Page 61 - Humanism 2019

“Hold your horses, Arthur. Let me explain. “Oh, my!,” said Arthur.

“Now, I always enjoyed Lancaster. I found a farm full of “Well son, that is my story.”
oaks and was hundred’ thirty two acres. ’Twas good farm
land. Still is. I wanted to buy it, but I was too young. “Granddad, that was an interesting story. I ’preciate you
Only eighteen at the time. To buy it, I needed Uncle telling me.”
Henry to sign the documents fer me. Uncle Henry was a “Now you know your history,” I said stripping the last
good man. He agreed to help me with my new farm. This stalk of the day.
farm had many oak trees that needed to be cleared.
And as I said that I realized that it was history. History of
I remember Uncle Henry asked me, “Son, where you our fathers and grandfathers, and those who came before
going to build the house and barn?” us. History is a story that must be told to the future
generations. A story that will help them understand what
I told him, “Right here on the hill.”
our ancestors and family members have gone through.
“Why, son? Every time ya need something, ya have to go
As I shut the door of the tobacca shed that day, I
far to the house fer it. Why not put it in the middle of the
remembered the goodwill of my father and prayed that
farm?”
future generations would gain an understanding of their
“Henry, I like the view of the farm from here. I can see all history and the hardships that their ancestors have gone
the crops.” through. n

“Well, ’tis your choice.”
So, my mind was set. I built a small two-story home just
fer me to live in with a spring on the side. I knew I would
have to add on at some point. But the barn was my main
focus. A few men helped me build the German bank barn.
I cut down the tallest oaks to use fer the barn and finished
the bottom with stone. Below in the for-bay, I made a few
horse stalls and a stall fer the cows. Above, I built a
granary, a haymow, and a straw-mow. It was a big task,
you see, and took many years. I had never built a barn on
my own. When I was done building the barn, I decided to
add to the house. I added another room on the east side
of the house and root cellar to keep the preserves. I would
have liked to add a bigger section at that time, but I had
no money. It was 1875 when I finished the home and
three years later, I married your grandmother, Susan.
Soon, I realized that the house was too small fer us and
our children. When I got enough money from the corn,
wheat, and tobacca, I added on. Susan said that she liked
the newer Victorian style homes being built, so we added
a Victorian section. After a year, it was built. It had high
ceilings, another fireplace and set of stairs, as well as four
more bedrooms and a parlor.

It was in this section that I spent most of my time inside.
Soon afterward, the tobacca crop was goin’ well. I had Being Human From a
buyers and hired a few hands to help. I needed another Mule’s Perspective
barn to hang the tobacca in. I built a tobacca shed a
hundred yards away from the bank barn. Since that time, Pull your own weight, but work as a team.
we have had a tobacca crop in it each year.”
Use your long ears to listen without speaking.
“Granddad? Was this the tobacca shed you built?” Know that everyone is different in their own special way.
Be stubborn and stand up for what you believe.
“Yes, son. Right where you are standing. I built it a long
time ago and ’tis still standing. Be true to yourself because you deserve it.

HUMANISM IN THE HEALTH SCIENCES 2019 • VOL. 22 58