorcycles lined US Highway 23 as the motorcade approached the cemetery. A full military service was held and at the completion of ceremonies a lone trumpeter sounding “Taps”. It was an emotional ceremony and I left the cemetery that day filled with American pride. I could not imagine how these remains could be found in a German forest after 69 years and be brought home!

This could be the end of the story, but it isn’t. On July 21, 2013, the remains of Sergeant Jerome Kiger were laid to rest in Mannington West Virginia. The date is significant as the date that their Liberator B24 bomber had been shot down over Germany in 1944. Markus Mooser made arrangements to travel to the United States to attend Sergeant Kiger’s funeral service. So Dixie and Robert, as well as other members of the family, drove to Mannington to attend the funeral. The family felt is was important to attend but it also gave them an opportunity to meet Markus and to personally thank him for his unbelievable hard work and dedication to see his hunch in a forest come full circle to completion and closure.

Through my research into this story I have spoken with Markus through Facebook, emails and videos. Markus is an amazing man and I have been blessed to meet him, even if it is a virtual meeting. I was blessed to visit Dixie at her home in Martin as well as Doc Marshall at his home in Allen. Their story is an amazing story and every hand who played a role deserves to feel pride in the job they have done. Our veteran’s all have stories to tell, unfortunately many will not speak about their experiences. If you have a family member who has a story to tell, contact me on Facebook.

Homecoming: The Story of Dixie and Bob

Homecoming; The Story of Dixie and Bob

Installment #1:  Markus Mooser

In 2007, German citizen Markus Mooser was hiking through a forest near his home in Starnberg Germany. He happened upon a piece of ground, a clearing in a dense forest, which seemed unnatural in such a thicket. Markus stopped his hike to look around at the area to see if he could figure out why there was this area of bareness in a forest. He also had a spiritual feeling as he stood there in wonderment. He felt that something important had occurred right in this very spot. Unable to clear the image from his mind, he went home and did research about the area. He felt sure that there had been a crash of some sort which caused the clearing. After a year of research, he went to the closest town to ask the townspeople if they knew what had caused the bare area in the thick forest. He was given directions to an older man’s home and told that this man knew what had happened in that place. So he went and spoke with the older gentleman who remembered that day well, July 21, 1944. The man told a story about a downed aircraft. It was an American plane he said. He saw airmen parachute out of the plane and that one parachute had not opened. He remembered the remains, the wreckage, and the Nazi soldiers who came and captured the 6 airmen who survived the crash. The crash site was closed and it was forbidden for citizens to go there. The old soul said they did as they were told by the Nazi soldiers, they didn’t go into the forest. Markus thanked the old man for his help; three weeks later the old man died. This story started Markus on a journey that would take him from his home in Germany to a funeral in West Virginia in 2013. It’s a remarkable story.

On July 21, 1944 the Eighth Air Force launched 960 bombers on air raids on key industrial targets in southern Germany. They were targeting German aircraft plants. One of those planes, a B 24 Liberator, was headed toward the village of Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich. On that plane were 9 airmen and one of those airmen was a local boy, Sergeant Charles Marshall. The aircraft came under heavy enemy fire. Artillery fire severely damaged the aircraft before it reached its target and it crashed somewhere southwest of Munich. Seven crewmen bailed; one was killed when his parachute failed to open, six were captured, two were unable to escape and went down with the aircraft in an unknown location in the forest. Sergeants Jerome Kiger and Charles R. Marshall were declared missing in action by the U.S. War Department. In 1945 searches were conducted in the presumed crash area by the War Department and neither the crash site nor remains were discovered. The soldiers were declared “Killed in Action” in 1945. And so the families of Kiger and Marshall were left to grieve without closure. The Kiger and Marshall families were left with no choice but to remember their loved ones and move forward with their lives. And the years passed by.

In 2008 Dr. Robert Marshall received a call from Germany. The man introduced himself as Markus Mooser and he had news for Dr. Marshall about the father he didn’t remember. Markus was certain he had identified the crash site of Marshall’s downed plane and had recovered items that provided proof. He had completed a year of research into the crash, spending hundreds of hours in the forest searching for evidence before he reached across the ocean to the families of the two airmen. His research had led him to conclude that he in fact had found the long lost wreckage of the B 24 Liberator. He was relentless in his quest as he has said, “You can’t leave them unknown in a forestside in Germany. They have to come back to their families.” Markus kept in touch with the Marshall family and periodically called and emailed Dr. Marshall to update the family about the search efforts. Eventually Markus had enough evidence in the form of metal, plane fragments and ammo to prompt the U.S. military to send a team of search specialists. In June 2012 a team of 13 soldiers from the US Army, US Marines and the Royal Air Force start excavation of the crash site. Working in shifts from 9 am to 5 pm daily the soldiers found metal parts, bone fragments and personal objects belonging to the airmen. One item that was found was a Saint Christopher medal. Etched in the back of the metal were the words “in case I am injured, please call a Priest.” And to honor this request, the search team contacted a local Priest and held a ceremony on the anniversary of the crash, July 21, 2012. They also found a wrist watch, it’s face and hands intact. The time was frozen at 10:40. Historically the estimated time of the crash had been said to have been estimated at 11:oo am. Also found were British coins, which correlates with the fact that the flight originated in Great Britain. Miraculously the dog tags belonging to Sergeant Charles R. Marshall were discovered along with one precious piece of metal: a portion of an ID bracelet that had belonged to Bob Marshall. The story of the bracelet, and the story of Bob and Dixie will surely fill you with amazement. 

The Battle Flag

Surprises come in all shapes and sizes, I want to share a story about my uncle, Johnny Burke. Johnny owned Fountain Korner Drug with his two brothers, Hern Burke and my dad, Joe Burke. As I was growing up I knew that all three men had served during World War II, but war stories weren’t often shared around the tables at the Fountain. So I knew little of their service to our country. I did know that dad had suffered frost bite, his toenails grew so thick because of it and mom had industrial sized toenail clippers for them. He would yell and scream in mock horror when she approached him with them. And I knew that Hern had spent time in Germany where he learned the art of photography. Hern’s story affected me personally and I believe sent me on my journey to learn the craft. But Johnny’s story was a bit unknown to me until one day when we learned that Johnny had received a package in the mail from a stranger in Arkansas. It’s quite a tale.

I talked to Johnny about his experiences in World War II recently and he was very open to discuss his sharp memories of that time in his life. “I joined up here in Floyd County and went to Los Angeles to camp at Santa Anita Racetrack. They had put beds in the stalls and that’s where we stayed at while waiting to ship out. The man in the stall next to me ended up in the same unit in Germany with your dad, Joe. After we left Los Angeles we shipped out from Washington state and ended up in Japan, as far as you can go.”

During Johnny’s tour of duty he sustained a serious injury. “Three of us were in a foxhole during the battle for Morotai. We were high in the mountains of Morotai Indonesia, on Mount Sabatai, heading toward the capital city. There was a black topped road but it was mined, so we had to go through the timber and that’s where I got blown up in a foxhole. I laid there all night until daylight. They shot at anything that moved, so you didn’t dare leave your foxhole. I had 30 or so pieces of shrapnel in my back and leg, some are still there today. Help came for me at daylight and the natives made a stretcher out of a blanket and 2 poles and carried me to a Jeep. The Jeep could only make it up so far to us because the timber was so thick. Then they tied me down on top of the Jeep and took me to an ambulance, then to a field hospital, and then to a full size hospital near the beach. Then they loaded me on a hospital ship and flew me on an airplane and I went back to New Guinea for treatment there. I stayed there 2 or 3 months and then I had to go back and fight again. That was the hardest part. We were getting ready to invade Japan when they surrendered.”

