Story Listing/Page Numbers

1. Mattie, Come Across the River - 3
2. The Grip of Death - 12
3. Needs Better Shoes - 20
4. New Red Dress - 30
5. Mischievous Ricky - 44
6. No Stronger Love - 52
7. River Streams Run Uphill - 58
8. Van Kids Need Christmas - 64
9. Not New Bicycles - 70

Story Listing/Page Numbers Cont.

Chicken Thieves - 76

Speaking of Chickens, story cont. - 85

Charlie Corley - Super Hero - 94

Herding Turkeys - 98

Uncle Abner = Stinker - 106

Pless, Its Called Program Farming - 110

Louis Chenault & The Bully - 120

Heavy Weight On a Young Girl - 124

Trying to Be Grownup, a story cont. - 140

Tell Em Santa Got Shot - 154

Follow Me Across The River Mattie

Perhaps you have a prophetic story or dream that was told to you by one of your relatives?......Here is one I will share that I hope will move some closer to being in good spirit....

Mother and I were having a bit of a fireplace fireside chat a few years ago and she told me that back when she was young that most rural living expectant mothers did not go to hospitals for their childbirth.

There were midwives in most rural communities like in Eldorado, OK. Still births were unfortunately common. Mother said that her Mother (Mattie) had a miscarriage and soon after developed blood poisoning. She became gravely ill. A Dr came by the old home place and gave her some Sulfer powder and told her and Jack that she was to not have 

anything to drink for the next two days.

The next day she could go no longer, her lips chapped and she craved so much a drink of water.

Fever set in fiersly. The Lord appeared to her that night, across a broad river and was waving her over to the other side. "Mattie follow me ". She said "Lord, please don't call me home at this time please, as I have 5 children who are young and need me. Please allow me to stay and care for them. I am asking you this in your Holy name, please allow me to stay."

The next morning

She pushed Jack aside, and drank a full ladle of water as he tried to pull the bucket away. He scolded her for her not following the Drs orders.

That next night, her skin color returned, her fever broke, her strength returned and each day she improved and continued to drink lots of water.

She continued the rest of her life always thanking the Lord for her healing, and him allowing her to remain and oversee the raising of her children.

I'm thinking that Drs of old did not fully understand the importance of hydration in the flushing of toxins from the body, 

I believe that her insistence on drinking water saved her life.

Her belief in God transpired into all her children and Grandchildren.

Love to all

Para (Mutt) Helms Livingston with Rex and Family, minus Connie

The Grip of Death !

:)

During holidays, it seemed most of the Helms clan gathered at the Ol home place where the Chenaults lived. Mattie would invite all of her Brothers and Sisters, with their families, over to their place for a good home cooked meal. The women would cook, the Men would stand outside around the cars and chat while smoking cigarettes, and all us kids would venture around outside. We would throw a ball on the roof, run through the barn and adjoining pastures, or talk about school things under a couple of trees.

Rex Livingston was the husband of one of Mattie's sisters named Para, however she was affectionately given the nickname of Mutt at an early age and it stuck with her throughout her life. Rex had a very intimidating muscle build through the eyes of a pre teen boy. (All muscle) He was an outdoor worker all of his life, that I knew him. His face was tanned, and had deep lines evident of someone who routinely faced the elements. He always wore a flat top haircut. Rex spent all his days fixing and repairing equipment and he was very good at it.

He had a great reputation of how all types of farm and ranch equipment worked. He was short in stature, but huge in muscle build and tone. It seemed like his chest arrived before he did. Doing the kind of work he was involved in, he was always, all day long, grabbing, pulling, holding, stabbing some piece of equip. part. As a result he had the strongest grip of a man, I ever recall.

My brother Steve and I would come through the house on our arrival on holidays. We'd give all the women a hug and shake hands with the men passing through. 

Rex would smile and extend his hand "No thanks Rex. It's good to see ya though." We would say with a smile. We had learned a previous lesson when shaking hands with Uncle Rex, as he would take you down to your knees while you were pleading for a hand release.

Our pleasure with enjoying being practical jokers got the best of us though.

Steve came into the living room with an open pair of pliers in his hand. Uncle Rex, I missed shaking hands with you on arrival, how ya doing?, and stuck his pliers loaded hand out, staring in his eyes.

"I'm good " Uncle Rex stated and stuck his hand out. Ahhhhewwheee, Rex yelled and tore out after Steve already on a dead run through the living room. ""Hey Boy, I'm a gonna show you how a cow eats cabbage when I get my hands on you." :)

Other cousins would arrive, and we would play out the following scenario....

