d n english
I love to read this obsession has been with me since (or so I was told) I was 3. Grandmother always made sure I had appropriate books to read until I got my library card . At that time the world of literature was opened up to me.
One day I was riding with Grandaddy English, and we stopped to let the horses rest (always his excuse to sit and talk).
I remember asking him why we loved to read so much?
The following is his answer and a bit of his story.
My “Pop” was born in 1895 and made it to 7th grade before he had to drop out to work to help his father with finances. My great uncle Robert would tell me stories about how smart his brother (Pop) was in math, so it was easy for him to get work. Later the two of them would open a couple of “grocery” stores in Haywood Co. Back to that afternoon and our “talk”.
He told me the reason he fell in love with my grandmother was the fact she was a loving lady, cared for her family and she was so smart.
Grandmother had graduated from high school in 1917 gone on to college got her certificate to teach . While she was there she convinced a business teacher to tutor her in how to set up a business and run in avoiding common pitfalls. (Women were not always given this opportunity) . When she got back to Haywood Co she set up her business in Brownsville, a Creamery. Then later after she got married she help my grandfather and my great Uncle Robert set up a couple of “country grocery stores.”
In 1921 my Grandparents got married one of the first things my Pop asked her to do was to teach him how to read better. I mean he told me he loved to read and had done good in school butpop knew he could do better.I can remember him telling me he would give Grandmother a list of books each week to checkout from the library. He said when my father and Aunt came along, they also developed the love of reading.
I remember the day my father came back from Jackson with a sack full of used paperbacks most were westerns, followed by history and mysteries. Every few weeks they would get a new supply the old books were put on a shelve of the store for others to enjoy.
Pop loved mysteries he would always give me a book report or review of books he had read. I remember when a really bad villain. got caught or killed he would quote Clarence Darrow always telling me Mark Twain had used the quote. Then without thinking twice he would say “always give credit of a quote to the one that said it first.” Now Pop would occasionally use the quote when he was reading the obits in the paper. He really did have strong opinions of people he deemed “stinkers”. ( Apple does not fall far from the tree. I learned from the best)
So, imagine my surprise when the British Mystery*I was reading ended with the lead character using my Pop’s favorite quote. Life can be strange and you never know what will ignite a memory.
Here is the quote..
“I have never killed a man or wished one dead, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.”
Clarence Darrow
*Treasure in Three Acts
by S.W. Hubbard
HistoryandstoriesoftheHatchieRiver 