When Johnny had recovered he went back to his company on the island of Morotai. Japan had captured the tiny island of about 9,000 inhabitants in 1942 and Allied Forces began the Battle for Morotai in September 1944 and it continued till the end of hostilities in August 1945. One of the most remote places on the planet, a Japanese soldier was found there in 1974 still believing that the war was on going. One of the company’s missions was to destroy all the Japanese equipment that had been left on Morotai. One day when his company was moving through a tiny village, they saw a Japanese battle flag. “It was hanging on a fence post in someone’s yard, they’d junked it”, Johnny explained. Someone from Johnny’s company “captured the flag” and wrote the names of the members of the 130th Infantry around the large red circle in the center of the flag. The history of the flag halted there for 60 years. Then one day a few years ago Johnny received a phone call from a gentlemen in Arkansas. He explained that he had found a Japanese battle flag in a thrift store. He had purchased it and had taken it home and researched the names on the flag. Johnny said, “He had called all the names on the flag and I was the only one he could find. He wanted to know if I would like to have it and I said I sure would.” Several weeks later a large package arrived at Johnny’s home. “The relic hunter had taken the flag and had it framed for me and shipped it to me. How it got to America is a mystery.”

A piece of cloth from 70 years ago in a foreign land, formed into a flag of battle, discarded in defeat, ends up right here in Prestonsburg Kentucky. Uncle Johnny now proudly displays the flag in his home. It is a memento from his duty in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Our heroes of World War II are treasures that are slowly disappearing and their stories should be told for future generations. I’m glad I got to listen to Uncle Johnny share his memories, I enjoy his sweet, gentle nature and his great memory. Take time to learn from the elders in your families, listen to their stories and cherish their council. If you know a veteran who has an interesting story and would be willing to share, contact me.

Sugarcamp Mountain

Hiking is fast becoming an activity that can be enjoyed by everyone. Often we plan journeys to beautiful forests and mountain tops to enjoy the fall season with our families. Now we can stay at home and enjoy our natural beauty on brand new trails right here in Prestonsburg. Sugarcamp Mountain Trails is a newly developing trail system for use by hikers, bikers and horsemen. Sugarcamp offers about 8 miles of horse friendly, machine built trails that offer awesome views of Jenny Wiley State Park. Additionally there are about 15 miles of hand carved trails for hiking and mountain biking. The trails vary in technical difficulty but most are listed at an intermediate level. The system has been developed in a spirit of cooperation between the City of Prestonsburg and Jenny Wiley State Park. There are two trailheads; the upper trailhead is located on Stonecrest and is called Sugarcamp Mountain Trailhead. It can be reached from Stonecrest by turning off the main road on to Meff Road, then you'll find the trailhead immediately adjacent to the water tower at the top of the hill. The other trailhead is located in Jenny Wiley and is called the Arrowhead Point trailhead. This trailhead can be found near where the old horse stables were. I spoke with two of the trail volunteers, Josh Turner and Beau Spurlock, and I could easily see their excitement about the project. Josh said, “It started with a few of us, Timbo Branham, Tyler Burke, and Beau and I were riding the few trails that were available and talking about the potential. But none of this would have been possible without Prestonsburg’s Mayor, Les Stapleton. Les was able to get the project headed in the right direction by working with Jenny Wiley’s Director Julian Slone. Together Les and Julian were able to “clear a path” for the volunteers to get in there and map out the best natural lines for hiking and biking paths.” Beau explained, "About 3 years ago when we started riding in the mountains, there was about a 3 mile network of existing trail. We've expanded that original trail to nearly 15 miles of narrow mountain bike trail, known as 'single track'. This was done in about two and a half years time, with thousands of hours of volunteer labor. While these trails were getting built, the City of Prestonsburg was busy constructing a nearly eight-mile, multi-use trail that would be open to hiking, biking and horseback riding. This eight foot wide trail serves as the backbone of the trail system, linking Stonecrest with the state park, the top of the mountain with the lake."

Most of the volunteers responsible for the mountain bike single track also devote countless hours maintaining and grooming this multi-use trail. Beau explained, "The area mountain bike community has really come together to drive this project, and to ensure that it is done in a way that is very high quality. Part of the reason is so local riders have a great place to ride, but the part that drives a lot of us is the opportunity to provide a real biking destination for those outside of the area. We want it to be a catalyst for change in Prestonsburg, in Floyd County and in the region. None of this could have been achieved without the countless hours of work donated by many, many volunteers, we can't thank them enough!"

The next step that followed was the addition of route signs and a trail head. The trails are still a work in progress, but every week progress is made. A website has been created, www.sugarcamptrails.com which has everything needed to educate hikers, bikers and horsemen. In addition, each Sunday afternoon, Les and Karen Stapleton are leading group hikes to help everyone get to know the trails. Currently the group hikes are leaving at 4:30, but that time will move earlier in the day as the fall season continues. If you would like to hike the trails, a great place to start is at Sugarcamp Mountain Trailhead. Beau and Josh suggest going with a buddy and parking one car at the Arrowhead Point Trailhead, then loading up in the other car and driving up to the Sugarcamp Mountain Trailhead on the mountain top, then you have a downhill hike or ride. There’s something for everyone to enjoy on Sugarcamp Mountain Trails. Whether you want a tough, challenging, off the hook downhill on your mountain bike, or a nice horse ride with your best friend, you can enjoy nature at it’s best at Sugarcamp Mountain. Imagine spending a Saturday afternoon in the woods with your family, teaching your children the joys of life away from a computer, or a solitary hike with your dog and your camera capturing images of the glory of fall. Hiking is fast becoming an activity that can be enjoyed by everyone. Often we plan journeys to beautiful forests and mountain tops to enjoy the fall season with our families. Now we can stay at home and enjoy our natural beauty on brand new trails right here in Prestonsburg. Sugarcamp Mountain Trails is a newly developing trail system for use by hikers, bikers and horsemen. Sugarcamp offers about 8 miles of horse friendly, machine built trails that offer awesome views of Jenny Wiley State Park. Additionally there are about 15 miles of hand carved trails for hiking and mountain biking. The trails vary in technical difficulty but most are listed at an intermediate level. The system has been developed in a spirit of cooperation between the City of Prestonsburg and Jenny Wiley State Park. There are two trailheads; the upper trailhead is located on Stonecrest and is called Sugarcamp Mountain Trailhead. It can be reached from Stonecrest by turning off the main road on to Meff Road, then you'll find the trailhead immediately adjacent to the water tower at the top of the hill. The other trailhead is located in Jenny Wiley and is called the Arrowhead Point trailhead. This trailhead can be found near where the old horse stables were. I spoke with two of the trail volunteers, Josh Turner and Beau Spurlock, and I could easily see their excitement about the project. Josh said, “It started with a few of us, Timbo Branham, Tyler Burke, and Beau and I were riding the few trails that were available and talking about the potential. But none of this would have been possible without Prestonsburg’s Mayor, Les Stapleton. Les was able to get the project headed in the right direction by working with Jenny Wiley’s Director Julian Slone. Together Les and Julian were able to “clear a path” for the volunteers to get in there and map out the best natural lines for hiking and biking paths.” Beau explained, "About 3 years ago when we started riding in the mountains, there was about a 3 mile network of existing trail. We've expanded that original trail to nearly 15 miles of narrow mountain bike trail, known as 'single track'. This was done in about two and a half years time, with thousands of hours of volunteer labor. While these trails were getting built, the City of Prestonsburg was busy constructing a nearly eight-mile, multi-use trail that would be open to hiking, biking and horseback riding. This eight foot wide trail serves as the backbone of the trail system, linking Stonecrest with the state park, the top of the mountain with the lake." Most of the volunteers responsible for the mountain bike single track also devote countless hours maintaining and grooming this multi-use trail. Beau explained, "The area mountain bike community has really come together to drive this project, and to ensure that it is done in a way that is very high quality. Part of the reason is so local riders have a great place to ride, but the part that drives a lot of us is the opportunity to provide a real biking destination for those outside of the area. We want it to be a catalyst for change in Prestonsburg, in Floyd County and in the region. None of this could have been achieved without the countless hours of work donated by many, many volunteers, we can't thank them enough!" The next step that followed was the addition of route signs and a trail head. The trails are still a work in progress, but every week progress is made. A website has been created, www.sugarcamptrails.com which has everything needed to educate hikers, bikers and horsemen. In addition, each Sunday afternoon, Les and Karen Stapleton are leading group hikes to help everyone get to know the trails. Currently the group hikes are leaving at 4:30, but that time will move earlier in the day as the fall season continues. If you would like to hike the trails, a great place to start is at Sugarcamp Mountain Trailhead. Beau and Josh suggest going with a buddy and parking one car at the Arrowhead Point Trailhead, then loading up in the other car and driving up to the Sugarcamp Mountain Trailhead on the mountain top, then you have a downhill hike or ride. There’s something for everyone to enjoy on Sugarcamp Mountain Trails. Whether you want a tough, challenging, off the hook downhill on your mountain bike, or a nice horse ride with your best friend, you can enjoy nature at it’s best at Sugarcamp Mountain. Imagine spending a Saturday afternoon in the woods with your family, teaching your children the joys of life away from a computer, or a solitary hike with your dog and your camera capturing images of the glory of fall. It’s all waiting for you this fall at Sugarcamp Mountain Trails.

