Ruth Ryan Smith - Happy Mothers Day
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This story was written in 1982, and told the story of Ruth Ryan's most memorable Christmas. This story is more than just a sentimental holiday memory, as it reflects how life was during America's Great Depression.
She told us many stories about her childhood - its too bad that we never documented any of them. While we heard how difficult life was during the 30s, there were many other stories that she recited with great fondness. Sure...We heard stories about the dust storms, businesses failing (including those of our grandfathers), and so on. But nothing ever suggested that life was slightly better than a hardscrabble existence.
She used to describe how the family would gather nightly around
We knew that she was a voracious reader, and even in Eureka, we recall going to the library with her on Saturday mornings to check out library books. Her favorite books, as a child, were not much different than what we read - Wizard of Oz series, Nancy Drew, and so on.
| A story I vividly remember was one told by
her mother, Adelaide. They lived a few blocks from the railroad;
and her house was known as a place where hobos could come to get a free
meal. One day, she heard a knock on the back door...and as usual
would say, "come on in and help yourself to the soup." When she
came into the kitchen, the man sitting at the kitchen table thanked her
for the food, but also scolded her for letting strangers into the house.
As he said to her, "there are a lot of unsavory people out there who
would steal you blind...or do worse" They may not have had a lot of money, but they were always a very close family.
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