Only Your Mother Knows for Sure?

Hello Folks! — A man can no more talk about something he doesn't know than he can come back from somewhere he hasn't been.

—o—

Seems that we will just have to relearn that civil responsibility comes before civil rights.

—o—

I walked into the court house in Mellette County South Dakota and was re-aquainted with my former classmate Alvan Laird, Clerk of Court. After a few greetings, I told him I had come for a birth certificate. Figured I might need it someday and wanted it handy.

I told him it was May 5, 1916. He went into the vault, got out a huge but ancient book and proceeded to look up the vital information.

There was my sister Margaret and Evelyn, a year older than me; my brother Clarence whose name they had not gotten until a couple years ago when had had been ther to get his certificate. Evelyns name was just E. Edna, so I got that filed properly. But my name couldn't be found. Guess, I was just never born. Perhaps they were ashamed of me and just never got it recorded; or were they so overjoyed that they forgot it?

Maybe they just found me out of the prairie and I was never born. Anyway I must not be one of the plus two million population. I think I will ask for my income tax payments to be refunded.

Allan carefully explained to me the procedure for getting a delayed birth certificate. It sounded quite easy. "Just get your folks to sign this affidavit. Have it notorized. Get a copy of your baptismal certificate, service record of some such information."

Beings my folks are still living it should have been easy. After all they were there when it happened. At least mother must have been there I have never heard of a time when the mother was absent from such an occasion.

In the excitement of getting it all done up they got their signature on it without the witness. We got that corrected O.K. then we found out that they had to sign it in their own given name. That meant another delay. Dad rummaged through some old papers and came up with an old but still beautiful baptismal certificate. I got a copy made and off they all went for the final act. So I thought.

Today I got a letter from Allan explaining that the baptismal certificate had not stated what day I was born. Therefore it could not be used. He gave me a list of things I could check on to verify the date. Apparently, South Dakota is real fussy about this.

I don't have a thing against South Dakota. I have always said it is a good state to come from. Even HHH came from there, which doesn't make us see eye-to-eye on everything. But when a state won't even take a mothers word for it, that is going a bit too far. Wonder if friend Humphrey could do anything about it?

Tomorrow I go to the bank vault, I will try to find some papers that say I was born when I think I was born. I will get a picture taken of it and off it will go to ye old court house in Rosebud territory. I might discover yet that I was legally and lawfully born when that say I was. In the mean time I will try to be patient. It just might be I will need it someday. In the mean time all you good folks better beat a path to the court house where your birth is recorded and see that all is well there.

Petersen's Use Family Bus

HELLO FOLKS! — The Hollywood idea of love can probably best described as, 'Lust at first sight'.

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THE FINAL report concerning our vacation is in regards to our family bus. When we bought it, it was between that and a station wagon. We let the children decide and the vote was unanimously for the bus. I had reservations about it but though it would be interesting to have one for a while. I had asked several families who had one and the report was all in favor of the family bus.

Before starting on the trip we thought it would be tiresome to drive long distances. We were pleasantly surprised in that is seemed that it was even easier to drive the bus long distances than with a conventional car. That bus is not as resiliant as a car but what with the roads in the condition that are in today it is not a factor and they do ride easier.

In loading it for the trip we found that there was more room in it than we had anticipated. The suit cases all fit in behind the rear seats and on top of them was room for a comfortable bed. It was generally in use; and large enough for two small children. With the suitcases in the back there was plenty of room under the seats for the water jugs, picnic baskets, and incidentals.

We were 10 in the bus and found ourselves very comfortable. The children could move around, change positions and the smaller ones could stand up if they desired.

A nice thing about the bus is that we sit up two feet higher and thus can see the traffic coming and going.

After the first day we found that it was almost as much fun to lunch on the go as it was to picnic. The back of the motor cover became a table when we were eating and a seat always occupied otherwise.

The jump sear over the front of the motor cover was always occupied too, so with four in the front, one sleeping in the back there was often a seat vacant for lying down for someone else. It was easy for the children to play games as we traveled thus they did not get travel or get car weary. This was unusual to us considering that we traveled 1,900 miles three days going out.

In closing I urge you farmers who haven't had a good restful vacation for two years or more to get plans rolling for one. I know as well as anyone how hard it is to get away. There is always more to do than can be done.

However, a vacation has to be planned as much as anything else. Make plans and stick to them. The work will still be there when you get home.

We all have to get away and see things from a different perspective. I don't believe a vacation costs, it pays, at least if it is done right. It gives one a new lease on life. One gets new ideas that make up for the cost of the vacation.

Actually, a vacation does not have to cost a lot. Food we have to eat anyway and that would not have to be much more than what we eat at home. If you have a good auto, the extra cost is only part of the total per mile operating cost. You don't lose any work at home in the long run as one feels more like working after a good rest. Make it a full two - week vacation at least every two years.Pe

A Long Trip With Family

HELLO FOLKS! — It is vacation time again and that is just what we are doing at this writing.

A long distance telephone call from Grandma Barnes brought us to the realization that this was the year of their Golden Wedding anniversary and that they were expecting us all to be there.

Our family is so large that we hadn't expected to take another long trip together. However, this was to be no ordinary visit. After all, 50th wedding anniversaries don't come often.

We talked over a number of different plans and finally decided that the most practical plan was for us to pack all twelve into the station wagon, hook a trailer behind for all the luggage and take off. We would be crowded, but with proper planning and schooling the discomfort would be held to a minimum.

Haying delayed us a bit. We finished haying the afternoon of the 15th, then packed the luggage and took off.

We had decided to try traveling through the night. The children had tested out the idea of all sleeping in the car and felt that it would work. With Vera and I taking turns driving we got along pretty well.

The weather man cooperated perfectly and gave us the weather we wanted. We got to the Badlands at four a.m. The day was just beginning to break, Mark woke up and said, "It it getting daytime?" "Yes" said his mother, "Good, then I won't have to go to sleep again."

The trip was planned with the children in mind and especially for them. After all we don't expect to take such a trip again with most of the family.

They Enjoyed It

THEY ENJOYED the romp around the Badlands immensely. The sun was not yet up and I think that is the time of day when they are the most beautiful. The sun peeped over the horizon just as we left the place and the shadows of the car and trailer could be seen away over on the further slopes. The children got a real charge out of looking for them.

The drive through the Black hills was most memorable. The children had not been there before and by knowing what to expect we could prepare them for each exciting episode. The tunnels were the most exciting for the younger ones and the Cosmos was what the older ones enjoyed the most.

We picnicked along the way and for the benefit of those of you who are planning to take a trip and want to do a lot of eating out, remember that all along the way there are picnic grounds and that are really nice with many of them having water and modern facilities.

Roads are very good too, for the most part. A good share of the new roads are being built on new routes and do not interfere with the roads now used.

We spent several hours in Cody and went through the Yellow Stone Park. I'll tell you about it next week.