The Bug That Marked History

Every time I spend an hour with Dr. Kuhl....I learn something fascinating!  He took the picture...Article was written by some other guy.... Enjoy! C

The Bug That Changed History    Surprise Valley. July. You’re running sweep on the Tapeats/Thunder River/Deer Creek hike. Conversation at the back of the pack is running something like this: “We’re surprised all right. We’re surprised how hot and dry and stupid it is up here!” Yep, they’re suffering from heat frustration, and you’re still miles away from the boats at Deer Creek. Resting at the Big Shade Rock, the glum crunching of a granola bar is the only sound. You think: “I need to divert attention away from blistered feet, achy joints, and sunburns. I need a long, entertaining story.” Tell them the tale of the cochineal insect, a bug that changed world history.    The cochineal is found in many Colorado River side canyons, appearing on prickly pear cactus pads inside matchhead-sized white fuzzballs. When you find some of these, carefully pull one off. Go ahead and mash it. The brilliant red insect bodies now staining your fingertips have been processed by New World cultures for thousands of years, and used to color everything from warriors’ shields to their own bodies. By the 14th century, the Incas and Aztecs both had whole agricultural systems based on cochineal, and apparently valued the dye as much as gold.    At the same time in Europe, the best red colorings were made from another insect, a pest of oak trees called kermes, which was dried, ground up and dissolved in water. Neolithic cave paintings in France, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the wrappings of Egyptian mummies were all tinted with this dye. Compared to cochineal however, kermes tints look dull and faded. So when Cortes invaded Mexico in 1519, he was amazed to find Montezuma and other nobles dressed in robes dyed a brilliant, vivid red. He was also amazed to see the native women’s hands and breasts painted the same intense color. In Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) he found bags of dried cochineal sent as tribute to Montezuma, which were promptly shipped back to Spain. The dye was so much brighter than kermes it was almost instantly in high demand. By 1600, cochineal was second only to silver as the most valuable import from Mexico.    Around 1630, it was discovered that treating cochineal with an acidic tin solution made it bind much better to fabric and even brighter in color, the first scarlet as we now know it. Because of its expense and scarcity, scarlet cloth quickly became associated with money and power. Roman Catholic Card Cardinals robes were made from it as were the jackets of the British military.    The Revolutionary War in which American colonists fought against these “Redcoats” was brought on not only by British taxes on tea, but also by heavy taxes on cochineal, which could easily have been imported directly from Mexico by the Colonies.    In addition to dye for fabric, cochineal became widely used as a food coloring. Cakes, cookies, beverages, jam, jelly, ice cream, sausages, pies, dried fish, yogurt, cider, maraschino cherries and tomato products were brightened with it as were chewing gum, pills and cough drops. Cosmetic rouge was developed with cochineal as the main ingredient. But while ever more diverse uses were found for cochineal, it’s origin remained a mystery.    Most Europeans thought it was extracted from berries or cereals because the dried insects looked like grains of wheat. This misconception was promoted by the Spanish, who had launched a brutal cover-up of the dye making process as soon as they realized cochineal’s potential. Many New World natives unfortunate enough to have chosen a career in red dye production were simply put to death. Access to cochineal farms was tightly controlled, but eventually French and Dutch adventurers succeeded in smuggling out live cactus pads covered with the insects. Cochineal “ranches” were started in dozens of countries in North Africa, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Prickly pear and cochineal did particularly well in the Canary Islands where whole farms and vineyards were cleared and converted to cactus plantations. In 1868, the Canaries exported six million pounds of cochineal, equivalent to 420 billion insects.    This time period proved to be the peak of the cochineal industry as new synthetic dyes in a variety of fade-resistant colors rapidly superseded it. By the 1880s cochineal production was in steep decline. A major crisis in Spanish financial markets ensued, as a key 250 year-old industry failed within the span of a couple of decades.    Though not in high demand today, cochineal is used in medical tracers, artists’ paints and microscopy stains. It is currently the only natural red food coloring authorized by the FDA. Unfortunately, workers harvesting cochineal now are not much safer than those laboring under the Spanish 200 years ago. The world’s primary growing area, Peru, is threatened by ongoing political instability and violence. Conditions are so sketchy that the insects are usually gathered at night. Revealing where his concerns lay, one cochineal importer noted: “There’s high mortality in working staff right now, so supplies are a bit tight.”    By now, if you’ve dragged the story out adequately, the boats should be in sight. If so, wrap up your tale on this note: as food producers continue to switch back to natural colorings, more and more of the stuff we eat and drink will be dyed with dead bugs. But at least the red color won t have originated as some awful synthetic brew in a General Foods chemistry lab. Jeff Behan

