In 19__ Wilma Allbritton McLeod Boggan collected the stories her mother, Mary Carolyn Calhoun Allbritton, told and published them in a small volume titled Horse and Buggy Days. Very few of these books remain, treasured by the members of the family that own them, to recall to us this time in our family's history - many of the stories taking place before the turn of the century. It is with the gracious permission of Wilma Boggan that we include a few of the stories from Horse and Buggy Days in this update of the genealogy of Lauchlin Colquhoun and his line.

GOING TO GRANDPA'S AT NIGHT WHEN DAN HAD CROUP

My little brother, Dan, had some type of croup. I was ten years old, and I heard my parents talking. They said they believed the baby would die and Dad said he would go and get my Uncle Bob to go for the doctor. About that time I said I would go. I started running, and I could hear Daddy calling me to come back. It was very dark, but I could not be there to see the baby die. In a few minutes, I was at Grand Dad's calling Aunt Hattie. She was blind and could get around in the house at night as well as during the day light. The four big dogs were barking loudly, and I did not dare open the gate, but Uncle Bob was soon on the way for the doctor. The doctor came and started the medicine, the baby was soon better. We were all very happy.

A WALK IN THE WOODS

I am a great grandmother. I will write a little story telling about something that happened when I was seven, and my sister was five years old.

My Dad always warned us not to leave the school yard unless the teacher was with us, but one day the older girls decided to take a walk through the beautiful woods, so we went with them until we realized that we were not going any further. We hid behind a bush until the others were out of sight. Then we started running back to school. When we got there, the teacher was knocking on the side of the building for everyone to come in. The teacher asked us to tell where the others were. Of course we did not know. They were all lost in the big woods. Just as time came for school to close, they all came in so tired and thirsty. They were all lined up, and she gave them a real whipping. We were all heartbroken because they did not want to get lost. They had to walk two miles home after the teacher treated them so badly, but they made it. My sister and I went home brokenhearted because we were so sorry for the older girls.

HELPING AT THE CANE MILL

We spent many days at the cane mill making syrup. Grand Dad did all the cooking. He would let us skim the foam while the syrup was cooking. Uncle Bill fired the furnace. My Dad stood at the mill long days feeding the cane into the mill. They would change the mules every three hours.

Uncle Bob was general flunky. Mother and Grandmother Rosa would bring hot biscuits and coffee to us to have with the good hot syrup. They would sell some when we had more than we could use. They only got 30¢ per gallon.

TEACHER BARNETT

I was seven years old, and my sister was five. Our father and mother wanted us in school, and we lived two long miles from the little school building. They did not want us walking so far alone.

Our dad told the teacher, a Mr. Barnett, that they would give him his board, laundry and a nice horse and buggy to carry us to school, if he would promise to take good care of us.

All went well, until one day at noon, sleet and snow was falling, and he said "You children go outside and have lunch". We ate it all except a little piece of cake. We were so cold we went back in the house and sat by the heater, eating our piece of cake. Two dear little boys came in and sat with us eating some biscuits and ham. The teacher said nothing until we had finished our lunch, then he gave us all a whipping for coming back in when he told us to eat outside.

Mother told us if we ever got a whipping at school, she would give us another one when we got home, so we did not say a word about it. That night after our evening meal, we around the only fireplace we had, and the teacher said, "Mr. Colquhoun, I am sorry that I had to whip your little girls today." My dad had a temper, and he asked what in the world they did to deserve that. Of course the teacher told him. Dad said "Suppose we walk out and see the snow". They did not have a fight, but Dad said that he wanted that man to say just one word so he could knock him down and roll him in the snow and sleet, but all he would say was he was sorry.

Dad did not tell us what happened until I was in the seventh grade, but Mother did not punish us. We did not know why at the time, but we were very happy that she did not say anything about it.

LONG UNDERWEAR

Grandpa, John Colquhoun, told us when to wear long underwear, when to take it off. We had to stay in our winter clothes until he said take them off. We would get so tired wearing our shoes until he would say take them off.

Mother always had us wear bonnets when we got out of the house. One day Uncle Bill brought his new wife home, oh how we loved her. She could go without a bonnet. We thought that was great.

Mother did not want us to have a suntan. Also, she said we would have earache. Well, we did not, but oh we did want to leave that bonnet off, but when Sunday came, we would have a pretty hat to wear. Oh, we enjoyed that.

The only problem was, we could never wear our new hat. Mother would always say, "Wear the old, save the new".

