Poor and Poorer

Poor and Poorer

Dirt poor is when you have dirt floors.  Grandpa Chester Bell was from a big English family

from Canada.  They had dirt floors.  Grandpa was boarded out when he was about nine

because his parents were too poor to feed him.  He worked for room and board.

The little money he was paid  was sent to his parents to feed his Brothers and Sisters.

He told me that he worked in a factory once where they made hoops, lids and stays.

--Barrels.  He became a Chief Engineers on the Great Lakes.  Grandma taught him his

Figurin' so he could pass his test for Engineering.  Grandpa's nickname was,  "Happy".

Everyone liked to sail with Chester.  I asked him once what his secret was to always

bring everyone back alive.  He told me,  "The Chief has to respect the Captain and the

Captain has to respect the  Chief Engineer and they both have to respect the weather.

Grandpa sailed 9 Months a year.

Grandpa said he always  liked to work.

During the "Big Depression"  Mom said she was dressed better than most because

her  Mother, Bessie, sewed.