Celeste

By Celeste Graves

I was born into the family of William Julius and Emilie (Baudat) Gayle on August 30, 1919 They decided to name me Luella Celestine for my two grandmothers...Luella Love (Sanders) Gayle and Celestine (Pichon) Baudat. I did not like the name and was very happy that they decided to call me “Celeste.”
At the time of my birth, my brother Milton was almost two, having been born September 2, 1917. Unfortunately, he died with Diphtheria on December 11, 1921, when I was only two. Mom and Dad had previously lost a son, Dalton, who died April 13, 1915 at the age of 16 months. He was born December 8, 1913.
I was born in my parents’ home on Melton Street in Magnolia, Texas. The house was demolished in 1988. Ty (grandson) came over and told me about it and he thought it was terrible that they were tearing down a landmark where his grandmother was born. Mom was very proud of her little home as evidenced by notes she had written on the back of pictures she had taken to send to her friends and relatives.
My Dad was depot agent and telegrapher for the Missouri Pacific Railroad at the time of my birth, and retired in that position. He was truly a “railroad man” and couldn’t stay in the house when he heard a train whistle.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781728367545

Book preview

© 2020 Celeste Graves. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  09/19/2020

ISBN: 978-1-7283-6755-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-6756-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-6754-5 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Celeste The Beginning

Elementary School

Our One And Only Long Trip

Back To School

Summer Fun

Growing Up Times

What? Another Trip - Camping Part Of The Time

High School Days

Miss Blue Bonnet

College Days

My Transcript

After College

The War Years

Memories Of Moscow, Idaho

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my wonderful daughter, Tarvah Graves McGinty, for the many time she has proofed and proofed and proofed. I am sure she could recite most of it from memory. I would also thank my friend, Beverly Tucker for proofing and getting me to talk about so many of my experiences that sparked new memories. They have both been very patient since I have been working on this for quite some time! I also have to thank my daughter-in-law, Cinda, as she has discussed this with me time and time again (which usually sparks more memories). Since I have reached the century mark, I have decided to close it out once and for all. I know my friends and family will be happy to hear this. I know I have many more memories that could be recorded! Oh well, time is of the essence!

TO

MY SON

JAMES WILLIS JIMMY GRAVES, III

1939-2014

1.jpg

CELESTE

THE BEGINNING

AGE 1-5

I was born into the family of William Julius and Emilie (Baudat) Gayle on August 30, 1919 They decided to name me Luella Celestine for my two grandmothers…Luella Love (Sanders) Gayle and Celestine (Pichon) Baudat. I did not like the name and was very happy that they decided to call me Celeste.

At the time of my birth, my brother Milton was almost two, having been born September 2, 1917. Unfortunately, he died with Diphtheria on December 11, 1921, when I was only two. Mom and Dad had previously lost a son, Dalton, who died April 13, 1915 at the age of 16 months. He was born December 8, 1913.

I was born in my parents’ home on Melton Street in Magnolia, Texas. The house was demolished in 1988. Ty (grandson) came over and told me about it and he thought it was terrible that they were tearing down a landmark where his grandmother was born. Mom was very proud of her little home as evidenced by notes she had written on the back of pictures she had taken to send to her friends and relatives.

My Dad was depot agent and telegrapher for the Missouri Pacific Railroad at the time of my birth, and retired in that position. He was truly a railroad man and couldn’t stay in the house when he heard a train whistle.

2.jpg

Capt. Dupree’s Home. W J. Gayle (Dad) helped build

it in 1911. His son Dalton was born here.

