Theresa and Edna's Memories of the N. J. Wadsworth Store. . . .#2

Theresa, the oldest of my four sisters, wrote of working in the store from the time she was in the 5th grade until she married and left home. She said, "It was often hard work and I wished that I could be out having a carefree good time with my friends, but I knew that I was needed there and that I was helping to insure that mom could run it when dad was gone. I enjoyed working side by side with my mother. I learned so much from her during that time. She was amazing."

Theresa often talked about Clara Syphus, one of the elderly women in Panaca. She said, "Clara lived alone in a little house that always seemed to be in need of repairs. Dad tried to see that these were done. Clara befriended stray cats and had many in her house and on her property. She often couldn't afford food for herself and yet would come into the store to get canned tuna for the cats. No matter how dad tried to talk her into a less expensive food for them, she insisted on the tuna. The end result was always that she left with it. He also made sure she had food for herself. Clara had a running bill at the store which dad never pushed her to pay. He would say to mom and I, " When Clara has a little extra, she will take care of it."

What I enjoyed the most was the quality time, one on one, that I got to spend with my father who was often gone from home. I was proud to see the love and respect he was given by the people of Panaca. The love given to him from the older people in town made me feel warm and happy. I loved his aunts, whom my siblings and I also called Aunt. Several of them were widowed and needy. Like Clara, he gave what would have been his profits to them, and made sure they had food and clothing. I especially enjoyed it when Chief Foster Charles and members of his tribe came into the store. It was heartwarming to see dad let the Indian children choose a candy stick from the jar on the counter. Their shy smiles and giggles were infectious. I think dad knew the store would never make him rich, but he ran it the way his heart dictated.

There were so many wonderful antiques in that little store. I loved dusting them and moving them around to make sure they always made an attractive display. As I did this, I found myself reminiscing about my ancestors and picturing them in the store looking at these very same items. These are all very special memories for me when I think of that little store."

Edna, 18 months younger than Theresa, was often baby sitter to David, Delores and I when Theresa and Mom worked in the store. She said, "Dad's country store was a haven for the lonely and the needy. He gave freely, whether comfort or sustenance. Dad literally gave the store away because he loved people and trusted them to do the right thing and pay when they could. He didn't press them, just grieved when they didn't. In essence then, he was paying for them.

I can still see, in my minds eye, each detail of that wonderful little Country Store. It had the usual porch across the front and the usual pot-belly stove with "fenders" to rest your feet on so one could tip their chair back. It had a deep cellar that kept the "soda water" cold and the perishable items fresh. It had a small walk in closet where fresh meat hung on wall hooks and the round balls of cheese were stored. There was a large cutting board on the front counter and a large knife. These things did not come ready packaged then. The store had an attic for storage where, way before my time, there was a corner sectioned off that held a counter and a small round table where "homemade" ice cream was sold. This was the towns first Ice Cream Parlor. I was told that ice cream could be purchased during the week only on a specified day. Back then, ice was cut in blocks from the reservoir and stored deep in sawdust or straw, in a protected building. It would last into the summer. Thus, the hand cranked machines could turn out ice cream even when the weather became hot. I go back far enough in years that I do remember what was probably the last ice storage of that kind in town. Dad stored ice for the store in huge blocks buried in sawdust in the cellar."

Edna also talked about the Indians and how they were part of the history of Panaca and the store when she was growing up. She said, "They would come to the store and stay almost the whole day. They would buy one thing at a time after long deliberations. Dad always ended up giving them things he knew they desperately needed for the papooses. The Indians were still doing leather and bead work. This took skill and great patience. They camped above town and stayed until the pine nuts were ready to harvest. They picked many pounds and cooked them over their campfires in big tubs. They wintered in another area and subsisted mainly from the sale of their pine nuts and handicrafts. I missed them when they left and looked forward to the day they came back."