Marlee Got The Giggles

While Grandma Lu was telling the story about the beauty school she went to on her wedding day years ago, a friend stopped by and said, "Hey, guys, scrooch over. I want to listen." So of course, everyone said, "Hi, Elizabeth! She ordered a drink and listened with lots of smiles on her face. She said, "Oh my goodness. I so remember the "bluing days in the "60's" (Marlee, she meant in the 1960's.) Those days were long ago, but fun for many different reasons. Someday we will talk about some of those fun times.
So of course, Grandma B and Grandma Lu all asked her why she remembered those days so well.

Annie Lee Dopson

"Well, I was born in a really little town. I don't think it got much over seven hundred people in those days. It was just seven (7) miles from the Louisiana border, so it was really south of here. Like many towns it was settled by people because it was along the railroad tracks. It has even changed names since it first began. It began as Victoria and now it is called Strong. In those days just like your hometown, Marlee, railroads were so important to folks. At one time we had a train stop there eight (8) times a day. They shipped out farmer's goods like their produce and cotton and lumber. We don't see cotton fields much around here, do we?"
About that time Marlee interrupted, Elizabeth and said, "Did you  know I got a new baby sister? Her name is Whitlee Jo. She cries sometimes."
Elizabeth laughed and said, "Yes, I heard about your new sister. Do you like her?" Marlee smiled and said, "I love her, but my "B" doesn't need to hold her; just me." The ladies laughed and continued on with their visiting.
 "When I heard your story about the bluing days I thought immediately about my Granny. We called her Long Granny.
Marlee started to giggle and said, "Long Granny. That's a funny name, was she really long?" Elizabeth laughed with Marlee and said, "No, honey. We lived a long long ways away from my granny. We lived in a state called Oklahoma. It took a long time to drive to her house. We just started calling her "Long Granny" when we were little like you. That name stuck clear to this day. My little town had grown so  much that we had many many stores and cotton gins and grocery stories and three (3) sawmills. Most important to my Granny was the beauty shop.
 My grandmother, Annie Lee Dopson, on my dad's side went to Miss Sula who owned a beauty shop to have her hair "blued" once a month. My grandfather mowed Miss Sula's yard once a week to pay for it for her. In September when the grass didn't grow as fast, he only needed to do it about twice a month. My Granny usually had a perm about twice a year. She liked curls.
Grandma Lu said, "Me too, but I hate the smell and the time it takes. I've gotten lazy and just wear my hair straight nowadays." she chuckled. You could just see Grandma Lu thinking about something. She gets this look in her eyes like she is somewhere else. All of a sudden she said,
"Oh my gosh, have you girls ever heard of the old time permanent wave machines? They were horrible. My mother always said my hair was straight as a string. We were poor so my mother baked cinnamon rolls and cookies and cakes and sold to people and a grocery store for extra money. Well, she asked this friend of hers that had her own beauty shop if she would give me a permanent for some baked goods. They agreed. You have no idea what a traumatic experience that was for a six (6) year old. It was hooked up to electricity. It had metal clamps that clamped over rollers that my hair was

Country Clippers

wound around. It was hot and little sparks flew out of it. I was so scared I couldn't even cry or move. I will never ever forget that. Well, that wasn't the worst of it. It was nothing but frizz. I cried and cried when I got home. I told my mama I wasn't going to school because I looked like a clown. And I meant it. My mama tried everything she could, but there was nothing to do, but have a different lady cut off my hair. Which of course, charged her money. After that she let my hair grow long. I wore it in a pony tail and she permed my bangs which was the fashion in those days. I'll never forget she used a Tony perm. It was smelly too, but no fireworks!"
Grandma B was laughing until tears were running down her cheeks. She said, "I can not even believe all of the bad luck you have had in beauty shops. It's a wonder you even came to my shop, The Country Clippers.
And that's another story for another day...
                 

Grandma Lu Continues With Her Story

Grandma Lu had to smile too, remembering her first horrible experience at a beauty school. Well, she hadn't finished that story. The rest of her time there was actually horrifying. While she was sitting under the hair dryer being quiet as a mouse, neither looking anywhere but straight ahead because she was so embarrassed, she saw something even worse.
In front of the rows of hair dryer chairs were the little stations where the new students were working with their clients or customers. There was an older lady with very very long whitish gray hair. When I noticed her walking towards her little station with the student, her hair was wound around and around the back of
her head. It wasn't in a long braid like Mrs. Owens, but was still in a circle. When the young girl took out the hair pins her hair fell all the way down to the seat of the chair that she was sitting in. Hair pins and bobby pins were used a lot in those days to hold your hair in place. Maybe they still are. I don't know because my hair is short nowadays.
My mother used decorative hair pins in her French Roll she wore for years.