It's the Great Pumpkin

Autumn is in the air. Leaves are falling all around us and there's a crispness in the night air. Soon there will be frost on the pumpkin, and it will take a lot of frost to cover Dwight Slone's award winning pumpkins. The most loved icon of fall is a big ole pumpkin to use as a decoration for your old Kentucky home but just how big can a pumpkin get anyway? Ten pounds, 25 pounds? A visit with local pumpkin guru Dwight Slone revealed to me that he grows pumpkins in the 1400 pound range!

This year, Dwight has entered two giant pumpkins into state competitions. His entry into the Kentucky State Pumpkin contest earned him second place with a astounding weight of 1456.6 pounds. Last weekend he took a second pumpkin to the Allardt Pumpkin Festival where he earned another second place award with that pumpkin weighing in at 1421.5 pounds. So ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, gather 'round as we learn the art of giant pumpkin growing.

Pumpkins naturally start with a pumpkin seed. "The variety of these pumpkins are Dill's Atlantic Giant Pumpkins and I got the seed for the one on the trailer from a gentleman from Rhode Island, Ron Wallace, and it came out of a 1790 pound pumpkin. I got the seed for the one in the truck from a gentleman from Michigan from a 1916 pound pumpkin." Dwight explained to me the process for planting and sustaining such a large pumpkin crop. " The seeds were started in a germination box the last week of April and were put in the ground the first week in May. After they go in the ground I've got these little solar powered huts to cover the tiny plants that stay closed in the cool mornings. They even have little heaters on them. Then as the sun burns through the fog and the day heats up, they open and let the heat out. The temperature can change 40 degrees from when I go to work in the morning until I get home in the evening."

Through the long hot summer Dwight is out in the pumpkin patch before and after his job at Prestonsburg City Utilities, making sure everything is perfect for his pumpkin crop. This year Dwight planted 5 large pumpkins and he explained to me the method for spacing those huge pumpkins. "Each plant had about 850 square feet of space at the beginning and at the end of the growing season, there was only about 2 feet of space to walk. Each area was about 28 feet wide. During the growing season each pumpkin can add 35 pounds of weight each day. You can almost watch them grow daily! As they mature, I cover them with a tent to keep the water off of them and under each growing pumpkin I put some sand for a cushion and you always have to watch for mice. They like to burrow under the pumpkins to live. I was lucky this year; two little black cats came to live in my patch and they do an excellent job!"

Growing giant pumpkins is a task though that is not without peril. This year one of his giants looked to be outstanding. The color was a beautiful light orange and he was keen on that one to be an award winner. But a few weeks ago he noticed a split on the vine. "You have to check them many times a day. It's the first thing I do in the morning, the first thing I do when I come home and the last thing I do before going to bed. I noticed a little split in the vine, so I cleaned it with a little Clorox and water and a fungicide. And I put a fan on the split to keep it dry. Because the color was so pretty, I decided to save the orange one to take to Jenny Wiley to show to everyone but when we got back from the State Fair it had rained too much." Even with all the care Dwight gave the pumpkin, the split did not heal and the pumpkin started to wither down.

Dwight's next task with his two giants is to carve them into jack o'lanterns. He told me, "The wall thickness is close to 10 inches thick, they should make two nice jacks!" I can't even imagine how you would clean a pumpkin out that large.

I asked Dwight a crucial question, "Have you ever seen The Great Pumpkin?" With a chuckle Dwight said, "Not yet, but my wife Karen says she sees a crazy guy running around at night with a head lamp on checking pumpkins before bedtime!"

I think Dwight is wrong, because this is the most sincere pumpkin patch I've ever been in. I imagine the Great Pumpkin does live in his pumpkin patch, several of them in fact. Dwight and Karen are passionate about their giant hobby and they are so proud to represent Prestonsburg at the State Fairs and at Jenny Wiley Festival. If you know someone who has a unique hobby or talent, find me on Facebook and tell me about them.

