Saturday, April 12, 2008
Excerpts from "Son of a Gunn"
The Horses-
As was told to me by Momma–We lived on Crowell's place and I was 15 months old. She was looking for me and finally saw that I was in the barnyard wandering around amongst the horses. There were several horses, as Daddy did the plowing with them., guess she let out a scream and went running to get me, but before she got there a horse kicked me in the head. Think she said I was out cold for awhile but luckily wasn't hurt that bad. ( a close call )
The tractor:
I was 5 and still at Crowell's place.. Leonard had bought a new F-20 Farmall tractor. For some reason I had a fascination for cars, tractors, etc. Daddy would let me try about anything and I found if I put the crank at the top, and got to the side and put one foot against the tire and pulled the crank with both hands, the tractor would start, as it was new and started easily.I recall I was quite proud of myself being able to start the tractor. Daddy would never say anything but think he got a kick out of things like that.
Momma fright:
Still 5.One day Daddy was going to plow the sudan patch with the new tractor. The tractor was backed into an old shed with just the front of it sticking out of the shed. Daddy had to go and open 2 or 3 gates to get through the barnyard to the sudan patch. While he was opening gates I decided to start the tractor. With one click of the magneto it started. I also decided I would drive it around to the sudan patch while I was at it. Daddy would let me drive sitting in his lap so it wasn't my first experience at driving. Momma heard the tractor start and looked out the window. Her version was: There was Houston opening gates and the front of the tractor sticking out of the shed and about that time the tractor started moving and she couldn't figure out what was going on. As the tractor emerged there I was driving it. I'm sure about then she was near panic. I had to make a couple of turns to make it through the lot but made it ok. Daddy didn't seem to think anything about it, was probably actually proud of me, but probably gave Momma a few gray hairs.
As was told to me by Momma–We lived on Crowell's place and I was 15 months old. She was looking for me and finally saw that I was in the barnyard wandering around amongst the horses. There were several horses, as Daddy did the plowing with them., guess she let out a scream and went running to get me, but before she got there a horse kicked me in the head. Think she said I was out cold for awhile but luckily wasn't hurt that bad. ( a close call )
The tractor:
I was 5 and still at Crowell's place.. Leonard had bought a new F-20 Farmall tractor. For some reason I had a fascination for cars, tractors, etc. Daddy would let me try about anything and I found if I put the crank at the top, and got to the side and put one foot against the tire and pulled the crank with both hands, the tractor would start, as it was new and started easily.I recall I was quite proud of myself being able to start the tractor. Daddy would never say anything but think he got a kick out of things like that.
Momma fright:
Still 5.One day Daddy was going to plow the sudan patch with the new tractor. The tractor was backed into an old shed with just the front of it sticking out of the shed. Daddy had to go and open 2 or 3 gates to get through the barnyard to the sudan patch. While he was opening gates I decided to start the tractor. With one click of the magneto it started. I also decided I would drive it around to the sudan patch while I was at it. Daddy would let me drive sitting in his lap so it wasn't my first experience at driving. Momma heard the tractor start and looked out the window. Her version was: There was Houston opening gates and the front of the tractor sticking out of the shed and about that time the tractor started moving and she couldn't figure out what was going on. As the tractor emerged there I was driving it. I'm sure about then she was near panic. I had to make a couple of turns to make it through the lot but made it ok. Daddy didn't seem to think anything about it, was probably actually proud of me, but probably gave Momma a few gray hairs.
--Walter Gunn in his memoirs, Son of a Gunn
For more tales of the good old days, go to www.cgtrent.com
Cora Gail Gunn Trent
cgtrent@att.net
For more tales of the good old days, go to www.cgtrent.com
Cora Gail Gunn Trent
cgtrent@att.net