 Hair pins are larger and were mainly used for holding long hair in place. Anyway, I'm rambling again. I had nothing to do but watch this lady. I watched her get her hair brushed and brushed. Then the student started putting some goopy stuff on it with what looked like a paint brush. It was in a little bowl. I noticed that the student wore a plastic apron. The elderly lady had a plastic cape around her shoulders too.

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Soon my hair was pronounced dry by my student hair dresser. As I walked by the elderly lady I noticed a supervisor looking at her hair. I got myself all situated in my chair and told the girl how I wanted my hair fixed. Then I realized that there was a lot of commotion coming from that lady's chair. You know why? I'll tell you why. That young girl did something really wrong when she mixed the color and that lady's hair had turned purple. Really purple. While Grandma Lu was telling this story even little Marlee covered her eyes. That would be terrible wouldn't it? I asked my student hair dresser what she had done wrong and if it could be fixed. I'll never forget what she said to me. She said, "I don't know what she did wrong, and I don't know if it can be fixed, but I am so glad that wasn't me that happened to."

In those days some ladies with white/gray hair liked to have their operators use a chemical or rinse, I don't know what exactly that made their hair look a little blue. It was the thing to do back then. Well, this was way way beyond blue. It was purple as a Purple People Eater.
In our day and age, ladies and men love to color their hair the color of their choice. Famous folks do too. This is a picture of Kelly Osbourne. She wore her hair a light color purple for a long time.
I left to go meet my love shortly after, but I always did wonder whatever happened to the poor lady with the purple hair.
This is a fun video of a song from 1958 called the Purple People Eater. This gentleman, Mr. Shelby, made his mark in this world with this song. It sold over 3 million copies in about a month. I was just a bit over fourteen years old when it was poplular.
Another memory to think about and laugh about. Enjoy. Marlee, always have fun with the music and learn to dance. We will have a party!

Grandma Lu And Her Wedding Day Long Ago

Grandma Lu was pleasantly surprised to see her friends Grandma B and Marlee at the cafe she had stopped at this morning. It seemed that they always had so many fun things to talk about. Today Grandma B was telling Marlee about how beauty shops had started in the "Olden Days" as Marlee called them. Of course, Grandma Lu couldn't stand not telling her beauty shop stories. "Boy, I have so many stories to tell you girls about beauty shops. I have a good
story to tell you about the day I married my children's daddy."
"Actually it was all Wally's fault. He moved the day of the wedding up a day. Well, I asked my beauty operator if she could get me in a day early. She had said she was completely booked up."
 She said, "I'm so sorry, but I just don't have any time for another appointment. This is a Friday and I'm afraid most of the shops will be full. Why don't you call the Beauty School here in town. They can probably get you worked in."
"Well, I had never been to a beauty school, so I thought I would give it a try. Now, Marlee, you have to understand we go to school to learn how to do something that we have never done before. Just like when we go to school to learn how to read. We don't know how until the teacher teaches us how. Well, that's what they do in a beauty school. They teach older boys and girls how to fix hair. They teach them all kinds of things, but on this particular day all I wanted was to get my hair fixed so I would look pretty for my new husband. They said that they had room and to come on in. They would fix my hair for me. So I did just that. Well, the girl was very nice, but very slow. The reason for that is that her teacher kept coming by to tell her how to do things. She checked to see if she had shampooed my hair right, then she checked to see if she was rolling my hair the right way in rollers in those days. The rollers they used in my hair were not big ones, but they were called brush ones.They were sharp and hurt my head. They were held in place with what they called picks. The rollers were all different sizes. That was part of the teaching process. The new students had to learn what kind of roller and what size to use where. I still have my mother's old hair rollers. I just can't seem to throw them away."
"The girl finally finished rolling my hair and showed me where to sit under the hair dryer. In those days there were rows and rows of hairdryer chairs. They had foot rests that were adjusted by a hand lever on the side of the chair. The chairs were pushed up so close together I could hardly get my hand down there. My head was under the dryer so I couldn't see what I was doing. Also in those days the customers were given coffee, and a magazine. Customers usually, often smoked cigarettes in those days. The hair dryer chairs had built in ashtrays in the arms. So actually the ladies were so busy drying, adjusting their chairs, reading magazines and smoking, that the time went by really fast. Before they knew it, it was time to get their hair styled. Except in my case. The lady next to me was a rather large lady. Actually too large for the chair she was sitting in. She had a cup of coffee in one hand and a magazine in the other hand. All of a sudden Bam! Her head went crashing into the hair dryer, her coffee spilled all over the place and the magazine went flying to the floor. I had accidentally pulled her lever to her footrest and made her legs go down really fast. I was so embarrassed. I apologized and apologized, but it seemed the more I said I was sorry the angrier she became so I just sat there really sad on my wedding day."
Marlee started to giggle, "Oh, Grandma Lu I sure would have liked to have seen that."
Grandma B was laughing so hard she spewed her coffee on the table. She said, "Oh, Grandma Lu have you always had such an exciting life?"
Little did Grandma B know that this story was just the beginning of the Beauty Shop saga in her life. She had not even finished her story of the Beauty School either!