Snapshot



“Kay Burke please come to the office.” Mr. Tackett’s announcement usually struck fear into the heart of the summoned child. What might I have done? Who saw me do what I did? Snickers of classmate, ohs and uh oh’s generally rose from the room anytime an announcement like this was made. Students at PGS heard tales and talk of trips to Mr. Tackett’s office. Legends of children sent to the basement, the wrath of Rube’s devil horns that seemed to protrude underneath his hair, were passed down from sister to sister, brother to brother. And worst of all: the electric paddle! Mr. Tackett stories were the stuff legends were made of in Prestonsburg, he ruled that school – at least in our little minds. Blackcat through and through, Mr. Tackett was a daily presence in our lives, the boys feared him but the girls adored him. So for me hearing that announcement wasn’t a scary event, it in fact was music to my ears, for it is the week before Christmas and there is a lot of shopping that needs to be done! Christmastime in 1969 marked the end of the decade and the end of a “stellar” year in America. We bested those nasty Russians by landing on the moon first, and Star Trek was a favorite new TV show. Of course, most little girls loved “I Dream of Jeanne” and “Bewitched”. I often walked around trying to twitch my nose or blink to get myself out of bad situations like math tests or Mrs. Frazier’s music class. Oh, I loved Mrs. Frazier, but let’s just say that singing was not on my God given talent list. So after a slow morning of math and English and watching Mrs. Warrix swig something liquid out of the top drawer of her filing cabinet, I was ready for a road trip! Fifth grade landed you on the top floor of PGS and Mrs. Warrix room looked out toward the nursing home, the fire department, post office and Court Street. Bounding down those dark brown stairs, my heart is light, for once. “Have you ever been whooped by Mr. Tackett?” I hear Denver call out toward me. “No”, I reply, sure in the knowledge that isn’t my fate to-day either. The main floor is full of little kids, getting drinks of water, going to the boys and girls room, running like ducks. Of course they’re excited, Christmas break is upon us! Soon we will see Bill Petry atop the fire truck on his annual Christmas Eve trip around town. This is one of my mother’s favorite traditions and I see a tear in her eye every year. “It’s so beautiful!” She would always exclaim. Probably the only non Methodist remark she ever made about Christmas. Leslie Burke was about the most traditional woman ever to live. We had mashed potatoes for supper every single night. I never ever tasted a Shake N Bake dinner in my life even if I did like the commercials with the little southern girl. “It’s Shake N Bake and ah hailped”. Nope, that’s not served in the Burke household. I did hear her though, say “sht” from time to time. My mother had a lead foot and I inherited it. We had a yellow Riviera, state of the art! That car had a little needle that you could set on the speed limit you were supposed to obey and it would buzz when you reached it. Buzz, sht, buzz, sht, I heard that a lot. She didn’t stretch it out like most southerners, “Sheeeet”, it was just a little sht, under her breath. I always got a little tickle from that. Christmas thoughts were swirling through my head, when suddenly a dark thought interrupted. I did do something wrong. Earlier in the day as we were doing silent reading, I had stuck my foot out into the aisle, on purpose, and tripped David Banner Leslie. He had slid like a bowling ball toward the blackboard and everyone had laughed. He was so embarrassed, his face as red as a tomato. I don’t even know why I had done it, curious. Nina Fannin whispered to me that I was going to "H-E- double toothpicks" for that. This act had made Mrs. Warrix head back to that top drawer again. So maybe Denver did know something I didn’t know, maybe this wasn’t such a good thing. Maybe if I twitch my nose this day will be over and I will be on Polecat’s bus on the way to Blackbottom. My gait slowed as I passed through the hall, past the big bulletin board in the hallway that the teachers had decorated with construction paper wreaths and hand cut “Merry Christmas” letters in red and green. I watched a little boy rip one of the handprints used to make the wreath and briefly thought about ratting him out to save myself. But from the looks of that kid he had two types of days: those that he had been to the Principal’s office and those that he was heading that way, so I journeyed on. It was nearing lunch and a familiar sight and scent hit my senses as I approached the office area: cigarette smoke and mimeograph fluid. The smoke was rolling, not from the boys and girls restroom, but from the teacher’s lounge. That place was a mystery to me, it appeared that everyone smoked, but you never saw them do it! The mimeograph machine was in full swing, Mrs. Tackett turning that crank quickly, copying jingle bear coloring sheets for the 2nd graders to complete for their parents. Turning into the office I approach the half door of the Principal’s area, the devil’s playground. Little kids are lined up, getting change, buying pencils and cool erasers from Gaye. She sees me and smiles, motioning for the little kids to step out of the way. “Come on in”, she says, “he is expecting you.” “I’ll bet he is I think.” I am about to experience the whoopin’ that Denver asks everyone about on a daily basis. Mr. Tackett is seated at his desk, head down, pouring over some important papers. Probably the papers needed to send me to the pokey I think. As I look at Rube, I’m pretty sure I can see the faint glint of a horn sticking out on the left side of his head, mercy. But my imagination pushes me over the edge, again, and Rube looks up with a smile. “I have a shopping list for you for a run to town”. YES!! A Road trip to Korner Drug. The list contained many items compiled in the teacher’s lounge. There was lipstick for Mrs. Fitch and Mrs. Bennett. Also some Russell Stover candy for Mr. Patton. Mrs. Cooley’s nerve pills and some cologne gifts for Mrs. Hatfield and lunch for all. The lunch list includes grilled pimiento cheese sandwiches, hamburgers and fries, milk shakes, vanilla and cherry cokes and cups of pickles. No money is needed, everyone just adds it to their charge accounts. Happiness abounds in my heart because I get out of silent reading and I get to eat a hamburger and have a coke instead of peanut butter and crackers! Even though I am happy, I do have a nagging guilt feeling about David Banner, I shouldn’t have acted upon that impulse, it’s going to eat at me. I resolve my inner turmoil by promising myself I will apologize when I get back, I may even take him a Blue Monday Candy Bar. But the road, or the sidewalk beckons me. I head down the wide sidewalk that runs toward Post Office Hill and past the nursing home. Dad and I often deliver medicine to the different nursing homes, even to one in Lackey. I love to help dad at the store, it’s easy to tell that I am a Daddy’s girl. As I reach Court Street I love to look up at the tinsel Christmas trees on the telephone poles. I think about other favorite decorations in town. I thought about the big red and white stockings that many people had standing in their front yards with their family name painted in black. The fancy houses on Arnold Avenue had those. I also loved Otis Cooley’s house on North Lake Drive and the giant Christmas tree decorated with the huge colorful lights! It was always a family tradition on Thanksgiving to drive by and see that tree before we went to the Jenny Wiley Basketball Tournament. Nobody ever decorated for Christmas before Thanksgiving and the Cooley tree was always the first. But the most favorite place of all in Prestonsburg for any ten year old had to be TOYLAND. Growing up I never went to a shopping mall, we chose our clothes out of the Sears and Roebuck catalog or Montgomery Ward. But when I think about it, most of the stores in Prestonsburg weren’t really what their name implied. Korner DRUG was way more than a drug store, Clyde Burchett’s JEWELRY had much more to offer than rings and necklaces. But Arrowood’s HARDWARE doubled as a very important place for children – Toyland! They had a doll that wets, badmitton nets, checkers sets and even Corvettes to play with. There were lights and buzzers, horns and sirens, meows and barks, toys of all kinds, and I loved to walk up and down those aisles deciding on which toy I wanted Santa to bring. HONK!! A loud horn startles me back from my daydream, it’s Dan Goble in his white Strand car with the loud speakers and I’ve stepped right in front of him. I’m always doing things like that, dreaming of things imagined and hopes unfulfilled. But it shakes me back to the task at hand and I cross South Lake Drive and climb the huge sidewalk in front of the store. As I step my short little legs up those big steps, a light snow begins to fall, one way or another this day will be the last day before Christmas break! I step into the store to see it full of shoppers and eaters, the smell of grease and smoke and medications assault my nostrils. Of course, Ethel is in all her glory behind the cash register, now she did rule Korner Drug and everyone knew it, especially Dad, Johnny and Hern! Often Dad would bring home something Ethel had baked, and no one liked. Mom would say, “Why did you bring that home?” And dad would say, “How do you say no to a grizzly bear?” So there she was, diamondy fingers running over those cash register keys, making that heavenly “ca-ching”. Barely looking up, almost with a sixth sense, she told me that she had the grade schools order ready, but that I needed to go in the back and wrap the presents. Among the number of things I like to do is wrap presents and today especially, it’s getting me out of lunch and PE. I usually like PE, but lately we’ve been in the gym trying to climb that blasted rope and climb the peg board thing on the wall. There’s no way I’ll ever, ever be able to do that! I’ll wrap a million presents gladly! The presents are on the back counter, cologne sets and a Kodak Pocket Camera. I know the rules: cheaper paper for the cheaper gifts and I can use the pretty silver foil paper for the camera. Task one of my legal “cheat day” completed, I have the gifts and they’re wrapped and marked for what is in each package. As I walk through the pharmacy I notice that Dad is busy, filling out billing sheets. Man if there was ever an example of how neat one should be on their numbers, it’s this job. It was painstaking and if you messed it up, guess what, you were waiting longer to get your money. So Dad was precise in his printing with his mechanical pencil. I knew not to bother him, although I also knew that he wouldn’t have minded. So I grab a big Francis Store shopping bag to put the presents in and head over to the counter. The very last stool toward the kitchen had the back broken off of it. I once forgot that and leaned back, cracking my head on the floor. I still liked that stool and I loved to twirl on it, so I jump on it, starving! Kathy knows my order, I eat the same thing every day: hamburger with lots of mustard, pickles and fries and a coke and she gets it ready for me while the teachers’ lunches are finished. I sit and think about Christmas and what it means and what I want Santa to bring. Some of my friends say there isn’t a Santa, but I don’t believe them, I know Santa is real and I need to pick out what I want. I tell Kathy that I’ll be right back and race up Court Street. The bottom of the big window at Arrowood’s is covered with a big white paper that says “Toyland” and has a red and green holly decoration on it. The hand written sign is used every year and the writing on it was cool! My guess is that they put this paper up every year really low to lure us kiddos into the store to shop, and it’s a good plan. I remember Barbie, and I know that there were popular baby dolls, but I didn’t own a baby doll and all of my Barbies were bow-legged. Why - because all of my Barbie dolls rode on horses. Horses were my favorite thing, so my search of Toyland 1969 took me straight to the cowboy and Indian section. “Bonanza” was a favorite TV show and I already had a Little Joe lunchbox. As I walked toward this section, my eyes started to scan the items and one immediately caught my eye. It was a horse, Little Joes’ pinto horse. He was so cool, he was black and white – a real beauty. But the coolest thing was that he had little ball bearings in his hooves so you could roll him and he looked like he was running! Oh, I wanted that horse so bad and he was #1 on my request list. As I continued to shop and look at all the treasures it occurred to me that I was very late. I needed to get back to school and pronto. I ran past Bob, chomping on his cigar, and yelled bye to him. Racing back to the drug store I was met with folks telling me that they had been looking for me. Lunch was ready and Kathy had it all loaded in a box for me. It was going to be a tough trip back to the grade school with a shopping bag and box full of cokes, and it’s been made even tougher: it’s snowing harder and starting to stick on the sidewalk. So my heart is light even though my load is heavy. After all, it’s the last day of school before Christmas break and it’s snowing. The little town of Prestonsburg is wrapped in tinsel and silver aluminum Christmas trees with revolving lights. The snow is falling so prettily, filling the sky with large snowflakes. I know that when I get back to school the buses will already be there, ready to dispense all the kids back to their homes for their own Christmas traditions and favorite foods. For the Burke family that meant watching Mom make cinnamon hard candy and Christmas cookies shaped like green Christmas trees and poinsettias. It means telling Santa about Little Joe’s horse, which I know is really my Uncle Fred dressed up. It means going to Church at Community Methodist and listening to the Christmas Cantata and the Christmas play. It means spending long hours at Korner Drug, wrapping packages and making bows, straightening up the Christmas card racks and occasionally peaking at customer’s photos and sneaking to read the cover of the True Love magazines and wondering what it was all about. It means getting home on Christmas Eve late after all the shoppers have bought their last present and roll of film. It means standing at the door and looking at the store one last time in the dark and thinking it looks tired. It’s still present today in my head like a snapshot.

