Slippers

Our Mother was a stickler for propriety!! She would not go to town without a bath, lipstick, stockings and when she was younger she even wore a corset! That must have been torture, but it was required of a lady.

She was a pretty woman and kept herself nice at all times. Dresses were the thing. No slacks for her. She always wore house slippers around the house when she was home. These, sometimes, got pretty well worn. We lived in the country so were in and out doing things like bringing in wood for the fire and such. Slippers got a beating.

One day she was going to the Dr. in Canton and Daddy had come home to pick her up and off they went. She was hurrying as the appointment was getting close. She tells us they drove all the way to Canton (approximately 30 miles) and as she was getting out of the car, she realized she had her house slippers on yet!! There was no way she would go into the Dr.'s office with house slippers on. Daddy hurriedly went to the nearest shoe store and got her a pair of shoes to go into the Dr's office.

A few years later we had moved to the Wilson Place. This was in the back of beyond. We loved it here. Hunting was great. We had woods behind us, in front of us and beside us. Our Mother loved hunting and fishing. She wore dresses to go hunting and fishing!!

Our sister Mary came to visit one Sunday with her husband and son. She had bought our Mother two pair of slacks. They were like a chino material and very nice. They would be warm to wear in the woods and would be good against the brambles we ran into. When Mary & Clyde left she took the pants upstairs and told me afterwards there was no way she could put on a pair of pants!! No way!!

I had taken off a day during the week to go hunting with Mom. We were the only two home so I was thrilled to have Mom to myself for the day. We were getting ready and I told her it was blustery and cold out so why not put on a pair of the slacks Mary had brought up. Well, you would have thought I was committing a crime!! She said no way and I, of course, told her no one could see her and I wouldn't tell anyone so why not at least try them on. Well, she gave in and came downstairs a little later and wanted to know my opinion. Did I think she looked okay or what? I assured her she looked fine. We went on our way and you know after that you couldn't get her out of those pants when we went out to the woods or the mill. She loved being able to put slacks on for gardening and even just walking in the woods.