Marlee Wants To Know About The Olden Days

"Grandma B what does Grandma Lu mean when she talks about the olden days in her stories that you read to me? Did you live in the olden days like my daddy says?"
If it was possible Grandma B coughed and spluttered and attempted to smile all at the same time. "Well, your very old daddy lived in the olden days too. No, I'm just kidding. The olden days that Grandma Lu talks about were years and years ago when her grandparents were alive and even their parents were alive."
Marlee said, "Well my mama has a beauty shop and she said you used to have one too. Did they have beauty shops in the olden days?"
Today was a nice day for the two (2) of them. They were at a small cafe and enjoying the time they had together. Marlee was only two years old, but she was beginning to ask a lot of questions lately which is a good thing.
"Well, give me a minute. Let me think back when I went to cosmetology school it seemed like the first beauty shop for women was actually started in the really olden days about 1888. The girl's name was Martha Matilda Harper. When she was just about seven (7) years old she became a servant. A servant in those days was a person that worked for rich people for little or no pay. She worked for a doctor and he is the one that taught her how to take care of people's hair. She saved her little pay for years
 and years and finally had enough saved to open up a beauty shop which was called a salon. She was so smart she invented the first shampoo chair that laid back. Before she opened up a shop hair stylists went to ladies' homes or had their servants do their hair. She had really long hair clear down to the floor.
Do you remember taking a walk with Mrs. Owens?

Well she told you about barber shops in the olden days, but I don't think she told you about beauty shops did she? The barber shops were mainly for men. Sometimes they would cut men's hair and also give them a shave. When you and Mrs. Owens went to the library that building used to be a barbershop. I think I remember you telling me about that. A haircut in the old days depending on where you lived could be a cheap as a quarter. You are a big girl and know what is quarter looks like, don't you? If you lived in a city it would cost a little more. Now a hair cut is about $20.00 more or less, again depending on where you live and of course, the owner of the beauty shop.
Joyce's Beauty Shop started out there on the other side of the barber shop. Later on then she moved into a brick building that once was the M.F.A. grocery store. Mrs. Owens used Joyce's Beauty shop as a landmark frequently when she was directing people to different places in town in her little history booklets that she wrote."
"Well, look who's here. Grandma Lu. What are you doing in town today, my friend?"
" Oh nothing much just doing some errands. What are you two (2) talking about?" So they started talking about beauty shops and of course, once again Grandma Lu had a story. Or should I say lots of stories.
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Here is a video you may or may not enjoy watching. It is the history of Martha Matilda Harper. I love history so I thought I would put this in for those of you that would like to hear it.
This is the beginning of what I will call the Beauty Shop series.

The Unwanted Rescue

The cousins each had an apron. Grandma Lu had taken hers off and was continuously swatting at cobwebs. Oh she hated those things. Bon Bon also had on an apron because she had been baking cookies in the kitchen. Both aprons had pockets thank goodness. Grandma Lu had to put hers back on so that she could put some pictures in the pockets. Most wouldn't fit so she was carrying them. As I said the cousins had a common goal to prove once and for all that the tunnels did exist, but to also save and preserve as much of the Humansville history as possible for future generations. All at once Grandma Lu lost her footing. She had stumbled on something and almost fell down. Thank goodness Bon Bon was right there to catch her by the elbow. They both started talking at once about being careful and what in the world had she stumbled on. They had discovered one more piece of history. It was an old sign that Rick Owens had painted. Wow, they had to save it that was for sure.