Communication-Amsterdam

Communication is frequently very difficult between people.  ---Changing this to"peoples" makes it even more difficult and challenging.  The exact same words mean different things to different individuals, even in the same basic communities.  We each have different backgrounds, therefore different connotations may exist!  Differing languages brings the problem(s) to an unimanagined peak, at times.  A rather  quaint and, on introspection,  amusing happening occurred in Amsterdam to some of our family many years ago. Ruth, son John and I had been visiting son David in Germany. We took the Eurail to Amsterdam to "broaden our  scope". The evening after our first Amsterdam exploration we returned, tired and hungry to our current room.   After a brief toilet and deposit of the minimal souvenirs, we talked over the prospects for the evening meal.  We had spotted a neat appearing place a short distance away which our hosts said was good so we decided that was the place!    
     Linguistically, John had studied German for 2 yrs., Ruth had had Latin for 3 yrs., and French for 2 years, I had had German for 4 yrs., French for a year  and Latin for 3 years.  We had been living in South Texas for, -John his whole life and Ruth and myself for 15+ years, talking practical oral Spanish.
     So we walked confidently to the restaurant, ready to face the probable Indonesian-Chinese menu.  Fine. but the Menu was in 4 languages, none of them  French, German, English, or Latin!  So a series of noises, grunts and gestures was on the program next! (We were not going to leave!)
  After our satisfactory meal we discussed the procedure next on the program.  We decided the next thing was to help them learn English, as being potentially very useful in those days.
  So John drew a shrimp as being the one thing we really wanted, but were unable to get across to the waiter .  After a few pointings, gestures and sibilant sounds, etc, ,we were pleased to hear the successful(?) sound of "Shlimp!"  Knowing the problems of Orientals with the "r" and "w" sounds we nodded pleasantly and decided that was our accomplishment for "Today's English"!  
  So we paid our check, left a tip and some smiles and departed to the sounds of "shlimp", "shlimp", "shlimp!" in the environs of the dining room and passageways , in various tones- tenor, soprano, baritone and a few squawks in the far background.   Needless to say, after our departure there was an explosion of mirth , which has periodically helped us through the years!



 

Delivering

    As a youngster,the catastrophe of the "Depression" ruled my, and my family's lives.  My stepfather had a series of "childhood diseases" which resulted in his loss of work as a city clerk-deputy city clerk.  This, of course, led to a continual economic struggle.  There was probably the word "allowance" in vocabularies thereabouts, but no one in our family could define it. ( This, unfortunately, was reflected in the upbringing of our children.)  -To obtain money for anything outside of food and other basic necessities, we children had to resort to our own initiatives.
    My first "extensive operation" was the establishment of a magazine delivery route. -- This consisted in going door-to-door solicitation to deliver inexpensive magazines. At that time,Liberty, Collier's, and the Saturday Evening Post were the nickel weeklies. I established a regular delivery route of 30+ customers and added a few monthlies- Ladies Home Journal, Woman's Home Companion,  especially.  This phase lasted about 3 years and then my sisters took over, when I moved up to the daily morning papers.
     It might be well to add to my story that at least 3 people who became significant in my later life were first "magazine contacts".  A man who worked at the Mason Seal Factory was the father of the girl I took to the Junior Prom.  --The others were Ruth's Uncle Ray Brice and his daughter, Agnes Ann(Matla, now). Ray worked for the Batavia Laundry and Agnes Ann would frequently be the one at home to pay me, on delivery.
     Our next door neighbors had a son who was a year older than I who delivered morning papers in those days.  Smaller routes, $1.25- $1.50 per week!  Sounded good to me!  No collecting, pick up the money Sat p.m. at the News Store. Wow!
    At any rate, I became his readily available substitute!  So I went around with him and became familiar with the route.  Shortly after that I was called.  He had the mumps!  So on the coldest day in those parts in the records, 9 Feb 1934, yours truly delivered morning papers for the first time.  29 below zero!
   Shortly after that another route became available, for me, and I took it--- for the next 6 years, more or less. I delivered The Buffalo-Courier Express and the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
   

