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Neale: Ethelda Stoddard Richardson
Topic: Study of Folklore in thd
Berkshires
Page 1
There are numerous ancedotes about George Day. He was
inclined to be a little of a show-off in front of anyone. One
morning a short time after George had married a woman named Matilda,
they had company at their house for breakfast. George had done what
chores he could do around the farm and then came in to eat breakfast
with everyone there. Thinking he'd impress the visitors with the
qualities of his new wife he ruboed his hands together and loudly
asked, "'ell, (well) "Mat" what's ye goin, to hey fer orekstis?
tittle mess a oixsticks? Horr'oop, git ,em
get 'em in the oven.) Another time he went
Dragging. 'everal men were gathered around
in u oobln." (Hurry up,
a little farther in his
talking and George tried
to get into the conversation several times without success. Finally
the general subject of conversation turned to daring encounters in
which many of the men had good stories in which they came out winner.
George controlled himself with difficulty and finally burst out in
the midst of another brave story. He pulled himself up to his greatest
height, expanded to his mental size and fearlessly announced, "Aw, ah
kin lick eny man a goini. Three axe haniles one in each han' ba
geesht!" If anyone has ever wielded an axe handle they know the
appropriateness of George's weapon and the wisdom of his choice.
..Lhey are easy to grasp being narrow enough to fit conveniently into
the hand and the end upon which the axe
making it easy to wield and dangerous.
outdo any man by having the axe handles
is fitted, is wide and heavy,
George however w
s going to
to use simultaneously. The
The fact that he was exaggerating to impossibility probably didn't
faze George if the statement sounded imposing. Someone is always
overhearing remarks that George makes. If one knows him they can
Name: Ethelda EAoddard Richardson Page 2
Topic: Study of Folklore in the
Berkshires
the more readily appreciate the humour of the things he says. The
country store loungers have this one to tell. George came noisily
into the store one morning and said, "tell, a guess ah'll git me
'ittle bit a g'oceries. Ah want a poun, a nails a plug a perbaccy,
(tobacco) an' en axe hanfle. Guess 'at '11 do fer a 'pen! (spell)"
George may have been justified in calling the articles he taught, gro-
ceries because the general store in the part of the town where he
purchased them is known aS the "grocery store". The incident however
touched the vague sense of humor of the townspeople and the value of
the conversation lies in the fun the folks get in retelling it.
Years agO when there were more sheep in the town then at present,
George and a friend of his, gained themselves a questionable reputa-
tion in some of their business dealings. They of course raised sheep
on the Day farm so that they were able to carry on for some time be-
fore they were round out. Gradually neighbors and relatives missed
their sheep and to their practised country eyes there were no evi-
dences of a marauding animal. Even Grandfather Luther Day missed
an occasional sheep. It waz all very mystifying. One sheep from
several flocks within a close radius would be missing every once in
a while and no trace was ever found of them. To the frugal farmers,
this small but steady loss called for quick and quiet action. Each
farm head took it upon himself to see that all of his flocks were
watched closely until something definite could be seen. Soon it
became known that the sheep thief or thieves was someone connected
with them or who knew their habits and farms well. When a *watch"
was on, no sheep were lost but any relaxation of their guard duty
brought them that slight loss. In family circles suspicions rose
Name: Ethelda Stoddard Richardson Page 3
Topic: Study of Folklore in the
Berkshires
and old friends talked about the sheep stealing surreptitiously,
watching tLose with whom they were less friendly, closely. It was
a sad state for a neighborly little hamlet. Finally as time went
on and they were not discovered, George and his friend became more
careless with their pilfering. The friend seemed to have engineered
the plot in the first place and George was wily enough to manage the
skaling of the animals. They slaughtered them together in some place
known to themselves and where they could easily dispose of the traces
of the killing. Not handling too many at one time, they were aole to
finish that part of their work soon and avoid suspicion. One or two
sheep covered over in the big wagon which George drove to North Adams
several times in a month roused no suspicion. They dressed the sheep
while on the way to town in the wagon and then sold them when they
arrived. It was a fine system Out as was mentioned before the per-
fection of their plans and their long continued success made them care-
less. Gossip became more open as neighbors found a common topic. Their
suspicions grew and soon Georges friend, who was more alert then he,
realized that they couldn't continue with their "work". Knowing too
that if George were caught he would exonerate himself and place all
the blame on him, the fellow decided that the two of them would have
to leave town. Without arousing anyone, the next time they went to
North Adams, they didn't return. Everyone knew their guilt then, but
as long as they weren't bothering any more there was no sense in wast-
ing I,ime chasing them only to have to pay for their board if they
sentenced them to a jail term. The respect which the townspeople felt
for Luther Day stood him in good stead now. They were sorry for him
which of course didn't suit Luther. He became bitter and not a little
Name: Ethelda Stoddard Richardson Page 4
Topic: Study of Folklore in the
Berkshires
reticent. George however fared quite well. The two of them had
made enough money on the sheep ousiness to take care of them for
some time. George may have got the worst of the bargain being
somewhat on the less °rainy side but at any rate he had enough to
keep him. He was away from home for twenty-five years or more in
which time he went West perhaps with his friend and perhaps not.