Grandma Lu was starting to get short of breath the air was not very good down in that tunnel. She was thinking about going back if they could find a way. She had muddy dirt all over her face, her fingernails were dirty and broken. She just was getting too old to do this kind of thing. It made her mad as a hornet. She told Bon Bon that she thought they should go back. She had to try to get someone to hear her, maybe by beating on the wall or something. She needed some fresh air. She couldn't believe it, but Bon Bon agreed with her. She was having trouble breathing too. It just was not safe down there. So they both turned on their cellphones for more light. Bam! Bon Bon fell over a huge old moldy trunk. Now it was starting to get both scary and exciting. The scary thing was that Bon Bon had the wind knocked out of her and couldn't talk. The exciting thing was that the ancient moldy trunk probably had a lot of treasures in it. Trying to help Bon Bon was difficult for Grandma Lu, but she kept her cool and talked to her cousin and told her everything would be okay. Even though she teased her, she loved her a lot and didn't want her to be hurt. She finally got Bon Bon to start breathing normally again and told her to sit down on the trunk while she was going for help. She hated to give up her quest, but enough was enough.
While Grandma Lu was going to see if she could get someone to help her, Bon Bon had regained her regular breathing and true to form had to investigate what was in that moldy old trunk; nothing. "I just can't believe this. There has to be a false bottom in this old thing." Sure enough, she for once had beat Grandma Lu to the punch. She found many old pictures underneath the false bottom. Here are some of them.

She had found a picture of what folks had once called Praxton Springs now referred to as Big Springs.
There was a picture of a huge hotel. There are stories that many many tradespeople and drovers of cattle would stop and spend a night or two (2) there. In the old days big hotels would have saloons in them that we call bars nowadays. They would have a barber shop as well. Folks could get a bath there too. Can you imagine having to haul water to heat then haul it up the stairs to fill a tin tub? They didn't have water faucets in those days.
"Oh I know what this is. This is a Blacksmith inside of his blacksmith shop. How cool. It says Humansville, Missouri on the back, but not what year."
Before Bon Bon could look much longer there were people staring at her with mad faces.  "Eww, they looked really angry. She didn't do anything wrong, did she? Especially since Grandma Lu started this whole thing..."
Then there were more mad faces and sad faces and happy faces. Everyone was so glad they were safe and sound albeit a bit worn for wear. They were warned never ever to go in the tunnels again because it wasn't safe.
Marlee said, "Grandma Lu, I'm sad at you. I brought you some of my chicken eggs and you were lost. No more lost, okay?" Of course, Grandma Lu promised that she wouldn't ever again. (She had her fingers crossed behind her back, but of course, I didn't tell you that.)
Marlee's daddy scolded Grandma Lu and told her that they all were worried about her and her cousin. Of course, Grandma Lu straightened her back and set her chin and proceeded to tell everyone just what she thought about getting scolded like a child. This is what she had to say.
"In the first place, everyone, I did not plan on getting myself in trouble in the tunnels. This was all Grandma B's fault. When she decided to make a Lost and Found closet she hung things up on the wall above the table. When she did that she disengaged the secret lock that children used to use to go into a big room to play when the grownups had company. They used to play hide and seek from this very closet. Marleewood has lots of history. I can even tell you what color the walls were. They were yellow. Look at my face, I am all dirty because I have been searching for answers and found them. When you folks bought this place you had no idea that you had purchased a piece of Humansville history. Now it is your responsibility to add to that history and care for this old building. That's all I have to say about this matter." There was nothing but silence for a moment, then everyone was talking a blue streak. There were hugs and tears and laughter. Bon Bon just looked around and said, "You know what, I'm out of here. You are all nuts."
 Well, that was not what Grandma Lu and her friends wanted to hear. They apologized and asked her please to stay and have coffee and a snack. They wanted to hear all about their adventure into Humansville's past. Bon Bon gave them a small smile and asked her grandson if he wanted to stay awhile. He didn't answer her because he was very busy with his new friends. "Kids, she thought, sure I will stay for awhile. Thanks for asking."
Grandma Lu's friends wanted to know all about the cousins when they were children. Perhaps someday they will hear about the country and city cousins and some of their escapades.
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There will be more stories and pictures of Humansville history sometime in the future.

