Back in the 40's a neighbor farmer got into a scrape that was rather embarrassin. He was fairly well to do with money on loan to the poor farmers around the countryside and was considered to be rather harsh if those poor old dudes couldn't pay as agreed. He was in fact, ornery! His wife wouldn't even have anything to do with'm. Said if she was his "wife" it would ruin her figure!! [She was built like an oak tree without many limbs] He sought company elsewhere-from some of those poor farmers wives!

He was not lazy and really was considered to be a work'n fool. My granddad ran a steam engine threshin grain years ago. This old dude was to furnish all the firewood Pap needed. He was always just a little tight and would have a bare mininum amount of wood and most of't was green, knarly stuff that was very difficult to burn. One morn'n Grandpap was firin the engine and the old guy wasn't yet there. It was most of 4:30 am and pap was need'n firewood. The little pile was quickly consumed and next thing pap knew--he was out of wood. Rather than wait on the farmer-grandpa started pull'n hedge fenceposts and use'n them for firewood. After he'd pulled about a half quarter mile of those posts the farmer showed up--about 8am. He most certainly was not happy but knew he couldn't say anything because it was his fault.

The old farmer was out work'n in the field pull'n an implement that ran off a PTO. He never ran the guard because it took a couple minutes to install it when he hooked to the implement. This particular day was no different than any other. The Implement got clogged and he had to get down to check on it. Upon exit'n the tractor he got his old floppy britches leg caught in the PTO tumbler bar. What could've been a very tragic accident turned out to be really comicial. All he had left on at the end of this little ordeal was the collar of his blue chambrois shirt and his old brogan shoes. Stuck out in the middle of a field and no vehicle to drive for help. He had to walk to a neighbors house for help--wear'n nothin but his shirt collar and brogan shoes. From then on he was known far and wide as 'ole collar and shoes'! True story! Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), March 08, 2001