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Archiver > OGS-AZ > 2000-12 > 0976256203


From: Lester LeMay <>
Subject: [OGS-AZ] Fwd: The Census
Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2000 22:16:43 -0800 (PST)


This was so poignant, I thought I'd share with the AZ
Ohio gen. group. Remember our meeting Jan 27th. If you
plan to come, would you please reply so we can have an
idea of the interest, even without a specific program
yet announced? Lester LeMay

> JUST LISTEN
>
> It was the first day of the census, and all through
> the land each pollster
> was ready...a black book in hand.
> He mounted his horse for a long dusty ride, his book
> and his quills were
> tucked by his side.
> A long winding ride down a road barely there, toward
> the smell of fresh
> bread wafting up through the air.
>
> The woman was tired, with lines on her face and
> wisps of brown hair
> tucked back into place.
> She gave him some water ...as they sat at the table
> and she answered
> his questions.....the best she was able.
> He asked her of children. Yes, she had quite a few
> --- the oldest was
> twenty , the youngest not quite two.
>
> She held up a toddler with cheeks round and red; his
> sister she whispered
> was napping in bed.
> She noted each person who lived there with pride,
> and she felt the
> faint stirrings of the wee one inside.
> He noted the sex, the color, the age...the marks of
> the quill soon filled
> up the page.
>
> At the number of children .......... she nodded her
> head .......and felt
> her lips quiver for the three that were dead.
> The places of birth she..."never forgot" was it
> Pennsylvania? or
> Virginia?
> or Ohio? or what?
> They had come cross the sea, of that she was clear,
> but she wasn't quite
> sure how long they'd been here.
>
> They spoke of employment, of schooling and such,
> they could read some, and
> write some, but really not much.
> When the questions were answered, his job there was
> done, so he mounted his
> horse and rode toward the sun.
> We can almost imagine his voice loud and clear,
> "May God bless you
> all for another ten years".
>
> Now picture a time warp ..... its now you and me
> as we search for the
> people on our family tree.
> We squint at the census and scroll down so slow as
> we search for "THAT
> ENTRY" from long, long ago.
> Could they ever imagine on that long ago day that
> the entries they made
> would affect us this way?
>
> If they knew, would they wonder at the yearnings we
> feel and the searching
> that makes them so lovingly real.
> Would they understand our efforts, our struggles, to
> reach back to touch
> them because they are ours?
> Hush now awhile, we can hear if we listen the words
> they impart, "Our blood's in your veins and our
love in your hearts".
> Author Unknown
>


=====
We thank God for His love, given freely in Jesus Christ. Check our website: http://www.surnames.com/lemayll Also Check http://www.kcgm.org for our favorite Mission. Snailmail contact is P O Box 25886, Tempe, AZ 85285

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