| James Family Folklore | |||||||
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BY MATTIE B. FISH
Among other things sent to Mexico to the folks was a pair of barber scissors, sent by Uncle Levi and wife to Grandmother Nelson ( Lydia Ann). She was very glad to get them and took very good care of them, but one day they came up missing. She needed them for cutting quilt blocks, patching, cutting hair, and the neighbors needed them! One day she turned to Grandpa ( Price Williams), who sat chewing tobacco, and said, "My old man, I've lost my scissors. I've looked this house over many times. I've had the neighbors search their houses for them and we can't find those scissors, and I'm sure you know something about them." Grandpa sat quietly chewing his tobacco (he began chewing faster and faster when he was worried), and then he said, "Well, I guess I do know something about them." "Well, where are they?" she asked. The Nelsons lived on the bank of the Bavispi River and it was about 12 feet down in the water. "Well, I threw them in the river," he admitted. "They were such sharp things I was afraid some child would fall on them and put an eye out or hurt himself, so I just got rid of them." Elsenor Johnson Nelson, wife of Price's son Alvin Nelson, adds this about her in-laws: When Alvin and I were married, we settled on a ranch several miles from town where his parents and several other families lived. I soon learned to love my in-laws. Grandmother Nelson and I shared each other's joys and sorrows, while we spent many happy hours together. She was very religious and loved to talk about the principles of the Gospel. When our first child was born we named her Kindness, but Grandpa Nelson called her "Squint." He always had nicknames for his grandchildren. When little Alvin was born Grandpa called him "Skunk." Our third child, Lydia, was "Pocahontas" to Grandfather. He enjoyed entertaining the children as soon as they were old enough to follow him around.
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INDEX OF STORIES
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