Tricker #10- Final Voyage

      So we continued with Tricker at 1200 LaVista, some, through the summer of 1977 and she reentered the cage(at times) and led a somewhat reformed life.  After all, even a slow raccoon picks up  on the fact that if you dig a hole through a roof, you get taken on a dove hunt of no return, fraught with rattlesnakes, highway travel, mean dogs,and the like. So there was a rosy time of boy and raccoon united, the two were inseparable, and could be seen wrestling playfully in the yard as birds chirped,  the papayas and limes swelled on the trees, the gentle Valley breezes blew through the din of chicharras(a variety of LOUD locusts in the Valley), and all was good.                                                                                                                  John's boyhood friend, Ralph, had a slew of little brothers and sisters  who thought John, the raccoon tamer,  was a rock star.  They were dying to see this coon, and John was eager to oblige. They  lived in a little farm on Rooth Road northwest of McAllen.  John had spent many a happy weekend there, hunting, fishing, helping with the farm chores, trying to ride calves, riding horses, milking cows and generally having a blast, so he really wanted to give the tykes a full Tricker experience.  John at this point in his life was not good at  event planning though, and never thought about the two or three farm dogs that always ran loose around the place.  As they approached the house, John did finally consider the dogs and made the decision to get out and walk from a distance, you know, sort of sneak up  on the situation and hope boys got the dogs tied up.  Sure enough as the car arrived about a quarter-mile from the place, John and Tricker had just left the car and here come the dogs "a-runnin"!  As the border collie and cur dog blurs came  tearing across the open field he knew there was only one option,---he pulled off Tricker's harness, and let her run! She made a bee line for a citrus grove that was right next to a canal and was never seen again. ---She escaped the dogs, but was never seen again by John, Ralph or the sad little brothers and sisters who had been SO looking forward to a couple days with a coon. So it was all so anticlimactic,  ---poof gone like that!  Ralph said there were many raccoon tracks around the canal and groves so they figured she was as happy as could be!  She never showed up in town either,  --that we know of.  I guess she received the message and decided, somewhat on her terms to kick Us to the Curb!  It was an interesting twist of fate but this time it really worked.   Tricker's cage went on to house some bob white quail and  few others, but there was never another mid-sized omnivorous pet at 1200 La Vista!

Tricker #8 -Homecoming

   So John, in case you didn't know, never let the lack of a driver's license keep him from getting around town.  He was long distance cyclist from way back and patrolled a beat among various convenience stores, sporting goods stores, raspa stands, and most of all pet stores.  He was well known at all these locales and especially the pet stores, as he kept an aquarium, chickens, doves, quail, iguanas, turtles, well ----you get the idea.   One fine day in the spring of the year following the release of Tricker, Ruth received a call from the pet store just south of Lamar School on 10th Street (one of John's favorite hangouts) that someone had a raccoon show up a their house in Edinburg, that seemed very tame(the raccoon, not the house).  They wondered if it was ours.  Apparently the dogs had been giving it a hard time, but they had managed to get it in a cage and had the insight to contact area pet stores.   I can only imagine Ruth's eagerness to retrieve a varmint that she and her lovely home and garden had just began to recover from.  True love for her son prevailed and they took the short trip to the pet store and retrieved the animal.   No one was sure it was Tricker---this animal was much larger, more filled out and a bit beat up from the "dog rassling" but home they went.  All uncertainty was erased when this fat little beat-up raccoon jumped out of the Delta 88 as soon as it his the driveway and ran straight to the screen door and immediately began trying to let itself in.  Thus began a bit of a hiatus, in troubled relations between Tricker and parental forces as they were stuck with a sort of "Incredible Journey" awe,----- yes, a detante of sorts.  Not a hero's welcome, not a prodigal daughter scenario but an uneasy sort of "Wow, now what?"period.  The boy was happy, the coon was happy---what was one to do?

Tricker-Sayonara at Citrus City--- #8

    Dove season was upon us-- probably September 1976, and a nice week-end of hunting was in store in an area known as Citrus City.  This area was obviously known for orange and grapefruit groves watered by a network of canals and drained by ditches like much of the Valley, at that time.  There were also grain fields aplenty and occasional brush fence lines forming corridors for wildlife in the general vicinity.  Citrus City is roughly 12 mi west of Edinburg and 12 mi north of McAllen.   This is foreshadowing!  So it was along one of these brushy fence lines along a grain field, where we parked to find a bit of shade to wait until doves began to fly--- a father, daughter, son, and an unsuspecting raccoon.  As was typical, not a whole lot was going on in the 3-5 pm time frame, but Tricker was in seventh heaven rummaging through the brush behind"the hunters" seated in the shade along the field by the road.  A mixed cacophony of crackling vegetation, earth moving and contented raccoon sounds could be heard behind the waiting group. ---Then suddenly came the punctuating sound of the afternoon,-- an electric buzzing-rattling, that any South Texan instantly recognizes; yes, a sizable western diamond back sounded off behind us!  Father, Kids and an obviously intelligent raccoon, bolted away from the brush and toward the center of the grain field. surprised  by the unexpected noise!!  Tricker, in particular moved away at  rather dignified pace- as if somewhat insulted by the latest development! However her directionality left no doubt as to her response!  Eventually, the frantic surprise was replaced by a humorous response(relief).  So the hunt continued, the raccoon returned to her own devices in an area we felt she would be able to take care of herself.  So the hunt progressed, and when it came time to go , father and kids drove off without the furry critter.  It was a somewhat melancholy drive out of the dove fields that day, but the "Humans" reassured each other that "It was a better way."  "She seemed quite at home ." "She has everything she needs there.etc.  "