"Hey Dale (Harvick), I heard Uncle Rex say to some other men that he was disappointed that you guys didn't shake hands with him on arrival,...it's sort of a respect thing, your Dad (Eldon) said for you to go back in and give him a hand shake."

Dale would head back in and we would hear a owwwwwheeeweee! From the house, Dale in pain.

We would play this out to EVERY male cousin who arrived, and Rex enjoyed being a good sport with us.

When my Mother became a widow, Rex was at my Mothers need anytime she called. He assisted in moving us to Vernon, TX once where Mother could work as a nurse upon the new hospitals opening.

At every family gathering he would get my Mother off to the side and say "Betty Jean, what do you need?, just let us know Hun.". I know it gave my Mother peace of mind knowing that Rex and others were there to support her.

A hand grip of a Titan, and a heart of an angel.

L to R - Effie Helms Corley with Charlie and family, Charlie/Effie, Earl/Sharon

Livingston Machinery Corp., Earl/Sharon and Family

NEEDS BETTER SHOES

"Why are you wearing those for? "asked the short, stocky older gentleman

"Well, my other shoes have more holes in them than these as I'm pretty rough on em"said the teen age boy

"Heck, you've got 3 toes showing."

"Ahhh, I'm making it alright."

This is how the conversation started out between an older Helms relative addressing his younger relative. I'll allow you to follow the dialogue along here and let you Guess these two participants.

The boy's Father had been in and out of the hospital with illnesses. To complicate matters, his Mother as well had developed health problems, and was having much difficulty looking out for her children. Relatives stepped in immediately and kept the family's children, trying their best to keep them fed, in school, and insure that they felt loved.

 "Get in my car Boy, we are going to take a little trip into Eldorado."

"Well,....I haven't been given permission to go anywhere,...I don't want to get into any trouble."

"You just let me worry about that, get in the car."

All along the route the man inquired about the boys school, grades, ball playing, inquired about the condition of his ball glove, did he have school clothes, were his glasses staying together with the tape that he had them held together with?

The boy answered all his questions honestly, as he knew his Dad had a heavy hand toward boys who were not truthful.

Onward they went toward Eldorado with the boy not knowing where they were headed.

"Am I going to be moving some dirt piles for a relative over in Eldorado", he inquired?

"Naaaa, no digging", the Man said.

They pulled in front of a small dry goods store in the small town. "I don't really need anything from here " the boy said. "You let me be the judge of that, "the man said.

"Can I help you Gentlemen ? "the clerk asked.

"Yes, this boy needs a pair of shoes. A pair that he can wear to school, but do some farm chores in as well."

"You bet, let's see what we have here for you."

"Even a good used pair will do, "said the boy.

"Your getting a new pair," said the man.

He tried several on and found a pair that would be functional for school and work, as he made 3 full circles around the store to insure a good fit. They were a type like his hard working father wore as they were leather type, high top, had eyelets on the bottom and rivets at the top where you would bend the rawhide strings around and pull tight.

"I'll throw these away said the clerk. "No, I can still use those said the boy."

All the way back the boy was wiggling his toes around in those new shoes, and thinking how good they would feel.

The boy's parents finally climbed onto a road to better health, and were once again able to live together as a family. The children, glad to be reunited with their parents always maintained a special bond all the way through adulthood with their temp resident relatives, visiting often with them.

The boy and his siblings all grew up with a very strong work ethic due to their raising.

He attended college on his own resources, busting truck 

tire flats and pumping gas at an all night truck stop.

Upon his first job interview, the employer was impressed that he had maintained a job all the way through his college years.

He started a job, which led to a managers position, which led to him owning his own business, which eventually led to his business having an additional location, and then onto multiple locations. All aspiring employees of his were given ownership opportunities. His requirement of them was to always conduct theirselves in an ethical manner.

Upon his retirement, he forwarded the companies ownership to his loyal employee group. He once was invited and accepted the request to ring the morning start bell at the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange).

The boy always gave credit to the Good Lord paying favor on him, his family, 

his business customers, and also, not to the least.....credits a short, stocky, soft spoken man who once bought him a much needed,......pair of shoes.

Can you guess the name of the boy and his loving benefactor?

Boy: Earl Livingston retired CEO of LMC Livingston Machinery Corp.from Gould, OK

Benefactor: the boy's Uncle,...Charlie Corley (born/raised in Eldorado, OK)

Ruth Chenault Harvick

Jack and Mattie

Helms Chenault

NEW RED DRESS

Life had its rewards down on the old Chenault home place, as there was plenty of love to be distributed to all, but it was a very hard life compared to our standards today. The Chenaults had 120 acres, 2 mules, 2 horses, 6 cows, 6 hogs and 30 chickens of many different colors located West of Eldorado, OK.