Daisy

My heart is hard. Everyday I must pound the city streets to find food and shelter. In my short little life, I’ve known such pain, people can be so cruel. And loud! I hate all of those honking horns and cars zooming past me. Big brown trucks scream past me each day, garbage trucks and big dump trucks too. People scream at me to get out of their green grass and out from under their trees, it’s impossible to find somewhere to rest, somewhere to get warm. My belly is empty and I am thirsty. Once I was a little girl and my mommy loved me. She fed me and she tried to teach me, but she was unloved herself. My brothers and sisters and I had no chance. Once, when I was just a young thing, someone took me in. I thought I was saved. But they turned out to be cruel, the man would kick me and the woman would scream at me words that I didn’t understand. They kept me tied to a tree with no food or water. I had to pee in the same place that I slept. I was dirty and covered with fleas and I itched. I let my heart get hard, and I got mad. “I’m never going to trust another human as long as I live!” So I escaped. Days and days I chewed that rope in two and I left. I never looked back. I’ve been on my own since then but the world is a cold cruel place. One morning it started to snow so hard and it never stopped until the next day. My feet were so frozen and there wasn’t anywhere to escape the cold and the snow. Even the cars and trucks were stopped by all that white stuff. I had to eat the snow just to get water but it didn’t help my hunger.

So I spend my days hiding in plain sight. I avoid people as much as possible and I forage for food in the dark. One cold winter night I was looking for food around US Bank and a car approached me. I was terrified and I ran as fast as I could down the dark alley and I hid behind a building. My heart was pounding as I watched that car slowly stalk me, I’m sure she intends to kill me. But I noticed that she put some food into the alley. I watched her get back into her car and I listen as she says words that don’t sound mean, they sound soothing and peaceful. She doesn’t sound like the other woman who tied me with a rope and called me stupid. I still will not trust these humans, but I will eat the food they leave.

My life continues to be as harsh as the weather. Last night I was trying to find warmth on Central Avenue when suddenly out of no where this little dog comes toward me and started to chase me! I had to run for my life toward the main road through this little town. I raced toward the street with this killer terrier hot on my heels. He chases me straight in to the road where we narrowly missed getting killed and I’m sure that lady who left the food was watching. I hid in terror after I managed to escape the little terrier and I saw her driving around in the snow. I’m sure she was looking for me. Meanwhile the ice hurts my feet and I am hungry. I have no where to go.

It’s just another cold winter morning and my belly is empty. I ‘ve been hurt by one of those car things and I can’t walk. It hurt my tail and I am in agony. Another woman in another car is looking at me as I’m trying to rest beside this fence. She left gravy for me to eat but I just can’t trust anyone. My heart is hard.

My tail feels as if it’s going to fall off, it hurts so bad, but no worse than my empty stomach. Today I found a pile of dog food at the bank again. I wonder where it appeared from? It was good and it gives me strength and warmth. Uh oh, here come the cops, I must hide!

Today something happened. I walked down to Auto Zone and two women came toward me. I’m still so hurt and sore, I really just want to lay and give up. These women though treat me different. They don’t challenge me, they are so calm and peaceful. I wonder why they are trying to talk to me? I believe they are trying to help me but I swear I am so scared. I am so hurt that I don’t know how I can escape. I don’t want to bite, but if they get too close, I will have no choice. My heart is hard.

Once again, another woman seems to be following me in her car. Why are they doing this? She is pretty and she left me some pizza. These women are sure showing up in my life quite often, it almost seems as if they are communicating with each other to co-ordinate their attempts to help me. What is this, I feel a little soft spot. In my heart...

Today I found a nice place under a tree to rest near the drug store. The weather is better and my leg doesn’t hurt as bad. I lost part of my tail a few weeks ago and it seems to be hurting less and less. Once again another woman has shown up and she has food and I think it’s people food. It’s some kind of fish and it’s so good! I actually hung out with her for a few minutes and I’m proud of myself - I didn’t run away. I walked away, after I ate her food of course. My heart is getting a little softer.

There’s a little one. Just a little woman I think. Just a puppy herself. She has pretty hair and she’s not much taller than me. I can tell her heart is pure, she isn’t afraid of me. And I’m not afraid of her. She touches me and wow does it feel nice. She likes to scratch my ear and my back. I trust her. She has a mommy like I had once. The mommy is starting to put food out for me, I’m so thin and weak! Those big tall people I’m still so afraid of them, but this little one is nice. Maybe the big ones are too!

One fine spring day I noticed one of the women who seem to follow me, watching me again. It was the one who sat with me at Auto Zone. She is talking to the angel’s mommy and they’re talking about me! I heard the mommy tell the lady that if black doggie wants a home, she can have one here. I’ve wandered these streets for months. I’ve been cold and hungry. I’ve cheated death in the street and I’m tired. I walked up beside the little girl and I rested my head against her. I am home. Maybe my life can be joyful. Maybe I can have food and shelter and help and love. Maybe I can live forever with this little angel. Maybe she will call me Daisy.

In February, I noticed this beautiful black and white dog crossing the road at US Bank. Her body language was that of terror and she was very, very thin. She touched my heart and I went to the store and bought a bag of dog food and drove back to the bank. I noticed her in a yard close to the bank and thought I could coax her to me. There was no way, so I poured the food out and I watched her watch me. Only after I left did she go eat. I posted about it on Facebook and Crystal Thornsbury Music, Jackie Brown, Jen Lafferty-Kopecky, Paula Goble and Kierstin Woods all began to tell stories about how they had had similar experiences with her. Throughout the long cold winter, we would post whenever one of us saw her and tried to help her. I know her story through my eyes and the above story is what I imagine it would be through her eyes. I know every member of our little “black doggie” group have prayed for this one, looked for her, thought about her. It’s so remarkable that after all these months, she found her own home and has learned to trust us humans again. I like to think that all the little things we did helped her to understand that not all humans are monsters. If you’re reading this and it’s touched your heart, please find a way to help on your own. Help spread the word that we can each make a difference in the lives of a single dog. Spay and neuter your pet, keep them warm and safe and healthy. Look around your neighborhood for opportunities to educate and rescue animals from people who are ignorant. Sadly, there are many Daisy dogs out there who need our help!

The Final Days of Abraham Lincoln

A few days before Abraham Lincoln's assassination, he and Mrs. Lincoln held a levee. Two stories from that dance are memorable to me. When Mary was dressing for the levee, she wore a white ball gown with a train and a low revealing neckline. Upon seeing the dress Abe said "My our cat has a long tail tonight! Seems if some of that tail was nearer the head it would be in better style!"