Tricker seals her fate. #7

    From when she was small, John would turn Tricker out of her cage and stay with her as she explored the yard, the alley, etc..  She never went too far, never created problems and  went back to her cage, when John herded her back.  But as Tricker matured, she spent more and more time travelling the tree tops, eating fruit, and who knows what and generally becoming more independent.  John would start trying to corral  her an hour or so before dark and, eventually Tricker decided that she liked night time operations perhaps even better than daytime operations.  So there were days when John would give up, go inside and wait until Tricker let herself back into the house or cage on her own.  She was able to open our back screen doors, which were locked only by a latch at the top, by pulling the bottom of the door frame and then push her way through.  Eventually, Ruth decided that a second latch should be added to the bottom to put an end to that.   Seemed like a great idea and actually worked, as well, until there was a night when Tricker wouldn't come down from her tree.  John gave up at some point during the night.  Tricker, thwarted by the second latch , decided she could just go ahead and get in by burrowing through the roof.  When John, who was often on the roof for a variety of reasons only known to him, soon saw the massive hole over the play room which was clawed through the shingles, tar paper and all the way to the wood he figured one or both of them were goners.  Sure enough, a field trip to the dove fields was arranged for the both of them... but one of them would not return.

Tricker goes to school(not) & John leaves school #6

John has finally added to the Tricker Stories. This is the first.
  When John was in the 5th grade his teacher, Mrs Hargrove, became aware that John had an interesting pet that many might like to see. Thinking it would be an educational experience, she invited John to bring Tricker to school for a sort of "show and tell" at a specific date and time. At this point Tricker was pretty much an adult raccoon who had definitely developed a sizable body and mind of her own.  So, first thing on the appointed morning, John hooked up Tricker's harness to the leash and set out for school.  The only problem was that there just happened to be a driving rainstorm at the time.  As John and Tricker arrived at the street and began their first crossing, Tricker decided for the first time in her life that she was not at all interested in crossing the street, or furthermore , going anywhere John was interested in taking her.  So...after a short raccoon rodeo began, involving mule-like leg setting, monkey-like leg climbing, dashes int the pittosporum hedge , etc..   In the driving rain they both decided that it probably wasn't in the best interest of anyone to continue on that path.  After a bit of reflexion, it was decided that maybe Tricker wasn't the best school visitor then, or ever,  as she was getting pretty large and more independent.  Big independent critters with lots of sharp teeth probably should stay at home.  It should be mentioned that John was summoned at school by his mother when Tricker occasionally slipped int the main part of the house and holed up under a bed, to her great consternation.  For some reason, Maria(pt time maid) was hard to convince that a playful raccoon swiping at her ankles should be part of making a bed!  John would be summoned and normality was gradually restored by the removal of Tricker from under the bed and so on. Fortunately, the principal and teachers knew our family well and understood the predicament. We just weren't like other families!

Tricker ##5- Subsisting

    Tricker in the interim between her arrival at the Kuhl household and the grocery catastrophe had endeared herself to the family by being very helpful.
     She checked under the overstuffed chairs, the sofa, and under the kitchen furniture frequently during the day, as well as checking the veneer of the doors, screen inlays, the "pockets" around the bases of the louvers, and so on.
     Apparently, somewhere along the way she had had beautician lessons and loved to work with Mary Kay's abundant curls to everyone's appreciation, especially Mary's.
     Her checking under the furniture at times ran counter to the directions of Ruth--"la ama de la casa"--so when Ruth attempted to persuade Tricker to check in other areas from those Tricker had selected, there was conflict -more than mental-, so "The Tricker Master" and his aid, was sought.  So John was summoned from the nearby elementary school.  As a result, John spent quite a little time soothing the two mistresses of the house.  The teachers at the school were interested and cooperative so things went smoothly ,-- at first.  After the third episode, for some unknown reason, the school authority became a  "bit testy" and shall we say "short tempered" .
     All in all, Tricker's popularity was definitely on the wane as her judgement and that of the"ama de la casa" differed.  The true "ama" was not about to defer her long standing authority to this furry newcomer in her house!!!
    

Tricker #4

   In the past few weeks I've held off on "Tricker" stories because I'd hoped to get the collaboration of John, the real "Tricker Expert".   Fortunately for him his athletic girls are setting the world on
fire with their soccer.  --- John's been helping them anyway he can. -Better than Tricker, it turns out!
   On inquiring in the family, perhaps the most dramatic episode occurred one pleasant afternoon.  The girls, Corien and Martha, were home from school and I don't know about John and Walter, but I'm sure they were otherwise occupied.
   It seems that Ruth, after the "little girls" had arrived home from school, had gone to do a bit of grocery shopping.   Meanwhile , Tricker , as was her wont, was climbing around the house , doing her duty, as she saw it, including the walls and  the roof.  In short, having a wonderful time as an inspector of the building.  --Checking the locks of the doors and windows,  the veneer of the doors, the hooks in the screen doors, and other fabulous things as her job as inspector of buildings in the "Valley" area  required.  I'm sure she was enjoying her chosen occupation to the fullest, but along came Ruth with her car laden with groceries! What a put down!!
     What was the normal loving raccoon to do when the mistress of the house comes loaded with groceries!?  Jump on her from the roof and try to give her a big hug, of course!  Amid the unappreciative screams, scrambling,  and the flying groceries, I'm sure "Tricker " was really upset!  After a decent prescribed