The Cousins Find Precious Photos

The cousins were anxious to get to a place where they could find an opening to the outside. They secretly hoped that no one would find them down here. They wanted to go the distance and find an outside exit. Since the two (2) elderly cousins now had a common goal, they had for the most part quit their bickering. They didn't have to travel far before they found an old packet of papers. The outside was gray with age and moldy as well. (This really wasn't a healthy environment for these ladies.)
Grandma Lu said, "Bon Bon, turn your cellphone towards my left foot. There is something down there. It looks to me like some old photos. (When you are in the dark for a long period of time your eyes will adjust just a little bit to the darkness. That was happening during this story.)
Bon Bon for once did what she was told. There was total silence as the two (2) ladies started going through the old old folder. There were indeed photos in it.
"That is terrible to let these precious photos just rot away like this." Her cousin replied, "I agree, but to some folks these photos are nothing of value. For one reason people often didn't put the names of folks or places on the back of the pictures and their relationship to them. Therefore, they were just junk to be left behind or thrown away."
Grandma Lu started pulling the sticky pictures apart, but found that when she did that she had destroyed the picture. She quickly decided not to do that. They were getting tired of stooping over so they each grabbed a handful and tried to see the photos as best they could.
Bon Bon started chuckling. "You are not even going to believe this. This is a picture of Uncle Joe." Grandma Lu said, "We don't have an Uncle Joe." Once again Bon Bon said, "No, Uncle Joe on Petticoat Junction the old television show. Don't you remember him? He was on so many television shows and starred in a lot of movies too. His real name is Edgar Buchanan. Don't you remember anything any more? Look it says on the back of this picture he was born in 1903. That's the same year Uncle Ray was born isn't it? (Uncle Ray was Grandma Lu's father.) I'm sure if you ever watched the Westerns you would remember his gravely voice. It says on the back that he was born here in Humansville and became a dentist for awhile like his father. Then went back to his first love; acting.

"What do you have there? Anyone interesting?"
"I have in my hands a picture of  Pulitzer Prize Winner for Drama. It says she was born in Humansville too. She was a playwright and poet. It says that her sense of humor fell flat just like yours! Ha Ha. I'm sorry, but it's so much fun to tease you, Bon Bon."
Bon Bon said, "I know, I know. You have been doing it long enough you are getting really good at it!" What she heard was a chuckle.
While they were talking and trying to decide how they were going to get these things back upstairs for safe keeping, a picture fell out of Grandma Lu's hands. "Oh my goodness, Bon Bon look at this. It is a picture of Mrs. Owen's husband Rick when he was in the Army during WWl. He has a musical instrument in his hands that I don't recognize for sure. I think it is a tuba resting on his lap. If Mr. Owens played in a military band he would have received about $8.00 a month for doing that. I do believe that the Army instituted tubas in their marching bands in the 1850's. They, whoever "they" are say that music bolsters the men's courage."
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There were quite a few important or at least noteworthy folks born here or had lived in Humansville at one time. I'm sure that one of the grandmas will tell the children at Marleewood about them at one time or another.
I think that soon Grandma B will tell the children a story....

Leave It To Bon Bon

"Answer me, Bon Bon. You are scaring me. Where are you?"
Grandma Lu could hear Bon Bon singing. "I found it firrrst. I found it firrrst!" Then she heard a mean chuckle.
"Okay, where are you and what did you find? You sound like a child."
"I found Civil War stuff before you did. I found evidence that the Civil War soldiers used these tunnels for their weapons and ammunition. I bet they even used these tunnels to hide their White Lightning whiskey during the Prohibition Era when it was against the law to sell whiskey. Didn't you say one of the oldest buildings in Humansville is that little pub across the street?"
Bon Bon had found an old Harper's Weekly magazine. It was dated 1861. This is a picture of General Marshall Lane of the Civil War camp outside of Humansville, Missouri. ( Grandma Lu was impressed. Not with her cousin, but that this old magazine and more that were printed throughout the Civil War are preserved for people to read on line. The copy of this exact magazine sold for only six cents at the time it was printed. There is a copy now for sale for $165.00)

Grandma Lu was afraid to run her cellphone's battery down. She knew she had at least twenty-four hours of battery life because she never used it except to take pictures, but she had to be careful. As she urged her cousin, Bon Bon to go with her she hit her foot against something soft.
 She couldn't believe it. It was an old poster of another General. General Joseph Shelby. She and others called him the Million Dollar General because on his march from Arkansas through Missouri he had confiscated over a million dollars worth of supplies from the Union Army. He destroyed over $800,000 worth of supplies by burning them down. He also stole 6000 horses and 399 wagons from them. He had only one goal and that was to destroy what he thought was his enemy. When he got to Warsaw, Missouri however, another Federal General met him with more soldiers than he had so General Shelby and his army went back to Arkansas.
(Grandma Lu loves history, can you tell?)
Both cousins picked up their treasure and continued on their quest to the City Hall or Library tunnel. They were so in hopes of finding some more reminders of the old days in Humansville, Missouri.
The picture you see of a daddy and his little boy Ryan is very important to teach children when they are young. Ryan wanted to know where some of his family lived, so his daddy spread out a map on the floor and showed him the many places where he had family members. Maps were a key part of the Generals' planning of attack of their enemy during the Civil War as well as wars down through the years. Along with maps they used men on horseback as scouts to ride ahead of the main group of soldiers. They would report back to the Generals with information such as how many men, what the land was like, if it was easy to get to, if there was water etc.
Paper maps in Marlee's growing up years are not used as much because of the navigational electronic systems in cars. However, a book of maps called an Atlas are still very helpful for finding alternate routes in case of bad weather and construction etc.
Are you wondering what is happening upstairs in Marleewood? I'm sure you are. Well, it didn't burn down like so many of the buildings did in Humansville.