A combo root/ storm cellar, which was basically a big hole dug in the ground with some timbers and tin laid over the top,  was a very welcome addition. They were FAR from being middle class.

Mother (Betty) said once that they didn't know what poor was, cause everyone else didn't have anything either.

Some years they planted a wheat crop, and then after two seasons they would rotate the crop to cotton in order to not rob the soil of all its nutrients.

They planted the cotton seed with a one row furrow plow (borrowed), pulled behind two mules. It's success  was solely dependent on "rains brought by the good Lord", Mother would say.

One year when the oldest daughter Ruth, Mothers sister, was a Senior, they had a good cotton crop. Fall brought a frost, then a freeze, the cotton bolls started to open everywhere. All seven family members"pulled bolls" whenever possible dragging cotton sacks down the rows. Each day the wagon got a little larger with white puffs. 

Finally, on a Saturday, Ruths daddy Jack said to get on the wagon that they had enough cotton he thought to make a bale.

The cotton gin was in town. The rest of the family continued to pull bolls and stack it on the ground.

Jack was Very proud of this bale, and his graduating daughter.

When Jack felt proud or was in a festive mood, he drank.

After collecting his money at the gin, he went into the bar in Eldorado while Ruth waited in the wagon.

He stepped out after a while and declared "any daughter of mine who has done as well as you, and made as good of grades as you, deserves a NEW dress." "We're headed to the dress shop!" He yelled out to everyone.

They headed in the dress shop and he bought Ruth a brand new, store bought red dress. Prior to this day she had only worn flour sack made dresses. She pranced around the shop in her new dress, then carefully boxed it up for the ride home.

Jack slept off his drinking on the way home while Ruth tended the reins of the wagon and mules.

She was lost in thought dreaming thru the night on the way home of everywhere she would wear that dress to.

They arrived late at night, and her mother Mattie was so glad to see them, and assisted Ruth in putting the mules away.

The next morning Ruth put her new dress on, and pranced around the small shack showing it to everyone, ever so proud.

That same early morning Mattie had all the kids fed with a bit of oatmeal, some homemade biscuits with a bit of sorghum syrup and back out into the field, trying to gather enough cotton to make a partial bale. Jack slept in.

While Ruth was pulling cotton bolls on a row to herself, Mattie approached and said "Honey, I don't know how to tell you this, but we must return the dress to the store.

This bale and a portion will make enough money for us to barely be able to get by, and it's not fair to the other kids. Your Dad was drinking and didn't use good judgement. I hope you will try to understand." 

"No Mother!...Daddy told me I deserve that dress, and I'm gonna keep it. "

"No Ruth, we can't. You deserve it, but I just can't allow it to happen, I love you, but when your older you will understand."

The next morning Mattie with Ruth hitched the mules and took a long ride into town with nair a word said. Mattie explained to the Dress shop owner the situation and she returned their money and accepted the dress back reluctantly .

Jack apologized to Ruth for 60 plus years for what he had done to his poor daughter.

Ruth in later mature years always said "Mother, Daddy, returning it was the right thing to do."

In later years, Ruth had a successful career working in the administrative offices of a military base and would on occasion reward herself with a new dress, usually preferring red or purple with a wide brim matching color hat. She was a beautiful woman inside and out, and loved by all.

In tribute to her liking red/purple dresses, hats and in remembrance of this story from a small hard scrabble farm long ago, most all the attendees at her funeral wore her favorite colors.

Her Sons wore her fav red dress color as boutineers.

A lovely tribute.... to a lovely woman...... who had a love for a dress.

Ernie/Sue Davis, Betty Chenault Isaacks, Ricky Davis w/ Cathy & Cindy

Mischievous Ricky

When my Mother (Betty Chenault Isaacks) turned 90, we had a small gathering of family in the reception area at her Assisted Living Facility in Lubbock.

Some special guests who stopped by were her first Cousin Sue Corley Davis (daughter of Effie Helms Corley), along with her husband Earnie and their delightful Great Grandson.

They were all visiting a bit as I came by. She and Sue were holding hands tightly, and Mother had been emotional a bit.

They told me that they had been reminiscing a bit about  old times and loved ones gone by. They asked me if I had ever been told the story of how Betty had helped them thru an emergency medical issue long ago. No, I replied, and the three of them recanted the story.

It seems that in the late 50's, early 60's Ernie was teaching and Coaching for a bit in Littlefield, TX. ,perhaps while acquiring his teaching creditionals in that small town located just NW of Lubbock. Coincidentally, Mother was working as a nurse at the local hospital clinic.