Dad (and his brothers) were quite the practical jokers and told me many of his experiences. One that I remember most was the one he told about a black preacher named Scott. He was Tut (Cornelious) Scott’s father. The only heat Dad had in the depot was an old coal-burning stove. He handled all the freight that came into Magnolia and at the back of the freight room, he had a huge coal bin where he stored all the coal for the stove. One day, two pet raccoons came in by freight and they were in a crate. Some how they got out of the crate and behind the coal bin. Dad could drop a piece of coal behind the bin and the little raccoons would growl! It so happened that this same day he received a shipment of coffins for Dean Bros., the general merchandise store across the road from the depot. Rev. Scott was in the habit of picking up extra money by helping Dad deliver the freight. When he came over to help deliver the coffins, Dad made sure he was on the far side from the door and that he had lifted up his end of the coffin, when he said Scott, did you know this building was haunted? He then dropped the piece of coal behind the bin and said, Come forth Jabo and the little raccoons growled. It scared Rev. Scott so bad that he dropped the coffin, let out a yell, and jumped completely over it and ran out the door. Dad could never get him to come back into the building even though he told him about the raccoons! Even though Dad and Rev. Scott were friends, he could never convince him to come back in the depot.

I do not know for sure if I remember when my brother died, or if the story had been told to me so many times it was vivid in my memory. I could not stay at home because Mom had caught Diphtheria from my brother and they were afraid I would catch it also. They had lost two sons and felt they could not take the chance on losing me too. At that time we lived across the street from T. H. Yon on Commerce Street. Erma Yon was about twelve and was like a sister to me. She carried me with her almost everywhere she went and called me her baby. During Mom’s illness I stayed with the Yons and was only allowed to go as far as our gate. I could see Mom through the screen door and I would stand there, hanging onto the gate, and singing her all the songs that I knew. I would then have to go back across the street to the Yon’s home. Erma told me that after I was allowed to go home that I would not come back to her house because I was afraid I would have to stay. One day she told me if I would just come to her house, I could go directly back home. I walked into her living room and immediately turned around and went back home without saying a word. After finding out that I COULD go home, I started visiting them again.

3.jpg

My birthplace in Magnolia, Texas,

(Dr. Ware delivered me) on Melton

Street, August 30, 1919 built in 1918.

4.jpg

Celeste 1920

5.jpg

Celeste, Erma Yon, and T. H. Yon in front of Yon home 1924

6.jpg

Celeste & Helen Hicklin in Alvin – ca 1924

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

AGE 5-12

One of my earliest recollections is when I started to school to Mrs. Morris Bace Steger after regular school hours. I was not quite five, but apparently my parents felt that I was smarter than the average kid!!! Ahem!!! For whatever reason, Mrs. Steger taught me for almost a year. I remember very little about going to school, but I do remember that she drew bunny rabbits and taught me to do the same. That is the only thing I can draw to this day! She also taught me several tunes - using my hands.

7.jpg

Dad, Mom, and Celeste

1924

8.jpg

Celeste – 1924

Another Boy Doll

To demonstrate, one went like this: Thumbkin says I’ll dance, Thumbkin says I’ll sing (the thumb would be held up and wobbled to indicate dancing), singing, dancing, merry little men Thumbkin says I’ll dance and sing. The next steps were using substitutes Pointer, Middleman, Ring man, and Little man for Thumbkin, until all of the fingers had the opportunity to dance and sing! Don’t ask me how I remember this, when I cannot remember other details.

The next year, September 1925, I started the first grade (no Kindergarten at that time). The only classmate that I remember was J. P. Mabry - he was my first boyfriend! Miss Clarabeth Dean was my teacher and she was a beautiful lady. Since I had a head start, and was possibly getting bored with the lessons, I was moved to the second grade at midterm. I remember crying when I had to leave my lovely teacher and my boyfriend! My second grade teacher was Tom R. Ellisor. He always teased me and said that I cried because I was afraid of my teacher…and it might have been so! Who ever heard of having a man teacher in the second grade. Through the years I learned to love Mr. Ellisor and his wife, Willie Mae, very much. I remember when he brought her to Magnolia in 1927. He had a brand new car and a brand new bride. She won my heart right away and they remained our friends through the years. They played many games of 42 and Bridge with my parents. By 1928, Mr. Tom was named principal of the school. At the time of my graduation in 1935 (we only had 11 grades then), he was acting superintendent. He remained in that position until 1951. At that time the Magnolia School became Magnolia Independent School District and Mr. Ellisor became the Tax Collector for the district.