GULF AND SHIP ISLAND RAILROAD

I am now 87 years and 2 months old. I remember well when I had my first ride on a train.

The record shows the right of way was bought January 21, 1897. We assume the grade work, ties and track were completed some time later. We have no record of the exact time of completion, but the train was rolling before the year 1900. My father came in one day and asked my little sister and me if we girls would like to go to the state fair in Jackson on the 15th of October, 1900. Oh, we were so happy when he informed us that we would have money to go with our Uncle Bill, Aunt Lissie and 8 month old baby Estus.

Well, the day finally came. We were up early and anxious to get on the road to the station in D'Lo, Mississippi. Our father was there helping to see that we were all safely seated, then he returned home.

When we arrived in Jackson and were off the train, the town looked so big to us. Uncle Bill told us we would walk to the old capitol. He said it cost too much money to ride. After the long walk, he found a room that we could occupy for the day while he went to the fair. We were so happy to help take care of little baby Estus. Aunt Lissie had brought a big lunch for us and we bought drinks when we were thirsty. Oh, it was wonderful. When it was time for us to go to the station we were ready for another train ride to carry us back to D'Lo.

Our second trip was later when our father carried us to the Gulf of Mexico. That was a wonderful trip seeing all that body of water. We could hardly believe there was that much water in the whole world.

When we arrived home that night, we had so much to tell our mother and the small children.

MARION SINCLAIR AND WIFE

When I was a child, we had a cousin, Marion, and his wife, Jane. They were very dear people. One day she became very ill, and back in those days doctors called it black diptheria. She passed away and left him with eight children, the oldest girl was thirteen. She told her dad that she would take care of those children. The baby was only two years old. They raised plenty of food, and the children were sweet.

We lived two miles from school. I was eight years old, and my sister six years. This cousin, Marion, was so good. He told my dad that he would gladly take care of us when the weather was bad. He was only a mile from school. My dad said "Oh, you can't do that because you have so many to care for". He said, "Jimmie, there is always room for two more sweet little girls". So, when the weather was bad, he would always be out at the road to greet us.

We wanted to go home, but we knew to obey our dad, and of course they did everything to make us happy. The huge kitchen was built some distance from the house. They always had a roaring fire in the fireplace. We children would play in this big room while Minerva prepared the evening meal. Oh, it was so good with all the vegetables, good ham and sweet potatoes cooked in an oven in the fireplace. She put them in just so, put the lid on, and coals from the burning wood under the oven and on top of the lid. Then came syrup cookies. I would be so glad if I could cook some that taste just like hers did.

As time went on, Margaret and I enjoyed our visits there. One afternoon snow was falling, and oh, we had a good time, but when morning came we decided to slip out and go home. When Cousin Marion went to the barn to take care of the stock, we were well on our way home. We had to cross a small branch, with a foot log across for people to walk to the other side. I carried our little tin bucket across, went back for our books. All was going well when I decided to carry my sister. To my surprise, she fell in the water, snow and ice. I thought that was the end of time for us, but I knew I had to get her out, and I did. We happened to be near our Uncle Bill's house. She was crying, and I was calling him and Aunt Lissie. They met us. He picked her up in his arms and ran to the house. They soon had her clothes off, wrapped her in quilts and she rested in the room that was nice and warm. She did not even get a cold from it.

When Mother and Daddy got there, she said "Jimmie, you must punish Polly for this awful thing". Dad said, "Oh, no, I can't do that because she saved our sweet little Margaret". Oh, well, I got by with that one.

MOTHER WAS NOT A FIELD HAND

I was about 9 years old, my sister Margaret was 7, and brother Lewis was 5. My father was sick. He had appendicitis and Doctor did not know what to do except stay in bed and be quiet. He had many attacks. Mother decided to go to the field and help us children pick cotton. We knew she had never worked in a field, but we thought anyone could do that, and we did not know not to laugh when she told us she was going to help us.

Our father called us in and told us what happened when they first married. She had worked hard all her life, after she was old enough to help with the house work, milking cows, do washing, ironing, canning, gathering vegetables, cleaning house, and everything that was to do in keeping a big home going. So when they married, she did not have to work so hard. My Dad had no corn planter in those days. She said, "Oh, Jimmie, I will go and drop your corn seed." She went and started, but she carefully planted one seed at a time. He had never told us that he laughed at her because she did not know how to plant corn. She put the bucket down on the row and said "I will never plant any more corn", and she did not.

