Mabel was born in 1905.  I don't remember anything about her birth, but I remember her appearing on the scene.  One thing I distinctly remember because it marks a notable thing in my life.  My Great Uncle Cyrus Riggs Davidson and his wife Carolyn came to see Mabel soon after she was born.  Uncle Cyrus was the only one of my Grandfather's brothers or sisters I ever saw.  When they got ready to go, Uncle Cyrus, (teasing me), said "Well, Carolyn wrap the baby up and we'll be getting on our way."  I spoke up and said "Mama says she wants to keep her".  I tell Mabel that she, owes me a lot because I wouldn't let them take her away.      

 

One incident I remember which must have happened before Mabel was born.  I remember going to the county fair in Yates Center,  which was the county seat.  I remember being in a crowd and you know a little persons out-look when they are in a crowd. I was down in a deep place, about on a level with their bottoms. I was holding on to Mama's skirt.  I thought we were getting along all right, when all of a sudden I looked up and found out I was hanging on to the wrong skirt.  Now that was a desperate situation.  All I can remember in addition to that is that I really turned loose quickly and went frantically around through the crowd to find the right skirt.

 

While I was in Yates Center and (I think) before Mabel was born, there was one automobile that I saw (my first).  That is really all I can remember seeing and it is probably the only one.  Remember that was a main Highway because it became US 75 after that.  A main highway at that time meant a road with ruts in it, I think.  It would be a road that a through traveler with an automobile would be likely to take at one time or another.  I was perhaps three when I saw the car.  I feel quite sure it was before Mabel was born.  I can remember this much about it.  It was a side-cranked open-air, single seater job.  Something broke when he was right in front of the house.  Of course it made quite a puffing and snorting sound when it was going and I didn't dare go outside the fence.  I remember hanging on the gate watching what was going on.  I felt safe there (That is to say, I would not have felt safe outside the fence).  The driver got out and got under and worked on it for a while and finally got it to chug along.  Remember there used to be a song "Get out and get under".  So that was my first automobile experience.  Incidentally, many years later than that I recalled I believe that I had seen automobile advertisements in the National Geographic Magazine around 1904.  I guess, either my parents or my Grandpa were members.  I sure wish I had got hold of one of those and saved it.