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6-9-1988
I remember when I was 9 or 10 years old a fellow about 5 ft 3 inches tall, black hair, dark eyes, not really dark or light complexion, weighing around 145 pounds. His name was Charlie Davis, he had just left the Barnum and Baily show, he walked the wires and did many other stunts. He could make the most beautiful baskets you most ever saw, he used small wire and made it in the shape of a 10 qt bucket then bought all colors of material and tore little strips about a half inch wide and covered the wire flame. Then put a big bow of ribbon on top and they were real pretty. He could pick a guitar and play a harmonica (some called them harps) all at the same time, he'd throw the guitar up in the air and it still carried the tune. One afternoon he stopped by our home and brother Jay went out to the gate to see what he wanted and he said he'd like to find a place to spend the night so Jay told him to come on in and talk to our father so of course my daddy never turned any one away. So he said he'd like to find some kind of work, so Jay told him he was sawing logs and he needed a helper so he helped Jay for quite awhile. I don't remember just how long he stayed with us. But one Sunday evening in December we had a crowd of people all sitting around in the living room (used to be called Parlor) and Charlie was picking the guitar and singing. I can only remember part of one song he had composed after the death of his girlfriend. Here's one verse.
When I'm dead and laid away
Will you plant one flower up on my grave?
Plant a rose bud at my head and a tombstone at me feet.
And that's where my darling one has got to lie
The other day half past four, the hearse came rolling by my door,
Twas taking my darling one away.
Oh; I'd give this world today if my baby was yet astay.
But you'll never miss your baby until she's gone
She was a beautiful Indian girl who did the stunts with him and he said after her death, he couldn't stay there any longer so started traveling. Well to go on with my story
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