Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

March 26th 1921 –; The evening of the 24th I walked out to Kanreich’s. I met Bertha and Louise on the road, and a lively exchange of uncomplimentary epithets followed by way of greeting. Supper was late, and after that we played “Pit”. At midnight we had elderberry-wine. The next morning there was talk of going to a sale; they needed another horse. They asked me to go along, and I eagerly accepted. I was well repaid. A large crowd had assembled, most of them belonging to the “old school” in appearance. The manner of bidding was new to me, as the bidders would keep a stony expressionless countenance, indicating by the dropping of their eyelids or a slight shake of their heads whether or not they would raise the bid. A free lunch was served in a paper bags, coffee in a huge iron kettle in the yard. The bids ran too high on the horses & we returned without one.; The next morning, when Martin & I who were going to Greenford to see a doctor, sat down to breakfast, he quite simply said grace before we ate. It perhaps was not unusual, but had it not meant something to him, he could easily have seized the opportunity to omit it, since we were alone.