Milky and Soupy: Mailman tales, #3

By Jess Thornton

Before Mailman Tales, there was... 

History!

This is the history of the Thornton family in Wisconsin.  

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jess Thornton
• Release date: Jun 16, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533773401

Jess Thornton

Jess Eden Thornton is the author of several books on family, the post office past and present, and Americana.  His writings espouse traditional family values, while displaying the underlying humor in the family, neighborhood, and of working life. He also has written a few fantasy stories, one in collaboration with Robert E. Howard, the inventor of Conan. He resides in the driftless region of Wisconsin, deep in an isolated coulee.

Book preview

To Milky, Soupy, and all the rest

CHAPTER ONE

Growing Up

Soupy was a small town boy, from a small town in Wisconsin.  Most kids had nicknames back then, and Soupy was his- no one remembered why!  Things were different in those days, since automobiles were new things, as were airplanes.  Trains were the only way to travel long distances, but there were many places that trains did not go.  Luckily, by the time Soupy was 10 years old or so, his father, August, had bought the first car in Mahoma, Wisconsin!

August was a quite successful store owner in Mahoma, running what was at the time called a general store, meaning that it sold general merchandise, meaning just about everything.  This was before stores specialized in just a few things, as they do today; and also before other stores carried everything, which would be the Wal-Marts of today.  Back then, things were much simpler. 

August, his wife Maddie, daughters Sadie and Nel, and sons Karl and Bob all lived in a nice two story white-painted clapboard house on Main Street in Mahoma.  Just about 2 and 1/2 blocks away stood his store on Main, next to the other stores in town, of which there were not many.  There was a hardware store, a meat market (later to be owned by Ole, future husband to Sadie), August's general store and grocery, a blacksmith shop (which was later replaced by a gas station and auto repair shop), and a couple of taverns which also served as restaurants.  Further down the road was the barbershop where August went every day, and around the corner was the Methodist church where the whole family went each Sunday. 

Across from the barbershop, and up a steep hill, was the Mahoma pond, which had been made recently by the men of the town banding together and damming over the Mahoma creek. This made a nice little pond from which they could all run their mill for grinding grains, and incidentally, also for fishing, swimming, and cutting blocks of ice.  They would store the ice in sawdust, deep in dark sheds and caves, to be used to cool foods in the ice-boxes during the Spring and Summer.

Most of the men in town also hunted and fished, as did August's own father Horace, at least up through his ninety-fourth birthday, when the local newspaper-The Mahoma Reader- featured a front page photo of him with a trout he caught in a local stream.  The other occupation was cutting firewood, which in that cold region was vital to get through each Winter season.  One of little Soupy's jobs, since he was the littlest as his sisters constantly said, was to fill the stove with split wood each morning when he got up in Winter.  Sometimes it's tough to be the youngest!

When he got old enough, Soupy would go after school with his big brother Karl to the store and help August.  They would candle eggs, which means looking at them closely in the light of a candle to make sure that a little chick wasn't within.  No one would want to crack an egg like that!  Often customers would pay for their flour, sugar or coffee with eggs, since money was scarce in those days of the depression.  Some would have to buy on credit, and August always said that was fine, just pay when you can.  Some could never pay, which was too bad.

August's brother-in-law, Rudy, also worked at the store.  Rudy was a jovial man who loved to laugh, and had come to Mahoma to be with his  sister Maddie.  August hired him, but Rudy never really liked to work too much.  He loved music, and played the cornet with a local German band. He was a wonderful musician, the very best in town actually, and August loved to hear him play.  So did little Soupy, who thought some day he would like to play music too!

Everybody in town was of German descent, meaning that their parents or grandparents had all come over from Germany.  Even The Mahoma Reader was written in German, which they all called Deutsch, since that is what they call their language in Germany.  Everyone loved the German music, as played by Uncle Rudy, but they were all proud to be Americans!

August and Maddie never drank beer, but most everyone else in town who was grown up did.  Uncle Rudy drank the most beer of all, and then he'd play his cornet even sweeter than ever.  Uncle Rudy was fun, and Soupy liked to watch and listen to him, as did all the kids.  Even August did, although sometimes he would just roll his eyes up in his head.  Uncle Rudy was a real character!

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Mary was born on a farm in the Dakotas.  She was the youngest of four siblings, with two older sisters and big brother Brad.  Jan was the next oldest, then Pearl, and finally little Mary. 

The three girls were inseparable, being each just a year or so apart in age, and they did almost everything together.  Brad was the perfect big brother, and was so scientific and clever that it was a marvel to the girls.  They didn't care about science!

Mother Maggie was a small, quick, red haired woman that loved to laugh and play piano, and Father Isaac was pretty much an older version of his son Brad.  He loved to farm his dry land in the Dakotas, and only wished sometimes for more rain, and less wind; otherwise he was perfectly happy with his wife and family, their cattle and chickens, and leading his little family band- The Meadowlarks.

The three girls were happy together, and it is lucky that they were, for there were hardly any neighbors around.  They would play with their little homemade dolls, some made of wood and others of corn husks.  This was their favorite pastime when they were young.

Of course, they all had lots of chores to do- Brad would be off with father in the early morning, after mother had made a large breakfast for them all. Kaiser Schmarren is one German name for their favorite breakfast, and what it is, is scrambled pancakes!  It is a mix of mainly eggs, with some flour, lots of fresh milk, and butter.  When mother would serve up a large skillet of that, topped with loads of butter and plum preserves, the whole family would think they were in heaven, or very close to it.

Summer was chore time, but there was always time to practice music after the days work was done.  Mother would play piano, and Brad was usually on cornet.  Father played cornet, and also piano, and many other instruments as well.  Everybody sang! 

Mary learned to play trombone, Jan trumpet, and Pearl clarinet.  They played in a trio together, and would follow it with singing, all together in close harmony.  Brad would play his cornet as they went along, swaying with the beat.  Father would either be directing, or playing the drums, while mother would keep it all going from behind on the piano.  They had such fun together, making music!

Father and mother decided that since they had a family orchestra all organized, they might as well perform.  So, they called themselves The Meadowlarks, and they traveled around the area playing at dances and weddings, festivals and concerts.  It was lots of fun, but it was tiring besides, since usually they had to drive home very late at night after