He was so afraid that she would not help us children pick cotton. He asked us not to laugh if she picked one lock at a time, but we thought it was so funny we did giggle a little. When she caught us, she said "I will go to the house and do the things I was taught to do", and she did, and we had to pick all the cotton by ourselves.

SNUFF

This is a story that I remember happened in 1902. I was ten and a half years old. My grandfather and grandmother had two step-grand daughters. One was named Louvenia. One at a time they would visit with my grand parents. The younger one was about my age. I wanted to love her so much, but sometimes I did not. She thought it her duty to tell me just what to do. One day we heard that she was coming. My mother said, "All right, you must go and help the old folks entertain her". She told me to go to the corn crib and pick some nice cobs. I said "May I ask what we would do with them?" She said we would dress them with some old cloth, and call them dolls. So when I brought them in, she dressed one for me and it looked pretty good. Then she told me she wanted the girl and me to go to a hillside by my Grand Dad's house and rake a place nice and clean under a beautiful pine tree. By that time Louvenia was there. So we began dressing our dolls, and we decided to plan our make believe house. We began raking pine needles and making the dresser, then the chairs, bed, and other things as we went along. We then started with all the dolls. We decided to call them people. We were having a good time, but this happened.

She went out and brought a black gum limb about the size of my little finger, at that time. I asked what she was doing with that, and said "Oh, I am going to break off a piece and make a tooth brush." Well, it looked like a mop to me. She began chewing the end of it. After awhile she brought out a snuff box and put her mop in it, then put it back in her mouth. It looked good, but I wanted none of that. Somehow she out talked me. I tried to say no, but she made me a mop anyway and I decided to try it. Oh, I was so sick when our blind aunt came to the porch to say "dinner". I knew if I went to the house, Grand Dad would start the castor oil. I was sick enough without that. I do not remember what happened to our corn cob people, but I do remember that I never wanted any more snuff. That was plenty to last me the rest of my life.

RUNNING AWAY

I want to share a few stories that my Dad, Jimmie Colquhoun (1856-1943) and my mother, Mary Gibson Colquhoun (1868-1948) told me when I was a child.

My Dad and Uncle Charlie ran away. They were cute little boys, so I have been told. Dad was six years old, the other child was four years old. Their mother called and could not get an answer, so she decided that they were gone to their grandfather's house. She went to try to locate the little boys. They were playing in the yard when she arrived. She found a switch. The older one ran ahead of her all the way home with her tingling Uncle Charlie's legs all the way. Dad ran fast and got under the house. He kept calling, "Mother, if I come out now will I get punished?" She would say, "Oh, you stay where you are, we are getting along fine." When it was almost dark, Charlie looked under the house and said he believed he could see a snake or a frog. My dad came out in a hurry. You can imagine what he got. I think I can guess.

GRAND DAD, LATE FOR CHURCH

This story was told to me many times when I was a child. Grand Dad, John Colquhoun, and his wife, Polly, had twelve children. She must have had a lot of work to do, washing, ironing, plus all the cooking and always trying to keep all the brood happy. She must have been a wonderful person.

On Sunday morning, Grand Dad would get up, got to the barn, and feed the oxen so they could eat and be ready for the long day ahead of them. He would then go to the old log kitchen for a good breakfast. When he was through, he would go for his bath in a wash tub, get dressed in his white shirt that was as white as snow, and ironed so pretty, and his suit that Grandmother had made. All this time she was getting the children ready to go. He was now on his way to the barn to put the yolk on the oxen, Red and Speck. When they were all ready to carry the wagon to the front of the house, he would call and ask Polly and the children if they were ready to go. She would say, "Just a minute, and we will be there." He would say, "Oh, no, I am in a hurry", so she and the children were left at home, to get back into play suits.

He was a good man, but did not have much patience.

Later...

Grandmother passed away when Uncle Bob was a baby. Aunt Lucy, the oldest daughter, did the best she could in taking care of all the children. Later she decided to get married to Mr. Prine with several children.

Then Grand Dad married again to a Kendall girl, Rosa. She was a fine lady, but so very slow with the work. From then on Grand Dad was always late for church.

Note: the description by Wilma Boggan of the home of James Archibald "Jimmie" Colquhoun, as quoted below, is only a small portion of the article entitled

ABOUT THE AUTHOR, MARY CAROLYN CALHOUN ALLBRITTON
Her Childhood Home As It Was Told To Me And As I Remember It
By Wilma Laura Allbritton Boggan.

