The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1958-02-27
THE BOY WHO WAS FORCED
TO BE A MAN AT THE
AGE OF IL YEARS

When this baby was born, his
mother gave him the name of
albert Wade, named for
loved preacher of the gospel, in
the hope that her baby would
grow up to be a man of God.
When Wade was II years old
he stood at the foot of his tatner's
bed on an Easter SUNDAY morn
ing and watched the fathers life
blood ebb away hour by hour
| with no human help to stop it.
By night the father had gone to
that one from which no man
returns.
In humble circumstances, with
three younger sisters and a baby
brother, it was the consensus
of opinion that the five children
should be placed in the county
home, since none of the relatives
felt they could assume the care
of five young children.
The evening after the funeral
was over, this little 12-year-old
boy and his grieving mother got
down on their knees and asked
God to help them keep their
little family together. This He
did.
The brave mother and her
little flock went day by day
learning the beautiful lesson
that DAY by day, the mamma
| fD He - Thnrn fnrly
hard or humble that presented
itself that was left undone.
This boy of II became a man
overnight. He was the man of
the family, now with family res
possibilities. With the sustaining
help of his dear mother and
three little sisters they kept their
home for themselves and their
baby brother.
He worked on the little farm,
painted the barn, helped raise
garden and small crops, aided
by kindly neighbors and rel
atives. All wanted to help the
Widow Mary and her little flock.
They raised lima beans, shelled
them and Wade peddled them
from door to door in the nearby
village for a few cents a quart.
He collected rag rug material
from the villagers, took them
home after school, and he and
his mother and sisters made rugs
from them on their loom. Next
morning they were returned
and small sum was given to
them for their work.
| This young lad worked with
the men on the section gang of
the neighboring railroad. He
hired himself out to adjoining
farmers and worked as a farm
hand, doing the work of man
as he could.
| He collected junk iron from
| all over the county with the aid
| of wagon and driver for
which he paid $500 a day, trad
| ing tinWare for the junk to the
eager wives of the farmers who
needed kitchenware badly. His
profit so exceeded anything else
he had done that he was able
to buy his mother a new dress,
stock the attic with flour, buy
some carpeting for the home
and provided more abundantly
than anything else he had done.
All the time he was aided,
counseled and helped by his wise
mother whose wisdom came
through her prayers to God to
help her with her little family.
He conceived the idea of a
process through which he could
take an ordinary photograph
and produce new-type picture
at small cost and generous profit
and he travelled far around the
neighborhood m k ing many
mothers happy. My mother
: treasured the one he made OF
her dear son far away in the
Philippines serving his country
During the summer he made
. his school clothes money by
! climbing the creased pole and
| catching the creased pig al
: county fairs and competitive
gatherings.
Always eager, always willing
: never afraid to tackle anything
he went on year after year OF
his boyhood and teens, with an
economic pressure that never
, let up.
When still a boy he ventured
to GAINESVILLE and worked on the
now famous Y bridge as a labor
er for a short time; at the pot
terry; anything that would pro
duce.
All the time his mother and
} sisters were behind him, doing
, their share as each was guided
, all with the same purpose-to
| keep their little family together