This is a picture of a beautiful school in Humansville that did burn down years and years ago.
Grandma B rescued the cookies before they burned. But she went a little haywire with worry. That means she went silly and goofy. She did call Marlee's daddy and lots of friends. They were on their way to help rescue the comical cousins. She had been reading about Mrs. Owens and the old days and hearing about the old movies that were shown in Humansville,  This little video clip was made the same year that Mrs. Owens arrived in Humansville as a new bride. These silent films also need to be preserved. Just think about Mrs. Owens and her husband Rick watching this funny video together in the Liberty Theater.
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 What Grandma B did not know was that the tunnels were restricted territory and that absolutely no one was allowed down there for any reason.
Well, now I wonder why that is? We probably will never know because I think the cousins will soon be rescued. But at what cost I wonder.

Where Is Scooby-Doo When You Need Him?

"What do you  mean you are stuck? Get over here and help me. I sure hope you have your cellphone with you. I need to make some calls."
Bon Bon said, "What part of "I'm stuck, don't you get? I am STUCK in this silly wall. I can't get in or out, thank you very much. You never listen to me!"
Grandma Lu turned towards her cousin, Bon Bon and held her cellphone up towards Bon Bon's voice. Sure enough, there was her cousin half in and half out of the closet.
Grandma Lu's patience was running thin. She sternly said, "Oh alright. I'm going to pull or push. I think it would be best if I pushed you back into the closet. That way you can bring me some stuff. I need some..."
"Oh no you don't. You always want all the fun. I remember when we were out at the farm..."
 Grandma Lu said, "Another day for story telling. I'm going to push you back in there."
About that time Bon Bon was smack dab in Grandma Lu's face. "There, ha! I told you I was coming in here. So there! And beside that, I don't like your apron either!"
Grandma Lu snickered and said, "Yeah, I see how you sew with a cellphone in one hand and one knee on the material to keep it in place." They looked at each other and started to giggle. It was just like old times. Such fun they had had as little girls. Long ago and a lifetime of memories away.
 However, Grandma Lu was not happy because she wanted flashlights.  She also needed some heavy sacks for putting things in that she was sure that she would find. "Well, did you at least bring your cellphone with you? We need a light down here."
Bon Bon said, "Well of course, I did. It's right here in my apron pocket. I was baking cookies in the kitchen with Tanner. I used my cellphone to time the cookies." About that time, Bon Bon's timer alarm went off. They both looked at each other with worry in their eyes. Hopefully Grandma B had taken the cookies out of the oven or they were in deep trouble.
Once again, Grandma Lu took a deep breath and said, "Okay, just call Grandma B and tell her to take the cookies out of the oven and tell her how to open that wall. Everything will be just peachy then."
Grandma Lu gave Bon Bon her "Grandma Lu look" and said, "Well?" Bon Bon said, "Okay okay, what's her number?"
Grandma Lu had no clue whatsoever. She only knew her home phone number and she didn't know that by heart. Grandma Lu said, "Just text her. She always has her phone near by." Bon Bon's answer was, "She's not on my contact list!"
There was only one thing left to do, but follow the tunnel. Grandma Lu was hoping that the tunnels were not all blocked off. Maybe the tunnel they were taking was going to take them over to City Hall right next door to Mrs. Owen's house. The rumors were that there were tunnels for transporting gold from bank to bank and even to Kansas City, Missouri in the old days. Some say there were other tunnels in the south side of Humansville too. She had even read that the tunnels were used during the Civil War days. She didn't care about them right now. She needed to find a fast way out of the tunnels. She so hoped that Grandma B was taking care of Marleewood and the children.
She chuckled and said, "So Bon Bon, where is Scooby-Doo when you need him?" There was no answer from Bon Bon.
"Bon Bon keep up with me! We have to get out of here!"
No answer....
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Mrs. Owens and others have said that in years gone by that there were a series of tunnels underground not only for transporting gold from the several banks, but also for the slave underground. The tunnels and brave people served the slaves to escape safely to the North. None of this can be confirmed, but it is interesting to think about. I happened to mention this to my beauty operator and she said that the little town of Greenfield, Missouri that had been burned by General Shelby also had underground tunnels. That little town is about fifty miles from Marlee's hometown. That is another story waiting to be told.

Bon Bon To The Rescue?

