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Show Wilhelmina had appointed her oldest son (John K) as administrator of her few possessions. In dividing them he felt that he was first of all entitled to the harness, wagon, and sewing machine that his early wages had paid for. As is sometimes the case, a few of the interested parties disagreed and there were bad feelings between them for awhile, but before long, adjustments had returned their relationships to normal. FIRST FAMILY TRAGEDY The eighth of August 1903, brought the first tragedy into the lives of John K and Katie's little family. Vearl was nearing his third birthday (on October 31) and his little sister, the second child, was three months old that day. She had been given the name of Pearl. John K was working poll taxes on some bridges in the northeast area of town that August day. He had ridden his horse home to eat his noon meal. As he left to go back to work, Vearl came from the outdoor toilet with his panties unbuttoned, and as his father scooped him up into his arms to give him a goodbye kiss Vearl said, "Naughty chickee. Chickee picked my bottom." John K hugged his son, buttoned his panties and left for work. In the afternoon, the woman across the west street came by for a visit. Her son took advantage of his mother's absence from home by climbing to reach the top of her kitchen cupboard where he filled his pocket with matches, then forgot 78 |