The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Hello there, It's been a spell since I've written to you and I thought I must take time to sit right down with pen and paper and write you a letter.
I've been busy getting in our sweet corn, and oh does it taste yummy this year. I spent the whole day at it with three or four friends and it really makes time fly as if it doesn't already.
The men and their kids brought the picked corn in and we all helped with the shuck'n. Then we women blanched and froze it. We have enough to last all winter as it tastes extra fine on Thanksgiving Day when we are so thankful for our harvest.
What a feast we had together after all that work as everyone brought their famous recipes all cooked and ready to eat for dinner. The men sure do show up when the potluck meals are being served and the warm fresh homemade bread comes out of the oven. We have home-made jams and we use to make our own butter but now we buy that from the store as dairy cows take a lot of work.
Well, I was read'n some old newspapers and ran across an article "Barnyard Bruke had written in July 2017 and I thought I'd share it, as I had forgotten the story and maybe you had too. Here it is:
Bet you don’t know “Big Cheeks”.
Big cheeks. A grandson of slaves, a boy was born in a poor neighborhood of New Orleans known as the “Back of Town.” His father abandoned the family when the child was an infant. His mother became a prostitute and the boy and his sister had to live with their grandmother.
Early in life he proved to be gifted for music and with three other kids he sang in the streets of New Orleans. His first gains were coins that were thrown to them.
A Jewish family, Karnofsky, who had emigrated from Lithuania to the USA, had pity for the 7-year-old boy and brought him into their home. Initially giving ‘work’ in the house, to feed this hungry child. There he remained and slept in this Jewish family’s home where, for the first time in his life, he was treated with kindness and tenderness.
When he went to bed, Mrs. Karnovsky sang him a Russian lullaby that he would sing with her. Later, he learned to sing and play several Russian and Jewish songs.Over time, this boy became the adopted son of this family. The Karnofskys gave him money to buy his first musical instrument; as was the custom in the Jewish families.
They sincerely admired his musical talent. Later, when he became a professional musician and composer, he used these Jewish melodies in compositions, such at St. James Infirmary and Go Down Moses.
The little black boy grew up and wrote a book about this Jewish family who had adopted him in 1907. In memory of this family and until the end of his life, he wore a Star of David and said that in this family, he had learned “how to live real life and determination.”
You might recognize his name. This little boy was called: Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong. Louis Armstrong proudly spoke fluent Yiddish! “Satchmo” is Yiddish for “Big Cheeks”!
I would say that was a mighty interesting piece about Louie Armstrong (1901–1971) who was one of the very popular US jazz musician . He was a major influence on Dixieland jazz, a trumpet and cornet player, bandleader and a distinctive singer.
Whys and Because
Why do men’s clothes have buttons on the right while women’s clothes have buttons on the left? Because when buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid’s right! And that’s where women’s buttons have remained since.
Why do X’s at the end of a letter signify kisses? Because in the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document.The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.
Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called passing the buck? Because in card games, it was customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing, he would ‘pass the buck’ to the next players.
Well hope'n you folks are wearing your masks and keep'n yourselves safe. It probably keeps us from having a lot of other things. Keep cool and do something for others. See ya in church! -Love-Aunt Polly