interval , everyone resumed the quiet , dignified attitude and the usual tranquil life was again pursued. -with a distressed,  disgusted attitude, the " ama de la casa" in the midst of it all. -- I'm sure Tricker's ultimate fate was sealed that day!  -John received "instructions" and other bits of valuable information were released in that "pregnant" atmosphere!
    Strangely, by the time I arrived at home , all was quiet and tranquility reigned, (or Tricker thought) as she resumed her "benign? reign" over the house at 1200 LaVista.

Tricker #3 Starts to settle in.

  I was wrong about the box.  It came from the neighborhood.  -From friends I always  called "The big people".  They were all 6-footers except for the 3rd grader , who was only 5'3" tall.
  However, the first night was an indication of things to come.  In the morning it was observed that Tricker had decided the box was cramping her style, so she let herself out. --Shortly after departing the box she apparently encountered little sister's oil paints. -- It was evident that she thought she looked good in "umber" --or was it "burnt umber" or just chocolate brown?'  This was in spots all over the accessible body.  Gorgeous!?!  Whatever shade it was we had a well spotted , brown, that is,-spotted raccoon all over the available body. -- After a brief session , John cleaned her up(a bit) and the real pine box from the undertaker friend was obtained and suitably modified with heavy duty wire and nails.
  Note-- The forepaws of a raccoon look like little hands and might as well be, --with strength beyond the appearance that the size seems to indicate.  The previous "wire gate" had been "duck soup" to Tricker!
   Of course, there was a brief lecture and warning from yours truly concerning the care and "keeping" of said raccoon. (Talk about hot air!)
   So this was a brief warning of the future at our relatively peaceful domicile.

Tricker #2- Becomes "Family"

In a few days after the "possum incident", Ruth made what might be considered a tactical error.  She went to Gibson's (a poor man's cut-rate store in the area) with John.  Presumably she was intending to purchase - or at least review- shampoo, tooth paste, combs and brushes or the like at  inexpensive prices.  We were both "depression kids"  so low prices were important to us, essentially all our lives, hence the "cut-rate store".
   The "fatal error" with this store was that it had a "pet shop"!  On arriving I'm sure John made a bee line to the pet area and a thorough investigation was undertaken.  In a brief period of time Ruth was probably orally defending house  and home. But Ruth was a vulnerable object facing an irresistable force. -So the purchase was made!
   That evening after my "day at the office" I returned to find we had another cute little member in our family. -- A darling, winsome little raccoon!  John had obtained a box from a funeral director friend ,fenced it at one end , there it was ---the latest member of our already large family! I'm sure I expressed a little skepticism, but I was not the house keeper so it wasn't important. And so the adventure began!

"Tricker" #1

Ruth was a wonderful beautiful person:wife,mother, student, and even tolerated me.
One of the briefest times for Ruth to earn a star for her crown undoubtedly was when the raccoon, "Tricker" affected our family.
  The " door was opened " one fall week-end when we encountered a female possum complete with a dozen or so mouse-sized little ones in our garbage can by the alley. Usually the cans were covered except when the garbage was collected and the covers left off to allow the cans to dry.  At any rate, that day the cover had been off and the can was occupied by several "critters".  We brought out our old mini-sized 22 (a relic from a promotion back in the 1900s ) and I proceeded to dispatch the mother and the little ones one at a time.
  John decided that he wanted --and would care for-- one of the little ones.  At that time John was a very persuasive kid(11) and seeing no harm -I (we) decided to let the experiment proceed. --He did like animals, and of course he would take care of it, etc., etc., etc. .
   So the busy little boy obtained a box and the tiny doll-sized milk bottle to feed the "young un"with at the picnic table in the back yard. -- I shrugged my shoulders and relented("another phase") I thought to myself.)
   I resumed my morning "chores" and after a half hour or so, I came out to see how things were going.  --Neither John nor " the baby" were in sight,  I called John and asked him where "the baby" was.  "On the table" was the quick reply. --"No he's not " was my equally quick reply.  After about 15 min. of frantic searching , we gave up.  I philosophized by mentioning "There are many cats in the neighborhood." That didn't help , but John quieted down. -- To be heard from later!