"Good grief, Bon Bon never changes. She gallops through life a hundred miles an hour and I always seem to be her rodeo." Grandma Lu rubbed her shoulder where she had hit the wall going into where, she didn't know. It was pitch black. She was afraid to walk around because she couldn't see if it was safe or not. "I have to take this slowly. When you get scared you can't think very well. So I am going to take a deep breath and think. I'm not hurt so all I have to do is find a light so I can see where I am. I don't have a match or candle. What can I use?"
Grandma Lu chuckled. "That is so funny. I hate cell phones and don't use them unless I want to take a picture. I had it in my apron pocket when I was in the kitchen making snacks. Let's see if it is still in there. Yes! It is still there. Now let's see if I can feel around and find out where to turn it on."
Grandma Lu stood very still and felt on her phone for the On Button. Sure enough the phone lit up and she could see a bit around her. Oh she so wished that she had not deleted her flashlight app. She just didn't think that she needed it. "Oh well, let's see what I've got here. I believe I am in a room that might lead to a series of tunnels underneath the streets. Marleewood is a really old building. I just might be right." There had been rumors and stories about underground tunnels in her little town for years and years. Rumors are things that sometimes are true and again sometimes they are not. Grandma Lu had heard these rumors, but she also had read about them. Many small towns had these tunnels for many different reasons. One thing for sure; if there were some tunnels they were used for secret stuff. Grandma Lu started to giggle. What a silly thing she thought about. Years ago when her children were small they always watched the Scooby-Doo cartoons on Saturday morning. "Boy, I could use Daphne about now. She was the mystery solver."

She slowly lifted her phone so that she could see around her. The room was fairly large. It was all stone and very damp. There was some water on on the floor and it didn't smell nice. It smelled just like the cellar did at her childhood home. That was moldy smelling too. Her mama used to ask her to go to the cellar to get canned vegetables for her to cook. She hated doing that. She did not like cobwebs and bugs. There definitely were cobwebs in this room and it was very chilly and damp. She had her Kansas City Chiefs apron on and it was good for wiping off those dratted cobwebs.
Oh oh, I don't know if she should have taken off her apron...
While Grandma Lu was doing a bit of careful exploring Grandma B and Bon Bon were having a discussion. "B" was not happy with Bon Bon and explained to her that she should have been more careful. Bon Bon got tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, I always seem to do stuff like this. I don't know what is wrong with me." That made Grandma B feel bad so she put her arms around her and said, "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have used an upset voice. I just am worried about my friend. I don't know what to do."
Bon Bon said, "Well, it's my fault so I have to find her. Just leave it to me. I'll get her back safe and sound. She and I have been in a lot worse pickles than this. Oh I could tell you some stories. If you wouldn't mind would you tell Tanner and Marlee and Addie I'll be back soon to help finish the cookies? I think I hear some fussing out there."
Grandma B wasn't sure that was the route she needed to take, but she said, "Okay, just get Grandma Lu back safe and sound." Secretly Grandma B was thinking, "What kind of stories? Maybe I should try to find her myself."
After Grandma B left, Bonnie closed the closet door and moved out the table. She started feeling around the wall for a button or knob. Finally she found a loose panel on the back wall. She smiled with satisfaction. She knew she could do it. She pushed against it with her shoulder. When the wall (It was actually a hidden door) started to open into the room behind it she called out, "Hey Lu! Are you okay?" (It's okay to use first names when you are family.) Grandma Lu, said, "Oh good, glad you are there. Will you go get a couple of flashlights? I think I have solved the mystery."
Bon Bon said, "Well, I would if I could, but I can't. I seem to be a bit stuck.Well, actually a lot stuck."

                         ***************

The Closet

When Grandma B got back to the Mini Farm, she put Marlee down for a much needed nap. She made a pot of coffee and read that article about Mrs. Owens again. She had known Mrs. Owens, but she was young and didn't know a lot about her history back then. She sure didn't know where on earth Marlee had gotten that old newspaper clipping. She guessed that she was going to have to call her friend, Grandma Lu and ask her for some help.
The next day Marlee and Grandma B drove into the parking lot and there were people already there. She especially noticed Grandma Lu's car. She didn't drive  much, but she was already in the kitchen making coffee for some folks and getting snacks out for the children in the Community Room. There was a lady and a little boy that she didn't know with her. Grandma Lu introduced them and grinned. "This is my cousin and her grandson. They are helping me make some snacks. This is a Bonnie too. Her name is Bonnie Jean and her grandson, Tanner."
 Children were watching a movie on the big screen television while the grownups were either in the kitchen visiting or sitting in the Community Room with the children.
Marlee went to the Community Room with the other children and got down to watch a video of her own on a computer. Grandma B had given her permission to bring a little kitten with her today.
Grandma B took Grandma Lu aside and whispered in her ear. "I need you to come and help me look through that closet that I made into a Lost and Found Closet. Marlee found stuff in there and I don't remember ever seeing it before."
Grandma Lu nodded her head and they both went into the hallway where the closet was. I had mentioned before that this closet was bigger than a normal closet and Marleewood was an old building. That meant that they could both walk in and look around. "I just don't understand where in the world Marlee could have picked up that newspaper clipping and look there is a picture of a little red headed girl laying on the floor. I did not put that there, Grandma Lu."

