The fun page... post stories, poems, etc.. I wrote this story when about 16 to go along with these following letters Mom and a friend wrote when we were first on the Farm... I know there are a lot of writers in the family, I'd love to see some of their poems posted here... After looking at the page, guess you will have to send them to me or Mom and we will post them... Keith Darling
Springville Bound The story you are about to here is true: the names have not been changed so that credit may be given where credit is due.
The story starts out in a city of a fair size in Los AngelesCounty. The time; the 20th century; the place Manhattan Beach, California.
The people in this story have the same thoughts as do so many people in the Great Central Smog Basin of Los Angeles. The thoughts are to get out of the rat-race and head for the hills, where the air is fresh and the business men are few.
This one family in particular has looked for country property for quite some time, but alas, they cannot find what they want. Finally, after years of endless search, they decided to just go camping. Let it be understood, that they had no intentions of looking for property on this certain excursion.
Well, it was Friday night and everybody was worn to a frazzle from the week of hard work. But tired as they were, they knew they they must get the camper packed and squared away. This had to be accomplished at night because this energetic family planned on leaving promptly at 5:00 am Saturday.
That next morning the lights went on in the house about 4:30. Then at 5:00 sharp, the lights of the truck could be seen moving westward, into the moon-set.
These people had no real idea of where they were going, but still they kept on, knowing that soon the road signs would lead them somewhere...
About three or four hours later they found themselves in the heart of Springville, California, and in another moment out of the city limits to a seemingly small piece of land with a tattered For Sale sign posted upon it.
Although not particularly interested, they thought they should take the address of the realtor and look into it. And low and behold who should should come moseying on out but Mr. James Hubert Montgomery, husband of Mrs. Maud Montgomery.
He asked the family if they would like to see the property, and feeling ambitious and cramped from sitting for four hours, they said yes. The property was much more than they expected to see, it had a creek of it's own, river frontage, on both sides, an orange grove, two cows, a steer, a cat named George and an honest-to goodness log cabin built by the famed Old Bill Barry himself... The peg legged one time owner of the estate and his 40 hound dogs... The Hound dogs and Bill Barry are long since dead and gone... Bill died saving a child from a mine shaft... The still have Bill Barry Days in Springville.
Well, about a year has gone by and the family whose name you are about to learn, has made several re-visitations to that piece of land. Todays trip to Springville was not like the rest, this trip was to make a down payment on the property. After making the purchase, they returned home.
Several weeks later, came the great blow... The white farm house had burned down, leaving only one building suitable for living in; the log cabin, which, at the present time, did not have any electricity, plumbing or heating. At the time this didn't bother them too much.
July 17th, 1968 marked a great step forward in the lives of a certain family, This family is the Lapham and Darling family. I shall call it the Lapham family. At the present time, it consisted of six persons. Mr. Bud Lapham, Mrs. Carol Lapham, Larry Darling, Keith Darling, Craig Darling and Priscilla Darling.
This important milestone date in this families history marked their final trek to finally live at the "Farm" (as it became called) in Springville. They were accompanied by one more family and a section of another.
The section was from the Campbell-Secrist household and their representative was Pat Campbell. The family that came along was the Irwin family, Nancy, Vicki and Kathy.
The summer passed quickly and the Campbell and Irwins drifted away into the smog.
Before long, the Lapham family found winter setting in. By this time, they had situated themselves in the log cabin with such modern conveniences as two electric outlets, a gas stove and a wood pot bellied stove for heat (wood being gathered and hand cut by Larry and Keith).
Without more than a days notice the paper forecast a hard freeze coming... This put the squeeze on us to harvest our crop of oranges. Larry and I... I being Keith, single handedly picked the oranges. The next day a blizzard came and the ground was covered with snow so deep that you could barely see the blades of grass... The leaves were dusted with snow. Although the winter of 68/69 was a harsh one for these Southern California folk, the stout family managed to pull through.
