Grand Pa and the Infernal Fools!

 

Grand Pa is what they called my Great Great Grandfather.  They say the old man was as mean as a rattle snake.  From the stories I’ve heard of the man, I’ld have to have to say he probably was.  Grand Pa had five children that lived.  The oldest, my Great Grandfather W. A.  three other sons, Joseph, Richard, and Miley, and one daughter, Mary.  When W. A.’s first child, Willie, was born, Miley was two years old.  Grand Pa, not having a baby around, took Willie and raised him as one of his own.

Mary, being the only girl, was something special to Grand Pa, and he couldn’t bear the thought of her getting married.  Most young women do get married however, and sure enough, the day came for Mary.  Now it was harvest season and the corn had been gathered.  Corn stalks had been cut and piled in the field to be burned. Quite dramatic, and in great distress, the old man crawled under the stalks and told Miley and Willie, “I can’t live, my girl is leaving me, light me afire!”  The two young men, taken aback, didn’t know exactly what to do, so they did as they were told and set the stalks on fire.  When the blaze began to spread through the stalks, the old man busted out and exclaimed, “YOU INFERNAL FOOLS, YOU WERE GOING TO BURN ME ALIVE!”