At the levee he told several friends of his recent dream. He got quiet, reflective, not looking up he began to speak to the hushed room. "About ten days ago, I retired very late. I had been up waiting for important dispatches from the front. I could not have been long in bed when I fell into a slumber, for I was weary. I soon began to dream. There seemed to be a death-like stillness about me. Then I heard subdued sobs, as if a number of people were weeping. I thought I left my bed and wandered downstairs. There the silence was broken by the same pitiful sobbing, but the mourners were invisible. I went from room to room; no living person was in sight, but the same mournful sounds of distress met me as I passed along. I saw light in all the rooms; every object was familiar to me; but where were all the people who were grieving as if their hearts would break? I was puzzled and alarmed. What could be the meaning of all this? Determined to find the cause of a state of things so mysterious and so shocking, I kept on until I arrived at the East Room, which I entered. There I met with a sickening surprise. Before me was a catafalque, on which rested a corpse wrapped in funeral vestments. Around it were stationed soldiers who were acting as guards; and there was a throng of people, gazing mournfully upon the corpse, whose face was covered, others weeping pitifully. 'Who is dead in the White House?' I demanded of one of the soldiers, 'The President,' was his answer; 'he was killed by an assassin.' Then came a loud burst of grief from the crowd, which woke me from my dream. I slept no more that night; and although it was only a dream, I have been strangely annoyed by it ever since."

Abraham Lincoln was assassinated April 14, 1865.

On this date in April 1865, it was Monday and the day after Palm Sunday. Washington City awoke to a terrible thunderstorm. At daybreak a 500 gun salute shook the capital city. Citizens poured into the streets to see what was the excitement. Little boys hit the streets carrying long boards. They would put the boards down in the mud puddles for the finely dressed women to cross the street, earning a penny here and there. The news was exciting: General Robert E Lee of the South had surrendered. The excited crowd made their way to the White House. Military marching bands filled the street and also marched to the White House playing "The Star Spangled Banner". President Lincoln heard the people and made an appearance, and a great roar rose up as hundreds of hats were flung into the air. Lincoln said, "I am very greatly rejoiced to find that an occasion has occurred so pleasurable that the people cannot restrain themselves. I see you have a band of music with you. I have always thought that "Dixie" as one of the best tunes I have ever heard. Our adversaries over the way attempted to appropriate it, but I insisted yesterday that we fairly captured it." I now request the band to favor me with it's performance."Lincoln will be assassinated in 4 days, April 15, 1865

On this date in April 1865, Abraham Lincoln is study in opposites. Washington City was elated that the war was over, as was the President. Every evening the citizens march to the White House and cry out, "Speech, speech", shooting fireworks and guns while bands play spirited music. Every window in the White House was illuminated by hundreds of tiny candles arranged in tiers on slender strips of wood. The people call for more light so they can better see Mr. Lincoln and a lamp is fetched. They heard little Tad cry out, "Let me hold the light papa, Let me hold the light!" The Lincolns were very lenient with their boys, little Tad loved to ride a goat through the halls of the White House. It was said that Lincoln was so amused by his children that if they "shat" in his hat, he would think that was the best "shat" he had ever seen!But even in merriment, the President was forlorn. He was having dreams that disturbed him. He often dreamed that he was on a phantom ship, always going rapidly away from shore - not toward it. He saw his reflection in a mirror and he saw his image reflected with two faces, one much paler than the other and it unsettled him. He believed that the vision meant that he would be elected twice, but not live out his second term.

Lincoln will be assassinated in 3 days, April 15, 1865

On this date in April 1865, John Wilkes Booth spent the day making his final plans with his co conspirators. Booth has been stalking the President for weeks. There is a photo of Booth standing in the crowd behind the President at the Inauguration. He could have shot him then, but chickened out. He then planned to kidnap Lincoln from a carriage ride a couple of weeks earlier but Mr. Lincoln decided not to go on a carriage ride that day. It was then that Booth decided to be a hero and kill the most evil man in the country: President Abraham Lincoln. His first stop of the day was to the stable to rent a horse. He chose a bay mare and was seen that afternoon running her up the street and told a friend, "See what a nice horse I got! Now watch, she can run just like a cat!" Booth, a very famous actor, was well known at Washington City's theatres. His mail was delivered daily to Ford's Theatre and he was very familiar with the layout of the theatre. All the theatre's employees knew him, so his presence was not going to be odd. Ford's was presenting a comedy "Our American Cousin" and although he had never acted it, he knew it well. His plan was simple. He would go up the back stairs to the Presidential Box and wait until Harry Hawk's most memorable line in the play, the line that would draw the biggest and loudest laugh. "You sockdologizing old mantrap!" Then the sound of the gun firing would be muffled by the roars of laughter from the crowd. Then he would leap from the box, run across the stage and exit into the back alley where his horse would be waiting. He and his henchmen would meet up at Surratt's boarding house. Later the proprietor, Mary Surratt would be the first woman hung in the United States. Her son, John, would flee to Canada while his mother was hanged.

Lincoln will be assassinated in 2 days, April 15, 1865

On this date in April 1865, Mary Lincoln is, as usual, worried. Mary has few friends in Washington City. She is seen by the women of Washington's Elite as a Southerner, as a hick and a hillbilly. Her own family is split apart, most of her relatives fight for the south, in fact her brother in law had just been killed in battle. She was forced to sneak her own sister into the White House to grieve for her fallen husband. Mary has acquired the habit of overspending. She has filled and overfilled the White House with knick knacks, gold and silver. She purchased scads of bonnets, shawls and ball gowns, stuffing the excess in spare closets and the White House attic. And she has hidden the bills from her husband. She is in debt to Washington and New York store owners to the tune of $70,000.00. Mary is constantly fretful, especially since her dear son Willie had died from the fever. She cries out constantly, wailing and walking and shopping to quell her nerves. She visits spiritualists to contact Willie. Her true only friend was a free black woman, Elizabeth Keckley, who was her seamstress. One day in the midst of a meltdown after Willie's death, Mary was taken to the window of the White House by the President. "Mother, " he said, "do you see that large white building on the hill yonder?" Mrs. Lincoln nodding, her eyes wide and brimming with tears. Everyone in Washington recognized the lunatic asylum, an imposing landmark on the skyline. "Try and control your grief, or it will drive you mad and we may have to send you there." So even in the jubilation that the city felt, Mary was despondent. The President received hate mail on a daily basis, a fact that worried Mary. Elizabeth tried to remind her that the war was over, that the President had been re-elected, and that the dark clouds were lifting. But even during blue skies, Mary was a storm.Dr. Charles Leale was a surgeon for the Union Army. In 1865 he was 23 years old. On this day, he had taken the day off to take in some of the celebrations and get some fresh air. He headed down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the White House and noticed a celebration there. He watched the President give one of his last public speeches and was intrigued by his facial features. Upon finding out that Lincoln was going to Ford's, he immediately rushed and bought a ticket in the dress circle, close to the Presidential box. His seat was about 40 feet away from the President.Lincoln will be assassinated in 1 day, April 15, 1865

Friday, April 15, 1865. Good Friday. Washington City awoke that fateful day in a fog of celebrations for the cease fire and the upcoming Easter Holiday. The war was over, done with, finished, and Washington had been drunk for a week. President Lincoln started his day at the White House at 7am. As he walked toward the Oval Office, the hall way was already full of the usual morning vultures. “Good morning, Sir, may I trouble you with a favor?” Lincoln was tired, dead tired. “I am sorry, I cannot be of help to you.” This was his standard tired reply to the vultures. His only order that morning: have the fix-it man repair the handle of the carriage for he and Mrs. Lincoln were going on a ride that afternoon.

Mrs. Lincoln was birdlike and happy that morning, chattering about at breakfast. Their eldest son, Robert, was home from the war. At breakfast he told tales of the front and the genius of Grant. Mary did not like General Grant, and she liked his wife even more. Weeks earlier she and Mrs. Grant had paid a visit to City Point Virginia, the war front. Mrs. Lincoln was anxious to get there, Mrs. Grant was slower to ready herself, so they were late. It is told that Mrs. Lincoln berated Mrs. Grant the entire buggy ride, screaming at her and then screaming at the driver until all parties were exhausted. Mrs. Lincoln said that she had tickets for Grover’s Theatre, but she would rather see “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s. Mr. Lincoln absently agreed to just about anything she said.

