We do enjoy our
evening’s reading.
Ina, 1935
Overnight
it had snowed – not much but some – and today it was cold. Ina was glad that
the laundry had been done yesterday.
Monday’s
laundry was Tuesday’s ironing. Jack kept the fire going in the old cook stove
so as to heat the irons. Ina didn’t mind ironing on a cold day. Standing near
the stove, she quickly but carefully pressed the wrinkles out of their clothes,
replacing a cool iron with one heated on the stove. And as she worked, thoughts
of Christmas buoyed her on.
This
year she and Jack had arranged a special gift for all family members. Daughter
Myrtle, a photographer’s assistant in Portland, had copied several Dobson
family photographs which Jack dated at about 1872, when he and June were seven.
Besides the family group, there was a charming portrait of the twin brothers
and their older twin sisters.
It
was good that she and Jack had the opportunity to provide these pictures to
each of their children, and she had a set for June and Bertha as well. She
considered the expense a part of Christmas, but of course, these pictures
represented her children’s heritage and they were entitled to them.
Well,
that gift would be special but didn’t take the place of the thoughtful “tuck-ins”
that Ina liked to give.
In
the afternoon, she pulled a shawl over her shoulders and went upstairs to one
of the “cubby hole” closets to search out her box of old magazines -- December
issues of The Christian Herald, The Farmer’s Wife, and others. She had saved
them for years and now she looked forward to the inspirational reading she had
promised herself. As she passed the bookcase in the hall, she pulled her
well-worn copy of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol from a shelf. Just as well take it
now so that she would have it when she wanted it.
And
when she had finished the supper dishes, she removed her apron and folded it,
then went to join Jack for an evening of reading at the dining room table under
the light – and warmth -- of the Aladdin’s lamp. Some of the literature represented in her meager collection was quite old, reflected Ina to herself, and yet, it spoke to a celebration that was much the same today.
Somehow, not
only for Christmas
But all the long
year through,
The joy that you
give to others
Is the joy that
comes back to you.
John Greenleaf Whittier
[The family grouping is of the John and Lucy Dobson family, dated by Julian Dobson at 1872 when he and his twin, Junius, were seven years old. The second picture was taken at the same time and includes two sets of twins: Jack and June (Julian and Junius) and the girls who were about seven years older.] KW
[The family grouping is of the John and Lucy Dobson family, dated by Julian Dobson at 1872 when he and his twin, Junius, were seven years old. The second picture was taken at the same time and includes two sets of twins: Jack and June (Julian and Junius) and the girls who were about seven years older.] KW
6 comments:
Was it customary that a person would own two irons so that one could stay hot while the other cooled as it was being used?
Those are a lot of Dobsons!
I'll jump into Hallie's question. I know we have old irons (I use them for door stops!) and there seemed to be multiple bases for one handle that could quickly clamp on or release from a base. That way there would always be a hot iron! Clever, huh? But I'm truly grateful for my electic iron that's always hot, and that I can control the temperature.
Aunt Chris: I think there's a blog in your future! I'd like to see pictures of these multiple irons and quick release handle. I'm very curious about how this handle works and doesn't burn the user.
I have never thought to be grateful for an iron or the act of ironing. Why can't we just accept wrinkles?
http://mwhomestead.blogspot.com/search?q=iron
The above link is a post I wrote in May 2009 about my mother's demonstration with Ina's irons.
Chris, from which ancestor did you receive your irons? We talked about ironing at one of our recent stitching sessions, remember?
Ah, yes! And you even have a photo. I may just need to inspect these upon my next visit. I had never paid enough attention to realize the handle was removable. I want to see how it works.
I don't think I've examined them closely myself. There must be release on the handle.
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