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Authors: Olive Ann Burns
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bein' glad to be alive theirselves and tryin' to pretend they ain't havin' a good time seein' one another."
"It wasn't like that at Blu's funeral."
"No, course not. They ain't no hypocrites at a youngun's funeral."
When I brought up the buggy, Grandpa stood by old Jack, absently stroking the huge gray forehead, and looked back at the grave site. Then he spat a wonderful stream of tobacco juice and climbed in beside me. "She was a plumb fool bout roses," he said softly.
Later, remembering that morning, I had no question in my mind: Grandpa's eloping wasn't a matter of him not loving Granny or not respecting the dead. He just needed a cheap cook.
9
T O ME , all that went on during Granny's sickness and dying and getting buried was more like a dream than real, till we got back from the cemetery and I watched Grandpa stop at the little pine desk in the front hall and write down her end in the Toy family Bible.
Miss Love Simpson was standing nearby, come to think of it, as Grandpa put on his glasses and opened the Bible to the page where his and Granny's life together was written down in different handwritings and different shades of faded ink. Miss Love and I watched as he read it, muttering out loud to himself:
"
Matilda Louise Toy, born April 10, 1850, in Cold
Sassy Community, Jackson County, Georgia.
Married Enoch Rucker Blakeslee May 27, 1871.
Children:
— Mary Willis, born March 5, 1872.
— Trix Esperance, born Jan. 19, 1873.
Kicked by a mule and died July 1, 1880.
— Rachel Aleez, born Nov. 25, 1875. Died
April 5, 1877, of the smallpox.
— Emma Frances was born Dec. 29, 1876. Died
April 30, 1877. Pneumonia.
— Missouri Mathis, born Wednesday Spt. 2, 1878. Died Spt. 5, 1878, of water on the brain.
— Loma Louise was born Dec. 6, 1886.
— Fannie Marie was born January 28, 1888, died a little Lamb of God the same day.
"
Then Grandpa wrote in fresh, black, final-looking ink beside Granny's name:
Died June 14, 1906.
The
Cold Sassy Weekly
said it was "one of the saddest deaths that has ever grieved the people of Jackson County, because Mrs. Blakeslee was so beloved by so many."
I saved the write-up. It had a black border and was long and fancy, beginning,
Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep From which none ever wake to weep....
Mrs. Mattie Lou Blakeslee, a sacred mother of Israel, has gone to receive the crown of righteousness which God has promised to all those who love His appearing. Born Matilda Louise Toy, great-granddaughter of Capt. Josiah Toy who pioneered the settlement of Cold Sassy in 1804, she embraced the religion of our Blessed Master when young. Since that time her life and character has been that of a pure Christian ministering to the comfort of all, especially her beloved husband and consort, E. Rucker Blakeslee of this city, who now must walk alone. She gave up this life "
As one who wraps the draperies of his couch about him and lies down to pleasant dreams.
" We must believe that the gates of Heaven were thrown open to receive her ransomed spirit, and that a crown resplendent with glory was placed upon her peaceful brow whilst the plaudit "
Well done, thou good and faithful servant
" echoed and re-echoed through the mansions of bliss....
There was a lot more. Grandpa read it all, but instead of tearing it out to put in the Bible, he just dropped the newspaper on the floor, the way he always did when he was through with it, put his glasses in his pocket, and got up to go feed his mule.
He went back to work the day after the funeral, which most folks thought not fitting. But as I said before, he wasn't the same. No laughter in him. No jokes or funning. No neighborly talk, and wouldn't talk about Granny, either. If a customer started saying her condolences, Grandpa would nod and cut her off with "You be needin' anythang else, ma'am?"
He treated Uncle Camp awful during that time. One morning Grandpa pointed to a keg of nails and said, hateful, "Camp, see thet keg? I want you to
"It wasn't like that at Blu's funeral."
"No, course not. They ain't no hypocrites at a youngun's funeral."
When I brought up the buggy, Grandpa stood by old Jack, absently stroking the huge gray forehead, and looked back at the grave site. Then he spat a wonderful stream of tobacco juice and climbed in beside me. "She was a plumb fool bout roses," he said softly.
Later, remembering that morning, I had no question in my mind: Grandpa's eloping wasn't a matter of him not loving Granny or not respecting the dead. He just needed a cheap cook.
9
T O ME , all that went on during Granny's sickness and dying and getting buried was more like a dream than real, till we got back from the cemetery and I watched Grandpa stop at the little pine desk in the front hall and write down her end in the Toy family Bible.
Miss Love Simpson was standing nearby, come to think of it, as Grandpa put on his glasses and opened the Bible to the page where his and Granny's life together was written down in different handwritings and different shades of faded ink. Miss Love and I watched as he read it, muttering out loud to himself:
"
Matilda Louise Toy, born April 10, 1850, in Cold
Sassy Community, Jackson County, Georgia.
Married Enoch Rucker Blakeslee May 27, 1871.
Children:
— Mary Willis, born March 5, 1872.
— Trix Esperance, born Jan. 19, 1873.
Kicked by a mule and died July 1, 1880.
— Rachel Aleez, born Nov. 25, 1875. Died
April 5, 1877, of the smallpox.
— Emma Frances was born Dec. 29, 1876. Died
April 30, 1877. Pneumonia.
— Missouri Mathis, born Wednesday Spt. 2, 1878. Died Spt. 5, 1878, of water on the brain.
— Loma Louise was born Dec. 6, 1886.
— Fannie Marie was born January 28, 1888, died a little Lamb of God the same day.
"
Then Grandpa wrote in fresh, black, final-looking ink beside Granny's name:
Died June 14, 1906.
The
Cold Sassy Weekly
said it was "one of the saddest deaths that has ever grieved the people of Jackson County, because Mrs. Blakeslee was so beloved by so many."
I saved the write-up. It had a black border and was long and fancy, beginning,
Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep From which none ever wake to weep....
Mrs. Mattie Lou Blakeslee, a sacred mother of Israel, has gone to receive the crown of righteousness which God has promised to all those who love His appearing. Born Matilda Louise Toy, great-granddaughter of Capt. Josiah Toy who pioneered the settlement of Cold Sassy in 1804, she embraced the religion of our Blessed Master when young. Since that time her life and character has been that of a pure Christian ministering to the comfort of all, especially her beloved husband and consort, E. Rucker Blakeslee of this city, who now must walk alone. She gave up this life "
As one who wraps the draperies of his couch about him and lies down to pleasant dreams.
" We must believe that the gates of Heaven were thrown open to receive her ransomed spirit, and that a crown resplendent with glory was placed upon her peaceful brow whilst the plaudit "
Well done, thou good and faithful servant
" echoed and re-echoed through the mansions of bliss....
There was a lot more. Grandpa read it all, but instead of tearing it out to put in the Bible, he just dropped the newspaper on the floor, the way he always did when he was through with it, put his glasses in his pocket, and got up to go feed his mule.
He went back to work the day after the funeral, which most folks thought not fitting. But as I said before, he wasn't the same. No laughter in him. No jokes or funning. No neighborly talk, and wouldn't talk about Granny, either. If a customer started saying her condolences, Grandpa would nod and cut her off with "You be needin' anythang else, ma'am?"
He treated Uncle Camp awful during that time. One morning Grandpa pointed to a keg of nails and said, hateful, "Camp, see thet keg? I want you to
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