Mary Surratt was at her boarding house, fixing a breakfast of eggs, flapjacks and coffee. Lots of coffee. There were several men there, Booth and his co-conspirators. Her attitude was one of forced cheerfulness, as though she was being brave in the face of impending disaster.

Lizzie Keckley was up early that morning and on the way to The White House with the bodice, skirt and sleeves for a new spring frock to fit for Mrs. Lincoln, an embroidered French muslin with cap sleeves and a delicate lace trim around the neckline. Mary Lincoln would soon be moving to the Soldiers’ Home for the summer, where she hoped her husband would rest and regain his vigorous good health. Lizzie, always worrying about the President and Mrs. Lincoln, was fretting about the knowledge of how much money Mrs. Lincoln was spending. At last count, Mary had purchased 300 pairs of gloves!

Booth was up early as well. He was hearing rumors that the President and his party would either celebrate that night at Grover’s or Ford’s. He also heard that General and Mrs. Grant were also in town, and expected to be in the President’s party. What luck, two for the price of one!

Lincoln will be assassinated tonight, April 15, 1865

Friday, April 15, 1865, about 12:30pm. President Lincoln receives notice that General and Mrs. Grant will not be joining them at the theatre. The couple decide to continue their journey northward to New Jersey to see their children. The President accepts their apologies but in his heart he must know the real truth: Julia Grant dislikes Mrs. Lincoln very much.

Mrs. Surratt is at her boarding house in the city when Booth comes in to see her. He has a request: take this wrapped package to your boarding house in Surrattsville. He does not tell her the contents, but this little "favor" has heavy implications. This simple task is what will kill her. Booth leaves and heads to Howard's Stable to rent his favorite horse for the evening.

At Ford's Theatre the morning rehearsal is wrapping up so the stagehands can begin preparation for the show. A member of the staff heads up to the attic to fetch the red upholstered rocker reserved for the President. Also in the subterranean passage were two sofas which were also brought up and dusted and put in the box for the ladies. The President's rocker was placed at the very rear of box number 7, in a corner where the President would be hidden from most of the audience by a heavy contoured drape. Ford himself got onstage and climbed a ladder to set the flags in place. He draped big American banners across both boxes. He then went to the Presidential boxes and inspected everything to be sure that they were clean and placed exactly right. Then he opened the door to 7, and closed it. He opened the door to 8, and closed it. Everything was in order. It didn't occur to him that neither door locked. Ford's Theatre was ready.

Friday, April 15, 1865, about 2:00 pm. "Madam", the guard said. "The President is busy, he cannot see you!" She may have screamed, or sobbed, because the noise she made caused the door to open and through her tears, she saw the wavering figure of the President of the United States. He looked down at her, and he was smiling. In his deep tones, he said: "There is time for all who need me. Let the good woman come in."She was Nancy Bushrod and she took her time to compose herself before speaking. She told him her name and how many babies she had and that her husband's name was Tom and that both of them had been slaves at a plantation outside of Richmond. When they had heard about the Emancipation Proclamation they heard it meant that they were free and they had run away and come to Washington. In thankfulness Tom had enlisted in the Army of the Potomac, leaving Nancy in a little shack with twin boys and a baby girl. His pay kept coming regularly, then stopped. She started to cry again. Would the President help please about Tom's pay? "You are entitled to your husband's pay," Mr. Lincoln said. "Come this timeto-morrow and the papers will be signed and ready." As Mrs. Bushrod told it later, she said: "I couldn't open my mouth to tell him that I was going to remember him forever and I couldn't see because the tears were falling."When he had escorted her to the office door, he said: "My good woman, perhaps you will see many a day when all the food in the house is a single loaf of bread. Even so, give every child a slice and send your children to school." Then, as she looked on, he bowed "like I was a natural-born lady."

The President will be assassinated in 8 hours, April 15, 1865

Friday, April 15, 1865, about 4:00 pm. President Lincoln is attending to the last business of the day, a meeting with Mr. Dana of the Department of War. He has intelligence that shows that former Senator Thompson of Mississippi has returned from exile in Canada and has sneaked across the border. He wants him arrested. Lincoln says, " Well, no I rather think not. When you have an elephant by the hind leg, and he's trying to run away, it is best to let him run." With that business decided, the President is now free to go on a carriage ride with his wife on this beautiful Good Friday afternoon.

Booth is also attending to his last business of the day, renting a horse from Pumphrey's Stable. The actor walked around the excitable mare, who actually tried to bite him. Booth was an imposing figure in black hat and black, smartly tailored coat and tight legged trousers. His tan boots were brightly polished and his spurs gleamed like gems. He had a letter to write. "Editor, National Intelligencer", he wrote on the envelope. He wanted no confusion about the perpetrator of this deed. He wrote swiftly to the skating pen to explain his act. He expected criticism of his act, but someday time would justify him. Then he did a mean thing. Instead of signing it with his name alone, he decided to commit his friends, his fellow conspirators to his deed. He signed it: "J.W. Booth, Paine, Atzerodt, Herold. He knew that this put the noose around their necks.

Lincoln will be assassinated in 6 hours

Friday, April 15, 1865 about 5:00 pm. Abraham and Mary, married couple of 23 years, leave the White House to enjoy their first peaceful evening in forever. The weather is nice, and their hearts are light. She asks him if he wants someone to ride with them. "No" he said, with a twinkle in his eye, "I prefer to ride by ourselves today." On this drive, Abraham was in rare humor and passerby heard Mrs. Lincoln's laughter peal from the coach. It rang out wholeheartedly and Mr. Burns, up in the front seat, grinned without knowing the joke. As they trotted along, the President raised his silk hat when groups of citizens hailed him from the walks. "Dear husband," Mary said. "You almost startle me by your great cheerfulness." "Mother, I consider this day the war has come to a close." He patted her hand, as though he hoped to infuse her with what he was going to say. "We must both be cheerful in the future. Between the war, and the loss of our darling Willie, we have both been very miserable." Abraham talked about the future to Mary. He spoke of reconstruction in the South, completing his second term in office, and then perhaps a trip to Europe. He also wanted to see California and the Pacific Ocean. "I never felt so happy in my life."

Abraham will be assassinated in 5 hours.

Friday, April 15, 1865 about 6:00 pm. Many of the principles of this day are on the road. Mary Surratt has delivered Mr. Booth's package to her boarding house in Surrattsville and is on her way back to Washington City. Booth's henchmen are scattered over the city, in search of Booth. Booth is in the alley behind Ford's theatre feeding his horse for she must be rested and strong. Abraham and Mary are finishing up their carriage ride, their mood is gay and happy. At the door of the White House two of his friends await. He tells Mary that he won't be long and they go into the Oval Office. The two, seeing the one so unusually happy, fell into a mood of horseplay and all three roared with laughter. Lincoln, again tells of a dream he had before he came to the White House. He was lying on a couch in Springfield and he glanced up at a mirror and saw two images of himself: one glowing bright, one ghastly in death. Th meaning he said, was decipherable: he would be healthful in in first term of office, and death would overtake him in his second. He called dreams "Children of Nature" and he had a deep respect for them. Eventually the friends bid each other farewell, and Abraham rejoins his family for dinner.

Lincoln will be assassinated in 4 hours.

Friday, April 15, 1865 about 8:00 pm. Night came like a gentle sneak and the city lamp-lighters fought it with ladders in one hand and taper in the other. Ladies about to go out for the evening studied the sky and decided to take good warm coats. White House guard William Crook was mad, but he was good at hiding his feelings. His replacement was 3 hours late to begin the night shift. Thankfully though, his replacement did show up. As he was leaving, Abraham looked at him and said: "Good-by, Crook." On his way home, Detective Crook thought about it, the President always said "Good night Crook." Why would he change it to good-by? Near the theatre district, boys ran through the streets, passing out specially struck handbills: Ford Theatre The performance to-night of "Our American Cousin" will be honored by the presence of President Lincoln.

