<TITLE>16. Par 51-54</TITLE>L-51 We started walking home, moonlight night, you know, we'd walk under those shades of the trees, you know, when you come out she come out she had real dark brown eyes, when she'd look around, I could just... You know how you feel, that funny feeling. Now, you all did the same thing...?... that's right. I just admit mine. Ha-ha-ha. Now, isn't that right? Sure, raise up your hand. Now, that's better. Yes, sir.
That feeling you know, and I thought, "Oh, my," why, I thought after we got close to home, I thought maybe she forgot it, never got the letter, you know. And I thought it got stuck in the mailbox. I got pretty game then; I was talking pretty lively going down the street. And I just talk about next Sunday night again, you know, come walking down the street. Why, I was feeling fine. And just about the time we got about a city block from the home, she said, "Billy."
And I said, "Yes?"
She said, "I got your letter."
Oh, my, There it went again. I said, "Uh, uh, You did?"
She said, "Uh-huh."

L-52 Well, I kept on walking; nobody said nothing. And I thought, "Woman, say something." You know how a woman can keep you in suspense like that, you know. Well, I thought, "Surely, a man ought to say amen then." Be a brave man. Ha-ha-ha. So then she said... just... I thought, "What will I do?" And she wouldn't say a word. And I thought, "Well, I've got to say something, 'cause we're just a few doors--doors from her house." And I said, "Did you read it?"
She said, "Uh-huh." That's all she said.
I thought, "Oh, say something, and tell me; I--I can't come back or run me away, or do something, 'cause I'm--I'm under a big strain here." I said, "Did you read all of it?"
She said, "Uh-huh."
I said, "What'd you think of it?"
She said, "It was all right," and we got married." Ha-ha-ha. That's the way it happened. Married over here at Fort Wayne, Indiana.

L-53 And so we got married. And I--I never will forget when she told me then I had to ask her parents for her, said that was just... Oh, my, here it all... I thought I got by good there, but here that was before me. And I said, "Look, Hope," I--I said, "You know I believe we're supposed to be fifty-fifty." See? I said, "I'm supposed to be... We're going fifty-fifty on these things," I said, "let's just start it right now, what do you say?"
She said, "What do you mean?"
I said, "You being the girl, I believe it'd be best for you to ask your mother, and me being the boy, I'd ask your dad."
She said, "Very well."
I said, "Yeah. Well, you let me ask your dad first, will you?" If I get his promise, you know, first...
She said, "Well, you ask him tonight."

L-54 Well, I just couldn't do it that night after going through all that. So then I waited, next time I went up we were, went back. I set back there on the porch with her awhile, and we come in, her daddy was setting typing. And we walked in the house, and she said, "You'd better ask dad tonight 'cause we got to make ready."
And I said, "Yes, that's--that's right."
So, I went in, and he was setting there typing, and I talked to her mother a little bit, you know, and looked around. I started out, and she looked at me; and I said... I motioned to her; I hadn't forgot it. So I said, "Mr. Brumbach?"
Said, "Yes, Bill."
I said, "Could--could I talk to you a little bit?"
He said, "Yes, go ahead." And he turned around.
I said, "I--I mean out on the porch. I seen him look around to Mrs. Brumbach. I thought, "Oh, oh, here it is." So I walked out to the porch, and he walked out there. I said... I just couldn't say it; I just couldn't get them wor--I'd just get real weak every time I go try to say something, you know. I said, "Sure is a pretty night, isn't it Charlie?"
He said, "Yes, it is, Bill." Set there a little while.
I said, "Been awful warm."
He said, "Yes," said, "you can have her, Bill." Ha-ha-ha. Why, I love him today.
I said, "You mean it?"
He said, "Yeah, I do."
Oh, my, I wanted to hug him right then. Said, "You can have her."


<A HREF="P17">Next Page</A>