Found some pic on the Internet of the courthouse in Cold-springs. It has a fence around it. In those days, most of East Texas let their livestock run free. If you wanted a pretty yard and liked flowers, you had to fence your yard.

My dad was county agent and he went to the Sheriff and ask if he could have prisoners to do some landscaping around the court house. (Pigs have been know to walk up the steps). He said okay, but he couldn't furnish guards for them. Dad promised they would not try to escape and asked for volunteers. They landscaped the yard, planted sod, etc. Then had to fence it to keep the animals out. That fence stayed up for years after that. I met the current County Agent's wife years later and she was laughing about the fence - it came down during her husband's years there.

During those years, my Dad's salary was paid by the state and the county. We got something called script from the county and it wasn't hardly worth the paper it was printed on. Our grocery man took it, but most other people didn't. Needless to say, my parents saved up a lot of it. In 1936, in the midst of the depression, an automobile place in Livingstone would take it. We had TWO new Chevrolets that years. One was a green sedan (for Mom) and the other a cute little black coupe with red trim for Dad. I hid a key from both and everytime my parents left in one, my little sis and I would go for a drive in the other. I was 14 then. Got my drivers liscence on my 14th birthday. My dad took me to the sheriff's office and they wrote me out one. I have never had a drivers test - except the AARP one I took just to see if I was a good driver. Still am!!! You know they were both stick shifts. Who had heard of an automatic?

There was place just out of town (now under Lake LIvingston) that was such a wonderful place for kids to go. The large oak trees were just right for climbing. I was 16 the last time I went with all my friends and climbed. We didn't wear shorts then, so I tucked my dress under the elastic in my "bloomers". That made me decent.Ha!!!

This little town had no movies, drive-in, or much of any other place for kids to hang out. So our house was a good place. MY dad was great with kids and we always had a group there in the evenings. He and my Mom would gather all of us up and go for "weiner" roasts. Every one would bring some, also marshmellows. What a wonderful safe time of life. Now, I hear that drugs are pretty rampant there. We were all so innocent and a group of happy kids.

Our big shopping was done in Houston. If you stopped by the Texas State Hotel, you would run into a lot of friends from home. That is where we met. You always took someone with you if you had room. My folks would sometime park on Main Street in from of what was Foley's in thos days. Parking on the street was free and safe. They just left the car open, in case someone got through first. I remember one year that our grocery man had given my sister and me $15 for Christmas. Our parents gave us $10 more and we did some shopping for ourselves. I bought a wool pleated pale blue skirt and a fuzzy wool sweater to match. She bought a Red wool skirt and vest. Can you beat that for $25.00?

I was in college in 1940, when the ROTC was called up. I remember the eerie feeling I had when all the boys lines up and marched away. That was my first for "the War to end all Wars".

My first year in college was fun. I lived in a house that was approved by the college for a dorm. My room-mate and I had a little kitchen, but most of the girls ate with the lady that ran it. We ate lots of chili and rice. That was our favorite meal. Adelaide was from outside of Beaumont, so she furnished us with the Cajun coffee. If you have never drunk it, it's worth a try. At first, I didn't like it but it grows on you. She and I kept up with each other until about 1970. Then we lost contact.

Our house mother wasn't very good as a chaperone, so Adelaide and I would leave after one of the girl's date brought her home and he would take us for coffee at the little cafe that stayed open late. It's a wonder we didn't get caught, being out after curfrow, but we didn't. someone would have been mad had she known. Ha!!!

Can't remember any new things invented in those days, but there must have been many. Most of east Texas (in the country) still didn't have electricity. They still went to the out-house. My Mother helped get electricity in San Jacinto County when we lived there. Permanent waves were invented about this time. You were rolled and then hooked up to an electric thing. It was nearly agony to get one.

Will write the next chapter of my life later.

Love you all.