Summer vacation of the year of 69 came and went and so did the cow, the steer and calves. We lost the steer to our freezer and one cow to the highest bidder. We gained two calves, two pigs and ten baby chickens.
The additions were made when one; the cow we still had, had a calf and two; when we found we needed another calf and some pigs to use the whey left over from the making of cheese, and finally when we got ten baby chickens to raise for eggs and fried chicken for our table.
The cow was giving four gallons plus of milk a day and it was a great chore to milk by hand, so we purchased or rather were loaned a milking machine. But prior to this a person noticed an ad in the Porterville Evening Recorder which read: "Wanted-Experienced milker for relief milking. Call the "Farm" It was from this ad that these following letters of correspondence were generated.
The letters are from "Pete" Peterson alias of Mrs. Ruth Peterson friend of the Laphams and one time operator of Peterson’s drive-in cafe. The replies are from the thriving dairy business Lapham Dairy Industries Incorporated. I shall now proceed with the letters....
Porterville, California
9/22/69
Lapham Dairy Industries Inc.
Dear Mrs. Lapham,
I am writing in response to your ad in the Evening Recorder. I have tried repeatedly, I repeat, repeatedly to reach you by phone but you must be busy in the milking barns.
I am a good "hand" at milking, or is that enough? Do I need a "pull" to get the job?
Trusting to hear from you soon, I remain.
Sincerely,
Pete Peterson
Lapham Dairy Industries Inc.
Springville, California
September 24, 1969
Dear Pete:
In answer to your letter of the 22nd, I wish to inform you that the position of relief milker is still open.
Of course, you understand, that at this time this particular industry does hang very low. However, your chances of getting "a-head" will depend entirely on your down to earth approach. We feel that someone who is willing to prove his worth should take ahold of the situation with both hands.
We have been given to understand that you would be willing to work for a greatly reduced salary for the privilege of working for the Springville Cattle Barons. The aura and aroma of this industry reaches far and wide and people have become aware of our presence... Laying the groundwork for a fertile future.
If you are still interested in the position of relief milker after reading this, please apply at the above address on September 31st at 10:30 am.
Sincerely,
Carol Lapham
Executive Secretary
CL/cl
September 25, 1969
Carol Lapham, Secy.
Dear Madam:
In answer to your letter of Sept. 24th, let me compliment on your promptness. I'm sure your cattle appreciate this... Promptness makes for contented cows.
I am sorry to inform you that by nature, I am very superstitious, and that Sept. 31st just happens to be my worst "jinx" day of the year. In fact, I have never been able to accomplish anything worth while on that date.
However, I would like to go thru your plant at some future date, and will be most happy to give you the benefit of my vast store of knowledge... In words of one syllable... Shoot the bull. Till then, I am,
Sincerely,
Pete Peterson
Lapham Dairy Industries Inc.
Springville, California
September 30, 1969
Dear Pete:
I regret to inform you that the position of relief milker is no longer open due to modernization in our plant. We have replaced the milker with a milking machine.
It is fortunate, indeed, that we did not become associated in this enterprise as your letter indicated you are superstitious. Our horoscopes advise us against affiliating with such people.
We do wish you would come by and "shot the bull"... as our modernization has replaced him, too.
Sincerely,
Carol Lapham
Executive Secretary
CL/cl
Soliloquy
I stand alone
the whole day through
And life goes by with naught to do
except to eat
and chew my cud,
gaze longingly
on down the road
Where once I strayed
when life seemed dull
and got acquainted...
with a bull
But times have changed
(not for the better)
no loving hands
to pitter petter
The hay is sweet
the grass is green
But who can love
a milking machine?
I stand alone
my heart is full
I heard them say
they "shot the bull"
Soliloquy... Etc.
They shot the bull!!!
Alas for me.
The fun in life is gone...
you see...
For progeny... There is
no need.
Mankind has done another
deed.
My life's not long on this
terrain...
They do not need me to
remain...
I'm from a disappearing
ilk.
Now that they're making
imitation milk.
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