Role Model

    Baseball used to be "The All American "game!  During the depression it was essentially the only sport having a professional team.  Football was "manned" by semi pros of dubious talent and the communities seemed to be steel mill towns such as Akron, Wheeling, Bradford(Pa), Massillon and basically evanescent supporting towns of the Ohio and Pennsylvania area with scattered towns from Indiana, Illinois and Michigan mixed in.
   The two 12 team (National & American) leagues that were in operation in baseball seemed to be the only stable portions of professional sports in operation. As a morning paper boy my day frequently began with reviewing the previous day's games to see how my"Yankees" did. The premium professional team of all sports at that time.  My friends would follow the  Cardinals, the Boston Red Sox, ,the Tigers, etc.. Baseball was it!!
   With this background it is easy to realize that baseball players in the family meant a lot to me.   Especially since our family was not built on heroic lines , as required in football and  many other sports.
    Two of our sons were excellent baseball players.  One of them was in Kansas for the high school years of his sons.  Both excelled in baseball -- as pitchers-- not fielders, although I'm sure they could have handled those areas as well.
    I was privileged to be in Kansas when the elder of the two was pitching for his high school team.  Unfortunately I was a bit late so I didn't get to see the whole game.   However, when I arrived in the second or third inning my grandson was on the mound and doing well.
    Of course ,I wanted to see his "stuff"so I stationed myself behind the backstop screen, to get the best angle for evaluation of the pitcher's delivery.  Very shortly a foul pop fly from a strike soared over the backstop screen.  I as in perfect position to make a deft grab and snared the ball barehanded. Of course the impact of the ball stung my hand.  As I waited for the stinging to subside --- thoughts flashed through my mind!  Here i was having made a good play! --the 3 all-star selections I'd been in flashed through my mind- and the only guy to hit a home run in my high school team zipped through my rapid thinker. I 'd be a Role Model for my grandkids!
    - So the stinging did subside, --I heaved the ball ostensibly over the backstop.  -In 3-5 seconds the ball returned to me.  Rumbledy, bumbledy hop to my waiting hand. Just a little bit later with a full head of steam I threw the ball "over the backstop". This time it took 5-7 seconds for the ball to come rumbledy bumbledy hop to me.   This time with my "tail figuratively between my legs" I walked around the edge of the screen and tossed the ball to my grandson,  -And the game resumed. (We won!)
          "Role Model "-- hmm.    Humiliation, YES!

Note  As recently as 24 Sept 2011, my grandson remembered the incident well!  --He still loves me but(as a Role Model---NO!) !

Bio-Chaddock, Harry #4 (Ivan)Contd

Harry Hiram Chaddock B11 Jul 1878  D 11 Jul 1936
Anna Louise Buell Chaddock B 17 Feb 1876   D 21 Feb 1962

    My association with Uncle Harry and Aunt Louise was unique in that in 1933 I spent six weeks with them and attended school in Perry. Lois was like my big sister so I would frequently carry her books home from school,  (Something had come up!).  She was very popular in High School and was very active!  I was happy to have a Big Sister.  Made  me special!
    At that time I became acquainted with "Little Orphan Annie" and "Jack Armstrong , the All American Boy" which programs were on the radio when I arrived "at home". The brushy river bank became a first class place to chase bad guys and Indians and such(I was 12). ( Radio was not a part of home in Batavia, especially a console as Uncle Harry and Aunt Louise had).
   Aunt Louise is the only person I ever knew who made toast in the oven with a pop-up toaster across the room. They also had a "flip-over "toaster .  Also frequently ignored.
   Cinnamon toast was an appreciated by-product (of the oven toasting).  I became well acquainted with the electric mixer and the preparation Cocomalt.  Gained about 10 lbs in that 6 weeks, if I remember correctly.
   Aunt Louise started the day with a glass of warm water. (Kept her intestines open, she said.) Uncle Harry would frequently start the day tossing the contents of water glasses back and forth  with a mixture which bubbled and frothed. (Alka Seltzer?) Fascinating!
   Aunt Louise ministered to me when I relieved Uncle Harry's humidor of an extra cigar  and it punished me for my iniquity. (She never made a public announcement, either!)
    She also introduced me to the idea of multiple changes of clothing in a single day.  I'd never had that many clothes before. (Uncle Harry took me to the store and purchased a complete outfit for me.) The particular day Aunt Louise and I came head to head was when she made me change my clothes to go to an evening meal at the Country Club.  I didn't see the purpose. Eventually I relented.  I think of that incident frequently when I change my clothes for the 4th or 5th time in a day now.
     I saw Uncle Harry when he was on his death bed. I shook his hand heartily, and he winced.  ---Talk about a lasting memory! That made me a kindlier, gentler soul the rest of my life!
     In case you didn't know, Uncle Harry died of septicemia after hernia repair.  The latest medicine available was used including some Sulfa to no avail.  The sepsis made him tender all over.
     Shortly after that came college, med school, marriage and the peripatetic life of our generation, so I never saw much of Aunt Louise after that, although she did attend my high school graduation. We did see her enough so Ruth had the opportunity to see her and like her and we named our oldest daughter
after her. A real gem of a person was Aunt Louise!

