What's so funny Grammy?

Oh, nothing in particular, Connie. Why don't you come over here and look at this. Mr. Johnson let me borrow it. This is what the local newspaper looked like when I was about your age. Now be careful, because it's very delicate.

Wow! Look at that, 1915! That's even before Mom and Dad were born. It's ancient! Oh ... I'm sorry Grammy ... I didn't mean ...

Don't fret it, child. Let's just say this old paper is "on in years". Look at this. Here's a big article on the suffrage movement. Do you know what that was?

Did that have something to do with freeing the slaves?

Well, not exactly. This article's about women trying to get the right to vote. When this was printed, it hadn't happened yet but as you can see, there were many women in town at that time who were working hard to get it. In fact, your great-grandmama ...

Look, Grammy. Kids went to school dances even back then.

Where's that ... Oh, my goodness. I was at that dance! It was around Halloween. Listen to this! "Lights were turned out and two ghouls entered, wailing and moaning and we found the cold clammy hand that had been put into ours was a glove stuffed with sawdust and dipped into cold water." Oh my! I remember that! And I remember that I was so frightened that I ran outside and almost slipped in the mud. My best friend Elizabeth laughed so hard that she started to cry.

You got scared by a glove? That's silly.

You have to realize, Sweety, that this was before Television. Things were much simpler then. Those dances and get-togethers meant the world to us. Besides, when you're my age, you'll probably have a hard time explaining to your grandkids how scared you get when you see those monster movies at the matinees.

But those really are scary!

I'm sure they are, Sweety. Oh, here's a name I haven't seen in years. "Miss Rhoda Crabb fell from a truck driven by Harry Langdon and one of the wheels passed over her foot, causing a painful, but not serious injury." I haven't though about Mr. Langdon in years. He used to own a store up at the Juanita intersection. He was such a nice man. A little too nice at times, though. He was a little to generous with credit, and that eventually drove him out of business.

Hey, look at this! Dr E.C. McKibben - hours 1 to 4 by appointment.

That's right, Sweety. Your father was a McKibben baby just like you were.

Here's an ad for guitar and mandolin lessons. Didn't you say that Grandpa used to play the mandolin?

No, he played the ukulele. Most everybody I knew back then played some sort of instrument, and if they didn't, they knew how to sing. Like I said, we didn't have boxes in our living rooms to entertain us, so we had to make due with what we had. Your Grandpa used to take me out in his canoe and croon love songs to me on summer evenings. And he didn't have to swivel his hips like that Elvis character.

Well how could he Grammy? He was in a canoe.

You know what I mean, young lady. Heavens, will you look at this. "50 x 180 homesites on Market Street for $300!" I'll have to show that one to your father. Oh, and a schedule for the Atlanta! You know, as convenient as the bridge is, I'll always cherish my memories of riding boats across the lake. And here's an article on a lecture being given about "the school problems that confront us". Well, I guess there are some things that don't change.

Grammy, do you think if I saved a newspaper right now, that I would enjoy it when I get to be your age as much as you're enjoying this one?

Why, Sweety, that's a wonderful idea! You do that! Take this week's paper and store it away somewhere dry and out of the way. Forget that you even kept it. Someday, years down the road, you'll stumble on it by accident, and I can guarantee that you'll enjoy it as much as I'm enjoying this. And do you know what else? When you do happen to find it, you'll wonder why you kept it, and you're going to think back and remember your dear Grandmama who loves you so much.

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