The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-08-23
Quaint Customs OF Farmers

Quaint Customs OF Farmers.
"Oh, yes, I'll always keep our dead
mothers plate at her place at the
table" said the daughter CT a rich
Eastern Pennsylvania farmer I'VE
will always keep her knife, fork,
spoon, cup, and saucer, and her nap
kin. l don't know why we do it, only
that it is the custom hereabouts
among the large landowners When
ever any grown person dies in the
family, especially an unmarried
daughter or the mother, her plate at
The table is never taken away, save
once a month, when it is washed. No
one ever sits at that place, no matter
what the crowd is, no one uses any
thing belonging to mother. We hold
the place sacred. Down at the farm
OF one of our neighbors they never re-
move the plate of their eldest daugn-
ter, who died twenty years ago. All
the table articles she used to use are
Still there. And no one has ever oc-
oupied her narrow bed in her room.
49, SAAAAA6o eAiS JuSI ilhS DIG iSlI lupIu,
even to the chinaware on her bureau.
Her dresses are faded and moth-eaten,
and considerable had to be, taken
away, but good many OF her things
are still as she left them. There is
not so much regard shown for the
boys. But when the head of the house
dies the vacant chair at the table is
never occupied. No one would dare
to take that seat At one large farm
they kept his picture in frame on mis-
chair until one day the glass cracked
and the frame split from some I'M
known cause. To this day they have
an idea that the old farmers spirit
came back and gave that picture a
crack, because he didn't like to see
it there. Next they looked for the
plate to be knocked off the table. but
as that didn't happen they take 1t for
granted that the farmer thinks that's
all right. Over on another farm where
their Oldest son died ten years ago
his room is closed forever and kept
just as he left it, with his gun, boots,
clothes, and fishing rods in the cor
ner. They still call it Johns room,
and it will SO continue until the farm
passes into new hands. Not long ago
the sale of farm was nearly blocked
when the owner wanted to stipulate in
the deed that certain room was not
to be occupied until after the death of
the seller. We know an aged lady
who still pays for two seats in their
church. Her husband died eleven
years ago. She pays for his seat and
she occupies hers. never his, and no
one else ever sits in that seat. Where
child over seven years of age dies
the plate is kept at the table only
short time. Where the child is Is the
plate is kept longer. Where the son
or daughter dies, aged q or more.
then the plate is never removed. /
know one place where three grown
daughters died within year of dipth-
erla. Their plates, in a row, are never
removed, but fresh flowers are fire.
quently placed near them. Their par
ents and brothers and sisters have
long since ceased their weeping. and
the table is no more sad, but every-
thing is merry and happy, and they
frequently chat with the dead people
just as if they We're present. 1t does
no harm, even if it is foolish, as some
people say Three years ago an old
farmer died five miles from here. He
left seven grown children, two sons
and five daughters, all unmarried and
living at home. There is rule in
the family and it has been so ever
since The old gentleman died, that
once week each child shall spend a
half hour in the old mans big rock
ing chair, and think of him, commune
with Elm, pray for him, ask his adj
vice as to farm management. They
believe that he wants it to be
thoroughly understood that he is still
the master of that big farm. guess
he is. too, for the children are run
ming the place on the cooperative plan
and they are. getting along all right,
apparently. People have to be very
careful of the plates. cups and sau-
GERS Of the dead. 1t is considered very
bad luck if any piece is broken"