"That boy Ricky was the most mischievous boy I have ever been around. Sue and I never had any problems with our two  girls, but that boy of ours we had to watch constantly. He was always into everything." said Ernie

"One day we were at home, Ricky was a toddler, and I said Sue where is Ricky and she said I thought that you were watching him, so frantically we both scattered in search, yelling his name. Sue heard a gurgle, and opened the bathroom door. Ricky was laying on the floor with a white substance coming out of the corner of his mouth, and the medicine cabinet door was open.

His eyes were rolled back into his head. Sue started to scream."

They immediately loaded him into their car and zoomed down to the clinics emergency room. They ran in with Ricky while Sue was yelling Betty Maye, Betty Maye, Betty Maye !!

Betty grabbed Ricky and laid him on the emergency room table.

Betty knew that hospital procedure was strict and the protocol was to take a sample of the residue, place on a petry dish and get it to the hospital lab.

She also knew that sometimes the wait for lab results could be lengthy. Betty decided on her own that there was no time to spare, as she turned to block the view from her fellow nurses. Without them seeing she scraped a small bit of the residue onto her fingernail and tasted it. Immediately she announced that it was aspirin, and told the other nurses that she saw a pill intact earlier. (A white lie), thus bypassing lab testing.

Immediately the arriving Doctor called for a tube insertion and little Ricky had his stomach pumped.

There was a lot of aspirin residue pumped out. Who knows what would have happened if the pumping would have been delayed due to those tests.

Little Rick and parents spent the night in the hospital, but were released the next afternoon. Betty's gratification in helping came from getting a big hug the next day from little Rick as well as cousin Sue and Ernie. Mother (Betty) would always speak about how fine a young man Rick turned out to be. Her face would just become aglow when she would see him at the Helms reunion.

Rick turned out to be an accomplished athlete, student and later an educator, school principal as well as a super family leader.

Betty , Sue and Ernie have always been close as Helms family, however this trying episode brought them ever so close to one another, over many years.

Billie Chenault Weede and Arlene Waller Adams

NO STRONGER LOVE DO YOU HAVE

Arlene Waller Adams and Billie Chenault Weede were first cousins.

Arlene the daughter of Abner and Levesta Helms Waller.

Billie, the daughter of Jack and Mattie Helms Chenault.

They were inseparable growing up, as young giggly teenage girls growing up in the small OK town of Eldorado. Arlene a "town girl", Billie a "country girl" , as folks distinguished back then, Billie being raised on the Old Chenault farm.

They played rag doll time together as kids, made mud pies, ran through the cotton fields, picked wild plums, rocked imaginary babies to sleep, discussed which boy in school was the cutest, dreamed about what life waiting ahead would look like.

They traded clothes, lipstick, shoes, homework assignments, secrets, and hair do ideas.

They often told one another,...no stronger love,..do you have, to an accompanying giggle.

When teenage years approached, Billie was invited for a car ride with a young suiter, "Only if my cuz can go", was her reply. Double dating followed . Both were very protective of one another.

When Billie started to date "that Weede boy from Quanah", (Russell) Arlene threw many questions his way, and vice versa when Billie quizzed Truman in regard to "he had better treat her dear cousin Arlene nice." Both couples eventually married.

When I was a preteen I would be at Russell and Billies home, there was always a dessert dropped off by Arlene, hand me down clothes dropped off by Arlene, paperback books ...dropped off by Arlene,...greeting cards, dropped off by Arlene, grocery store coupons,..again,...dropped off by Arlene. Billie reciprocated as well to the Arlene/ Truman family. Each watched out for the others "young uns".

Billie worked as a clinic nurse in Quanah, TX and Arlene worked for many years at the Quanah Hospital in the Admin Dept. They would share a lunch with one another when schedules permitted.

Later in life, Billie developed Parkinson's and the disease was complicated in later years with cancer of the Liver area. She was admitted to Quanah hospital during her final days.

Arlene worked her day shift, then would relieve Billies children (Jackie and Jeanette) as well as my Mother (Betty), and Earl Livingston from sitting up with Billie in her room. Many nites Arlene would only get 4 or 5 hours of sleep from wanting to be at Billies side.

Once during this stretch, Arlene succumbed to exhaustion and was admitted into an adjoining room to Billies (off the books) of the hospital. All the hospital employees knew of Arlenes family love for Billie and provided service to Arlene 

pro bono to allow her to regain her strength. As soon as she regained her strength, she was right back at Billies side.

On the last day that Billie was able to speak she mumbled to Arlene,....no stronger love, do you have.

