Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1927-06-02


his sheep and his cattle could have
been put to good use had decided
to become a farmer-for / cams
from the same stock as he. He ney-
er refused me ride on the broad
back of his old bay mare, although
that animal was not so considerate
and tried to kick my head off as
brought into play some of those an
tics | learned by watching the bare
back riders in Robinson's circus.
And Aunt Helen, God bless her.
has not surrendered her place in the
kitchen! Not she! She still has the
art down to fine point, and knows
how to keep her house In spic and
span condition. She never scowled
on me when as a kid tramped mud
on her rag carpets-she didn't
Sunday when / came from trip to
the barn in quest of eggs-and
brought back more mud than eggs,
although 1 did get a sufficient num-
ber to fill big carton that has been
the source of supply for my break
fast since coming back home.
Fact of the matter is that age has
not served to dam up their big
hearts, and age has not dimmed my
love and admiration for this won
derful pair of Gods own. My heart
gave a leap as l came in sight Of
their pretty home, and frequent ad-
monitions from my good wife to
keep the speedometer from going be-
yond the so mark were of no avail.
And after parking my car and greet
ing my aged uncle and aunt, ran
gantlet of cousins-first, second and
thirds-everybody happy, everybody
eager to learn each others names.
For the Baker family was not a
small one, and quite prolific when it
came to producing their kind. In all
there were "a of us there-and we
had such wonderful time that we
decided to perfect an organization,
meeting in solid phalanx each year.
The eldest son of the Baker descend
ants, Mr.. Edward Belts, of Nelson
vile, o., who confesses to the age
of 63, was elected president, his
younger brother Harry Belts, of
Hemlock, acting as chairman of the
meeting. Yours truly was chosen
secretary-treasurer President Ed
ward Belts was there in person and
just as happy as kid with new
knife-you men know how happy
you were when you came into pos
session of your first Barlow pen
knife.
And so we are going to perpetu-
ate the affair-and so long as Uncle
and Aunt live-and we trust their
years may be many, many more, we
are going to meet in close proximity
to their country home, so they can
be with us and enjoy the occasion.
The Baker home is located right
at the edge of big woods-and
twas therein that the dinner table
was spread. The viands were of such
number and variety that Mr.. Heintz
would be left in the shade numeri-
cally speaking. Everybody was in
such perfect tune and rhythm to the
pleasantries of the occasion that
they assaulted the good things with
such an avidity as to cause them to
disappear like the mist before the
rising sun. We all ate heartily,
greedily, plentifully, bounteously,
joyously. And not only did we have
chicken, meat loaf, baked beans, sal
ads, pie, cake, preserves-oh, why go
on enumerating-but ice cream ga
lore-heaping gallons of it. 1t was
feast fit for a king or greater than
a king. Captain Charles Lindbergh,
for instance, the Yankee flyer who
cause of his skill and daring in cross
ing the Atlantic and letting every
body know that Yankee ingenuity
and pluck are not misnomers.
Yes, we had great time-and
while standing on top of the knoll
just north of the Baker home, l
could see over whole lot of the
land l trod as lad. My heart sort
of yearned to cross the Muskingum
river bridge and drive up Main
street, thence north to the old school
house where l was housed as pest
to the teachers for many years-long
years, then. 1 wanted to come down
and see you all, but my yearnings
were held in check by torrential
rain that made those hills in and
around Ringgold too blamed slippery
for tenderfoot without chains.
Some day next year, we are going
to meet again and instead of 54 be-
ing present, we hope to have at least
100 answer the roll call. And when
we play ring around the posies, Un-
Gle Charley and Aunt Helen will be
in the center of the circle. We are
going to do our best to add little
more love spice to their lives-we
are going to let them know we honor
the name of Baker and that our
hearts go out to them in loving care
and thoughtfulness. AS they travel
on together, arm in arm, toward the
setting sun, they can rest assured
that their descendants will revere
them and love them with a devotion
akin to worship.
Those present at the reunion, so
far as the list was compiled, were as
follows: Mrs. Martha Sheridan, Mr..
and Mrs. Walter Campbell daughter
Elizabeth and son Robert Campbell,
all of McConnelsville; Mr.. and Mrs.