My early school days were uneventful. Due to the fact that I was several years younger than my classmates (I finished high school at 15), most of my close friends in grade school were several grades behind me. Back in those days we had two recesses each day and an hour for lunch. Most of us brought our lunches to school. There were no school buses, or cafeterias except the converted lumber truck from the sawmill, so almost everyone walked to school.

9.jpg

How About This School Bus?

1925

The school was located on Old Hempstead Road where the Paul Fleming home is located. It was about a mile from my home. No one minded walking to school because almost EVERYONE walked - and it was great fun! Especially watching the mischief wrought by Cedric and Sewall Smith - the Smith twins! I was always thankful that both of them liked me. I was never the brunt of their pranks. In fact, they would carry my books home from school!

I think I must have been a pretty good kid in grade school, because I do not remember getting into much trouble. I do remember when I was in the third grade I went to piano lessons at Mrs. Gertrude Deans (Mamaw Dean) with Glynn Miner. Our school had burned and we were going to school in the old Punchard building, where the Montgomery County Library is now located on Melton Street.

10.jpg

Built in 1911, I

Started to School here in 1925

During 3rd Grade it burned

11.jpg

Punchard Feed Store –

Moved the School here

Attended here in 3rd Grade

One day Glynn planned to spend the night with me, so I decided to go to music lessons with her at Mamaw Deans. Unfortunately I didn’t tell my parents. Dad thought I had been locked in the school and almost got into a fight with the principal, Mr. Woods, because Mr. Wood didn’t want to open the school. He finally did though, rather than face Dad’s wrath. Dad was a red head with all the temper that went with it! Of course I wasn’t in the building, but happily watching Glynn take her piano lessons - thankful it wasn’t me! When he found out I was at Mamaw Dean’s with Glynn - well - that was the first and last switching I got from my Dad. We lived across from the Yon house, and he switched my legs all the way home (which was about 2 ½ blocks). I am sure it hurt my feelings more than my legs - but I was sure running fast to get home! Dad could run faster. I can’t remember if Glynn spent the night - but probably she didn’t!

The games we played at recess in elementary school were: Tag, Hopscotch, Blind Man’s Bluff, Annie Over, Red Rover, and all those busy games!

Dad built the neatest playhouse for me in the back yard when I was about eight years old (a guess on age). It was almost as large as our one-car garage and I spent many happy hours playing house with my friends. At that time my Dad also had bees. He would put on his mask and gloves and rob the bees at the right time and we would have plenty of honey to eat. It was one of my favorite things for breakfast, with hot biscuits. He had always told me that if I remained very still, I could watch him rob the bees. Of course, you know that there was NO way I could remain still. As a result, one of the bees got mad and stung me on the knee. After that, I never watched Dad rob the bees again. It was fun though, and he looked like something from outer space when he put his bee robbing garb on.

Several families would get together and camp out on Lake Creek. The men would set trot lines and run them the following morning. I never did like to fish, but nothing smelled better than waking up to coffee boiling and bacon frying - what a treat. I was always a little afraid though. Dad would always take a hammock for me to sleep in and it was up off of the ground. The rest of the group would sleep on cots - there were seldom tents to sleep in. I shall never forget one night when my Uncle Clint (Dad’s Brother) went with us. I woke up in the middle of the night and heard this awful squeaking sound that I couldn’t figure out. It naturally scared me because I was afraid of my shadow back then. I found out the next morning that Uncle Clint would grit his teeth when he slept and that was what I heard! A weird sound!

One time Mr. Yon took Dad and me out in his boat (seems like it was a canoe, but I’m sure it was just a row boat) on Lake Creek at Karen Switch. Mr. Yon sat in the front, I sat in the middle, and Dad was in the back. Mr. Yon and Dad both used the oars. Mr. Yon had told us there were alligators in the lake and sure enough, all of a sudden he took out his pistol and shot at an alligator and it scared me to death. He could only see its eyes, but he shot between them. I can’t remember if he killed it or not, but he always took his pistol everywhere he went. Dad said I flipped over backward to get close to him.

12.jpg

Celeste – 1928

13.jpg

Celeste and Lady 1929

Playhouse in Background

School was always fun for me because the district was large and if I didn’t get to see some of my friends at school, I wouldn’t get to see them. Transportation wasn’t the best in those days and when summer came, most of the students stayed at home - some parents didn’t even have a vehicle.