She passed the next day. A true testament to two young cousins love for one another.

 ...no stronger love, do you have........

Jesse Bates w wife JoAnn

Lonnie Chenault

Joe Ray Bates

Where river streams even run uphill!

While visiting Mother once in Levelland Tx, I had heard that Jesse Bates health had been failing. I wanted to escort Mother over for a visit.

Jesse was having a good day as his memory was keen and he could recall family members names.

He said "Betty, Joe Ray and I had fun with Lonnie Chenault once.

We were all young cousins trying to find our way, and there were job opportunities in West Tx and Eastern NM for young guys to hire on.

Joe Ray and I were trying to persuade Lonnie to come to where we were and work in the oil patch.

Great wages, pretty girls, NM landscape awaited!

We even told Lonnie that If he came we would show him a river stream that flows uphill!"

"To heck ya say", said Lonnie. River streams running UPHILL?

They kept pestering Lonnie enough that he drove to Ruidosa, NM from OK to meet up with them for a weekend. They showed Lonnie around town, showed him the beautiful landscape, tall pines etc., then took him to where a rolling stream of water was barreling down a rocky spillway. The result of melting snow in the mountains.

"Now Lonnie,.....if ya crouch down behind this here rock at the bottom of here, and look straight up at that rushing water, doesn't it look like it's running uphill instead of down?"

"I've been had"...declared Lonnie, but confessed later that it did create a heck of an optical illusion.

If you've ever been to an older traditional Chinese restaurant, perhaps you recall some that had the flowing water eclipse painting on a wall, where painted water rolls on scrolls and it looks like it's flowing. Perhaps this was a similar scene, but in nature.

Jesse was able to get Lonnie on with an oil company for a while, however Lonnie started missing the old Chenault farm and eventually returned.

Whenever they would get together in years forward they would always greet each other with "seen any uphill water lately?...to chuckles. They were all very fond of one another.

For many years, you could always count on Joe Ray attending the Helms reunion. It was always great seeing him, and his pleasant personality.

Bates Family

Pete Van and Louis

Chenault

The Van Kids Need Christmas

A Helms Christmas story,..from days gone by.

My grandparents lived on the 2nd most Southwestern farm in OK. Right where the Red River desires to take a bend from Southward to the East. The only hard scrabble place closer to the river was a small shack where the Vans called home. Two kids lived there with their parents and they attended school with the 5 Chenault kids.

10 days before Christmas, an ember from their mesquite wood stove (their only source of heat), caught the shack on fire and burned it to the ground while the father was working the field for a farmer.

Nothing but the clothes on their back they walked up to the Chenault farm.

Mattie and Jack took the kids into their overly crowded 3 room house, without a glance. Their house went from 7 to 9.

Bedrolls layed out everywhere.

That Christmas everyone received 2 walnuts, 2 pecans,an apple and a short candy cane in a white sock tacked above the wood stove. Mother said she was carful not to eat all her Apple at once. she ate one slice a day to make it last, and gave the last slice to their Mule.

When Louis Chenault responded to join WWII, Pete Van said I'm joining with ya !Somehow they were able to serve on the same ship during the war.

When I was small, We would drive to the Grands for Christmas and I would ask.."who are the two people who are always here for Christmas, but aren't relatives?"

It seems that the Van kids who grew up to be successful citizens , always viewed the Chenault homestead as "Home" to them. No matter where they were, they would always return to Eldorado to spend the holiday with "family."

Louis and Pete Van would embrace one another strongly with tears each holiday . A testament to their strong bond growing up, and making it through wartime together. In a letter that Louis wrote and mailed home during wartime, he stated that Pete wasn't getting much sleep onboard. It seems that Pete would not go down to his bunk until he saw the lights on the Patrol boat coming back w/ Louis on it

Later in life when Jack and Mattie grew older the Vans would send in some financial help when they could.

This story isn't all about my secular family, but represents the Good Samaritan spirit of having a Helms heritage.

God Bless All, and to all a good night.

Steve Maye, Ila Helms, Betty, Brady Helms / Steve&Daniel

Daniel Maye Daniel and Steve

NOT NEW BICYCLES

Christmas of 1961, was a pretty lean year financially for us. My father had died in a farming accident. (Lightening strike), which left my mother (Betty) with two young toddlers. Mother worked as a nurse, sold Stanley products after hours and babysat for Doctors family's in the evenings. There was no extra money for anything.

But SOMEHOW, Santa Clause came to our aid and left Steve and I with brand new bicycles. It was an unbelievable feeling to wake up, and see those sparkling bikes! We enjoyed them immensely.