I feel very chagrinned that I do not know more about Aunt Louise and her family. I never heard her mention her parents or siblings. There is a street in Batavia called Buell Street and I remember Mother's telling me it was named for Aunt Louise's family, and that Aunt Louise grew up in Batavia.
    I would guess that the name Bull is German and the name is the Anglification of the word which is unpronounceable  in English and so is modified to become bull, buell, buhl, beel, beal, etc.   Kuhl has a similar problem and is spelled kuhl, cool, kuhel, kuehl, etc..
    In fact, in McAllen there was a family named "Bull", by the father,  but the daughter had it changed to
Buell.

Love!

Ivan W. Kuhl B 2 Dec 1920



  

Bio-Chaddock,Harry #4 (Lila)Contd

  One other musical reflection.  The Chaddocks had a player piano which was fascinating to our family. Occasionally, they would play a few rolls for our entertainment. I wish I had that player piano right now! The sad part is that , many years later,if I had mentioned it, they probably would have given it to me! Perhaps they didn't know my special leaning toward the field of music. Nevertheless, it never occurred to me to ask about it until it was too late. The piano as gone, and I never knew where it went.
  We often had Thanksgiving dinner at he Chaddocks in Perry, and we did so enjoy that!  The dinner was the usual juicy turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, squash, pickles, cranberry sauce, rolls.  Our supper however, was varied. Sometimes it was macaroni and cheese,  or spaghetti, often cheese souffle', which my mother always made. Yummy!
  I recall just seeing Uncle Harry once when he was very ill, in bed, at his home. We all knew he was not going to live long. He was so ill that his daughter Fran's wedding was held in their own living room, with very few attending.  His illness had to do with lung congestion or something of that sort.  There was no cure at that time, a very few years later, a sulfa drug was discovered and undoubtedly would have saved him. So sad. He was much loved by all.
  Aunt Louise lived for many years.  After their home was sold, she lived in nursing homes, in or near Perry.  She came to our hame at 150 Trumbull Pkwy. in Batavia one Thanksgiving, her last, I believe. Ham drove  through a snowstorm to and from the Warsaw Nursing Home to have her join us.
  An important part of the story of Uncle Harry and Aunt Louise was, of course, their two wonderful daughters, Frances Chaddock Lawrence and Lois Chaddock Hayden.  They were quite a few years older than Velma and I, and were not a huge part of these particular memories of my aunt and uncle.
 In a simpler time when we were young, Velma's and my experiences with our Perry aunt and uncle couldn't have been more special in our lives.  Would that all children have dear "older" family members who might leave them wonderful memories, like our Aunt Louise and Uncle Harry.  
        Fondly,
           Lila      B - 10 Sept 1928
 
          

 

Bio- Chaddock, Harry #4 (Lila)

Remembrances of Harry Chaddock and his wife, Anna Louise Chaddock

  It's funny how certain seemingly uneventful things from one's childhood lodge themselves in the memory so vividly, it's as though they happened just yesterday . My recollections of Uncle Harry and Aunt Louise Chaddock are like that.
  Uncle Harry, I recall, was talkative and friendly, always warm toward our family especially Florence, his sister, our mom.  He quietly commanded immediate respect, and was a very successful businessman. Uncle Harry owned a hardware store about in the middle of Main Street on the west side, in Perry, NY.  He always brought us something when he visited us in Batavia, usually something from his store, such as skates, sleds or a wagon.  If there were no gifts he would say to us , "You'll find something out in the car."and after Velma and I had sat quietly, being the good little girls that we were, we hurried out to his car and often found a box of candy.  That was such an exciting gift for us; treats for a family that never had any money to spare, from a dear uncle who, in our minds, was rich!
  Aunt Louise was quiet and sophisticated, never temperamental, and never silly.  She seemed the same all the time, always the perfect lady. We loved their house on Dolbeer Street in Perry, with its carpeted staircase leading up to the four bedrooms, which were always in perfect order.  Aunt Louise had a built in enclosed glass cupboard in the corner of the dining room, filled with dishes. There was always a dish of candy in there, which Velma and I checked out each visit. Again, being very polite, we never asked for any candy, but Aunt Louise never forgot to quietly offer it to us.  Instant smiles!
   I recall one time I visited Aunt Louise by myself , without Velma. She must have been at a camp of some kind. Aunt Louise and I went downtown to buy a new dress for me.  I was thrilled! We bought a new slip, underwear, socks, maybe shoes and a beige dress.  The dress had white eyelet edging around the neck, and delicate blue flowers all over the pretty material!  I was absolutely delighted! I may have been only about four years old, but I felt guilty that Velma didn't have new clothes, too. Also, at that visit, I remember Aunt Louise and me. just the two of us, sitting at the big dining room table. Our dinner has half of a chicken for each of us!  It was one of those "little chickens" but but it felt such a grown -up dinner for me alone!
  On this visit alone to Perry, I remember going out the back door where the mint was growing. Aaunt Louise and I picked the mint leaves, which she cooked and somehow made it into mint sauce.  It was always served with lamb, and I still expect to enjoy it anytime I have lamb dinner, which is rare!
  Once, when Velma and I visited Perry, there was another guest there, a Mr Watrous, who played an instrument called the "Theremin". It was a box-like electric instrument about 12" square, with 2 metal rods sticking out from the sides. One rod went straight up, and the other curved out and back in the left side of the box.  He played the instrument using both hands, moving them up and down the rods in the
 air, never touching the instrument. One hand controlled the pitch and the other, the volume.  Obviously, it was played entirely by ear, having no keys or pedals at all  It made a lovely sound. but sadly, the only time in my life that i ever saw or heard that strange instrument.

