Document text
Label S. (ilson
Sunerior, :Ion -tuna
-1-
Interview with P. Johnston, Sunerior, Montana
TOPIC: The P. Johnston Store.
I came to Superior in the early 1890's (1892), from
Kansas, a year after my sister, :!1's. Li7zie Miles. /:y name
was Mary McCarthy than; I was a widow with two children, Leta
and Burnf. I had earned our living as a teacher, especially
of kindergarten, and had also been a nractical nurse and a
clerk. Soon after I cane to Superior, P. 7ohnston rot me
to clerk in his store. 3Y that time, ho had-7_1oved the store
from the old, stone building just west of this ranch -house,
and ke t it in the east end of this building, in that big
room we used for a livinrroom when we quit the store. I keen
it shut off most of the time now: It's too hard to heat.
Soon after I be -n clerking, Zohnston talked me into
,Iarryinr him, saYing I was fitted for a different kind of
life. He talked of his roin,7 on with the store, and keening
me and the children in a fine home in Missoula o- Wallace.
01)4 I was still in the dark as to the shady character of the es-
O.AA-
A CA)/4"2 tablishment he kept in connection with the store, what with
Olis Southern -gentlemanly front and his soft soap.
I soon found out -That his hirh and mighty ways meant to
73 refused to eat with the hired men emnloyed to run
this, -)lac, the -,acl:ers, and transients I fed in the kitchen
at that long table and insisted on a special service in the
d'ning-room, where he ate in solitary state. He berated me
Mabel C. Olson
Superior, Lantana
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for lowering my dignity by associating, and permitting my
children to associate, with "seryt-nts." I came back at him
and said he could imoort finger bowls; I'd use them to throw
in his face.
(Mrs. Johnston, if she could be induced to forget her
reluctance to recall the old da-rq, has a wealth of colorful
Taterial. Her younger daughter, Mrs. Grace Johnston 77orskey,
of T-Telena, Montana, has numerous documents kept by her
father. TTis name 717 scattered throughout the records o.P
Mineral County from the very early days until his death a
few rears ago. I give the above material from Mrs. Johnston,
realizing the roverty of it, but honing it may ,7:ive an ink-
ling into the character of Johnston. :Disband and wife were
an interesting e7:an,ple of contrasts: From the time when I
first saw Joimston, in 1905, ho was exceedingly thin and
delicate, with fine features framed by well -kept gray hair
and bear,'. TTis r1Priner was courtly, but Pleasant, covering a
decided business shrewdness. Mrs. Johnston always spoke of
her husband as "hr. Johnston." She aceuired something of the
lady -like manner he desired for her, which slipped in moments
of anger. She says, "Is it any wonder my hard life wade me
nikc un a cuss word here and there?" Until cute recently
she was much as she must have looked when she first came to
Superior: TTair hunt in into high rompadour over a foun-
dation, she wore under the same hat winter and summer; in
Label C. Olson
Surerior, 1,:lontana
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winter decked with luxuriant feathers, in summer with rlenti-
ful flowers. Tler buxom figure was set off b -r neat, old-
fashioned cotton dre-n, covered by lame, full -gathered,
white anron.
The ranch -house was in use at least since the early
1P9O's and, though much deteriorated, shows evidence of a
former attempt at grandeaur. It is long and low, with rorch
extending across the entire north side. 'here are 3ight roo-s.
"he east rortion, which was used as a store, is extrenelv
high-ceilinged and its faded, rarered walls are hung with
-lanv large, somewhat garish rictures. Ancient lace and velvet
hangings, highly -colored dishes of L. former time, deep feather
beds, a rlethora of sofa rillows, all urge one to slip out
of the rresent aT into t less critical age.)