Anna was 12 when she came over from the old country; Germany! Like Pat she was not educated but she loved America and learned all she could about the country she was living in. I am sure working as a housekeeper for a lawyer afforded her time to learn about the ways of the rich and famous in the United States.
They lived in a small four room house. It was cluttered as the furniture was big and very old fashioned even for the forties. I suspect much of her furniture had come with her from the old country. The flowered wall paper was so soiled that you could hardly see the leaves or petals. There was one particular piece that stood out from the rest in my memory. It was a cupboard with many different sizes and shapes of dishes. She could be found often washing the dishes and polishing the wood. I think it was her most cherished possession!
Anna, being from the cold country brought a lot of the old ways with her. Her dress style came with many slips of different colors and she wore two dresses at a time. When she sat down she would pull at her skirts to be sure her legs were covered. For her legs to be exposed would be a bad thing for Anna.
Anna had a favorite saying; "That's the way it goes." This would come out of her mouth no matter what the conversation was. Janice and I went to visit with her and our main objective was to say "That's the way it does" before she did. Janice won! We left feeling embarrassed! My sister Joetta tells the story about inviting Anna over to have a piece of cake that Joetta had just baked. Joetta asked her if she wanted another piece. Anna said; "Oh, Yes!" "I went to town but I didn't buy what I was going to, instead I..... Here Anna wandered off with; "But I did see and talked to some friends." Then she named several people. Obviously, Anna wasn't always working with a full deck. But she was always quiet and sweet.
Anna was a little lady with very long hair. It was so long that when she parted it for braiding, she would sit on half of it while she braided the other half. She always wore her hair in braids across the top of her head. Very prim and proper, not to mention very self conscious.
When her husband Pat died, she closed up her home and went to live with the Hess's. Not really sure who they were, perhaps the Lawyer and his family. My mother went to Iowa in 1952 for a visit. Having had several operations, Anna was dying of cancer. Mom found her in a convalescent home. Anna was 72 when whe passed away which was not long after Mom's visit.
"And let not your adornment be merely external; braiding the hair and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses." 1 Peter 3:3 A puzzling scripture. Now, what is wrong with braiding your hair? Peter is talking about adorning yourselves to draw attention to yourself. "But rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to godliness." 1 Timothy 3:10
Today, much of our appearance has to do with the culture we live in. There are those who adorn themselves with bright and shiny things on the outside which blinds those who wish to see what is on the inside. "But let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit which is precious in the sight of God." 1 Peter 3:4 Pierced body parts comes to my mind of adorning oneself to draw attention.
I was just a little girl who was so impressed with this couple with the old world ways still imbedded in their lifestyle, that I was able to pick up on their gentle ways and sincerity of life.
I was just a child and yet when I became a teenage, I did a paper for my Senior English class on the "Most Unforgettable Character I had ever met;" using them as my subject. Today, it causes me to wonder if my lifestyle has ever impressed a child; I wonder if my ways have caused someone to remember me! I wonder! I wonder. By Jane Ann Crenshaw 10/13/09
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