HOME MADE SHOES

SHORTLY after our arrival on High Prairie, the David Clark family came. There were five children, and afterward two sons were born. They lived near the school house, so the children had only a short distance to go to school.

The Clarks were splendid, honorable, upstanding folk, helping with Sunday School and church services, when help was so sorely needed, and bringing up their children to be good honest citizens.

In these strenuous times, every ability was used to keep the families well cared for and comfortable. And the greater the number of children, the more corners had to be watched to cut expenses.

Every mother in the neighborhood made her children clothing, even coats and girl hats. But Mr. Clark had one ability that the other fathers lacked. One season he by some leather, and made shoes for his little brood.

The Clark twins were identical in features. I doubt if their parents could always tell them apart. Later, however, one twin received a scar on her face, which made a slight difference in appearance. (I never could remember which one received the scar.) Their names were Edith and Ethel, and once when my sister was helping the family while the mother was ill, the twins made up a little song. Edith would sing, "My name is Ethel. Don't call me Edith." And Ethel would sing, "My name is Edith. Don't call me Ethel," until the already confused Lola had no way of knowing which twin she was talking to. The little girls enjoyed their joke immensely.