CHAPTER ELEVEN

AND SO ....

In 1977, at the author's request, Marie Brantner wrote her family remembrances in a spiral notebook. Her forty pages were in chronological order and she would sometimes rewrite a page and tape it in the notebook. As she told her story, like many story tellers, she frequently said, "So..." and stated what happened next. Following is Marie's benediction to her story, and to this one.

And so . . . .

REMEMBRANCES

We count ourselves very lucky to have lived in this twentieth century. We saw the one-row walking plow, driven with one animal, perform in its day for the farmer. Then (came) the one-row riding plow and planter pulled by two animals. It gave way to the two-row and three-row plows. My father had a three-row in 1918. Then, the four-row became very popular.

With each development came the demand for more land and more stock to pull them. Then came the great change. The tractor was becoming more practical for the farmer. Even if you had to buy gas for it, it was cheaper than having to keep more livestock to feed and graze the year around. And the tractor was so much more handier and covered your land faster. Gas was delivered by truck in barrels to the farmer's farm.

We witnessed the coal oil lamps give way to the Rural Electricity Coop in every county in 1935, and the farmers had electricity in every home. We first had a small ice chest to keep our dairy products and a little cold water. Now every home has refrigerators and (in 1940) deep freezers to keep fruit, vegetables and meat in, the year 'round.

We saw our homes being heated with wood, then coal and coal oil, then with butane and gas. Now, we are in the first stages of solar heating. I can see it making fast its appearance.

Our ways of travel made a great change. The first I can remember, everyone traveled in wagons pulled by two animals. If they were pulling heavy loads, they put four head, even six head to the wagon. Some would go horseback. Some had buggies pulled by one horse, or two-seated hacks pulled by two horses. And you could go to the towns and catch the trains if you wanted to travel a long distance, and could afford a train ticket. Then came the cars, first for the wealthy. Then, as people could farm more land and make more money, the farmers could afford more of the new inventions. So, in the 1920's every family began to get cars, and gas filling stations began to be a must, even at the little country stores.

Then, the airplanes made great progress and people began making their long trips by plane. People did not accept the plane travel as quick as they did the car, but now, in 1977, people are traveling more, even seeing other countries that they never dreamed of traveling to, if the airplanes had not made it possible.

We have the bus travel. You can go on a good vacation on a chartered bus where plans are all made ahead of departure time--Where you will stay at nights at the best hotels and eating places, (and) see all the tourist places.

I count myself very fortunate to have lived in this twentieth century doing all kinds of hard work and seeing so many changes. We had so little, I learned to appreciate every little thing we could afford. And life meant so much to us. I wouldn't trade my childhood life for anything. I grew up with a Christian father and mother and learned to go to church and worship God at an early age. And as I grew older, I learned to appreciate this part of my life. I hope I can leave a portion of my heritage of remembrances to my sons, daughters, and grandchildren.

Pearl Marie Hoover Brantner
Spur, Texas
1977