Let's fast forward a bit and land on 1976. It was coming up on the first week of August. I was twenty years old, living in Texas and was looking forward to seeing all my extended family at the upcoming Helms reunion that weekend.

Upon arrival, in Quanah, TX, Brady Helms approached me and asked if I would be able to assist with the "Men Cook Breakfast" group Saturday morn,.."absolutely I responded count me in."

Sat morn played out at the reunion flawlessly and I really enjoyed the teasing and comrodery of doing something with all the guys.

Brady and I ended up cleaning pots and pans in the School cafeteria when he said "ya know my fondest memory of you was watching you ride a bicycle when you were 6."

"I said yeah, everyone's first new bike is special."

"That bike was a very far cry from being new ." WHAT ? I asked.

Pless Helms with your Mother found two old bike frames at an old wrecking yard.

Pless delegated out work assignments to all of us, if we were going to have those bikes ready for Christmas. I worked adding links to the chains. Ila Helms sowed seat cushions for them, and my wife Zelda painted them. Pless took the dents out of the fenders somehow.

We worked most every night on those bikes after we came in from the field. It did us all good to be able to help your Mother and we received a lot of satisfaction seeing you boys ride them a lot."

Tears swelled my eyes, and I took a walk to allow my flow of emotion to ease a bit. I became overwhelmed once more at the thought of how much my extended family came to my Mothers rescue after her tragic loss of my Father.

No, I guess I didn't own a new bike back then, but it was BETTER THAN NEW, it was a Treasured bike, built with Helms family Love.

Mattie/Jack Chenault

Carlos Harvick

Mutt/Rex Livingston & Fam

Chicken Thieves

When weather permitted and when there was not an immediate, urgent farm task (planting/harvesting) then Saturday's were "wash days".

Wash days were where the Helms would load the truck with dirty laundry, placed in bushel baskets, and driven into town (Eldorado) to wash. Upon our return the laundry was pinned onto clothes lines to dry. Once upon our return back to the farm, as the truck pulled up into the yard, Mattie said in a stern, sharp voice "Jack, stop the truck!, place it in reverse and back up ! Somethings not right here."

He jerkingly stopped, went to reverse quickly and backed out. Mattie yelled "boys hold on", as we were sitting  in the back of the truck with the wet clean laundry.

"Dang it Mattie, what did you see?" said Jack

"Somethings wrong Jack!, why are the chickens not roaming around? "

"Also, Look,..there's a set of tire tracks headed up toward the Hen House."

Out we came outa the back of the truck like Jack out of a Jackinthebox, eyes wide open.

"Jack, let's take a look around. Boys, stay here with the truck."

Off they went walking through the house, barn, hen house searching to see if anything was missing or out of place. 

"All clear boys, but don't mess up those tire tracks. Daniel, I need your Big Chief tablet and a pencil. "

Along with a yard stick for measuring, she very carefully duplicated the tire track pattern onto a sheet of paper in the tablet. "Jack, I'm phoning Rex."

I could hear Mattie, Jack, Rex and Mutt talking from outside, as I was supposed to be in the house out of hearing range. I had my ear up to the thinly insulated wall.

They theorized that someone knew their schedule, and were probably just hungry and destitute rather than wanting to steal all items, and sell for money. Nothing else was stolen, or rummaged thru, just the chickens taken. Rex theorized that they sprinkled a bit of grain out inside the hen house to encourage them all in, then closed the door, then sacked them up after tying their legs together. Rex thought that they drove a car versus a truck.

Carlos Harvick, my cousin had pulled up with his Mother Ruth and husband Eldon, in their vehicle. Mattie gave them the run down of the day's happenings.

"Ok guys, let's get a shotgun and try to see where these tracks lead us."said Eldon.

At that time Mutt grabbed Rex by the shirt cuff and pulled him away from the group, right by the window where I was hiding. "Rex Livingston, I'm asking one thing of you when you go. To make sure you don't allow anyone to get hurt. These dang chickens can be replaced. We and others have kids to raise. No One Hurt, are you hearing me? "Yes, I hear ya Mutt!" He replied.

As the Men got into the truck, I came out, jumped into the back quietly.

"Boy, get outa the truck". Said Rex and others at the same time. "Yes Sir".

It was decided that Carlos could go, but I am unsure if Earl was allowed to go or if he was there at that particular time.

Off they went slowly following the tracks on the sandy road, stopping on occasion, then heading North at the fork down from the house.

It was a long day sitting inside the living room listening for the phone, and watching down the road for a glimpse of the Men folk returning.