Chaddock-Bio-Uncle Harry#2 (Cont'd)(Velma)

  One day Lila and I collected a bunch of small rocks and put them on the porch.  I was on the porch and she was at the foot of the porch steps. Aunt Louise came out and ordered me to get the rocks off the porch so I started to throw them in the alley. I told Lila to get out of the way or I would hit her with a rock. And she didn't and I did! To this day she bears the scar of that day , on the lip where it was split with the rock!!
  Cousin Frances was married a few weeks before Uncle Harry died.  Lila and I were flower girls and Auntie Florence had made our beautiful long dresses.  The church was cancelled and Fran and Bob were married at home where Uncle Harry could attend lying in  hospital bed set up in the living room.  The bridesmaids didn't attend but Lila and I in our lovely dresses did.  I'm sure Aunt Louise is the one who said we should be there because the dresses were made and she knew how excited we'd been about the wedding !  Ivan has his own story about the wedding!  (I tossed some confetti in the driver's side window, Bob ducked and sustained a cut above the eyebrow from the rear view mirror. I don't throw anything at weddings since then. -Ivan)
  11 Dolbeer was never the same after that without Uncle Harry. He was full of  life and enthusiasm. Aunt Louise was more staid and proper, a real lady. Without a word from her you were always on your best behavior.
  The last time  I saw her alive was in a nursing home in Wyoming(NY). By the the she died she had outlived all her friends, and her funeral was sparsely attended.
  I never heard that she had any siblings.  When we were in St. Cloud, Florida for the winter when I was about 5, we went to visit Mrs Buell., Aunt Louise's mother. She was a very plump, unkempt woman and I couldn't connect her to Aunt Louise at all. (This was when IWK was at Perry school.)
            Velma Dean Parry  (minor editing by IWK)

Chaddock-Bio-Uncle Harry#2 (Velma)

  Lila and I weren't aware of the depression and how poor we were, but we did know that a trip to see     Uncle Harry and Aunt Louise was to enter a different world where everything was perfect and plentiful.   11 Dolbeer Street!
  We could go out the back door and pick mint leaves right by the steps for iced tea. The stairs up to the bedrooms had grey thick carpeting-luxurious! And in the 2nd living room (parlor) there was a player piano which was magical to us!  Lila and I could make music almost as good as Mother did! We loved to sit in the glass-enclosed front porch. I think Uncle Harry was allowed to smoke there. I used to go to the ash tray and sniff.  There began my life-long love of nicotine!
  I only remember staying there once for a week. Aunt Louise told us to get whatever cereal we wanted from the cupboard one morning and I found some Grape Nuts-that smelled so good! Not the flakes but the little pebble-like Grape Nuts that we never had at home. So I ate a huge bowlful and paid for it with awful cramps and diarrhea.
  The dining room had a built-in cupboard, in one drawer of which she kept candy. Aunt Louise would give us permission and we would pick out some luscious candy, which was a rare treat. Even chocolates-we never had those at home. To this day I have a candy drawer for my grandchildren.
  The hardware store.  Wow! And it was all Uncle Harry's!  Don't know why, but I always loved the nail bins that I'd stick my hands in and let the nails run through my fingers. But the best was Uncle Harry's taking us to the ice cream parlor across the street, not for a cone, but for a sundae! Nowadays kids can't imagine what a treat that was!  A cone at 5 cents and a sundae at 15 cents.
  I remember Uncle Harry's giving us a sled one Christmas, -and another skates!
  We were a family who loved to eat and all the women were great cooks. We not only had Thanksgiving dinner, but Thanksgiving supper.  It was always (supper) scalloped oysters except one year at Aunt Louise's. Cousin Lawrence (Uncle Arthur's son) wanted something different, so he made spaghetti and meat balls. It didn't go over too well, and the next year it was back to scalloped oysters. Of course cranberry sauce was a must, -and I still make it every year no matter at whose house we spend the day.
  The cottage at Silver Lake.  Big and wonderful with an upstairs porch where we could sleep outdoors!  And I always think of watermelons in connection with the cottage.  I'm sure Ivan and Cousin Bobby(Uncle Floyd's son) started a watermelon seed fight.  What fun-- --and what a mess! Aunt Louise didn't stop it, but she left no doubt as to whose job the clean  up was !