This story is from James Greet, written in 1991 about his life as a cowboy in the 1940’s.
The following is a postscript to the first part of my memories about Christmas at Grandma and Granddad Pyle’s, and other Christmases at the ranch when I was a little kid. Also something about the places and times and people, as I remember.
Back to the Christmas at Grandma Pyle’s, when we each got an orange in our stockings. There was also a toy saw that wasn’t sharp enough to cut anything. Another item that was a real treat was a barber pole peppermint candy stick.
Us kids seldom got any toys except at Christmas time. In those days of the 1920’s, your toys lasted a year or you played with whatever was at hand. There were cast-iron cars, toy stoves, and animals. And then there were a variety of wind-up toys. One of my very special toys was a wind-up train. It had a steam engine, three cars, a caboose, and a track to run on. I played and played with it, until it fell apart. Another wind up toy was a crazy car that made funny patterns. Then there was a toy monkey that would go up and down a string when I pulled on the string. Once I got a toy caterpillar with rubber tracks. I had hours of fun with it.
Mom always had a Christmas tree at home. Dad would go out and cut a nice little cedar tree and bring it in and set it up in the living room for us. Mom and us kids would decorate it. For lights on our tree, we used twisted candles about five inches long, held in place with a little metal spring clip holder. The candles were red and green for Christmas. These were lit for a short time on Christmas Eve. They were watched very closely because of the danger of fire, but they were very pretty with the house lights turned down.
One Christmas, I got a pop gun that shot corks, and George got an Erector set that had a little electric motor that was powered by a dry-cell battery. Then there was a pair of army-green mittens hand-knit from Grandma Pyle. I can’t remember what Marjorie got, some girl things, I suppose, maybe a doll. Another Christmas, mom and Uncle Oscar Hoback’s make a couple of sleds for us kids. One was a little smaller than the other one, both painted green. Uncle Oscar had his own blacksmith shop at Manderson, Wyoming. That was about fifty miles from where we lived.
After we unwrapped our toys, Uncle Jim never failed to come to each of us and take an interest in each present that we had received.
Find me here!
Was this Jim and Wyoma? I never knew Jim, but was well acquainted with Wyoma. I would love to have been able to read her book. She was quite a character. Thanks Carol.
This was written by James Greet, Johnny’s brother. Their parents were Frank Greet and Edna Pyle Greet. Jim Pyle was Edna’s brother and he was married to Wyoma Hemry. The “Uncle Jim” in this story. I’ve used a bit of Wyoma’s writings in this blog in the past. Her book is interesting.
Thanks, Carol.
I enjoy these reminiscing. Reminds me of the stories my grandmother told me.
Another very nice reminiscence.