Miss Ada’s Hard Time
While I stood at the picture framer’s on Saturday, I spent a small amount of my time talking about frames and the rest of the time visiting with and learning from the framer. On the day many years ago when she had the opportunity to visit with Miss Ada, she noticed a framed photograph of a young man that was hanging in Miss Ada’s home. When she inquired about him, Miss Ada told her with sadness that the picture was of her brother who had died during World War I.
Miss Ada and her brother were from Fentress County, Tennessee, the home county of Alvin C. York, the most decorated America hero of World War I. The framer believed that the two young men likely left for the war on the same train. I know that they both left when the weather was very cold, so it is quite possible.
Miss Ada’s brother never even got his uniform. He died of dysentery just three weeks into his stint in the U.S. Army. The weather was extremely cold when time came to return his body to his family. The Army could bring him only as far as the train station in Oneida, Tennessee. Miss Ada and her family had to drive to Oneida in a wagon pulled by mules to retrieve their beloved one’s body. The mules would pull a while and then they would have to get off the wagon and break the ice off the wheels before they could move again.
Miss Ada gives us perspective, doesn’t she?
She’s one more brave woman who has gotten up every day and put one foot in front of the other in spite of the pain of her heart. I don’t know her secret, but I do know my secret — my heavenly Father, His Son, and His Spirit. You can count on Him.
The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Psalm 9:9-10
Here’s a reminder about Miracles in the Camp, playing tomorrow night and on Friday and Saturday at the Cookeville Performing Arts Center. Please note: Yesterday I mentioned the title of the book on which Mary Evelyn based the play. Please be aware that we are not telling all of Anita’s story in the play. Some of the events in Anita’s life were so terrible that we couldn’t have children telling — or watching — those parts. This book is definitely not one you can hand your children to read on their own; and if you read it aloud, you would want to read ahead to see if you want to leave some things out or edit them as you go.
This generation was made out of hardier stuff than now. My grandmother went through the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. She lived in poverty all her life. Her and my grandfather raised me about half my life. She taught me to recognize trees, snakes and weather signs. We walked miles to go “visiting” neighbors. She’s been gone almost 20 years and I still miss her.