I wasn’t the best at studying either. Guess we had study halls as I rarely brought books home. Sometimes I did when we had tests. I was thankful that most of my very best friends lived in town.

Our parents did a lot of visiting in those days. Sunday afternoons were for family visiting - usually on someone’s front porch. I know Bob Seyle told me later that he really missed that part of his life, because as a kid he always looked forward to families visiting, especially because he was an only child. I could relate to that as I was an only child too. My parents did take in nieces and nephews some though.

I remember in 1927, we decided to go to Houston and visit my Dad’s brother, Estill. When we got there Uncle Estill said, Celeste, get in the car, I have something to show you. He drove to downtown and parked on the bridge going over Buffalo Bayou and said, Look at that beautiful building. He told me that was the Mellie Esperson Building and Houston had never had as tall a building. At the time, it was the tallest building in Texas and the third tallest in America. Too bad we did not take a picture at that time. I sat there with my mouth open as that was the tallest building I had ever seen. Now the skyline in Houston has so many tall buildings that you have to look hard to see a tip of the top of Mellie Esperson. What a treat for an 8 year old country gal!

I just have to throw in this tidbit - little sayings I remember my parents using a lot:

A bone to pick (disagreement)

An axe to grind (disagreement)

Bee in your bonnet (idea that stays)

Barking up the wrong tree (something off the subject)

Blinky (between sweet & sour milk)

Calaboose (jail)

Feather in your cap (accomplished goal)

Feel your oats (hyper)

Happy as a dead pig in the sunshine

Hold your horses (be patient)

I reckon (I suppose)

Kit and caboodle (the whole thing)

That’s enough to make a preacher cuss

Piffle (by-word)

A lick and a promise (half do a job)

14.jpg

Front: In Mamaw Dean’s Yard: Virginia Collier, Celeste,

Mamie Ewing Pace, Barrie Dean, Margaret Mary Smith,?

Back Row: Earl Mostyn, Edward Lee, unknowns

Madder than a wet hen (really angry)

No spring chicken (not young any more)

Persnickety (snobby)

Pretty is as pretty does (actions more important than words)

Scalawag (rascal)

Scarce as hens teeth (hard to find)

Skedaddle (out of here fast)

Sparking (courting)

Straight from the horse’s mouth (privileged information)

Sunday go to meeting dress (best you have)

Tie the knot (get married)

Too many irons in the fire (too busy with too much going on)

Under the weather (feeling bad)

Best bib and tucker (wearing the best you have)

You ain’t the only duck in the pond (its not all about you)

Finicky (spoiled on eating)

OUR ONE AND ONLY LONG TRIP

Dad never did care much about traveling, even though he could have gotten a pass on the railroad each summer. We did take ONE trip when I was ten, but I can’t recall any other until I got in high school. We went to Washington, D. C. in 1929 - and probably wouldn’t have gone there if Dad had not had a friend in Virginia that he wanted to visit. It was a great trip and of course we rode the train all the way. Back in those days the trains used coal for fuel (some still do, I think) and there was no air conditioning. The windows were all open and sometimes the smoke would leave a black film on our luggage - and possibly on us also!

I had never seen anything but the flat country around Magnolia, so traveling through the mountains on the train really fascinated me. I didn’t care too much for the tunnels though. Fortunately, most of them were just short distances so you could see the light at the end as you entered the tunnel. I do remember one of them being quite long and I thought we would never get through it, even though it probably didn’t take over ten minutes.

The train circled the mountains and we were sometimes so high that if you looked out the window it looked like we were right on the edge and would fall into a bottomless pit if we had a wreck. Everything was very exciting to me because we rode first class and they folded the seats up when we were ready for bed and made up the sleepers. Mom and I slept on the bottom bunk and Dad on the top. Eating in the dining room was a lot of fun too, to be able to look at all that beautiful scenery while eating lunch, breakfast, or whatever! The porters would bring around all kinds of goodies to sell, and magazines too. It was a very