I found an old notebook of Frank Brown’s (my great grandfather) – it’s actually “The Cooper Notebook” from 1936, and like most things in my ancestry is agriculture related. This one seems to be about sheep, as the foreword in the book states:
This notebook is used and distributed in the hope that it will prove useful in everyday use, and at the same time, provide an immediate reminder of the more important aspects of sheep dipping and the uses of Cooper Products.”
I can honestly say that I, in my every day life, have managed to live a lot of years without knowing about the important aspects of sheep dipping, but I am a little bit wiser now. I’m still not sure that I will need it in my every day life, but one honestly never knows. I have learned a lot of things that at the time seemed useless, but then became essential to my well being so never say never.
The notebook is mostly full of people’s names and addresses, but there were several things Frank wrote about his late wife, or life in general. Poor Frank seemed kind of lost after the death of Martha.
My dear wife who died Sept 29, 1935
Always so thoughtful, unselfish and kind.
Few in this world are equal to find
A beautiful life suddenly come to an end
She died as she lived
Everyone’s friend
Always remembered.
And another one
My wife passed away Sept 29, 1935
Nothing can take away
The love a heart holds dear
Fond memories linger every day
Remembrance keeps her near.
Written by husband F. Brown
A few random writings:
Some noises are enormous,
Some are teeny small
Some make my ears all tingle
Some I hardly hear at all
Another one:
When things don’t go to suit you
And the whole world seems upside down
Don’t waste your time in fretting
But drive away that frown
Since life is oft perplexing
It’s much the wisest plan
To bear all trials bravely
And smile whenever you can.
Also:
A heart that never knew a Pain
Is like a Land without rain
Is like a land that never knows
A springtime flood or summer Rose
So let us thank our God for this
Our May-time, our December
The first embrace, the Parting Kiss
The things that we Remember
The day with neither rain or sun
Brought never flowers to anyone
Thank God for Joy and grief and strife
We live upon the Peaks of life.
As I’m sitting in Cold February weather and dreaming of June flowers I’m not sure I totally agree with him on this one, but I do love the clear blue skies of winter when they are here.
You suns and skies
And clouds of June
and flowers of June
Together
You cannot Rival for one
Hour this clear
December’s weather.
And:
Long delay in kindness
Takes the kindness all away.
The gracious life of love
Can’t ever lose its power.
When the great Scorer comes
To mark against your name
He writes not what
you lost or won
But how you played the game.
And a couple of warnings about dealing with people:
The honey bee has a red hot foot
The wasp has a slender tail
A bumblebee sits down quite hard
While the hornet turns you pale
The sting of the bee is hard to bear
It makes you ache and fret
but the sting that is made
By a trusted friend
Is the one you don’t forget.
Lastly this gem that was found on a lose scrap of paper, which gives an image I can’t quite get out of my head:
And when your time is over
And you’re a hopeless wreck
May you step back through your
Asshole and break your bloody neck