The home in which Mary Carolyn grew up was one of the most picturesque spots I've ever seen. The house had been built about twenty-five years at the time I was born. I loved this old place and it became dearer as the years passed. Even today I can vividly see the whole lovely place, even though the house long ago burned.

The parlor with its fireplace afforded much pleasure. The pump organ fascinated me, and how I enjoyed the sweet melodious tones, just as my Mother, her sisters, Margaret, Alice and Ethel must have enjoyed them when they were young beautiful girls with long black curls. It was in this room that Mary Carolyn's sweetheart courted, proposed and asked for her hand in marriage.

The spacious porches were enough to delight the hearts of anyone. My sister, Bobbie Louise especially enjoyed turning the small grind-stone that was attached to the porch. From time to time porches were used for storage purposes. I remember once cotton was piled on the back porch. During very hot weather the porch was used for sleeping quarters on some occasions.

Grandma's room was my favorite room in the house. It had a great fireplace and a mantel that held the old striking clock along with other treasures. Many an orange peel had dried on the old mantel. The circle of chairs before the fire was most inviting.

The beautiful furniture was a joy to look at. The great four-poster bed was regal, the round table magnificent, but my favorite was the stately and impressive secretary, loaded with treasurers and keepsakes. I could stand for hours with my nose pressed against the glass looking at the intriguing display. The old sewing machine, the oval top trunk, the old fashioned party-line telephone added to the charm of the room. The south and east views from that beautiful room are yet etched in my storehouse of memories.

Going to Uncle Charlie's room was a real adventure. We would venture in and take a good look, it was like going into someone else's home, it was so different from the rest of the house. This room was Uncle Dan's and Uncle Lewis' room, too, before they went out into the world to make their own homes. Uncle Charlie lived on with Grandpa and Grandma after he was grown.

The dining room, with its big oval table, brings memories of great numbers of people being served there. The men ate at the first table, and after the meal lingered there to talk. Finally all would have been fed, some at a second table or third or fourth, depending on how many were to be served. I remember that Grandpa would never drink milk, although they had great quantities of all dairy produce. Grandma had great bowls filled with milk, from which she fascinated me with her skimming off every eye of the thick yellow cream. But my most vivid memories are of the ever present supply of tea cakes to be found in a box to the right side of the lower shelf of the safe.

My Grandma's kitchen was a fascinating place with its high wood-burning stove and the spacious fireplace that gave warmth and cooked the delicious baked potatoes in a Dutch oven, a cast-iron oven with a tight cover that was used for baking in the open fire and coals. The aroma in the air made one feel that coffee had just been ground in the wall coffee-grinder. This kitchen was attached to the remaining part of the house, but when Grandma came as a bride the kitchen was a separate building some distance from the rest of the house. The thing that really captured my attention was that on certain occasions, snowy white sand covered the entire kitchen floor. The purpose of this was to produce a clean floor. The grinding of the sand actually served as a sanding of the wooden floor. The sand was left on the floor; water, and lye soap were added, then scrubbed with a corn shuck broom. The corn shuck broom made a very effective scrub broom. The house was swept with a straw broom. The broom straw was gathered in the fall of the year, then stripped and tied in bundles of about 3 inches diameter with cloth strings....

The well was located just beyond the small south veranda off from the kitchen. All of the family helped with the chore of drawing water.

Out beyond the well was the wash place. There stood the wash tubs on the wash bench, the battling block, and huge wash pot. During school term the school clothes were washed on Saturday. After the clothes were dry, they were taken down, dampened, and ironed, on a table with an old fashioned seven pound flat iron, heated in the fireplace.

There was a chicken house behind the house, the smoke house was to the northwest corner of the house, near the vegetable garden. Great quantities of meats were dried and cured there. Behind these buildings was a fruit orchard. There the pear, apple, peach, plum trees and grape vines yielded great harvest of delicious fruits.

The shop on every farmer's place was necessary to maintain smooth operation of farming equipment. The item I remember best in the old shop was the large bellows.

The barn was across the road from the home. My brothers could best tell what this old fashioned barn housed, how it looked and smelled. I always spent as little time as possible in a barn, but I do know it was spacious and looked as if it had every thing a farmer could possibly desire in a barn, or a boy could desire to play in. While young ladies waited for their favorite beau to arrive they would sometimes cross the road to the barn and back to the house numerous times hoping to get a first glimpse of their sweetheart. Grandma told my mother how she crossed the road watching for Grandpa, while she was being courted by him.