It was 8:05 when Mrs. Lincoln, in pretty bonnet with tiny pink flowers, and low-necked white dress, stood in the office doorway pulling on gloves and said: "Will you have us be late?" President Lincoln slowly arose and asked Lizzie to "brush down his bristles in the back of his head", put on his silk hat. "I am engaged to go to the theatre with Mrs. Lincoln. It is a kind of engagement I never break." He waved to all, as the carriage pulled away from the White House.

Booth and his conspirators met for the final time. Booth would go alone to Ford's. His strike time was approximately 10:15. Afterward he would flee fast on his horse, headed for the Navy Yard Bridge, to Virginia, then to the loving arms of the South.

President Lincoln will be assassinated in 3 hours.

Friday, April 15, 1865 about 9:00 pm. The President's carriage turned north at Fifteenth Street and east on H Street. It pulled in front of the home of Senator Ira Harris. The Lincoln's last minutes guests are Miss Harris and Major Rathbone. Although he was was a Major, tonight he was unarmed. Act One was being played to an almost capacity house, although a small queue of patrons still waited for tickets at the box office. When the carriage arrived, the night shift detective, Parker, dismounted his horse and went inside to make a quick check of the Presidential box. Everything looked all right. Parker, a particularly lazy man, felt as if his job was done. Now he would lead Mr. Lincoln, by a pace or two, into the theatre. Later, he would sit outside the corridor, and in time, see that the President got back into his carriage. At twelve midnight, Parker would be on his way home. The play, already begun, was already starting a buzz of laughter in the audience. Dr. Leale, present in the dress circle front of the theatre, was only mildly interested. His main reason to be there was to examine the very interesting facial features of President Lincoln. As the party enter the theatre the star of the play, Miss Laura Keene, noticed them right away. She ad-libbed "Anyone can see that!", as she thrusted her arm toward the incoming President. Professor Withers raised his baton and the band swung into "Hail to the Chief", as the party made their way upward to their box.A soft rain begins in the cool night sky.President Lincoln will be assassinated in 2 hours.

Friday, April 15, 1865 about 10:00 pm. It's go time. Mr & Mrs. Lincoln are enjoying the play. Mrs. Surratt is at her boarding house, nervous, waiting for the return of the conspirators. Detective Parker is becoming bored with his post outside the box door. He got up, pushed his chair against the dress circle wall, and walked up the aisle and out the theatre. "How would you like a little ale?", he asked the carriage driver. The two started down the street to Talavul's Bar. Inside the theatre there were 1,675 persons. At least one was in a romantic mood. This was the President. He reached and found Mrs. Lincoln's hand and held it at the side of the rocker and did not let go. Mrs. Lincoln leaned close to her husband and whispered: "What will Miss Harris think of my hanging on to you so?" "Why," the President said, not taking his eyes from the stage, "she will think nothing about it." This will be his last known words.

The President will be assassinated in 1 hour.

John Wilkes Booth shows up backstage at Ford's. He has left his horse out back, her reins being held by a stage hand. He coldly, calmly smiles at the actors who are star struck by his presence. He is listening to the lines of the play, lines he could mouth with them. Unknown to him, one of his conspirators has already chickened out. Atzerodt, who was the kill the Vice President, is getting hammered at the Union Hotel. Booth, after realizing that he has time to kill, walks back to Taltavul's for a whiskey. He drinks just down the bar from the President's coachman AND his protector. When giving the whiskey to Booth, the bartender exclaims: "You'll never be the actor your father was." The conspirator smiled and nodded "When I leave the stage," he said quietly, "I will be the most famous man in America."Countdown

Booth walks back up the street and into Ford's Theatre slightly ahead of schedule. He heard the lines onstage and he knew he had about two minutes. He looked down at the little white door and saw the empty chair. Confused, he looked at patrons sitting in the dress circle chairs and quickly realized that he was going to get into that box with no trouble, no challenge, no fight, no stabbing. He was going to be able to walk in as though Lincoln had been expecting him. Now was the time. Booth knew that, in a few seconds, Asa would be alone on the stage. He turned the knob, pushed the door, and walked into the darkness. The door closed behind him. He found the pine board he had put in their earlier and wedged it in the door so no one could enter. The conspirator crouched and pressed his eye against the gimlet hole. What he saw was clear. The high back of the horsehair rocker was in plain view and the silhouette of a head above it. He watched. He waited.

Booth turned the knob. The door swung inward. Lincoln was about 4 feet in front of him. Booth moved along the wall toward his prey."Wal, I guess I know enough to turn you inside out, you sockdologizing old mantrap" The line was met with the expected huge laughter.The derringer was behind the President's head between the left ear and spine. Booth squeezed the trigger and there was a sound as though someone had blown up and broken a heavy paper bag. In came in the midst of laughter, so that some people heard it, some did not. The President did not move, rather his head inclined toward his chest and he ceased to rock. Mrs. Lincoln, her faced still creased in laughter, turned toward the noise. Booth with no maniacal gleam or frenzy said, "Sic semper tyrannis" and thrust his knife into Major Rathbone. The assassin moved to the ledge of the box and shouted, "Revenge for the South" as he jumped from the box and onto the stage. It is done.

Dr. Charles Leale wisely documented his treatment of Mr. Lincoln after the shooting. His account, "Lincoln's Last Hours" documents what happened next.He was the first person to reach the white door, which was blocked inside by the pine board. After it was removed with much difficulty, he entered the box. Major Rathbone was the first to be administered to, as his arm had been slashed and was bleeding severely. After seeing that the Major was in no danger, he then attended to the President. His eyes were closed and his head had fallen forward. Mrs. Lincoln was weeping bitterly, but still able to hold him in his chair to keep him from tumbling to the floor. While examining his patient, he lifts his eyelids and sees evidence of a brain injury. He writes: "The President had been shot in the back part of the head, behind the left ear. I easily removed the obstructing clot of blood from the wound, and this relieved the pressure on the brain." He asks for brandy and pours a small quantity in the President's mouth which was swallowed and retained. "I then pronounced my diagnosis and prognosis: "His wound is mortal; it is impossible for him to recover." This message was telegraphed all over the country. We decided that the President could be moved from the possibility of danger in the theatre to a house where we might place him on a bed in safety. We slowly carry him to Mr. Petersen's house, diagonally opposite. This we did, not having been interrupted in the slightest by the throngs in the street, but a number of the excited populace followed us into the house." The vigil, the watchnight begins...

During the long night, many government officials gathered at the Petersen boarding house. A stenographer was sent for and he took down all the events of the long dark night. Mrs. Lincoln came into the room, many times, only to behave so crazily that she was sent away by the doctors. Dr. Charles Leale, a very young army surgeon, administered to the President all night. Alternating with pouring brandy into Lincoln's mouth and removing the blood clot in the wound, he kept him alive much longer than anyone imagined. At 7 am his respirations slowed, then ceased. Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, uttered, "And now he belongs to the ages" as Dr. Leale took two large coins from his pocket, placing them on his eyes. It was done!

In the aftermath of Lincoln's murder, his family suffered greatly. Poor Mary. She never saw his body, she refused to go to the funeral, witness a ceremony, ride the train to take his body back to Illinois. His body was taken back, with the body of his son Willie, to be buried in Illinois. She refused to leave the White House for 6 weeks. Her state of mind allowed expensive treasures of the Lincoln White House to be pilfered through, while she took trunks of worthless junk with her. She gave away many personal belongings of her husband. She eventually settled in Chicago. In the summer of 1871, she was a victim of the Great Chicago Fire, spending the evening running in terror through the streets, eventually ending up in the water of a lake to survive. Additionally, she again suffered through the death of another child, Tad, at the age of 18 to a sudden illness. She refused to attend his funeral. Her only living son, Robert, finally makes the decision to have his mother placed in a sanitarium because of her constant erratic behavior. Mary Todd Lincoln, from Lexington Kentucky is a very complex and interesting character!