Later just after dusk, a set of headlights appeared coming up the road. "It's them" someone called out, overjoyed at their return. Everyone was safe and sound.

They said they followed the tracks to a black top, there the road forked. They decided to take it toward Eldorado and continued along until they came across a house that set a ways up off the highway. What they noticed was a couple of chickens wandering around down close to the road aimlessly, not really engaged in ground pecking. That prompted them to follow the road up to the house. Jack thought that the tire marks matched the ones drawn out. As they neared the house it appeared more clear that the chickens grazing belonged to Mattie.

Jack and Rex approached the door and knocked, then an older black man answered the door. "You got our chickens". said Jack

"No sir, those chickens were given to us. We had to go pick them up."

"Ok, I'm giving you 2 choices, either we come back tomorrow and pick up all our chickens or I am driving into town and bring the Sheriff back out."

"Which you gonna go along with?."

"I guess you can come back and get them tomorrow ", was the Mans reply.

The next day, Mattie and Jack took burlap sacks, twine, and a cup of grain and went in the truck.

Lil Daniel, again was denied getting to go.

Later that day they returned with the chickens.

"I was so mad at them I couldn't see straight, however I let them keep 3 to feed their kids." said Mattie.

Things were on their way back to some level of normality on the old Helms place.

Speaking of chickens,...cluck cluck

There is no doubt that a flock, gaggle or group (whatever a bunch is called) of chickens provided greatly to the financial stability of the Will Helms homestead, during the early years, as well as most other families. A chicken coop was found on all rural farms and even was common in towns.

The chickens provided meat when they became older, Roasters as my Grandmother (Mattie Helms Chenault) would call them. Eggs were laid during the daylight hours and gathered for breakfast eating, boiled for entry in a kids lunch pail, sold to other families who needed eggs.

The chicken droppings were shoveled out of the Hen House twice a year. I recall loading Grandads Pick up truck with this rich fertilizer. Up and down slowly he would drive down just sprouted wheat rows and we would sling it out the back with shovels, trying to make a pattern with it, to cover all the ground with a sprinkling. Upon a rain, you could clearly see the areas that we missed, as that area would be brown and not sprouting up well. 

All the chickens were Free Range mostly. Mattie would spread a bit of maize grain out on occasion and a bit of scratch (a calcium rich mixture that she would buy from the Feed Store.

This scratch helped in the egg producing a hard tight shell.

About 25 to 50 chickens seemed to be about the right number to meet the needs of a family of 4 to 7.

All the neighbors and area farmers would always come to Mattie for ailing chicken questions. She would recommend them dusting their chickens with wood fire ashes to remove ticks, a mixture of bacon grease and salt to place on skinned festered places. She had something in an eye drop bottle that she would drop into their eyes to remove haziness.

"My daddy taught me more than I really wanted to know about chickens , when I was growing up", she would say laughing a bit.

"Tending them was always sort of my job growing up," she would say.

When a Roaster was killed for eating, Mattie would sometimes save the feathers for insert into pillows and such she would make on her Singer sewing machine. I believe that it was a foot pedal powered machine.

Here's a frequent sequence that my memory recalls would happen on some Sunday mornings,... The Old black heavy Bell Telephone would ring .....one long, and two short rings. This was the Chenaults ring on the party line phone system. Several neighbors were on the party line, and the rule was that you were to only pick up on your ring.

Mattie would answer and immediately become excited that some family company was hoping  to come over later for Supper. "You boys plan your wash up for mid afternoon now", face cleaned and hair combed". "Yes Melm"

First she would place a pot of water on the stove to boil, then off she would go toward the hen house with a long stiff wire and a burlap sack. The wire was bent to where it had a hook on the end.

She would look over the flock of chickens and decide which one she wanted to part with.

This decision took her to deep thought on,..which were laying well,..which were due to set on some eggs (producing a new brood of chicks), which ones were pestering the other hens,...all this came into consideration as she hooked the leg of the cackling hen that she wanted. Toward the back of the house she would head with the hen in the burlap sack. She had a small string tied on the sacks open end to eliminate escape and she would fetch the now boiling water off the stove.

She would grab the chicken by the head and give it a quick yank in a circular motion and off the head would come. Ringing its neck.

The hen would be flopping around and then she would place it into the boiling water. The boiling water would make it easier to pluck the feathers out. Scalding it.

After the feathers were pulled out then it was taken inside where she cut it up into separate small pieces and placed in the ice box for cooling. Not 8 pieces as is now the standard but into 10 pieces.

Her recipe was to place about 2 tablespoons of left over bacon grease from that mornings breakfast into an old iron skillet. (Sometimes shortening) She would make a batter from a bit of cow milk mixed with an egg beaten up, salt, pepper.