There is nothing better in Grandma Lu's mind than a good little mystery. She started walking around and patting the walls. "Start looking for a loose board or a pocket door, Grandma B." Grandma B said, "What's that?"

Oh oh
I didn't mean to..

"A pocket door is a door that slides into a wall. In the old days in the 1920's they built houses with those in them to disguise the door. They looked just like a wall. My little house in Humansville had one. They are really neat. It was one of the first houses built in those days. It was on Ohio Street.
It's dark in here, so let's feel around."
About that time Grandma Lu's cousin came rushing into the closet. Yelling, "Hey, what are you guys doing in here?" Without meaning to she ran into Grandma Lu and pushed her against the wall. They heard a deep "Ummph!" from Grandma Lu. Then nothing.... Wow!! Grandma Lu had just disappeared into thin air. Grandma Lu and Bonnie Jean whom we shall start calling Bon Bon both screamed! What had just happened?
We will find out in the next story.

Marlee Has A Souvenir From Her Adventure

Grandma B had gone out to the kitchen to get Marlee's black hoodie if you remember, while Marlee had taken a picture to the lost and found closet. The Marleewood building was very old and as you know has many rooms. It has an upstairs that is just as big as the downstairs. At Christmas time there was a cat whose name was Felix that was working as part of a secret agent ring that hid up there.
Marlee was so very tired, but she thought she heard her Grandma B calling her. She sat up and discovered that while she was looking at things that were in this closet she had fallen asleep. She kind of grinned, but laid back down. She really needed a nap. She felt like she had been outside all day.

Mary Owens

Finally Grandma B noticed that the door to the Lost and Found Closet was open a little. There lay Marlee sound asleep on the floor. Just as Grandma B stooped over to wake her up, Marlee said, "Goodbye, Mrs. Owens. Thanks for the drink and the candy and popcorn. We had a good day, didn't we?"
Marlee's eyes fluttered open and she saw Grandma B with her hoodie in her hand. Marlee said, "Can we go to the Mini Farm now?"
Grandma B slowly said, "Sure we can, but what do you have in your hand?" Marlee looked down and saw an article from years ago that was on newspaper print. She handed it to Grandma B and said, "Mrs. Owens gave that to me."
It was an interview that Mary Owens had saved from her one hundred birthday celebration. (I will paraphrase it for you.)
In an article in the Humansville Star Leader dated Friday July 26, 2002 the reporter asked her what it was like to turn a hundred years old. People from the Greyhound Bus Company were there. Mr. Joe Taylor and Claude Adams both retired bus drivers and their wives had come to celebrate with her. For over 12 years Mr. Taylor had been one of her bus drivers when she went to Kansas City and other places too. Mr. Adams had gotten her a pass to ride on the bus for free. She would never have to pay for her rides again.
Mrs. Owens was one of the oldest passengers that rode the bus and therefore was given the nickname of Grandma Greyhound, Greyhound Granny etc.
Grandma B said, "Are you ready to go back to the Mini Farm now?" Marlee nodded her head, got into her black hoodie and fell asleep in the car on the way home.
Grownups sometimes don't understand that little ones are very keen observers. They know much more than they can relate to others. Marlee was one of those children. Sometime or another she must have seen something that had triggered this adventure.
What Grandma B did not see was a picture that had fallen on the floor of the closet. This may be a clue to a future adventure of Marlee's.
I am sure there were a lot of questions asked and discussions when they got to the farm. Perhaps someday there will be more stories about Marlee's hometown or other villages close by.
                                   *********************
A very special thank you to Pat Kelly, Linda Kenney, Johnna Lu Burrows, Tracy Mason, Patti Hutton, John Hopkins, Bonnie Brown, Teresa Shoemaker King and many others. Sharon Anderson was invaluable at the library for supplying the many written materials for me. Your input and stories made this series so much fun. You will be hearing more about Marlee's hometown in the future I'm sure.
As more information comes in it will be added for future generations.