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Mr. Davis was so strict with his children until only three of them let him know when they were going to get married. Three out of fourteen. You see, he had been married before and had two daughters and two sons; then had ten by his second wife. I see where I made a mistake, (eight lines above) I said, "kneeled" instead of knelt.
After I came home from being at St. Joseph Academy, my daddy thought I was the prettiest girl in town so he'd make me dress up in my blue skirt, white blouse and blue cap with it's tassel and he'd take me all up the country to see old friends of his.
We went to one friends house on Friday afternoon and their name was Mitchell and she was making cakes and pies and baking and cooking other things for a big picnic the next day and also a big speaking that Saturday morning. Then to follow, music and dancing. So they had a daughter the same age of me and she seemed to fall in love with me at the very first, so they talked my daddy into staying so we did and went to the picnic the next day and really enjoyed it. But as soon as the band commenced to play, here came a middle-aged man wanting me to dance with him and I didn't quite desire his looks so I kept telling him I didn't dance that I didn't know how and he'd say come on, I'll teach you some of these new steps. Mrs. Mitchell knew what kind of man he was so she came over and took me by the arm and told him to let me alone. She said, can't you understand when she told you she didn't want to dance? After we got back to her house she told me she admired me for not granting his request because he was married and had a big family and was still a woman's man. I've always appreciated her for taking an interest in me.
Then that same Saturday at the picnic, I met two real pretty girls who were so sweet and friendly and I like them. So they begged me to go with them and I told Mrs. Mitchell they wanted me to go spend the night with them and she told them that she and her daughter had already planned something. So when they left she told me she wasn't about to let me go with them because they were not decent or respectful girls. She said you may not appreciate me bossing you like I have, but someday you will because you have a fine moral father and I'm sure he'd want the very best for you. Your father has been here several times and was always bragging on you as he told us you were more
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