The beginning of the book

The life of Mina


It was a warm sunny day in southern Ohio, in the spring of 1914 life was stirring on the rolling hills of the Appalachian mountains, the flowers were in full bloom and the trees were all green and lush, Mina gets up from her slumber and heads to the kitchen in the four room small shack they lived in. Minas mother Estelle was already getting breakfast started and David her father had already left for work. David work in the next town over in the wood factory, he had a small flat in town and would come home for the weekend. This left a lot of chores for her two older brothers Harold and Harry to do and Mina helped with gardening , cooking and taking care of little John.
Mina loved the spring; it was like a renewal of the mountain with all the new life after a long hard winter. After her chores were done she headed out to pick some blackberries. She hoped there was enough to make a pie for the family. She spent many hours on the mountains usually with her oldest brother Harold; He had traps set out and would hunt for game so that family had meat for the table. Harry the next oldest would fish and set his traps as well. Harold didn’t like Mina to wonder the mountains alone due to all the wildlife that was there. Harold and Mina headed back to the shack with the game he had got and Mina with enough blackberries for a nice size pie. As they approached the house Mina could see two old friends there waiting for her, Len and Rick, The boys were cousins and had grown up there in the mountains. Len was a year younger but Rick and Mina were about the same age. Mina asked what they were doing there and Rick told her they wanted to make plans for Minas 14th birthday party, Estelle was planning a small party at the church for her on Sunday and wanted the boys to ask her friends to come. They assured Mrs. Hooks that they would get the word out. Mina was happy her family would be there including her father David to help celebrate. Mina went to her little room and looked thru her truck for some sort of dress to wear, Estelle came in and handed her a package. Said her father had brought and wanted to wait to give it but she should have it now. Mina opened it and it was a brand new dress, it was a light shade of blue with small flowers all over it and had lace around the collar and at the end of the sleeves. It was the most beautiful things she had ever owned. Mina wondered how they could afford something so nice, Estelle told her that David had done some extra work for his boss Mr. Stevens at his home and Mrs. Stevens made it for payment. Mina was so happy she couldn’t wait to try it on and to make something special for her papa. She was beginning to grow up so fast that most of her clothes no longer fit. She usually wore overalls during the summer and would make a couple of new dress in before school started. Papa always made sure that the kids had shoes, a coat and some winter clothes before the first day of school.

As the week came to an end and Sunday morning had arrived, Mina got all cleaned up and put on her new dress. Mommy had helped her with her hair and gave her a mirror to look in, how grown up she looked. As the family headed off to church, Mina could see all her school mates at the church waiting for her, After the service everyone met at the shelter house that was next to the church and had food and cake and music. Len and Rick were there and quite a few others. Mina received a few things for her birthday, more than she had ever gotten before, Marylou gave her a new brush, Cindy gave her a nice handkerchief and a few other trinkets. Mina felt as if she were rich. It had been a great day, all the people she loved were there all in one place and it was perfect.

As the spring turned in to summer and summer gave way to fall, school was about to start, Mina was very excited, she missed going to school during the summer and couldn’t wait to get back. She knew she would have to get up extra early the next day to get ready to go as well as her brothers so they could get the chores done before they went. Mina would help with the baby and getting breakfast for everyone. Estelle had a lot to do while they were at school, all the canning needed to be done from the large harvest from their garden. Mina hurried to get out of the house so she could meet up with the group that walked to together thru the woods. Len, Rick, Marylou and Cindy.

Rick and Len lived in the same house with Rick’s mom and dad and Lens mom and dad. They had a nice farm house with 5 bedrooms, enough room for everyone. As Marylou, Cindy and Mina walked by the house Mina wished that her family could have a real house instead of a small shack, one day she will have a fine house she thought. Len and Rick come running out and they headed off to school.

It was Saturday morning and Harold, Harry, Mina and Papa made the house ready for winter. The boys added dirt and straw to the roof. They had chopped lots of wood for the stove and Papa had several loads of coal brought in for the stove as well. The coal was nice because it burns longer and hotter than wood. Mamma had all the canning done from the fall harvest and Harold was getting extra meat brought in and hanging them in the small smoke house. Pa knew that after the first big snow came in that he would not be able to get back up the holler from town. He had brought a big load of staples in from town. Pa wanted to be sure they had everything they needed. Mina often wondered why they just didn’t move into town but Ma told her that it was no place for women and children; it was a factory town that smelled of moldy paper and 90% were men. Ma didn’t want to live in town.

Mina enjoyed the winter, this year has been pretty mild but she knew there still might be a big storm before it was all said and done. She was glad cause that meant more time in school and seeing her friends. Ma had told them that she was pregnant again and would be due in the spring, John the baby was almost 2 years old and Mina would turn 15 in the spring. It was going to be a busy spring.

As winter wore on there was just a couple of big snows but soon the signs of spring approached. Ma was not feeling good so Harold went and got the Dr. to come up. Ma was in labor but it was not like all the other labors. Mina sat with her and held her hand as they waited for the Dr to arrive. Ma made Mina promise to take care of the little ones if she did not make it thru this. Mina promised but said for her not to talk like that. It seems like hours before the Dr got there and He asked Mina to boils some water and get some towels ready, Mina did as she was told and readied everything. Ma was going thru a lot of pain and when the baby was born she named her Mary. Ma was very pale and had lost a lot of blood, The dr said she probably wouldn’t make it thru the night and had the boys come in to say their goodbye, Ma made them all promise to stay together and look out for each other . Harold who was 17 and Harry who was 16 promised. Mina kneeled before her mommy and cried, please don’t go, we need you. Ma cried too but then she was gone.
When Pa arrived a few days later Harold had to tell him that Ma was dead. There was a small funeral at the church then to the family burial plot. It was a very sad time, Mina took care of little John and Mary and basically had to run the house like her ma did, Pa went back to town for work and said he didn’t know when he would be back. Harold and Harry made good on their promise to Ma and provided plenty of food and support for the family, Mina had 2 babies to care for so she could not go to school. As spring came Minas birthday was almost there, Rick, Len and their family came over to minas and had a small party for her. Ricks mom had made her a beautiful quilt and Lens mom had made her a pink flowered dress. Mina thanked them but it was a very hard day, she missed her mommy so very much, Her papa had not been back since the funeral, Lens Dad Mr. Burris said he had seen David in Town when he went in to pick up supplies and he was in the saloon sitting alone at a table drinking whiskey. Mr. Burris went in to talk with him and David hardly knew him, David was not taking Estelle’s death very well at all. David couldn’t bring himself to go home; the hurt was just too much. Mr. Burris told David he would be more than happy to look after the children until her could pull himself together. David gave Mr. Burris some money to buy to supplies for the family and thanked him and laid his head down on the saloon table.