Recently a wealthy man appeared in the news items. He is visiting
and may take up residence having a particular fondness for the place
as he once lived here when he was younger. Present day townspeople
do not know him but talk to any old timer and he will say, "Eta ben
buite a spell sence eny one's heard of 'em. Folks now'days don't
recall 'em but I reckon I could tell a thing or two. They sure was
slick ones. Now this one comes back like nothin' never happened and
is fixin' to settle some'eres here. 'Course Luther's grandson., he
didn't know no diffunt unless someone toll him he came pack quite
a spell ago and now one raised any fuse. T'want no use to cry over
spilt milk and 'sides that they want but a few who didn't think the
other feller was the most ta olame fer he he'd the brains.* George
is getting to be a rather old man himself now. He spends most of
his time in North Adams perhaps because he has the feeling the place
is a little more friendly to him. As has been mentioned the old Day
has little to its credit now oecause of the neglect it has known.
George had no children to whom he might leave the place and not being
a Ousiness man he didn't care to keep up the farm to make money or
even to rent it to someone else to run.
There is one other ancedote told auout George that has quite a
little humor in it. It happened while George and Yatilda %ere
Name: Ethelda Stoddard Richardson Page 5
Topic: Study of folklore in the
Berkshires
living together -before George took his trip to the West to escape
consequences for sheep stealing. Small boys having heard their folks
discuss George's "peculiarities" and noted them for themselves were
always eager to play some trick on him. It was generally one cal-
culated to take place after they had retired to some safe, distant
vantage pbint. George was clumsy at running out he was powerful and
had a nasty temper and the youngsters realized this. This day Fate
gave them a perfect opening. Gforge and Matilda were having a "scrap".
The boys could tell without too much detective work, for the couple
didn't lower their voices. They knew too when George hitched up the
mare and went down town that it would probably be more exciting when
he came back. They would know whether he had been drinking when he
came thru the covered bridge. Anyone in their right mind would come
thru that old covered wooden bridge in some orderly •fashion and George
would too except when under the influence of "spirits." 4'kit when
George came thru that bridge and was feeling particularly exhuberant,
his team or the mare which ever he was driving, was, as one old fellow
expressed it "right out straight an, hell bent fer leather." It
seemed to be the "turn" that George's drinking would take to race
his horses home. The day mentioned, George, came home in just such
a manner. The bridge announced his coming long before he raced into
the farm yard. Careening into the road he g_ve himself time enough
to get out of the wagon and start toward the house before he and "Mat"
were yelling at one another again. The mischievous little scamps
waited until the noise of battle was issuing from distant corner of
the farm house and then they crept up to George's steaming mare,
unhitched her and while some of them were putting her in the barn
Name: Ethelda Stoddard Richardson Page 6
Topic: Study of Folklore in the
Berkshires
others were dragging a large saw -horse (used to lay long sticks of
wood on when one person is sawing the stick mostly) out and hitching
and harnessing it in the horse's place. They had finished their work
when the sounds of the Day fight began to come from the direction of
the kitchen again. This was the mdn exit and entrance to the house.
The argument became more and more heated. Then George blustered and
stumbled out of the door way and into his wagon which took some time
to negotiate. When he finally was standing upright in the wagon he
turned to deliver his last remark to his wife. "I'll put da states
between yerself an' meself an, at aint no iittle"bit." Stooping
down with finality to pick up the reins he s -id, "Giddap, Johanna!"
to what he supposed was his mare and promptly went right over back-
wards. as the slack reins in his hands tipped the saw horse upward.
That happened after that isn't known. The ooys.didn't stay to see
any further. It might not have proved healthy for them to remain too
long. the fall may have jarred some of the liquor effects out of
George or Matilda might have been frightened and came to his aid thus
bringing about a reconciliation at any rate George didn't leave
rightaiay and the mare was spared the journey across the continent as
George planned.
There are many relatives of the Day line, some of them proud enough
to want to disclaim any knowledge or relationship with our George Day
out most of them have a humorous regard for him and his deeds and their
attitude is "it takes good and the bad and it can happen in the best
of families." lownspeople have all out forgotten to talk about him
in their enthusiastic gossip about present day "characters". Those
who have lived in the town all their lives know everyone else and feel
Name: Ethelda '.Aoddard Richadson Page 7
iopic: Study of Folklore in the
Berkshires
it their right to know all4Loout another person. However George is
an odd old man now and isn't worth too much discussion. In an all
day visiting session or with a convalescent's entert..inment these
old stories come into the conversation. j'ut who wants to talk about
an old man who stole sheep when the neighbors son or daughter is
"kickin, up pretty wild" and gives one something to "stew over".