The chicken pieces would get dusted with flour, dunked into the batter, dusted with flour once more then put into the hot grease in the skillet. She would turn the pieces over as needed to insure a deep brown color. In about 15 minutes they were ready for the table. 

Gravy was made with the grease drippings, hot yeast rolls were coming out of the oven, and perhaps some fresh snapped green beans from the garden were set to come off of the other stove burner seasoned with a strip of bacon and onion. YUM !

CHARLIE CORLEY SUPER HERO

Charlie Corley didn't know he was a Super Hero!

From the eyes of two tow headed boys, 5 and 6 years of age, there could never be an occupation as COOL as being  a Train Driver! We had no idea what a Conductor was...

We approached him with awe,....like maybe right under being an astronaut. He let us sit on his knee and he answered every boring question we asked,...about trains.

We asked if he knew any other songs on the train?...as we thought they were playing whistle songs at RR Crossings instead of warning.

We hung ourselves half way out of Moms car windows, waving furiously at Every train we ever encountered, thinking that every Train Driver on Every train, just Had To Be...Our Uncle Charlie!

The respectful Conductors on trains everywhere we went would always wave back at us.

Effie and Charlie invited us to Slaton for a Sunday lunch, and Charlie escorted us down to the train terminal. He introduced us to everyone, and insisted we shake hands like a man.

We were scared to death at all the smoke, burn smell, chugging of engines. We both held onto each of poor Charlie's legs that he could barely walk.

He took us into the train cab and let us pull on the whistle,....we were overjoyed!

Sweet, dignified, Aunt Effie served us a nice lunch, and it was a nice break for my dear Mother to get to see family.

"Lil Dan, she would say, I have great expectations for you."

She would always tell me this,....All of my life!...It inspired me many times when I felt life threw some stones in my path.

HERDING TURKEYS

While the pic of Betty and Ruth Chenault shown as young girls is here, I thought I would share another story involving them that Mother (Betty) relayed to me once.

All the Chenault / Helms children as well as all other households children had chores to do on the farms prior to heading off to school. School was a long way off, and most times the kids walked to and fro with a small lunch in a bucket, with a cloth over the top. Usually it was a biscuit with a piece of bacon or ham.

Ruth's chores were to let the chickens out of their coop, as each night they had to be penned up in order for critters not to be able to get to them. She would feed them some "scratch" as well, which was a calcium laced feed that would assist them with egg laying (hard shells). She would lay a bit of hay out for the mules as well, and the milk cows, which were being milked by the boys,...Louis and Lonnie.

Betty's job was to herd the turkeys to the East each morning. Now allow me to explain this chore. Turkey chicks were purchased usually in August each year. They were penned up, fed, and spent the days scourging the fields for bugs, worms, seeds etc.

when Thanksgiving time approached, the turkeys would be fattened up nicely and ready to sell at the market in town. When the Turkeys were let out each morning the gate faced to the West toward the Red river. If let be they would head right out the gate and keep meandering straight ahead toward the river. Over toward the river, laid in wait coyotes, wolves, foxes, wild dogs that loved barn fowl. Thus, it was important to start herding the turkeys to the East where tranquil fields of wheat lay. Grazing across the fields was a much safer place for them. Once a person sort of got them headed in that direction they usually would keep moving that way.

Betty could hear the morning chatter over in the barn between her other siblings, and always thought she was missing out on something.

She said,...Mother, I've been herding the turkeys for a long time now, please allow Ruth and I to change chores.

Ok, starting out next Monday morning, you and Ruth can change chores, she said.

Betty started the next Monday, doing different chores, but soon afterward Matti noticed Betty looking depressed a bit in the mornings.

She asked,..Betty, what is wrong with you?

Betty: Mother, I made a big mistake,....I miss my old chore list So Much! I miss seeing Ol Mister Sun coming up each morning, as I try to play a game and herd the turkeys straight toward him. I often see If I can make a circle with my hand, hold it skyward and see if I can capture Ol Mr Sun in that circle with nair a ray shining through the outside. I sing songs to the turkeys and they gobble back at me. I like the feel of the morning dew on my legs as I run through the wheat. Sometimes I run, and sometimes I skip. The turkeys eat seed pods right out of my hand, and I have them all named.

At times I talk to God, and tell him my troubles, and I feel like he hears me more when I am in the field. Mother, if it's ok with Ruth, can we change back?

Mother (Matti): Well, If it's ok with Ruth, then I guess that we can.

A simple life, lived in a simple way, in a special place and time.

Chenault Family